Let me reverse the narrative right away. Making test books isn’t arduous. Making test books is fun. 

This might seem counterintuitive, but as someone who has made and continues to make dozens of test publications, I can promise you that creating test books will make your overall bookmaking experience far more enjoyable. 

But let’s get some facts straight first.

What’s a test book?

Great question. A test book does not have to be a replica of your finished book. A test book does not have to be expensive. A test book is not a one-off. 

A test book is simply a quick, early version of your project that you print to see how your images, type size, layout, and paper choices actually look in the real world. It’s a working draft you can flip through, mark up, and learn from. And it’s something you will use repeatedly. 

Why test?

Taking a step back to look at the creative world in general, we must ask ourselves: What creative project arrives perfectly on the first try? 

Does a painter reach perfection on the first pass? Does a novelist or screenwriter write the perfect novel or script on the first draft? Does a movie editor find that Academy Award winner after the first edit? 

No. Great work comes through revision. Our books are no different. 

We have our initial vision or idea, and we dream about what that vision will look like in print. Sometimes we obsess. We can see that final masterpiece, but when we begin to build, we discover that we have options, and that things might not be as straightforward as we first imagined. 

Maybe I shouldn’t mix color and black-and-white photographs. Maybe twelve-point text is too large, or maybe it’s just right. Maybe the images need borders instead of bleed. 

Maybe is a synonym for doubt. Doubt can prevent us from moving forward. 

In steps the test book. Your space for wild experimentation.

Remember, the only person who will see the test book is you. You need not worry about being judged, finding the perfect edit, or choosing the best cover photograph. It’s a test book. A practice swing before stepping to the plate. 

And you don’t need to make a large test book. You can print a small sample of what your final book will be. If your final publication is an 11×13 hardcover, your test book can be a 7×7 softcover. Play around. Have fun.

My very first experiment

When Blurb first arrived back in 2006, the first thing I did was download the software and make a test book. I was working on a project about Hawaii, so those photographs were in a folder on my desktop. I pulled black-and-white, toned black-and-white, and color imagery and quickly placed them in a layout. 

I didn’t worry about making anything perfect. Again, I was making a book to see what I liked or didn’t like about the Blurb offering. I also took a single line of text and printed it at 8pt, 10pt, 12pt, 14pt, and 18pt to see what looked best for captions, body copy, and headlines. 

I then printed the test book on multiple Blurb papers to see what I liked the best. I used these test books as a roadmap for years. 

How I use them now

Recently, I returned from teaching a workshop in Morocco. In my first week home, I created six test books from photographs I had made while teaching. I created samples ranging from a MagCloud Digest that cost me ten bucks to an 11×13 linen hardcover photo book with dust jacket using Mohawk proPhoto Pearl (140# Mohawk Photo Gloss, 190 GSM), which cost me well over one hundred dollars. 

You might think that after making three hundred different publications with Blurb, I would no longer need to make test books, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Making these books is fun and strategic. After receiving the books and poring over the details, noting what I like and don’t like about each, I now know for sure what my final book will be. The pressure is off. I can now build toward my final vision. 

I now know what image works best for the cover. I know which paper is most suited to the photographs. I know what typeface works best with the story, and I know how to prep my files to get the desired look. All from taking the time to do the tests. 

Exactly how to make a test book

1. Start small. Choose a cheap format, a paperback (a.k.a trade book), a magazine, or a 7×7 softcover photo book. Or even order a swatch kit, to feel papers before you ever hit print. Small books lower the stakes.
2. Use a range of photos. Include a handful of black-and-white, toned black-and-white, and color images. Seeing all three on paper will tell you instantly how different styles respond to each paper type.
3. Add a quick type test. Take one line of text and print it at a bunch of different sizes. Use two or three fonts you’re considering (a serif, a sans-serif, maybe a monospaced option). This will show you what works best for captions, body text, and headers. 
4. Try several layout ideas. A full bleed spread. A bordered spread. A grid. A single image. Even one or two background color tests, if you’re curious. This is your lab.
5. Print multiples on different papers. Paper changes everything. For photo books, I like the Mohawk Superfine Eggshell and the Standard photo paper. For paperbacks and hardcovers, use the Standard Color paper with a matte and glossy cover. You’ll know immediately which direction feels right in your hands.
6. Review, refine, repeat. Circle what works. Cross out what doesn’t. Make notes in the margins. What works becomes your recipe for next time. And your jumping-off point for future project-based test books.

Using test books for actual projects

Once you’ve made a foundational test book and understand your materials, you can use test books as a creative tool for specific projects. Print a small slice of the real work, ten to twenty images, a bit of text, and a few unusual sequencing or layout ideas. Print several versions, trying different papers, covers, pacing, or type decisions. Each round brings you closer to the final book and takes the pressure off any lingering perfectionism.

In a nutshell

The creative process, at least for me, is as magical as the final product. How we get from start to finish is as much a part of the story as the ending itself. Test books are the natural stepping stones to great photography books, so next time you have a project in mind, visualize the puzzle pieces you think you need, assemble them in a small test book, and hit print. 

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Dan Milnor is Blurb’s creative ambassador. He lives in the field, photographing, teaching, and making books and art alongside creators like you. Register for an account, and you’ll get his insights from over twenty years in the field in your inbox monthly. You can also find a long list of online events so you can learn from him in real time.