self-publishing Archives | Blurb Blog

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Put Play into Practice

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Put Play into Practice

Not everything is meant for public consumption. This might seem counter to the general trend of modern society, where every moment of every day is shared and shared passionately. ...

Cookies by Chef Coy: Behind the Book with Secoyah Browne

Behind the Books

Cookies by Chef Coy: Behind the Book with Secoyah Browne

What began as a late night stress-relieving activity from a job in real estate finance has become a brand worth watching and a cookbook you’ll want to literally sink ...

How to take creative risks and get comfortable doing it

Planning & Creating

How to take creative risks and get comfortable doing it

Taking risks in your creative endeavors can be as intimidating as it is essential. The path less traveled often leads to the most extraordinary outcomes. Yet, many of us ...

Refueled: Behind the Magazine with Chris Brown

Behind the Books

Refueled: Behind the Magazine with Chris Brown

Chris Brown has never been one to follow the rules of publishing. When he launched Refueled Magazine nearly two decades ago, it wasn’t with mainstream templates or strict editorial ...

<strong>50 unique book ideas to spark your next creative project</strong>

Ideas & Examples

50 unique book ideas to spark your next creative project

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 31, 2018, and most recently updated on September 4, 2025. Everyone has a story to tell. Yes, that means you, too! Whether you’re ...

Behind the Books: The creators behind Stories that Bind

Behind the Books

Behind the Books: The creators behind Stories that Bind

For the past two decades, Blurb has been more than a self-publishing platform—it’s been a tool for photographers, designers, and storytellers to bring their visions into the world. From ...

How print‑on‑demand technology revolutionized self‑expression

How print‑on‑demand technology revolutionized self‑expression

History likes loud turning points: Gutenberg setting metal type, Eastman packaging roll film, Jobs unveiling the first iPhone. But sometimes revolutions slip in quietly. Print-on-demand (POD) was one of those. ...

The Just Start Challenge: How to make a book in just 7 days

Planning & Creating

The Just Start Challenge: How to make a book in just 7 days

You don’t need perfect photos. You don’t need the perfect idea. You don’t even need a full weekend. You just need a plan—and the decision to start. If you’ve ever ...

The evolving creative: How self-publishing can help you pivot careers

Promoting & Marketing

The evolving creative: How self-publishing can help you pivot careers

In today’s rapidly changing world, we often find ourselves at significant crossroads. Whether it means contemplating a major career shift, navigating personal life transitions, or simply feeling the itch ...

Iceland (Second Edition): Behind the Book with Greg Lehming

Behind the Books

Iceland (Second Edition): Behind the Book with Greg Lehming

So often, we consider books as the culmination of a long process of creation, editing, design, and those final, perfecting touches. We get it: Making a book is not ...

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to Grow Without Losing Your Soul

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to Grow Without Losing Your Soul

Last weekend, I drove south to work on my ongoing New Mexico project. What project, you ask? Well, that’s a bit complicated. The origins of this project date back to ...

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Lessons from Antarctica—Simplifying for Success

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Lessons from Antarctica—Simplifying for Success

A year ago, I was headed to Antarctica. The trip became a reality when a photographer friend arranged for me to gain passage on a ship headed south. Before this ...

Rising Waters: Behind the Book with Alice de Kruijs

Behind the Books

Rising Waters: Behind the Book with Alice de Kruijs

This month, our focus is on creative sustainability. Sustainability, on its own, is often associated with environmentally conscious actions aimed at lowering waste and lessening our impact on the ...

East to West: Around the World with The Raw Society

Behind the Books

East to West: Around the World with The Raw Society

In 2016, Jorge Delgado-Ureña and Christelle Enquist co-founded The Raw Society. At first, the organization focused solely on offering on-location photography workshops. Over time, The Raw Society grew into ...

Cultivating Creative Cross-Pollination with Dan Milnor

Cultivating Creative Cross-Pollination with Dan Milnor

I was recently asked if I had any regrets in life. I thought to myself: Where do I begin? I mean, I do, but I try to focus on ...

Collaborative books and publishing: How to blend creative disciplines for a unique final product

Collaborative books and publishing: How to blend creative disciplines for a unique final product

Back in ye olden days of publishing, a single book required the involvement of dozens of craftspeople. If the paper was meant to last, it had to be made ...

The power of books as marketing materials for small and large businesses

Promoting & Marketing

The power of books as marketing materials for small and large businesses

Like most businesses, you’re always on the lookout to stay connected with your audience in relevant ways. So you find yourself in a perpetual loop: Make another post. Check ...

How to transform existing creative projects into new revenue streams

Promoting & Marketing

How to transform existing creative projects into new revenue streams

Learn how to repurpose your book content into new revenue streams! Blurb provides creative business strategies to boost your self-published book sales.

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Rotate your view and redefine your portfolio

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Rotate your view and redefine your portfolio

Discover how Dan Milnor redefined portfolio design with creative bookmaking techniques. Stand out using Blurb photo books, magazines, and print-on-demand tools.

Photo submission do’s and don’ts

Photo submission do’s and don’ts

Here are some tips on how to best photograph yourself and your book when submitting images to Blurb! This allows our creative team to best showcase your work across ...

Gathered ’round the Table: Behind the Book with The Southern Lady Cooks

Behind the Books

Gathered ’round the Table: Behind the Book with The Southern Lady Cooks

Since 2008, The Southern Lady Cooks has been sharing classic, down-home recipes to their fans around the world, the kind of heartwarming food “you may remember your grandmother or ...

Where to sell your self-published book

Promoting & Marketing

Where to sell your self-published book

For some self-published creators, publishing a book is about personal achievement and creative satisfaction. But for others, self-publishing a book is a matter of business. If marketing, selling, and turning ...

Black Friday book promotion ideas: a self-publisher’s guide to boosting sales

Promoting & Marketing

Black Friday book promotion ideas: a self-publisher’s guide to boosting sales

Did you know that during the 2023 holiday season, U.S. consumers spent a staggering $211.7 billion online? That's a 3.5% increase from the previous year, according to Adobe Analytics. As ...

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Start Marketing Your Book Now

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Start Marketing Your Book Now

The marketing of your book begins the moment you decide you have a story to tell. At that very moment. Not the next day or the week after. Not ...

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to sell your book

Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to sell your book

One of the most challenging questions I face at Blurb is, “Well, I finally finished my book. Now how do I sell it?” This tops the list in a ...

Book trends to look for in 2024

Self-Publishing

Book trends to look for in 2024

Book trends are typically predictions based on what’s currently all the rage. The topics that are hot at the end of 2023 will likely remain on-trend into 2024. But ...

Heuer Carrera Chronographs 1963-85: Behind the Book with Richard Crosthwaite

Behind the Books

Heuer Carrera Chronographs 1963-85: Behind the Book with Richard Crosthwaite

Vintage watch collector and researcher Richard Crosthwaite discusses his approach to creating and marketing his books and how print on demand gives him the freedom and flexibility to design ...

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