A Review of My First Blurb Photo Books | How to market and the quality

Finally, just got my book last week from Blurb.com, so far I dig it. The print quality I use is matte. In this blog, I will talk about how I feel and what I can see in Blurb by being a photographer. My book is based on the “Nature of Oakland”, I really like using the BookSmart program that Blurb provided. The shipping was 2 weeks to check out the status of the first book before I sell it to the public. I notice the shipping + handling cost a lot and also the book print. I got 80 pages and doing so, the print already cost $45.00!!! Best way is to buy more to get a percentage of each book, similar to printing shirts; the more you print the cheaper the ink will be. Before are the Positive and Negative from my opinion on Blurb.com

 Very Hard-cover !!! (don't be cheap with the quality if you want your buyers cont. to buy more books from you in the future)

POSITIVE

1. Booksmart program is easy to use which allow you to design layout pages for your book
2. Set your own price to sell
3. Matte (I had Matte on my “Nature of Oakland” book) so far good and I like!
4. Cover-wrap is a “killer”! Mean A+ digs it but be careful because the wrap does take a lot of smart from the cover.
5. Photo book with writing also!
6. E-book ;) for fans who does not want to spend a lot but can use for Note-book or I-pad
7. Can also comment on book and share online
8. Promo can help a lot!!! Google.com and find 25%

NAGATIVE

1. Have 15 days to sell the book if not, Blurb.com will delete
2. Does not help with spell check ;(
3. Booksmart does lag also if the layout has tons of writing.
4. Confuse for buyers if want to buy book by asking if buyers want to sign for Blurb.com
5. Does not help sells promotion if so? Need to pay extra which give you a link on the site.
6. Printing cost a lot depend on the book you want for your viewers/buyers.

So far, my buyers are waiting on the first month of June because the first week means people get paid! So far, I market myself ok but I also can show you how to market your self

HOW TO DO MARKTETING FOR YOUR FIRST BOOK

1. Make sure to put your book on your website on the front!
2. Make a youtube.com video talking about how you feel about the day you saw your book for the first time.
3. Talk about it every day at work or school.
4. Facebook share! Tumblr! And all the other social sites
5. Sell it on Art market (so far I got a sale permit to sell it on the Oakland Market soon this summer)
6. Showcase your photography to get random traffic and feel professional as an artist.
7. TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO BUY THE BOOK AND COMMENT ON YOUR BLURB!!!

Well hopefully this blog can help ;) so far I love my book and can wait for next projects!!!

80 pages will look like this :\




Video of me showing off the Book from Blurb.com

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www.jayaproduction.com