I have been working on turning my blog into a book for a long time now.
I've tried several different programs and formats.
I've worked it and re-worked it.
First, I tried using Blurb. This program will slurp your blog into their program and let you edit each individual page. This was Blurb's first attempt at this program and it was not very stable, or user friendly. The problem was that the program was very slow and the work was very tedious. And it caused my computer to crash regularly. I finally gave up when I heard the rumor that other companies were working on blog printing services.
In the meantime I heard of other people copy and pasting their blog into a Word Document. This format give you the most control as far as layout is concerned. And it allowed me to keep my comments. After many hours of copy and pasting I finally finished. Then came the problem of deciding how to print the sucker. I tried uploading it to Kinko's on-line site. The problem I ran into was that much of my formatting was not compatible with Kinko's program. It was causing my formatting to wig out once it was uploaded. I tried converting the Word Document into a .pdf file, but ran into formatting problems again.
I was ready to pull my hair out when I heard Cutest Blog on the Block was launching a blog printing program, called SharedBook. So I tried again. I slurped my blog into their program. And of course, I discovered another set of issues. First, there way of keeping the comments but it simply included them as an additional section at the back of the book, not with each post. Second, it slurped ALL my posts, including slide shows and videos (which obviously won't work in a book). So I had to manually delete all my slide shows and videos from my blog before I slurped again. The biggest problem left was that it left me no way of manually editing my pages (changing the size of pictures, adjusting placement of text, and ensuring that posts were not split between pages.)
But I was done.
I had spent most of a year on this project and I wanted to be finished. So I ordered a copy. It cost about $50 for 138 pages (basically 2005-2007 of my blog).
It took nearly a month from the time I ordered it to the time it hit my mailbox.
And sadly, I'm not thrilled with the outcome.
The color pictures are not as high quality as I would have liked and there is still that annoying issue of posts being split between pages.
(This page contains two pictures from a post about Dan's birthday, an entire post about boys eating cake, and the first half of my post about holes in my ceiling.)
So, now I am ready to start working on my blog book for 2008, but I hesitate to use SharedBook again, because I don't love it.
I've heard Blurb has a newer, better version of their program. Should I try it again? Or, just accept that nothing is going to be perfect? Has anyone else made a Blog book?
6 comments. . . I Love Comments!:
I used Blurb earlier this year, in the spring/early summer. I was very happy with my book. Although it was quite time consuming to fix layouts and such, and delete videos and slide shows, I did it and am pretty happy with my book. Some of the page layouts I selected are some I wouldn't choose again, but I will use them again in January to make this years book. Those are my thoughts. =) Good luck!
I am so glad you are trying all of these options so that by the end of the year(when I want to make a blog book) you will know exactly where I should go and how to do it!! Thanks for saving me time nicole!!
Good to know. I keep thinking I need to make one, but maybe I will wait a little while longer! Thanks for being the guinea pig for all of us bloggers!
I laughed when I read your post! I just slurped my blog from 2007 into a book and saved it. It was SO fast to do - but I wondered about quality etc. (I used Cutest Blog on the Block too)
I haven't printed mine yet. I actually have a request in to one of my friends that does Heritage Makers to see if they have come up with a program yet too...
Keep me posted with what you find out! I desperately want all my blogging work saved in book form too!
I just add mine into my reg. scrap book. I use the same pictures anyhow, and if it doesn't fit, then I put it in a random topics page. Cheap, I know but it works for me.
I have never tried them...but go to scrappingsimply.com. It's Allens Camera and I get my digital scrapbook pages done there...they have great quality printing. I don't know about the books or what they will look like, but I don't doubt it will be just as great of quality! Plus maybe it won't take as long and you can just pick it up at the stores or something. Keep us all updated on what one you have found to work the best.
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