The Blogger or web blog was a great invention and implementation. We bloggers around the world can now communicate, share our stories, share our photography, share our hobbies, write fiction & novels, educate, connect with others and have fun. And yet we need more – we want to publish our posts electronically or in print - that is make eBooks.Proposal: Blogger Posts to eBook Publishing
In here I would like to propose a project to Google Blogger Team - Blogger Posts to eBook Publishing – the online software which downloads Blogger posts into text & image type template ready for printing or digital publishing in PDF format eBook. There are similar tools like that already, but I have only found one book making software which allows downloading of posts from Blogger, WordPress, LiVEJOURNAL(TM) and TypePad®, into the textbook format eBook. However, there are limitations – conversion to PDF [Portable Document Format] is very poor, a format that is very universal and widely used by many thus called portable.
Background Research: Current Available Book Making Software on the Market
I spent endless minutes to search for book making software that would allow me to publish my Blogger posts into eBook. The following listed below are excellent tools, however, they do not offer much of a flexibility to create PDF eBooks from the blog posts. They are free software, however, you must purchase created eBook through their service.
Blurb BookSmart(TM)
Software – free download
Layout Types - portfolio, photo book, wedding, guestbook, cookbook, yearbook, journal, text & photos, text only, poetry, blog to book, blank and more.
Output Formats – BookSmart(TM) format, PDF with watermark, uses PDF convertor, however very little detail provided how to.
Comments – despite of very lame conversion to PDF format, software is excellent and highly recommended.
Web Site – http://www.blurb.com/
MyPublisher
Software – free download
Layout Types – photo book, calendar, cards
Output Formats – MyPublisher format
Comments – recommended, however, no blog to book feature, and no option to save as PDF format; also a bit slow
Web Site – http://www.mypublisher.com/
PhotoInPress BookDesigner
Software – free download
Layout Types – photo book with text
Output Formats – BookDesigner format and ability to print to PDF [Adobe Distiller]
Comments – very basic software
Web Site – http://www.photoinpress.ca/
Lulu
Software – online, must register
Layout Types – anything you can imagine
Output Formats – must find out
Comments – excellent online book making or other
Web Site – http://www.lulu.com/
Have I done my homework? I think I did, unless I didn’t use correct keywords to search for book making software. However, don’t be surprised with Blurb SmartBook(TM), they offer some amazing formats and layouts if you want to publish, print and share your content.
View an example of my eBook I manually created in MS PowerPoint – Story Blob Stories
Process Flow from File/Blogger Post to eBook
[Step 1] Run Google Book Making Software
[Step 2] Choose Book Size & Style
[Step 3] Create Cover Page, back and front, and insides
[Step 4] Choose Layout [text only, text & images]
[Step 5] Choose Theme
[Step 6] Upload Content from My Computer or Blogger
[Step 7] Insert Page Numbering, Additional Footer Information, Header
[Step 8] Edit (Change Layouts of Individual Pages, Insert more text, Insert images, Page Numbering, Footer, Header)
[Step 9] Generate Table of Contents
[Step 10] Generate Index, Tags, or Keywords
[Step 10] Save as PDF
Optional Processes for Selling and Printing
[Step 12] Submit to Google Bookstore
[Step 13] Find Local Printer
[Step 14] Request Print Copy
Libraries [optional]
[1] Library of Preset Layouts / Ability to Create from Scratch
[2] Library of Preset Themes / Ability to Create from Scratch
[3] Library of Fonts
[4] Library of References – add references database to be used in the eBook
Benefits
[1] One happy blogger – me, and probably many more out there.
[2] Reduced shipping / international charges to the end customer because ability to find local printer.
[3] Due to better printing equipment for end customers, printing companies are closing down. This may open new on demand printing options to small printing companies.
Conclusion
To summarize all above, the request is simple, ‘idiot proof’ book making software, reliable, fast and automated that has ability to pull out files from My Computer / Blogger and generate an eBook, just like Blurb SmartBook(TM). However, in my case I rather pay for the software, than have free software and pay for each print. We are nearly digital society, so let’s save some trees, thus digital copies, or print copies on demand.
Dear Blogger Team:
I hope you can review my proposal and consider adding this item to your project list. Should you need any help, you know where I am. As you can see this is not a new concept, however, may be excellent new addition to Google Labs. Thank you.
Document Release: 0; Document Last Modified: March 10, 2009
Hi. First time here. Intersting blog.
ReplyDeleteThat seems something interesting. eBook. But, how would an e-book be any different from a blog. Excuse me if that's a dumb question. I mean anyway a blog is an electronic publication. Or is it like an electronic form of a book that can be sold for writer's profit? Please enlighten me about it. Thanks.
Jagjit.
Thanks Jagjit! Your opinion is appreciated. Yes you are correct both are electronic publications, however, blog is only open to public when you are connected to Internet, however, eBook can be residing on your computer and be accessible any time. Also eBook can become saleable item, where with blog you are live for everyone or your invited guests. Thus confirming your statement, yes eBook can be sold for a writer's profit. For example, you can have one short story on your blog to get your readers interested, and then you can publish the rest in the eBook and sell. Hope I answered your question! Thanks again for your opinion and visit.
ReplyDeleteAnna
This seems like a really good idea. I have a blog on blogspot, and I was looking into publishing a novel that I have written, and other future writings, myself, in eBook form and then offering a paid link on my blogspot page, so that people could click a link, be directed to pay and then download the eBook. I'd be interested to know how far this goes.
ReplyDeleteHi talkshowhost, and thanks for the support. Hopefully someone from Google will hear me, lol. You got some good ideas, may be in the future, or near future I will write another letter. Thanks for your support again. Anna :)
ReplyDelete