Comments on: Exploding books I: Everybody’s an author http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/ by Jeff Jarvis Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:06:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: yonosey http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-146994 yonosey Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:33:48 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-146994 Amy, remember the old addage "gigo" (garbage in, garbage out). I don't think Blurb does any adjustment to images, just as they do no spell checking or grammar checking. That's your job. My book was great. The image rendition of my admittedly great photos was better than I expected. The only problem I encountered was a bug with their newest release, which made it verrrry slow uploading the book. They were very responsive to my questions and resolved the whole thing quickly. And, if they have no phone #, how do you know they don't answer it? Kinda like if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make no noise? Amy, remember the old addage “gigo” (garbage in, garbage out). I don’t think Blurb does any adjustment to images, just as they do no spell checking or grammar checking. That’s your job. My book was great. The image rendition of my admittedly great photos was better than I expected.

The only problem I encountered was a bug with their newest release, which made it verrrry slow uploading the book. They were very responsive to my questions and resolved the whole thing quickly.

And, if they have no phone #, how do you know they don’t answer it? Kinda like if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make no noise?

]]> By: amy bermar http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-137109 amy bermar Tue, 19 Sep 2006 19:04:16 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-137109 I have heard the hype about Blurb -- and all I can say is that their photo quality -- and their customer service -- leaves a lot to be desired. I ordered my first book as a beta user, and let them know that the images were darker than they should have been. The 'very nice' support guy asked me to send them back the book, which I did. 7 weeks and 8 emails later -- no book. He has stopped responding to my emails, and funny enough -- they have no phone number. And no one answers the phone. Cute and sexy DEMO debut aside -- is there anything under the covers over there at Blurb? Doesn't seem like the right way to build a company. I have heard the hype about Blurb — and all I can say is that their photo quality — and their customer service — leaves a lot to be desired.

I ordered my first book as a beta user, and let them know that the images were darker than they should have been. The ‘very nice’ support guy asked me to send them back the book, which I did. 7 weeks and 8 emails later — no book. He has stopped responding to my emails, and funny enough — they have no phone number. And no one answers the phone.

Cute and sexy DEMO debut aside — is there anything under the covers over there at Blurb?

Doesn’t seem like the right way to build a company.

]]> By: Lee http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-104057 Lee Sat, 05 Aug 2006 17:38:51 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-104057 As Eoin already knows, I am doing precisely that - blog to book. At the moment I'm serialising my YA fantasy novel MORTAL GHOST in weekly instalments from my blog. Afterwards a PDF download of the entire novel will be available, but I'm seriously considering doing a POD version as well. And one of the best things, Jeff, is precisely that I can correct my text when I realise I'm not happy with something. I'm waiting anxiously to find out just what a blog slurper is! http://mortalghost.blogspot.com As Eoin already knows, I am doing precisely that - blog to book. At the moment I’m serialising my YA fantasy novel MORTAL GHOST in weekly instalments from my blog. Afterwards a PDF download of the entire novel will be available, but I’m seriously considering doing a POD version as well.

And one of the best things, Jeff, is precisely that I can correct my text when I realise I’m not happy with something.

I’m waiting anxiously to find out just what a blog slurper is!

http://mortalghost.blogspot.com

]]> By: ashok http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-103857 ashok Sat, 05 Aug 2006 10:06:38 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-103857 I'm playing with Blurb and Lulu right now, thanks for bringing them up. Hope these essays of mine make a nice book. I’m playing with Blurb and Lulu right now, thanks for bringing them up. Hope these essays of mine make a nice book.

]]> By: Grokodile http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-103504 Grokodile Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:46:14 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-103504 I refuse to be an author. Oh! Oops. I refuse to be an author. Oh! Oops.

]]> By: Eoin Purcell http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/08/04/exploding-books-i-everybodys-an-author/#comment-103417 Eoin Purcell Fri, 04 Aug 2006 18:09:28 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=1854#comment-103417 Jeff, I love services like blurb and lulu. The amazing feature that Blurb has though is their software download. That in itself is revolutionary. The major barrier to self publishing, on the production front at least, has been design. Booksmart removes, to a large degree, that hassle. The books look good and pretty impressive. It is a smart piece of software. As regards a blog to book scenario I think it is an exceptionally useful tool, not only in opening debate and garnering comment but also attracting attention and beginning the marketing campaign. Eoin Jeff,

I love services like blurb and lulu. The amazing feature that Blurb has though is their software download. That in itself is revolutionary.

The major barrier to self publishing, on the production front at least, has been design. Booksmart removes, to a large degree, that hassle. The books look good and pretty impressive. It is a smart piece of software.

As regards a blog to book scenario I think it is an exceptionally useful tool, not only in opening debate and garnering comment but also attracting attention and beginning the marketing campaign.
Eoin

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