BOOK PRINTED!

My book arrived from Blurb and I am so happy with it! I managed to get the book finished before I went to the BBC last week because I knew I wouldn't have time after that to print and bind it myself. I'm glad I did because my week at the BBC was incredibly busy.

It does feel like a bit of a shame that I didn't bind it myself and maybe that makes me look a bit lazy but Blurb did a way better job than I could have done. It's so neat, professional and beautiful! 

What worked:

My favourite part of the book is the yellow binding design, it brightens the whole book up and it just seems reminiscent of Little Golden Books or old cloth-bound books to have the yellow bind come over the sides.

I'm happy with the story and really proud that I managed to finish the whole book. A massive achievement!

It's great to see the book in the flesh and having a tactile copy should be useful in demonstrating the book to publishers.

With spending the last couple of weeks designing the book and putting the photos together, I'd almost forgotten just how much MANUAL WORK went into building the set and it really does look impressive to see it in print, all the tiny details! The proof is in the proverbial pudding.

To improve:

The text on the spine is slightly too big so comes over the edges a tiny bit.

Some of the photos appear a bit dark. Perhaps this is something to do with my laptop screen and how it appears differently on there to how it does in print/on a different screen.

I'm not sure about the typeface I chose inside the book anymore. It seems a bit clunky and not soft, rounded enough for children. It also doesn't fit that well within the cloud shapes on all of the images so this could be neatened up (especially with the help of a graphic designer).

What's next?

Approach a publisher?

Self-publish?

Will need to do some research into this before making any rash decisions! If I got a publishing deal for this book would the publishers own the rights to the world?

Better photos of the finished book - collab with photographer

ANIMATE THE WHOLE STORY? A post-uni project perhaps...

The next story!

Make promo material/merchandise?