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Blurb custom books FAQs

What's the difference between a Photo Book and a Paperback or Hardcover Book on Blurb?
A Photo Book is built around full-bleed images, with pages designed for photo layouts first and optional captions or short text. A Paperback or Hardcover Book is built around continuous text, with images as a secondary element, and supports running text, chapters, and a table of contents. Choose Photo Books for portfolios, albums, and image-driven projects, and Paperback and Hardcover Books for novels, memoirs, or any text-heavy manuscript.

Did Blurb rename Trade Books to Paperback and Hardcover Books?
Yes. Blurb's Trade Book format is now called Paperback and Hardcover Books. The same binding options, paper types, and sizes are available; only the name has changed. Existing projects built under the Trade Book name are unaffected and can still be edited and reordered.

What sizes are available across Blurb's book formats, and can I get a custom size?
Sizes vary by format. Custom Photo Books range from 5x5 to 13x11 inches, while Paperback and Hardcover Books and Journals and Notebooks offer trim sizes suited to text, such as 5x8, 6x9, and 8x10. Magazines are set at 8.5x11 inches. Blurb does not currently support fully custom trim sizes outside the listed options for any format.

How many pages can each Blurb format hold?
Page limits depend on both format and paper type. Photo Books range from 20 to 440 pages depending on paper. Paperback and Hardcover Books, as well as Notebooks and Journals, support up to 480 pages for text-heavy projects. Magazines range from 24 to 240 pages, and Layflat Books range from 20 to 110 pages.

Does Blurb offer wire-o, spiral, or coil binding?
Wire-O binding is available for Notebooks & Journals. Photo Books, Paperback and Hardcover Books, and Magazines do not offer wire-o, spiral, or coil binding; those formats are limited to softcover (perfect bound), ImageWrap hardcover, Linen hardcover with dust jacket, and, for Photo Books specifically, Layflat.

I don't have any creative or design experience. Can I still create a book, magazine, or a journal with Blurb?
Yes. Blurb's free BookWright tool guides you through layout with drag-and-drop simplicity and ready-made templates. You can also start with a blank page and design it yourself. Just add your photos and text and let BookWright handle the rest.

Do I need special design software to create a book, magazine, or a journal?
No special design software is needed, though BookWright can work alongside software you already use. Blurb also offers plugins for Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Lightroom. If you already have a finished document, Blurb's PDF to Book tool turns it into a print-ready project and guides you through the next steps.

What file formats can I upload?
It depends on your starting point. In BookWright, upload photos as JPG or PNG and import text as RTF files from Word, or type or paste it manually. Blurb's free Adobe plugins connect directly to InDesign, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop with no separate upload step. If you already have a print-ready PDF, including exports from Illustrator or Adobe Express, PDF to Book accepts it directly and auto-detects book size from the PDF dimensions.

Does image resolution affect print quality, and is there a minimum I should aim for?
Yes, image resolution matters significantly for print quality. Aim for 250-300 dpi at the size you're placing the image; lower resolution can result in softness or pixelation once printed. BookWright automatically flags low-resolution images so you can catch issues before ordering.

Can I order a sample or proof before committing to a full print run?
Yes. A proof is one printed copy of your actual project at a single-copy price rather than a separate sample product; just set your quantity to one. You can also order a free swatch kit to compare paper finishes and see how color and black-and-white images print across Blurb's paper types.

Are there discounts for ordering multiple copies?
Yes. Orders of 10 or more copies of the same book qualify for volume discounts. For orders of 100 or more copies, Blurb's team offers custom printing quotes.

Does Blurb print and ship internationally?
Yes. Blurb ships to 70+ countries and territories worldwide and operates separate websites for Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A shipping calculator is available to check delivery estimates and costs by location.