Production documentation - Website

As part of finalising and producing the physical book, I have researched a few websites to use for printing and production, exploring advantages and disadvantages of both the website and my intail views on this, to the book options and and overall which options would be most suitable for my work. Some of these websites having their own software's to produce the book, others asking for a provided PDF, and some considering layout first and emailing / contacting customers about the pricing of the asked layout.

Blurb is a book printing website who have their own creation tools to create books, such a
software titled 'Book wright,' an online tool titled 'Bookify' along with options to upload PDF documentations with a selection from photo books, trade books, magazines and eBooks. The company also work with Adobe when creating the book, using Adobe indesign or lightroom as a 'pro tool'

Advantages -

• Immediately, the website strikes the audience with a bright yellow colour. This striked me as an audience member, the idea of creating a book being creative, and this initially being the case and view. 

• Inspiration provided for audiences who haven't printed before with creative sub topics

• High quality GSM paper printing options 
• Layflat book option - a books pages completely flat without affecting the binding. (middle section)
• Clear indication of prices using a 'pricing calculator' 

Disadvantages -

• Website wise in comparison to Lulu, when looking for ways to sell and distribute the book I found Lulu's website more clearly signposted.
• Not many photo book sizes available - landscape and portrait wise - biggest size available being 33cm by 28cm.

Another website I had researched being Book Printing UK, with various printing options onto different mediums, examples include paper/hardback books, flyers, posters, bookmarks, etc. The process of choosing and being able to start the book follows an organised procedure, giving an end result of a quote of the price of the book, depending on the desired layout.

Advantages -

• Organised and clear layout when choosing options
• Price given before any actual printing starts
• Quick and straightforward process for those waiting with documentation, e.g in PDF form
• Less chance of returning product and refund, due to the specific options

Disadvantages -

• I found that the GSM paper quality was lower than other websites such as Blurb, Blurbs highest being 140 on Proline pearl, compared to 80-135.

• Lowest amount of pages physically allowed being a high amount, again in comparison to Blurb where the least amount to begin printing is 20 pages.

A further self publishing page I had researched into being Lulu - with options to publish a book as print or e-book, along with ways to distribute and sell to the wider world.

Advantages -

• Creative logo web page with clear signposting 

• More book size options in comparison to Blurb

• Cheaper pricing 

Disadvantages -

• When searching through categories, I found myself unintrugied due to the lack of creative colour and design in comparison to Blurb and Digital Printing UK.

Though not for printing books, one website I found interesting in terms of the layout composition and feel was the most advantaged website wise was digitailprinting.co.uk.

Advantages -

• The website is immediately informative by indicating the prices of the type of booklets, with evident categories at the top of the page without fancy or confusing texts and layouts 
• The title of the company is catchy and professional, quite rememberable 
• Top reviews and feedback of the service provided with information about the site itself being one of the second things the audience can see.