Hi! I've been thinking of this with POD-books. Iv'e got a bit of tricky question I would like to ask you: I would want to make a secret text with hardback cover. It's my diary I would like in shape of a book. I would want just one copy of it and I don't want any else to read it. Lulu.com etc frightens me a little because of this. I would want it to last, so good quality. But I'd also want it as cheap as possible. Right now I have it in PDF. It's text and som jpeg. The easiest option would be to just upload it and make a front and back cover. So: Secret book Single copy Cheap Good quality Where can I make truth of this idea? Thanks! Linnea
It is costly to produce a single copy of a book. All the once-only costs like layout and typesetting are not distributed over multiple copies, and you would have to handcraft your binding and cover (again, for a run of one - you cannot spread out the design costs).
Lulu.com allows you to keep your project as "private." I don't know if confidentiality is guaranteed or anything, but I'm reasonably certain that you could keep it from being distributed to anyone else. Lulu.com and Amazon CreateSpace both appear quite cheap. They don't mention any large typesetting costs on the site, but perhaps someone else can point it out if I've missed something...
Hi, Long ago I had to print eight copies of my master's thesis. I printed it myself on my own printer then took the lot down to a copy shop to get it spiral bound. Even then you could get hard or soft covers for your binding. The binding wasn't flash, but it did the trick, and they may have new bindings available these days. As for costs, printing on a laser is five to ten cents a page, the bindings will vary. Cheers.
I second psychotick's suggestion. Most copy shops offer several types of binding, and they usually have one hardcover binding on offer as well. Some photography shops also offer hard cover binding with full colour photos wrapped around the outside. This will most likely be the cheapest route, and also the quickest (you'll get it in one day). On a semi-related note, I would like to point out that the publication of a secret diary is a contradiction in terms.
That's true. I had my thesis bound in hardcover through the university, and I believe it was only $25 per copy.
no matter whether you use a pod or a private printer, someone is bound to read some of the ms... so your only option is to print it up yourself and then pay to have them bound into book form... you can print the pages any size you format it to be, so it can still be 'book-sized'... for the sake of your budget and keeping your secrets secret, i suggest your next diary be handwritten in a blank book!
Other options Hi Linnea, I can see uploading your diary to any site being nerve-wracking as the basic rule of thumb is to not put anything on the internet that you don't want passed around. And in digital form, it can fly pretty quickly. Though if lulu promises privacy, I would think it would be safe. From personal experience at my bindery, we don't have time to read anything and don't really care what's in the books. Also, our employees can actually get a pink slip for reading - not just for the privacy side of it, but due to the time wasting it can cause. Mammamaia's suggestion of printing yourself and then having it bound sounds the best route as it at least makes it more difficult for someone to pass it around. I would suggest doing the binding yourself also if you really want it private! There are a number of books out there or even sites online where you can learn to bind your own book. See http://www.philobiblon.com/tutorials.shtml for a great list of links to learn different bindings. Though your first binding may be a bit "rough" it would be the only way for you to actually keep it totally private and once you've done one, I bet you would get the "fever" and want to do more! It's really not that hard I am actually a "library bindery" and we do bind just one book at a time - and the cost is NOT that much. A basic hardcover binding starts at just $40. There are a number of library binders all over the country. You can find one in your area at www.lbibinders.org and all will accept shipments in also. All that are listed are certified to bind according to higher standards. You can do plain covers or design a printed cover or even do it in leather and you can send just your printed pages to them for binding or most would accept files too, but then you have the higher risk of it getting out there. Good luck! Tracy Lamphere
