How to Publish on Blurb
Blurb is purpose-built for books where images carry the meaning — photo books, art books, cookbooks with full-bleed photography, portfolios, magazines, and illustrated content. For standard prose trade books, IngramSpark or KDP Print is the right tool. For books where printing quality and paper stock are core to the reader experience, Blurb is where those books belong.
This guide covers the complete Blurb publishing workflow — both the BookWright design path (for authors creating their book within Blurb's system) and the custom PDF upload path (for authors with designer-produced files).
What You Need Before You Start
A clear understanding of your book's final format — Blurb's format range is its primary differentiator, and format selection locks in your production specs
Your content — images, text, and any other material — organized and ready to place
A Blurb account at blurb.com
For the BookWright path: a Mac or Windows computer to install the BookWright desktop application
For the custom PDF path: a print-ready PDF meeting Blurb's technical specifications
Step 1: Create Your Blurb Account
Go to blurb.com and click Sign Up. Create your account with your email address. After email verification, you'll land in your Blurb dashboard. Complete your account profile with your name, address, and payment method.
Payment Setup
Blurb charges you for printing when orders are placed (your own orders and buyer orders through the Blurb Bookstore). For Blurb Bookstore sales, your author income is deposited to your connected PayPal account or via check. Set up your payout method from Account Settings.
Step 2: Choose Your Format
Format selection is the first and most consequential decision on Blurb. Choose before you begin designing — changing format after designing requires rebuilding your layout.
Photo Books
Magazines
Trade Books
Binding and Paper Options
Within each format, Blurb offers binding options (softcover, hardcover, layflat) and paper options (standard paper, premium lustre, premium matte, ProLine paper for professional photographers). Premium paper stocks produce significantly better photo reproduction but at higher cost per page. Use Blurb's cost calculator to understand how your paper choice affects the printing cost before finalizing.
Step 3: Path A — Designing in BookWright
Download and Install BookWright
BookWright is Blurb's free desktop design application for Mac and Windows. Download it from blurb.com/bookwright. The download is approximately 100–200 MB. Install it on your computer following the standard installation process for your operating system. BookWright requires an internet connection to authenticate with your Blurb account and to upload completed projects.
Start a New Project in BookWright
Open BookWright and sign in with your Blurb account credentials
Click New Book
Select your format — this must match the format you've planned your content for
Select your paper type and binding
Name your project
BookWright opens a blank project with template pages for your chosen format
BookWright Interface Overview
BookWright's interface has three main areas: the page thumbnail strip on the left showing all pages in your book, the main canvas in the center where you design individual pages, and a toolbar at the top with layout, text, and image tools.
Key tools you'll use most:
Layout tool: apply pre-made page layout templates (grid of images, full-bleed image, text + image combinations)
Image tool: place, resize, and position photographs and illustrations on the page
Text tool: add and format text elements
Background tool: set page background colors or full-bleed background images
Importing Your Images
Click the Photos tab in the right panel to open your image library. Import your images by clicking the + button and navigating to your image files. BookWright accepts JPEG and PNG files. Organize your images in the library before beginning layout — having all your images imported and visible makes the design process faster.
After importing, drag images from the library panel onto image placeholder frames on your pages. Resize and position within frames using BookWright's handles.
Working with Templates
BookWright provides layout templates for each page — pre-designed arrangements of image frames and text areas. Access templates by clicking the Layouts tab in the right panel. Select a layout and it applies to the current page. Modify it as needed — move, resize, or delete elements to fit your content.
For photo books, full-bleed single-image pages and two-image spread layouts are typically the strongest designs. Avoid overcrowding pages with too many small images — Blurb's paper quality deserves images given room to breathe.
Adding and Formatting Text
Click the Text tool and draw a text frame on the page. Type your text directly in the frame. Use the text formatting panel to set font, size, color, and alignment. For captions, titles, and chapter introductions, keep typography clean and restrained — let the images be the primary visual element.
Checking Image Resolution
BookWright displays a resolution indicator for each placed image — green (adequate resolution for print), yellow (acceptable but will print softly), or red (too low resolution for print quality). Resolve all red indicators before uploading. Blurb's premium paper stocks demand high-resolution images — use original files, not web-compressed versions.
⚠ Low-resolution images print blurry regardless of how sharp they look on screen. Screen resolution is typically 72–96 DPI; print requires 300 DPI at final print size. If BookWright flags an image as low resolution, either source a higher-resolution version or design that image smaller on the page so it meets print resolution at the reduced size.
Uploading from BookWright
When your design is complete, click Upload Book in BookWright's top menu. BookWright checks your project for common issues (low resolution images, text near safety zones, empty pages) before uploading. Address any flagged warnings. After upload, Blurb processes your project and makes it available in your account dashboard for ordering and distribution setup.
Step 4: Path B — Custom PDF Upload
If your book was designed in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, or another professional application, export it as a print-ready PDF and upload it directly through blurb.com.
PDF Technical Requirements for Blurb
Download Blurb's cover template for your specific format, size, and page count from your account dashboard before designing your cover. Like KDP and IngramSpark, Blurb calculates spine width based on your page count and paper type — never estimate the spine width or reuse a template from another platform.
Upload your interior PDF and cover PDF through your Blurb account dashboard. Blurb runs an automated file check and reports any technical issues. Review the digital proof Blurb generates from your files before proceeding to ordering.
Step 5: Use the Blurb Cost Calculator Before Pricing
This step is non-negotiable. Blurb's printing costs are higher than standard POD platforms because of the premium paper and print quality it delivers. Do not guess or estimate — use Blurb's cost calculator (available in your account dashboard and at blurb.com/price-calculator) before setting any retail price.
The cost calculator shows your exact printing cost for your chosen format, paper type, binding, and page count. For a 100-page premium lustre photo book in 10" × 8" landscape format, the printing cost may be $35–50 or more. Your retail price must be set well above this to generate meaningful income.
⚠ Authors who skip the cost calculator and set prices intuitively often underprice their Blurb books — sometimes to the point where the retail price barely covers printing cost. A beautiful 100-page art book priced at $29.99 may generate under $5 profit per copy after Blurb's printing cost. Run the calculator for your exact specs, then set a retail price that reflects both your cost and the premium nature of what you're selling.
Step 6: Set Up Distribution
From your Blurb account dashboard, navigate to your book's settings to configure distribution.
Blurb Bookstore
Your book is automatically listed in the Blurb Bookstore (blurb.com/bookstore) once you make it public. The Blurb Bookstore is Blurb's own storefront where readers browse and purchase directly. Set your public price here — this is your retail price on Blurb's storefront, separate from any Amazon distribution pricing.
Amazon Distribution
Blurb offers Amazon distribution for trade format books. If enabled, your book is listed on Amazon through Blurb's distribution relationship. Note: if you are already distributing the same print title through KDP Print or IngramSpark, enabling Blurb's Amazon distribution creates a duplicate Amazon listing. Coordinate your distribution to avoid this — use Blurb for Blurb Bookstore and direct orders, and handle Amazon distribution through your other print platforms.
Ingram Distribution
For trade format books, Blurb also offers distribution through Ingram's wholesale network, making your book available to bookstores and libraries. Again, if you're already using IngramSpark for the same title, do not double-distribute. Blurb's Ingram distribution is most useful for trade books you are publishing exclusively through Blurb rather than across multiple print platforms.
Step 7: Order a Proof Copy
Order a proof copy before making your book available for public purchase. From your account dashboard, add your book to your cart and order a copy at the printing cost plus shipping. When you receive your proof, examine:
Color accuracy — do printed colors match your intended design? Screen-to-print color shift is the most common surprise in photo book production
Image sharpness — are all images printing at adequate resolution?
Paper quality — does the paper feel appropriate for your content?
Binding quality — does the spine lie flat or hold well depending on binding type?
Typography — is text legible at print size?
If the proof reveals color accuracy issues, you may need to adjust your images for CMYK printing. If image resolution is a problem, source higher-resolution files. Address all issues before making the book available to buyers.
Blurb Bookstore royalties and any distribution income connect to ScribeCount once your account is linked. For authors with diverse publishing formats — standard trade books through KDP and IngramSpark, photo books and specialty formats through Blurb — ScribeCount consolidates all format income in one view so you can see Blurb's contribution to total publishing income without maintaining separate tracking spreadsheets.
Common Blurb Mistakes
Not running the cost calculator before setting retail prices — resulting in prices that barely cover printing costs
Using low-resolution images — BookWright flags these, but the temptation to override warnings leads to poor print quality
Not ordering a proof copy before public launch — color accuracy surprises and paper quality issues are best discovered on a proof, not reported by buyers
Enabling Amazon or Ingram distribution on a Blurb title already distributed through KDP Print or IngramSpark — creating duplicate retail listings
Not connecting Blurb to ScribeCount — losing visibility into Blurb Bookstore and distribution income
Blurb exists for the books that other POD platforms cannot do justice to. The cost calculator is your most important tool — use it before you design anything and build your pricing around reality, not hope. A beautifully produced Blurb photo book priced to reflect its actual value is one of the most premium products an indie author can offer. Get the proof right, price it correctly, and Blurb delivers what it promises: print quality that earns its premium.
-Randall Wood