From Blog To Keepsake Book

In my publishing master's program, we talk constantly about the contrast between electronic and traditional media, including e-books, web platforms and social media. Though I’m obviously a huge fan of blogs and online publishing, even I must admit that there’s just something so special about holding a printed copy of your work, seeing your thoughts and words preserved permanently in ink and on paper.

That’s why before I left for my summer trips to California and St. Maarten a few weeks ago, I used Blogger’s SharedBook program to turn this very wedding blog into a keepsake book – or as it turns out, books, since my more than 400 blog posts, plus comments, ended up taking up much more space than I originally anticipated! 

Still, this online program was easy to use, and I was able to order two paperback copies – one pre-wedding volume with 343 pages and one post-wedding volume with 479 pages – for less than $100. Had I decided to splurge on hard covers or color photos, I would have paid several hundred dollars extra, and after receiving the books, I’m so glad I didn’t bother. All in all, the black-and-white paperbound copies, each about the size of a textbook, look great and are just what I wanted.

Did I really write that much?!

Customizing the covers with some of my favorite photos was fun!

Sure, the layouts, adjusted by the program to minimize the total number of pages, aren’t perfect in a few places, and some of my longer headlines are truncated, but overall, I couldn’t be happier as I flip through each volume reliving what was without a doubt the happiest and most exciting time of my life to date. Plus, the fact that this program allowed me to include reader comments, unlike some others I tested out, including BookSmart, sold me on it immediately.

So many comments! See yours? 

I’d give anything to hold in my hands a wedding diary or memory book written by my mom or grandmothers, and thanks to these books, I hope I’ll be able to share my own special moments with my children and grandchildren, long after the electronic versions have faded in the wake of new and changing technologies.

Do you keep a personal diary or hard copy of your blog? After seeing mine transformed, I'd definitely recommend this program to anyone who wants to start!

(Photo Credits: Personal Library)