From Dream to Reality: My Journey Self-Publishing ‘Bikini Diaries’ with Blurb

Model Laura reading the ‘Bikini Diaries’ during a break.

If you’re a photographer like myself, you’ve likely entertained the idea of publishing your own photobook. Chances are, that is precisely where you left off with your idea. Understandable! Writing a book is a huge project. You need a strong theme, a compelling narrative, and the content to fill the pages. Plus, there’s the design, formatting, production, and listing of your book with retailers to think about. And don’t forget the costs and the need for a smart sales strategy to make back your investment.

I’m no publishing expert. Besides my Ph.D. thesis, which is a different ball game, my book ‘Bikini Diaries’ is my first self-publishing experience. It’s a print-on-demand coffee table book I made with Blurb.

Therefore in this article, I won’t write about publishing in general, but share with you my personal experiences on the matter of publishing with blurb, why I made the choices I made, and how they turned out.

Background and Motivation

Before diving into the details, a bit of context will help frame my unique perspective on self-publishing. Six years ago, I made the radical shift from startup founder and C-level operations manager to a bikini and sensual lifestyle photographer. A mid-thirties career pivot, especially…