Blurb enables Adobe InDesign users to design ebooks for the iPad
Design, sell, and share graphically rich ebooks for iPad® as well as print books at Blurb.com
JULY 17, 2012—SAN FRANCISCO—Blurb, the creative publishing and marketing company, today announced massive improvements to its ebook platform and plug-in for Adobe® InDesign®. Creative professionals can now design fixed format ebooks for iPad using the new plug-in for Adobe® InDesign®, optimize them for the iPad using a brand new online editing tool, and then share and even sell their work for a profit in the Blurb Bookstore. For a limited time, Blurb ebooks for the iPad can be created for free.
New data from Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook projects that ebooks will make up 50 percent of the U.S. trade book market by 2016. For designers and photographers, ebooks represent a growing distribution channel and an opportunity for additional revenue selling their work, as well as broader exposure and awareness to potential customers.
Until recently, options have been limited for authors of graphically rich ebooks. Designed for text heavy books like novels, standard ebooks do not respect the layout and design of the file. Blurb ebooks are ‘fixed format,” which means the ebook layout will display on the iPad just as it was designed.
“We’ve been hearing from our Adobe InDesign users that they want a straightforward way to design and create beautiful books for the iPad that respect their design decisions,” said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO, Blurb. “So, we are truly delighted to respond with such a rich set of capabilities including the new plug-in for fixed format ebook creation, free online editing tools, plus the ability to sell ebooks for profit in the Blurb Bookstore. We have seen the beautiful print books that these users have created using the first edition of Blurb’s InDesign plug-in and honestly, many of these books have been crazy spectacular. Putting these new ebook creation tools in the hands of such talented people – and then having a front row seat to see how they advance the art and design of ebooks – it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Blurb has long been known for its high quality printing and binding, and the addition of ebooks offers customers a new channel to distribute their work. Customers who have already created a print book using Blurb will now be able to easily convert those books into ebooks via the new plug-in.
The updated plug-in for Adobe InDesign is an extension of the company’s current integration with Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 4, which offers a seamless experience by providing the tools directly within Lightroom 4 “Book module” to create professional-quality photography books, coupled with a direct link to Blurb.com for printing, marketing and distribution
For more information, and to begin your InDesign ebook today, please visit http://www.blurb.com/apps/indesign-plugin
About Blurb®
Blurb® is a creative publishing and marketing platform that unleashes the creative genius inside everyone. Blurb’s platform makes it easy to design, publish, market and sell professional-quality print and ebooks. Blurb’s bookstore and online marketing tools enable customers to market and sell their books in print and ebook format. Blurb’s social and community features allow customers to create and share Blurb books across social channels with ease.
Eileen Gittins founded Blurb in 2005. In 2011, Blurb shipped nearly 2 million books to 70 countries and territories. Blurb authors used the company’s Set Your Price program to earn more than $1 million in profits on print and ebook sales. Blurb is based in San Francisco with offices in London. For more info, visit www.blurb.com.