While the publishing industry has been sitting on a plateau growth-wise for several years, the world of self-publishing is booming.

Though creating a successful self-publishing book isn’t as easy as it might sound, people all over the world have access to publishing their work in a way they never have previously.

Whether you want to make a photo book as a gift for your parents or publish the great American novel, the sky is the limit when it comes to book making.

Let’s take a look at 7 things you didn’t know about making books.

1. There Are Several Different Types of Book Bindings

When you decide to make a book, you’re faced with tons of decisions. Deciding what the books about, how long it will be, and the design of the cover art are only a handful of choices you’ll have to make.

One of the things you’ll have to decide on is what type of book binding you want. The different binding options can serve different purposes and be more or less appropriate for different types of books. The different types of bindings are:

Saddle stitching
Perfect binding (softcover)
Case binding (hardcover)
Board book binding
Wire binding
Spiral binding
Section sewn
Pamphlet binding
Coptic binding
Japanese binding
Screw-post binding

While some books might be more utilitarian in nature, others might be works of art in themselves. Depending on what type of book you’re making and for what purpose, different bindings might be appropriate.

2. Book Making? There’s an App For That!

Whether you’re looking for the best app for making photo books or book making software to help you self-publish your novel, technology is your friend when it comes to book making.

It used to be that you needed to sign a contract with a publishing house to publish a book. This is no longer the case. Regular people now have access to e-publishing and print publishing without needing to be backed by a publishing company.

3. The World’s Oldest Book? The Answer’s More Complicated Than You Might Think

Determining what the world’s oldest book is has to do with how you define the word “book.”

Some people claim that the Etruscan Gold Book is the oldest book in existance, dating back to 600 B.C. Whether or not it holds this title, it’s truly an impressive object. Made entirely out of 24 carat gold, the Etruscan Gold Book consists of six gold sheets that are bound together.

But can it truly be considered a book? Some contest that books must consist of sheets that are folded into quires. This means that the oldest book wouldn’t be made of gold or stone tablets, but of more bendable writing material such as papyrus, parchment, or paper.

Ultimately, it would be easy to bicker until eternity about what the oldest book is. Regardless, delving into the history of old texts and ancient inscribed objects is a worthwhile journey for just about anyone!

4. At Least One Book at the Harvard University Library are Bound in Human Skin

This might seem a bit dark, but just because it’s dark doesn’t mean it’s true.

A book entitled Destinies of the Soul has been held at Houghton Library at Harvard University since the 1930s. Binding books using human skin is a practice known as “anthropodermic bibliopegy” and is thought to have been practiced as early as the 16th century.

5. Each Year There Are 4.5 Billion Books Published in the U.S.

Even though slightly more than a quarter of Americans admit they haven’t read even part of a book in the last year, the U.S. sure produces a lot of books annually. When Americans do get around to purchasing a book, they say that the subject is the most important factor in their decision, followed by the author. The least important factors are the jacket design and the price.

6. The Most Expensive Book in the World Was Purchased For Over 30 Million Dollars

The “Codex Leicester” created by Leonardo da Vinci was purchased by none other than Bill Gates for $30.8 million in 1994. One can only imagine how much his entire library is worth!

7. You Don’t Have to Be Shakespeare to Make a Book

Technology has changed a lot in the modern age, and book making is one of them. You can now find book making supplies and book making kits available at countless sites around the internet. You can even find book making websites to keep the process entirely digital.

Whether you want to make a book of your most precious photo-memories, write that crime-thriller you’ve been thinking about for years, or produce an e-book filled with all of your life’s wisdom, book making is entirely accessible to you. Whether you see it more as an art project or a passive income stream, the world is your oyster!

Your Own Imagination Is Your Only Limit When it Comes to Book Making

Have you always wanted to compile your cartoons into a comic book? Is your fascination with the history of music blossoming into a publishable thesis? Do you want to memorialize your road trip last summer into a physical object?

There’s literally no limit to making books and publishing books these days except that of your own imagination. While there is an ocean of self-published books that sell very little and gain hardly an traction, there are also some remarkable success stories in the world of self-publishing. Depending on your purposes, making books could either be a gateway for your to create awesome gifts for your friends and family or the fastlane to passive income.

Did you find this article about book making interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more informative and fascinating articles!