I Want to Make Beautiful Books, Too

Ebooks are great, but I say double down so I can hold those sweet babies right in my hand.

This is part of my “Art of Noticing” series, in which I learn, find, or discover the things around me that usually go unnoticed and turn them into an endless source of creative inspiration.

Today I noticed the way some authors are making beautiful books rather than just telling beautiful stories. It’s not for everyone, but I realized it’s for me.

The “too” in the title is because I’m parroting my friend Joanna Penn, whose enthusiasm when I saw her last really inspired my book-love anew, and who’s been talking recently about “making beautiful books” on her own podcast.

Me too, Joanna!

Not all authors should go down this path, but this one hit me right on the head after I wrote and podcasted about my renewed love of physical books, and my desire, in our digital world, to have things I can touch.

This one might be too personal-to-Johnny for you, if you don’t feel the same, but it’s still a Noticing either way. You might notice that you DON’T want to go to all the work I’m planning, because I’m planning a lot. Or you might be weird, like me and Joanna; who knows.

Here's how this "noticing" can influence my stories and art:

Doubling Down on the Physical

In an era where digital media is everywhere, REAL PHYSICAL BOOKS feel like a luxury item or a keepsake. I want to take that ten steps further: Not just physical books, but GREAT physical books.

By focusing on the quality of materials (premium paper, durable bindings, and artistic, special-edition covers), I figure I can — and want to — elevate my books to a pieces of art. Investing in design, like illustrations, typography, and layout, may come next.

We’ll see. There’s so much to learn, consider, and do.

Adding the Personal Touch

Incorporating “the personal touch” is another layer here. I’m not sure if I want to do signed editions and whatnot due to logistics, but I imagine someday I will. Those kinds of elements create an intimate bond between the author, the book, and the reader, transforming each copy into a memento. And for someone like me, who values the “1000 True Fans” approach to authoring, that might be just the ticket.

I love all of this — in concept as I write this, but maybe in reality by the time you read it — because it takes storytelling beyond the written word. Design, material selection, and the overall process all become part of the story being told. And that’s rad.

For me at least, adding the personal touch can transform a book from a container for words to a piece of art that just the right reader might treasure. And yeah, man … I want that.

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