# I need help with "publishing" a book

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 20, 1999, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336 "1999-11-20T20:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 1999, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336/1 "1999-11-20T20:51:00Z")

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I use the word publishing in the loosest sense. I’m writing a book for my son about the [straight face]joys of being a big brother [/straight face] and before I even attempt to draw the pictures, I need some help in the final stage. Putting the darn thing together. Ideally I would like it to be like a board book ( unbendable, for very young readers.)

Any suggestions?

Bear in mind these things:

1. I’m a technical retard. But, hubby and coworkers are very savvy and they have the equipment at work.  
2)Budget ( under $40 if possible, $20 would be ideal $10 would be better.)
2. Yes, I could buy a “I’m a big brother book” that is easily at any store, but it won’t be the same. ( I want to brainwash my own child my way, thank you very much 🙂 )

## Any input is helpful.

Perfect paranoia is perfect awareness.

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**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 1999, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336/2 "1999-11-20T21:11:00Z")

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A couple of suggestions – I don’t know for sure if they deal exactly with what you want:

1. Buy a blank book and draw on the pages. Works if you’re creating it by hand and don’t make misteaks.

2. There are places that will do spiral wire binding or those plastic thingie binding for you. I think they work with fairly heavy card stock for the covers. Try someplace like Mailboxes, Etc. or Kinko’s.

3. College students have to have onesie, twosie bindings for theses, etc. Probably pretty pricy but it might be worth a try to call a nearby university copy center and see what they offer.

4. Go to a local print shop and ask. My father-in-law was a printer and they occasionally turned out bound works. They didn’t bind them themselves but they knew where to get it done. I was never involved enough to know what they actually did.

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“Vandelay!! Say Vandelay!!”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 1999, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336/3 "1999-11-20T23:16:00Z")

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Thanks Pluto, the spiral plastic binder thingies just might work.

Now if only I could draw better than stick figures…

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**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-with-publishing-a-book/11336/4 "1999-11-21T01:10:00Z")

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Kinkos will do the spiral thingie.