It used to be tough to get published. Then along came print-on-demand services. Self-appointed authors started coming out of the woodwork. I happen to think that’s a great thing. Anyone can write anything — and get it published. That opens up the possibilities of what you can read about.

The next generation of self-publishing is now moms printing hardcover books with pictures of their babies and bloggers printing copies of their posts.

Two such companies I’ve found (and used) recently are Blurb and Tabblo. Blurb software will automatically take all your content from your blog and format it into a book. You can also create your own books and photo books from scratch using their easy-to-use templates. Tabblo is a photo storage service that combines the storage capabilities with great print options, including hardcover books.

I was shocked at the quality of these books. They are amazingly professional. Neither Blurb nor Tabblo are as affordable as Lulu, but they are much easier to use. Blurb (and Lulu) will let you sell your book on their website at whatever price you choose. You keep the profit. Best of all — creating these books is fun!