How to turn your journal into a book

To turn your journal into a book, choose what goes in (a year, a person, the whole thing), export it as a print-ready PDF at a book size, and send it to a print-on-demand service such as Lulu, or print it at home and have it bound. Order one proof copy first, check it, then order the rest. The hardest part is usually the PDF. This guide walks through every step.

There is something different about holding your own words on paper. A file is easy to lose and easy to forget. A book sits on a shelf, gets picked up on a quiet afternoon, and can be handed to someone you love.

Step 1: Decide what the book is

Most journals are too long and too varied for one book. Pick a shape first.

• A year. The simplest and most popular. One book per year makes a beautiful row on a shelf.
• A chapter of life. University, the first year with a baby, a year abroad, a hard season you came through.
• A person. Everything you wrote about a child, a parent or a friend. These are the books people treasure most, and the ones you can give away.
• The whole journal. Possible, but it may need several volumes.

Then read through and leave out anything you wouldn't want on paper, or in someone else's hands one day.

Step 2: Make a print-ready PDF

A printer needs a PDF that is set up like a book, not a document. That means:

• A book size, such as 6 × 9 in, 5.5 × 8.5 in or A5, rather than a full sheet of A4 or Letter.
• Margins for the binding. The inner margin needs to be wider, so words don't disappear into the spine.
• Bleed, a thin strip past the edge for anything that runs to the edge of the page, so no white line shows after trimming.
• Photos at print resolution. A photo that looks sharp on a phone can print soft if it's small.
• A cover as a separate file, with a spine as wide as your page count needs.

You can lay this out yourself in a word processor or design tool, but for a long journal it's slow. Some journal apps make the PDF for you; see the comparison below.

Step 3: Choose how to print it

• Print-on-demand services such as Lulu or Blurb print and bind a single copy and post it to you. You upload the interior PDF and the cover PDF. This gives the most book-like result.
• A local print or copy shop. Print on A4 or Letter and have it spiral- or comb-bound, or ask about perfect binding. Quick, and good for a first draft.
• Your own printer. Fine for a short book or a single person's pages, held in a binder or sewn by hand.

Most paperback printers bind books from about 32 pages; a shorter book may come back with blank pages or need a different binding.

Step 4: Order a proof, then the rest

Always order one copy first. Read it on paper. Check that photos aren't too dark or soft, that no lines are cut off at the edges, and that the spine text sits in the middle. Fix anything, re-export, then order the copies you want.

Step 5: Keep the PDF too

Save the final PDF somewhere safe. It's a perfect archive of that year, and you can reprint it any time, or print another copy for a sibling or a child.

How journal apps handle printing

Checked against each app's own site and help pages in October and November 2026. Features change; check there for the latest.

How Ember makes a book

I built Ember's book export because so many people who leave other apps say printed books are what they miss most. It's free, it runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and nothing is uploaded: the PDF is made on your device and you take it to any printer you like. On a Mac, choose File ▸ Print as a Book; on iPhone and iPad, open Settings and choose Print as a Book.

• What goes in. The whole journal, or a book about one person, one World or one tag. Every year or between two dates, and you can leave any entries out.
• Any size. 6 × 9 in, 5.5 × 8.5 in or A5 for a print shop, with bleed and a wider inner margin, and a cover for Lulu with a spine sized to the book. A4 or Letter for a home printer.
• Your cover. Title, subtitle, your name, a colour, and a photo from the book, your Photos or Files.
• Typeset like a book. Choose the type, photo size, and whether each entry shows its place and weather. Stories you've written can be included.
• Long journals in volumes. A big journal splits into volumes at a natural break, each with its own cover.
• The people in it. At the back, an index of the people in your book, with the pages where they appear. Only a journal that knows who you write about can do this.
• Honest warnings. Ember tells you if a photo is too small to print sharply, or isn't on this device yet.

You see a preview of every page before you save. There's more about keeping people's stories in how to remember the people in your life.

Common questions

How can I turn my journal into a book?

Choose what goes in, export a print-ready PDF at a book size with a separate cover, and upload both to a print-on-demand service such as Lulu or Blurb. Order a proof first. Ember makes the PDF and cover for you, for free.

How much does it cost to print a journal as a book?

It depends on the printer, the page count, paper, colour photos and shipping. Print-on-demand prices change often, so check the printer's own price calculator with your page count before you decide.

Can I print my Apple Journal entries as a book?

Apple Journal can export entries as a PDF, but not as a book with book sizes, margins and a cover. You can import your Apple Journal into Ember and make a book there.

Can I print a book about one person?

Yes. In Ember, choose a book about one person and it gathers every entry that mentions them, with your cover and their name on it. It's one of the most personal gifts you can make.

What size should my journal book be?

6 × 9 in and 5.5 × 8.5 in are common paperback sizes that feel like a real book. A5 is the common choice outside the US. A4 or Letter suits a home printer and a binder.