(ARA) – The holidays have everyone in search of a gift that has a “wow” factor but won’t break the bank. Thanks to new print-on-demand technology, anyone can easily create and publish bookstore-quality books at a reasonable cost – even under $20. While you can make your own book at any time of the year, a custom book made by you is a meaningful gift that’s sure to delight your friends and family and still be budget friendly.

Samira Kordestani, a professional book designer, offers these tips to help you get started on your own masterpiece:

* Choose a publishing platform that gives you professional-quality options at a reasonable cost. Blurb.com‘s free BookSmart app enables anyone to design a beautiful book. Select from many book sizes, small or large, and simply drag and drop your photos into the professionally-designed layouts of your choice. Once you order your book, it takes only one week to publish and deliver it to your doorstep.

* Decide on a story or message for your book. Great books tell a story. Whether it’s an event or a themed collection of images, think about your vision for the book before you begin and then select your favorite photos to help tell your story.

* Remember that you are creating a visual experience, not just a book. Play around with design options on your first several pages. Try out different backgrounds, photo borders, and page layouts. Once you’ve discovered the look you like best, keep it consistent throughout your book so that each page has a connection with the next.

A few popular book ideas include:

* Family photo book. Photos of your family’s adventures and special memories are perfect for sharing. Select your favorite family photos from 2010 and create a book that documents your year in images. The grandparents will love it.

* Cookbook. Most foodies dream of seeing their recipes in a cookbook. Publish your own and share it with friends and family.

* Wedding book. If wedding bells rang for you in 2010, creating a wedding photo book for your extended family is guaranteed to get “oohs” and “aahs.”

* Travel book. Travel memories are fun to share and make for a colorful photo book. Whether you embarked on a road trip or jetted to an exotic locale, pick out your best vacation photos to create a stunning travel book.

* Children’s book. Turn your artistic or written talents into something truly special for the little ones in your family. Your niece, nephew or grandchildren are sure to appreciate a story book created just for them.