Today, more than ever, you can't judge a book by its cover. Why? Because two trends in bookmaking are pushing the boundaries of what it means to write, read and experience a book. This guide explores the creative processes behind "altered books" - when artists make their own distinctive mark on an already published work - and "collaborative journals" - in which many artists come together to create a unique single work. It reveals how to alter treasured books through collage, paint, layering, sewing and more, showing how communities of artists can come together to select a topic, set up a project and ultimately publish or display their finished collaborative work. The guide presents the work of cutting-edge altered book artists and some of their favourite techniques revealing how to choose a book to alter, what you can do to its pages and cover and even how to experiment with common household materials to create unique bindings. Techniques such as burning, cutting windows, extensions, inclusions, photo transfers, gelatin prints, computer manipulation and many others are explored within the guide with tips on how to start a Round Robin, or join one through the Internet, to maximize collaborative dun whilst avoiding potential pitfalls.