Some clients come to PPG wanting us to help them design and publish hardcover books they can also sell online. This is possible. But there are limitations with print-on-demand (POD) books, particularly when it comes to endsheets endpapers endleaves. You can only produce this feature using a traditional offset printing press and manual binding process. In this post, I’ll touch on why this is the case.
As you can see above, one side of each folded piece of paper is glued to the insides of the front and back covers. This is what creates endsheets. It is a careful manual binding process that must be completed by a person. As such, it can’t be done by a POD printer. Digital POD printers are designed to mechanically print and bind individual books quickly.
POD Limitations [Endsheets Endpapers Endleaves]
Here’s another POD limitation. As I discussed in a past post regarding book trim sizes, digital printers can only handle certain paper sizes and weights. Because of that, you’re limited to certain book trim sizes, binding types, and paper stocks/colours if you wish to sell POD books online (which most of us do nowadays). Digital printers simply cannot handle the thicker paper stock that is used to create printed endsheets as illustrated below.
When it comes to your book binding options, it is possible to produce a POD case-wrapped hardcover. But you cannot print anything on the inside of POD book covers. Nor can you insert endsheets with a different (thicker) paper stock than the book’s interior pages.
If you wish to have a traditional case-wrapped hardcover book created with printed endsheets inside, you can have this. A traditional printer in your area can print it for you. You just won’t be able to sell it online. You’ll have to sell those books direct. That said, you can also hire one of our graphic designers to produce a second POD version of your book that can be sold online. It will be almost identical to the traditionally-printed book; but the interior paper will be thinner, and there will be no endsheet included. It’s up to you.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
Why blend e-learning and classroom learning tools together on one platform?
Why blend e-learning and classroom learning tools together on one platform? Because everyone learns differently. This is a great way to appeal to a broader audience of learners.
In 2016, I travelled to Hua Hin, Thailand, to study and obtain a TESOL certification in a classroom setting. Following course completion, I taught English as a second language at a school in Bangkok for one term. This was a lifelong dream realized, and I’m so glad I did it. In fact, I shared this powerful experience with dozens more people from around the world. I gained many new friends and fond memories during that month in Hua Hin. Every time I think about it, I smile.
The Pros and Cons of E-Learning and Classroom Learning
One of my closest friends from that time is a fellow Canadian named Christine. She not only studied the TESOL course in our Hua Hin classroom. Actually, a month earlier, she had studied the same course via XploreAsia‘s online learning portal. She said the online course had been a good primer for what was to come. But she enjoyed the classroom setting so much more. Here are some common thoughts about the pros and cons of each learning style that echo Christine’s perspective:
E-Learning Pros and Cons
Pros:
– self-paced, flexible scheduling
– student-centred instead of instructor-centred
– flexible location and content (study with anyone around the world)
– unlimited access to digital course materials
– information is easily stored on a cloud and accessible from anywhere
Cons:
– lack of immediate, personalized feedback
– no one else around to bounce ideas off for inspiration
Classroom Learning Pros and Cons
Pros:
– feedback sharing with the instructor and other students
– shared energy and ideas is motivational
– sense of community in a social environment
– close friendships formed with other students
– printed materials (e.g., booklets, certificates, diplomas, awards) for students to take away and display on home or office walls
Cons:
– instructor-centred instead of student-centred
– scheduling and location constraints
– more expensive lesson delivery model (printing costs)
Companies like XploreAsia are smart to offer both e-learning and classroom learning options for students. But I’ll take it a step further than that. As someone who produces both online content and print materials for a wide variety of clients, I say don’t offer both separately; blend them together to ensure continuity in branding and course materials. You’ll reach both audiences more effectively and efficiently this way.
Why Blend E-Learning and Classroom Learning Tools?
Just as some students prefer a social classroom setting to a student-centred e-learning setting, there are still others who prefer to hold physical materials in their hands. They want to write with a pen, feel the paper as they turn the pages of a book. For these people, the receipt of a physical certificate of completion or award is a more fulfilling conclusion to all their hard work than a virtual report card on a computer screen. But there are even more great reasons to blend the two tools.
Make Your Tools Screen-ready and Print-ready
Many people create their own training manuals, booklets, worksheets, or other marketing materials using programs like Microsoft Publisher. They may save .PDFs of these files to their websites for long-distance learning students to download and print locally. Unfortunately, they’re often perplexed and frustrated when these documents look different in printed form than on their computer screens.
Colours are complicated. Professional documents require more finesse to ensure proper printing—to ensure the branding continuity that all businesses want. Since most educational institutions use digital printers, and most individuals use ink jets at home, long-distance learning materials should be designed to print well on both. The best way to ensure this is to hire a professional graphic designer who understands printing to produce these print-ready .PDF files. Unfortunately, not every designer does.
Work with Professionals Who Understand Both Worlds
When you put your entire e-learning and classroom learning program into the hands of people who understand both worlds, you’ll be dazzled by the results. So will your students.
When one team designs all the artwork for your ebooks, audiobooks, and print materials plus helps you with writing, editing, and every other part of the publishing process, things will run more smoothly and efficiently for you. When that same team is highly experienced with both profitable online selling plus all the nuances of professional graphic design and all types of printing, you’ll save time and money in the long run. You’ll earn more, too.
Your Personal Library of Blended E-Learning and Classroom Learning Tools
Over the next year, I’ll be producing a variety of books covering all the topics represented in the icons above. These materials will contain ideas for how you can blend your current e-learning and classroom learning tools in cost-effective ways, so you can reach more students.
I’ll cover audiobooks, ebooks, paperbacks, podcasting, and webinars. Each lesson will also contain some great print-related ideas, including branded items you may want to offer on your online store along with printable study materials. You’ll also receive advice on how each item should be designed to ensure it’s screen-ready and print-ready for every student.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
What is the difference between offset printing and digital printing?
It used to be that, whenever a book was published, there was automatically a large quantity of 1,000 or more copies printed. All these books were then stored away in large warehouses by the publisher and/or its distributor(s). Long run printing was done because there was only one type of printer available to publishers back then: offset. An offset printing press is “old-school printing” in that it uses liquid ink, is the most cost-effective option for higher print quantities, and offers better colour control than today’s digital printers do. The downside is that offset presses cannot be used for short runs. This is because the set-up cost is far too high to print only a few copies at a reasonable price.
What is the difference between offset printing and digital printing?
Today’s publishers (and self-publishers) have more choices available to them. If you want to print 1,000+ books straightaway and pay the lowest possible cost per unit, you can still use offset printing. Alternatively, you can choose to print smaller quantities of books using two different digital printing solutions: print-on-demand (POD) and short run printing.
A digital printer is what every business has in its office. These printers use dry toner rather than liquid ink and can run smaller quantities at a cost-effective price. The turnaround time for digital printing tends to be faster than offset. This is not only because of the smaller quantities but also the quicker set-up time for each job.
The difference between the digital printer at your office and one you’ll find at a professional print shop? The latter offers “bigger, stronger, faster” technology. Also, it is run by trained operators who know exactly which settings to use for each individual print job.
What is print-on-demand (POD) printing?
Ecommerce retailers, such as Amazon, utilize POD and short run digital technologies to sell physical books online. In other words, they won’t print and store any physical copies of your paperback book in a large warehouse anywhere. Instead, they’ll store only the digital cover and interior files that you’ve uploaded to their site. And they will print, bind, and ship only as many copies as someone buys from them at any given time. This saves you from having to print any upfront copies whatsoever. If someone buys ten copies of your book, ten copies will be printed, bound, and shipped to that buyer. If another person buys only one, then Amazon will print, bind, and ship only one—hence the term “print-on-demand.”
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
Why did my paperback print in a different colour than what I saw on the computer screen? Colours are much more complicated than you may realize. How something looks on your computer screen may look completely different in printed format. There are many different reasons why.
Why did my paperback print in a different colour than what I saw on the computer screen?
RGB versus CMYK Colours
For starters, RGB (red, green, blue) colours are what you see on your computer screen. They are created using light. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) colours are created by mixing inks/toners together in varying percentages.
When you are creating an ebook only, it’s okay to use RGB colours in your design. But if you plan to also print a paperback or hardcover version of your book, you should design it using CMYK colours. Otherwise, your printer may not be able to match the colours you’ve chosen since printers have a smaller colour gamut available than computer screens do.
Coated Paper Versus Uncoated Paper
Yet another thing that can affect the way your colour will appear after it’s printed is paper stock. In fact, the same colour can look completed different when it is printed on coated paper versus uncoated paper. I show examples of this inside 3 Book Printing Tips for Indie Authors: Consider This Before Printing Any Books.
Digital Colour Versus Offset Colour
A digital printer is what every business has in its office. These printers use dry toner rather than liquid ink and can run smaller quantities at a cost-effective price. An offset printing press is “old-school printing” in that it uses liquid ink, is the most cost-effective option for higher print quantities, and generally offers better colour control than today’s digital printers do.
Another thing that can affect how your colour appears in print is the type of printer being used. Digital prints will usually appear more “shiny” and bright whereas offset prints will appear slightly duller. This is because toner is glossy whereas ink is not.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
What is a full bleed image? In printing, the term “bleed” refers the portion of an image that must be trimmed off because it extends past the page’s borders. Here is an example of a full bleed image on a book cover. All four sides of it must be trimmed to fit the page.
This book cover contains a full bleed image on it.
When you create any page (whether it’s an interior page or a book cover) with a full bleed image, you must leave room for trimming. Most printers will recommend allowing for a 1/4″ (quarter inch) bleed on all sides of the image when designing it. That way, nothing important will be trimmed off by mistake.
Floating Images With (or Without) Borders
Sometimes, you don’t want a full bleed image on the page. Instead, you may prefer that image to “float” in the white space around it. Here is an example of a floating image.
This book cover contains a floating image on it.
In this case, there is no need to account for trimming on any part of the image. So long as it is a print-ready file (300 DPI or better), it can be sized to fit the page however you want it to.
Preparing Graphic Files for Your Book
A graphic is defined as any picture, illustration, chart, image, logo, or graph you would like placed either in your book interior or on your book cover.
Colour Graphics
All colour graphics must be submitted to PPG in either .jpg (.jpeg) or .tif (.tiff) format. They must have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI, using the CMYK colour model.
Black and White Graphics
All black and white graphics must be submitted to PPG in either .jpg (.jpeg) or .tif (.tiff) format with a minimum resolution of 300 DPI. For best results, these images should be sent as grayscale/monochrome files. (CMYK colour images will not reproduce as well in black and white as grayscale/monochrome images will.)
What is a Full Bleed Image?
Truly, there is no right or wrong when it comes to using full bleed or floating images for your book. Much of this is subjective and all about personal preference. But keep in mind that printing a book filled with full bleed images will tend to be more expensive. These images use more ink, and there is also more time and labour involved regarding trimming the pages precisely.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
Wondering how to distribute your book to your reader base? That all depends on how and where you publish it. In this post, we’ll look at the book distribution options available to independent authors.
Ebook-only Distribution Options
You may not need to produce a paperback version of your book if you plan to distribute it online only. When you publish an .epub through Kobo, or a .mobi through Amazon, your book will only be available through these companies’ online distribution networks.
In Canada, Kobo is partnered with Chapters Indigo. So, when you publish an .epub through Kobo Writing Life, it will show up on both Kobo and Chapters Indigo websites. Books that are published to Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), on the other hand, will only be available for sale through Amazon’s ecommerce site.
Digital Book Distribution Options
The term “digital book” can refer to ebooks, paperbacks, and even hardcovers. Online worldwide book distributors, such as Amazon and Ingram Content Group, utilize print-on-demand (POD) technology to sell physical books online. In other words, they won’t print and store any physical copies of your paperback/hardcover book in a large warehouse anywhere.
Instead, they’ll store only the digital cover and interior files that you’ve uploaded to their sites. And they will print, bind, and ship only as many copies as someone buys from them at any given time. Of course, this saves you from having to print any upfront copies whatsoever. If someone goes to their site to buy ten copies of your book, then ten copies will be printed, bound, and shipped to that buyer. If another person buys only one, then they will print, bind, and ship only one—hence the term “print on demand.” This is a definite pro, isn’t it?
Now here are the cons: digital printers can only handle certain trim sizes and paper weights. This limits you to certain book trim sizes, binding types, and paper stocks/colours.
Traditional Distribution Options
If you want your books sold on traditional booksellers’ bookshelves, you must play by the peculiar rules set by the traditional book supply chain. And, believe me, peculiar is the best word to describe these old rules.
As well, most “bricks and mortar” booksellers and libraries will only purchase their books through established distributors such as Ingram Content Group. They simply won’t deal with individual authors on anything more than a per-event consignment basis.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
There are two main things you must consider regarding how to price a paperback book: who is printing the book; who is buying the book. These are your hard costs.
How to Price a Paperback Book
Who is Printing Your Paperback Book?
Any books that are printed using print-on-demand (POD) technology will cost more per unit than books that are printed in large quantities on traditional offset presses. As a result, you’ll have a smaller profit margin on POD books.
Still, it’s important to take advantage of POD in this day and age. It allows your customers to buy your books one at a time on ecommerce sites like Amazon. It also allows independent authors to print small quantities of your books at reasonable prices, as selling opportunities arise. For example, one paperback book may cost around $6 per unit to print on demand digitally.
Traditional offset presses are designed to print larger quantities of books at a lower cost per unit. In fact, they can’t print small quantities economically. It may only cost around $2 per unit to produce 1,000 copies of that same book on an offset press. The downside to printing this many copies is that it requires a large upfront investment. You will also have the added cost/hassle of warehousing all your books.
How to Price a Paperback Book: Printing Options
There’s a time and a place to use each type of printer, which is why PPG returns all working files and finished files to our authors. This allows you to choose if/where you’re going to print your book based on who you’re selling it to:
Traditional offset printing: best price for 1000+ copies
Standard digital printing: best price for 100 to 999 copies
Print-on-demand (POD) digital printing: best price for one to 99 copies
It’s always wise to contact a few printers to obtain quotes for 50, 250, 500, and 1000 books. Make your decision from there.
Who is Buying Your Paperback Book?
On that note, authors who wish to sell copies of your books through local retailers, such as book stores, will also have to factor each retailer’s profit share into your final retail price. Retailers/wholesalers buy publishers’ books at steep discounts in order to turn their own profits. They also expect your title to be marked as “returnable” (for a full refund) in case it doesn’t sell. Here are the industry standards for such discounts:
Book Wholesalers (i.e. Ingram, Baker & Taylor, libraries): 50-55% discount
Book Retailers (i.e. Chapters, McNally Robinson): 40-45% discount
Once your book has been designed and the final trim size, page count, picture count, and interior (black and white/colour) has been determined, a printer will be able to provide you with the cost per unit to print your book. It is best to factor in the highest possible printing cost (POD) along with the highest possible discount (wholesaler) when determining your book’s retail price. For example, if your POD cost per copy is $4.50, then your retail price should be set at $11.99 minimum as shown here:
How to Price a Paperback Book (calculations)
Examine Your Audience
Again, these costs are only a small part of the equation when determining the price of a paperback book and should only be used to calculate the lowest possible retail price. You should also do a thorough examination of your audience and what they value most.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
When it comes to your book binding options, you have a few choices: paperbacks, case-wrapped hardcovers (cloth or laminate), or dust-jacketed hardcovers. The below pictures illustrate the differences between them.
Here’s an interesting video that shows you the difference between a perfect bound book and a saddle-stitched book: https://vimeo.com/61195060. Generally, the only time an author would choose saddle-stitching over perfect binding would be if your page count is too low to be able to glue the edge (e.g., from only four to 48 pages). In that case, printers fold the sheets in half and staple them in the centre, instead.
Book Binding Option #2: Case-wrapped Hardcover (Laminate)
case-wrapped laminate hardcover book binding
Above is the best picture I could find of this children’s book PPG published for Denise Geremia back in 2013 titled The Pouty Puppy. Oftentimes, you’ll find children’s books are published as case-wrapped laminate hardcovers like this one. Because it’s more durable and easier to handle for children. Like Richie Hall’s book above, but this book has a standard 6″ x 9″ trim size.
Book Binding Option #3: Dust-jacketed Hardcover (Cloth)
case-wrapped cloth hardcover with dust jacket and paperback book binding
PPG published the above centennial celebration book back in 2012: 100 Years of Memories: Celebrating Strathmore’s Centennial. As you can see, we did two different versions for this client: a case-wrapped cloth hardcover with a dust jacket; and a paperback. The paperback version was sold online. They are selling the case-wrapped cloth hardcover as a limited-edition book directly from their town hall. (Typically, if you want a dust-jacket around your book, the book itself will be a cloth hardcover as shown above.) Both versions of this book have a special 8.5″ x 8.5″ trim size.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
When it comes to book trim sizes, there are a few standards: 5″ x 8″, 5.5″ x 8.5″, and 6″ x 9″. These measurements relate to the width and height of your front and back covers in inches, as shown on the illustration to the right. This book has a 5″ x 8″ trim size.
Browse any bookstore, and you’ll see there are all kinds of different shapes and sizes of books to be found. Some of these books use a thick, glossy paper for their interior pages. Others use a thinner uncoated stock. In the traditional (trade) publishing world of corporate publishers with big budgets, they can afford to print large quantities of books on offset printing presses. This enables them to use any paper stock they want to use for their book covers and interiors. And if they want a uniquely-shaped book that stands out from the rest, they can pay to have special die cuts created to achieve that result.
As I discuss inside 3 Book Printing Tips for Indie Authors, today’s publishers (self-publishers) have more choices than we had when I started my publishing career 25 years ago. If you want to print 1,000+ books straightaway and pay the lowest possible cost per unit, you can still use offset printing. Alternatively, you can choose to print smaller quantities of books using two different digital printing solutions: print-on-demand (POD) and short run printing.
The Pros and Cons of Print-on-Demand (POD) Printing
Online worldwide book distributors, such as Amazon and Ingram Content Group, utilize POD and short run digital technologies to sell physical books online. In other words, they won’t print and store any physical copies of your paperback/hardcover book in a large warehouse anywhere. Instead, they’ll store only the digital cover and interior files that you’ve uploaded to their sites; and they will print, bind, and ship only as many copies as someone buys from them at any given time, saving you from having to print any upfront copies whatsoever. If someone goes to their site to buy ten copies of your book, then ten copies will be printed, bound, and shipped to that buyer. If another person buys only one, then they will print, bind, and ship only one—hence the term “print on demand.” This is a definite pro, isn’t it?
Now here are the cons: digital printers can only handle certain paper sizes and weights. Because of that, you’re limited to the following book trim sizes, binding types, and paper stocks/colours if you wish to sell your books online (which most of us do nowadays). The below specs come from Ingram Content Group’s Lightning Source® division.
Book Trim Sizes for POD Books With B/W Interiors
Trim Size Inches
Trim Size mm
Binding Types Available
Page Range
Paper Stock
Priced as
5 x 8
203 x 127
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1050
crème
small
5.06 x 7.81
198 x 129
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
5.25 x 8
203 x 133
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1050
crème
small
5.5 x 8.5
216 x 140
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1050
crème
small
case laminate (hardcover)
18 – 1050
crème
small
cloth – blue or grey
18 – 1050
crème
small
jacketed
18 – 1050
crème
small
5.83 x 8.27
210 x 148
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1050
crème
small
6 x 9
229 x 152
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1050
crème
small
case laminate (hardcover)
18 – 1050
crème
small
cloth – blue or grey
18 – 1050
crème
small
jacketed
18 – 1050
crème
small
6.14 x 9.21
234 x 156
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
case laminate (hardcover)
18 – 1200
white
small
cloth – blue or grey
18 – 1200
white
small
jacketed
18 – 1200
white
small
6.69 x 9.61
244 x 170
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
7.44 x 9.69
246 x 189
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
7.50 x 9.25
235 x 191
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
small
7 x 10
254 x 178
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
large
case laminate (hardcover)
18 – 1200
white
large
8 x 10
254 x 203
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
large
8.25 x 11
280 x 210
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
large
8.268 x 11.693 (A4)
297 x 210
perfect (paperback)
18 – 1200
white
large
8.5 x 11
(A4)
280 x 216
perfect (paperback)
case laminate (hardcover)
18 – 1200
18 – 1200
white
white
large
large
Book Trim Sizes for POD Books With Colour Interiors
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
Printers and publishers have a lot in common in terms of what their graphic designers will and won’t do. Today’s post will help you understand why.
Printers and Publishers: What Their Graphic Designers Will and Won’t Do for You
First and foremost, I’m referring to hybrid publishers as opposed to traditional (trade) publishers here. When traditional publishers purchase the rights to publish your manuscript, they are also buying full creative control of the book. That means they will make all the graphic design decisions on your behalf. You won’t have much say in anything. But in the self-publishing and hybrid publishing business models, you retain full copyright ownership of the book. As such, you also retain your creative control and must make all the design decisions for yourself. (You can learn more about today’s three primary book publishing methods by clicking here.)
Printers and Publishers Won’t Make Graphic Design Decisions on Your Behalf
Printers and Publishers Need to Know This
Twice in the last ten years, I took on projects from authors who said they had no idea how they wanted their book covers to look. I pressed them for details with various leading questions. But they both insisted they didn’t know what they wanted. They asked me to have my graphic designer supply them with two sample layouts to choose from without providing any real instructions ahead of time. I cringed. I knew where this was headed. But I obliged and asked my designer to create two sample layouts based on the little information we had: the type of book, topic matter, and stated demographic.
In both cases, the designers did their best and came up with what I considered to be beautiful, professional designs. But, not surprisingly, both authors hated the sample layouts. “That’s not what I had in mind,” they both complained. It had been a giant waste of everyone’s time.
You see, even if you think you don’t know what you want, you still do to some degree. And this is important information to provide the graphic designers of both printers and publishers ahead of time.
When deciding how you would like your book’s cover and interior to appear, it’s best to browse a bookstore (whether in person or online) and view the many different examples there first. What designs, colours, and fonts draw your attention? Write down the book titles and author names, so you can use this as a handy visual reference when it comes time to provide a description to the graphic designer. This will help the process run much more smoothly for both of you.
You can download the above book completely free of charge to obtain a check-list of the types of information graphic designers will need from you upfront. Just click on the cover image to be redirected to where it can be downloaded. I highly recommend you read it.
Printers and Publishers Won’t Choose Graphics for You Free of Charge
3 Book Printing Tips for Indie Authors
If you want to include any illustrations, graphics, or images on your book cover—or in your book’s interior, for that matter—you must ensure you have the legal right to use them. There are three ways you can do this: one, you can use photos, illustrations, or graphics that you have personally created and therefore own the copyright to; two, you can purchase them from someone else; or three, you can find public domain stock photos that are deemed as “free for commercial use” and download those. Either way, it’s best if you to provide these files to printers and publishers ahead of time. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot more money paying them to create or find these files on your behalf.
Click here for more information regarding where and how to find public domain stock photos for yourself. Always respect another artist’s copyright. If you don’t—if you just pull any image file you find off the Internet and use that for your book without first confirming you have the right to use it—you may find yourself involved in an expensive copyright infringement lawsuit down the road.
Printers and Publishers Won’t Choose Paper Stock for You Without Some Input
I fully understand the inclination of an author to say, “Just use the standard interior and cover stock,” when asked what type of paper you want used for your paperback or hardcover books. I get it. You’re thinking that printers and publishers are the experts, so they should know what you need in this regard. Here’s the problem with that: there is no one standard.
As you’re browsing through the bookstore to determine your design preferences, take note of all the different types of books in front of you. Notice how some books are thicker than others. Some covers are glossy and shiny; others are dull. Some interior pages are thin while others are thick. The colours vary. The sizes vary. Everything varies! (Choice is a wonderful thing. But it can also be a bit of a nightmare at times.)
When you’re browsing the bookstore, take note of the types of cover and interior paper stocks that appeal to you most. Take photos of your preferences. Better yet, bring physical samples to show printers and publishers when it comes time to place your order with them.
Printers and Publishers Will Sit Down With You to Discuss All These Details and Make Recommendations
Here’s one more thing printers and publishers have in common: they want to make you happy. When you’re happy, they’re happy!
Once you’ve visited the bookstore and gotten an idea of what you’re looking for, your next best course of action is to book a graphic design meeting to discuss your findings. Ask questions, listen to the recommendations, then make your decisions from there.
Printers and publishers are here to help you create the best book possible. But they need you to help them help you by doing some homework ahead of time. Trust me, it will save you time and money in the long run.
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