 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Imagine ... Seeing a book you've written on display at a local bookstore. As
long as you have the desire, you can produce a book for printing.
The following book sizes will cut your printing costs dramatically. We buy paper in bulk at certain sizes. Page size is
contingent on the most economical fit for the paper that can also be accommodated on press. You can print a size different
from those listed but it will cost extra for prepress and press adjustments. These sizes are categorized according to their
most common markets.
4 1/4" x 7" Mass Market
5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Tradebook, Handbook or Fiction
6" x 9" Handbook, Tradebook, or Fiction
7" x 9" Manual, Textbook
7 1/2" x 9" Giftbook, Art Book, Manual
8 1/2" x 11" Manual, Textbook
9" x 12" + Coffee Table Book
The printing process works like this: your pages are photographed and "impositioned" or placed into a signature
configuration. The negative, or film, of that signature is transferred to photosensitive paper, called bluelines, which are used to
give you a dummy of your book for final approval. The cover is also color-separated and recomposited as a proof for your
approval. After your signoff, the signature and cover film are transferred to metal printing plates. This whole process is termed
Prepress and Makeready. Your pages are photographed from sharp laser printouts or they are processed digitally direct to
film or sometimes plates. If you have many photos and special elements that require hi-resolution, you may want to have
them scanned by a drum scanner and placed into the film at the prepress stage. Usually you can include them in your page
layout software if you have powerful equipment, the right software, and the know-how. The prepress process can get
complicated. You don't want to make mistakes in preparing your files, because at this stage, corrections are extremely
expensive. If you are producing a complicated layout, it is better to have an experienced professional production artist do it for
you to ensure it is done correctly. If you do it yourself, ensure you provide all hi-res, corrected linked files and postscript fonts.
Signatures
If you take a piece of paper and fold it into eighths, then cut off the top, right, and bottom folded sides, leaving the left outer fold,
you have a signature. A signature is a large piece of film or paper that accommodates individual pages and, when folded,
orders the pages sequentially. Depending on the size of the paper, signatures accommodate 4, 8, 16, 32, and sometimes 64
pages. Once printed, they are folded and gathered, bound and glued, trimmed, and voila, you have a book. Why are we telling
you this? Well, your book's page count must be divisible by 16 to be printed economically. A good graphic designer knows this
and plans for it in the production of the book.
Small Quantities
While we are talking of printing, there is another type of printing that is ideal for very short runs (25-500). It is digital printing.
Basically, it is high-end copying. A digital file from a page layout program goes to a high-speed copier. The book is then
bound by the machine by mechanical binding. It is very economical and wise if your are unsure of your marketing plans to
move your book. Please call and consult us about this option.
Book Binding Tips
After your book is printed it is finished -- covered, bound, wrapped, and packed. Binding style is dependant on number of
pages within the book and the look and feel you are trying to achieve. Many books under 80 pages are saddle stitched with
staples in the middle holding it together. A more expensive and upscale binding style is perfect binding. Perfect binding is
also used for thicker books most frequently for those over 80 pages.
Perfect binding is the most popular. The edges are roughed and a hot glue strip is applied. Then the cover is added.
Perfect bound books lie flat. Perfect binding is economical.
Case binding is for hardback books. Case binding is expensive and a more intricate process than other binding.
It is appropriate for presentation copies and assured bestsellers. Many authors choose to case bind a few hundred copies.
Spiral binding or rivet binding is primarily used for short run printing. It is acceptable for the office place but not the
commercial book market.
Finishing
Finishing is the catch-all process of book printing. It is lamination of your cover; embossing, foil stamping, and spot
varnishing your cover; tipping in sheets or signatures to the book; shrink-wrapping; packing and stacking; and shipping or
warehousing. Obviously, some of these options are related to the design of your book and cover and some are related to
your decisions about distribution and fulfillment. The one thing you do want is film lamination of your cover. This protects your
book from scuffing during shipping. Also, we recommend shrink wrapping in groups of 5 or ten to reduce the movement of the
books during shipping. This protects the covers and enables you to protect surplus books in an opened box.
It also helps you control your inventory.
When seeking a quote be sure to have the following information available:
1. Quantity
2. Flat and finished sheet size
3. Paper type and weight
4. Number of ink colors
5. Finishing specifications
6. Proofing preference
long as you have the desire, you can produce a book for printing.
The following book sizes will cut your printing costs dramatically. We buy paper in bulk at certain sizes. Page size is
contingent on the most economical fit for the paper that can also be accommodated on press. You can print a size different
from those listed but it will cost extra for prepress and press adjustments. These sizes are categorized according to their
most common markets.
4 1/4" x 7" Mass Market
5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Tradebook, Handbook or Fiction
6" x 9" Handbook, Tradebook, or Fiction
7" x 9" Manual, Textbook
7 1/2" x 9" Giftbook, Art Book, Manual
8 1/2" x 11" Manual, Textbook
9" x 12" + Coffee Table Book
The printing process works like this: your pages are photographed and "impositioned" or placed into a signature
configuration. The negative, or film, of that signature is transferred to photosensitive paper, called bluelines, which are used to
give you a dummy of your book for final approval. The cover is also color-separated and recomposited as a proof for your
approval. After your signoff, the signature and cover film are transferred to metal printing plates. This whole process is termed
Prepress and Makeready. Your pages are photographed from sharp laser printouts or they are processed digitally direct to
film or sometimes plates. If you have many photos and special elements that require hi-resolution, you may want to have
them scanned by a drum scanner and placed into the film at the prepress stage. Usually you can include them in your page
layout software if you have powerful equipment, the right software, and the know-how. The prepress process can get
complicated. You don't want to make mistakes in preparing your files, because at this stage, corrections are extremely
expensive. If you are producing a complicated layout, it is better to have an experienced professional production artist do it for
you to ensure it is done correctly. If you do it yourself, ensure you provide all hi-res, corrected linked files and postscript fonts.
Signatures
If you take a piece of paper and fold it into eighths, then cut off the top, right, and bottom folded sides, leaving the left outer fold,
you have a signature. A signature is a large piece of film or paper that accommodates individual pages and, when folded,
orders the pages sequentially. Depending on the size of the paper, signatures accommodate 4, 8, 16, 32, and sometimes 64
pages. Once printed, they are folded and gathered, bound and glued, trimmed, and voila, you have a book. Why are we telling
you this? Well, your book's page count must be divisible by 16 to be printed economically. A good graphic designer knows this
and plans for it in the production of the book.
Small Quantities
While we are talking of printing, there is another type of printing that is ideal for very short runs (25-500). It is digital printing.
Basically, it is high-end copying. A digital file from a page layout program goes to a high-speed copier. The book is then
bound by the machine by mechanical binding. It is very economical and wise if your are unsure of your marketing plans to
move your book. Please call and consult us about this option.
Book Binding Tips
After your book is printed it is finished -- covered, bound, wrapped, and packed. Binding style is dependant on number of
pages within the book and the look and feel you are trying to achieve. Many books under 80 pages are saddle stitched with
staples in the middle holding it together. A more expensive and upscale binding style is perfect binding. Perfect binding is
also used for thicker books most frequently for those over 80 pages.
Perfect binding is the most popular. The edges are roughed and a hot glue strip is applied. Then the cover is added.
Perfect bound books lie flat. Perfect binding is economical.
Case binding is for hardback books. Case binding is expensive and a more intricate process than other binding.
It is appropriate for presentation copies and assured bestsellers. Many authors choose to case bind a few hundred copies.
Spiral binding or rivet binding is primarily used for short run printing. It is acceptable for the office place but not the
commercial book market.
Finishing
Finishing is the catch-all process of book printing. It is lamination of your cover; embossing, foil stamping, and spot
varnishing your cover; tipping in sheets or signatures to the book; shrink-wrapping; packing and stacking; and shipping or
warehousing. Obviously, some of these options are related to the design of your book and cover and some are related to
your decisions about distribution and fulfillment. The one thing you do want is film lamination of your cover. This protects your
book from scuffing during shipping. Also, we recommend shrink wrapping in groups of 5 or ten to reduce the movement of the
books during shipping. This protects the covers and enables you to protect surplus books in an opened box.
It also helps you control your inventory.
When seeking a quote be sure to have the following information available:
1. Quantity
2. Flat and finished sheet size
3. Paper type and weight
4. Number of ink colors
5. Finishing specifications
6. Proofing preference