Advantage Book Binding

February 1, 2018

5 Things Your Printer Requires When It’s Time to Publish Your Book

What comes to mind when you think of the word “printer”?

What comes to mind when you think of the word “printer”? Chances are, your mind immediately jumps to the computer accessory that produces all of your documents and photographs once you use the print command. But your printer is also a tremendous help when it’s time to publish your book. Here are five things you should provide them with before your book can become a bestselling masterpiece.

Height and Width

First of all, you need to give your printer the correct height and width measurements of your new book. You might also hear of these dimensions referred to as the trim size. In either case, it means the size of the book once it is finished and ready to be shipped out to distributors. You should start with the width and then provide the height. One example is a portrait-oriented book measuring eight and a half inches wide by eleven inches high. There also likely to be standard sizes to factor in based on printer’s available equipment. Choosing a standard size can keep costs down and make production faster and smoother.

Number of Copies

You’ll also need to indicate how many copies you will need in the first run. Later runs will most likely be larger, especially if the book becomes a runaway hit and demands a massive run. However, you might not know for sure just how many you will need. Thus, it’s standard practice to ask for a range, for instance, 150-250 or 500-1000. Depending on how many copies you need, your printer can choose between different printing presses to get the job done.

Page Counts

Next, don’t overlook the importance of page counts. We’ve previously discussed why this number matter, even if it might sound self-evident. Printers and other professionals in the publishing industry count pages differently than what the average reader will see once the book is in their hands, whether in physical or e-reader form. Each side of a single sheet counts as a page to a printer.

How It’s Bound

Binding styles all differ. Whether you want it to be perfect-bound, spiral-bound, or wire-o-bound, you will need to let your printer know as well.

Paper Thickness

Lastly, let’s not forget about paper thickness. Paper thickness won’t matter as much if the product sells as an e-book. But the type of paper and how thick it is are critical design elements to consider for your book – especially if you want it to be a classic keepsake that remains as marvelous for as long as possible.