A case where size matters. Often people ask me, “It looks good on my computer. Why are you telling me my file is too small?”  File resolution is one of the biggest problems I encounter when designing indy books. And it comes up most often with the author’s back cover photo. And for that, I […]

What the heck are they, and do they matter? Book signatures, also called sigs, are large sheets of paper (parent sheets) with multiple book pages printed on them.  These sheets are folded and then trimmed to create consecutively numbered bundles of pages that can either be glued or sewn into the book’s binding. The use […]

Avoid surprises and make sure you and your printer are on the same page. There is nothing more disappointing than to budget the production of your book project and to discover after you are in it up to your neck that it will cost way more than you budgeted.  This is why reviewing your book […]

Writing printing specifications for accurate quotes. Whether you decide to print traditional offset or on-demand, all printers need basic information to get you accurate book printing estimates. Among other details, an accurate printing estimate requires a quantity, a trim size, and a page count. If you are in the predesign, early planning stage of self-publishing, […]

Ten things to consider when deciding your book’s size. There are many different trim sizes for books, so how do you choose the right size? There are standard book sizes, but as a sell publisher, you also have some leeway. To decide the right size for your book, you want to consider your book’s genre, […]

The top 10 ways to save money on book printing. Apart from having a squeaky clean manuscript, these are the top 10 ways you can save money on book printing when self-publishing your book. 1. Choose the best printing process for your needs. For example, if your book is color and the print run is […]

Choose the Best Printing Method For Your Book. Choosing the best printing process for your needs is the easiest way to save money when self-publishing, and it is best to decide before you start designing your book. To decide Print-On-Demand Vs. Offset, take some time, and seriously consider how many books you will need. Many […]