A room without books is like a body without a soul. Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)

BOOK LAYOUT

Layout is one of the most important elements of a successful book. Your potential reader will likely glance through your book and if it seems difficult to read or concentrate on the ideas presented, she or he will likely move on to the next book.

Your book layout can be unique for your book but there are certain industry standards that make for attractive books. It is always recommended to have a professional layout artist set up your book, but if you decide to go it alone, remember to add margins, a gutter (so that the text is not too close to the spine and unreadable), chapter starts on odd pages, headers, paginating, copyright page, table of contents and a contact page. A common font size is 11 to 12 pts (children books can be larger). If your font size is less than 11, your book will be difficult for most people to read. If your font is 14pt or larger, it can make it look juvenile and also not hold the readers attention. Spacing between lines is generally single and a half. This seems to be the right spacing to keep your reader involved.

We Need:
  • Any images you would like us to use, including your photo. 
  • Final draft of the manuscript. This means final, copy-edited, proofread draft with all text corrections made and finalized. 
  • Final draft of copyright page including ISBN and LCCN if you intend to use them. 
  • Decision on paper stock so we can calculate spine thickness. 

Work Flow:

  • When your manuscript is received, it will be cleaned up (removing double and redundant spacing, checking quotation marks and other punctuation forms, removing embedded styles, etc).
  • If you have a book design that you particularly like, we can duplicate it, or
  • A design suitable to your book will be created and a few sample pages will be sent to you for viewing. This will be repeated until you are completely satisfied with the design.
  • When you have approved the design, the whole book will be formatted and sent to you as a PDF file.
  • You will proofread the book and list any changes you would like to make. (Author Alteration Form)
  • The proofing changes you request will be made and another draft sent. This process will continue until you are completely satisfied.
  • When you approve the final draft, the completed inside book file will be sent to you or the printer as a high resolution printer-ready PDF file.