Books, be they novels, cookbooks, children’s books, training manuals, non-fiction “How-to’s”, etc., are commonly written by one person (sometimes a team when in a corporate setting), but designed or prepared for printing by a different person. It behooves whoever will ultimately be paying the tab for the actual printing to make some decisions in advance. Some elements that will impact the book’s layout and choices you make should be given to whoever is designing and laying out the book. Others come into play at point of printing. All impact the price of printing.
Page Size: Your Designer Needs to Know
It’s a good idea to confer with your printer in advance (give us a call!) and get a list of their standard page-sizes. Printers have varied combinations of presses that will run jobs in a range of sizes that minimize labor and wasted paper. Evaluate the sizes you are offered and select one.
Non-standard sizing can be an element in your design that makes your book stand out. It really depends on who the book is aimed at and the expansiveness of your budget. But if you are at all budget-conscious, working with a standard size will save you money out of the gate.
Ink Colors: Your Designer Needs to Know
Black ink is the least expensive option and will work perfectly well with most books — at least for interior text-heavy pages. If the book aims to make a strong visual impact (magazines, catalogs, cookbooks) using colored inks may be a better choice. The designer will need to designate the ink colors when preparing the manuscript for the printer. Depending on the nature of the book, the decision (re: ink colors) may be made early-on or at the end of the design process. But ink colors will impact your ultimate print price.
Hardcover, Softcover, Dust Jacket: Your Designer Needs to Know
Softcover books are less expensive than hardcover books, with or without dust jackets. Sometimes people will print short-runs of hardcover books with dust jackets and another, larger run of softcover books. Decide up front what kind of cover(s) you want and let your designer know.
Once a the book has been designed and laid out you have a few more choices to make.
Paper Weight: Your Printer Needs to Know
Paper stock comes in a range of weights. Oftentimes several different weights could work, but the heavier the paper the more it will cost you — both for printing, and for postage if your book will be mailed or delivered to people. So, whatever paper-stock you’re leaning toward, review the weight options available and consider the lightest weight that will do the job without compromising the quality of the finished book.
Volume: Your Printer Needs to Know
How many books will you be printing? Digital printing will be less expensive for short-runs (500 or less). Offset printing is best for longer print runs. But if you’re printing anything that has a short shelf-life (like a corporate training manual), it may well be more cost-effective to choose digital print-on-demand and print smaller batches as needed. That way you can update content if needed.
If you have any questions about book printing, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.
