Your finished book includes a front cover, a back cover, a spine, and all of the pages in between, be they full color or black and white. Each of these elements will factor into the size, shape, and quality of the finished product.
Here are just six key components your digital book printer will want to know before getting started:
- Dimensions: It’s important to know your trim size before going down the printing path. As mentioned in previous blogs, the best digital book printers can produce paperback books as thin as one-eighth of an inch to two and one-half inches thick. Common sizes include 5” x 8.5” up to a max of 8.5” x 11”. Your book printer can provide additional details to help you make an informed decision.
- Page count: The page count, itself, is a deceptively critical factor in determining your book’s success. Keep in mind: the number of “pages” is not the same as the number of “sheets.” Each sheet of paper is two-sided, and each side counts. One blank sheet = two pages. Accuracy is paramount to ensuring an accurate printing quote.
- Binding preference: Perfect or case bound? Softcover or hard? If hardcover, will you be opting for a dust jacket? Determining the best option for your project will ultimately depend on factors such as genre, audience, and budget. Case-bound books, touted for their durability and professional appearance, offer a certain prestige, whereas perfect-bound books – by far the most common for self-publishing – are more versatile and cost-effective, particularly for first timers.
- Paper quality: There’s a good reason the best books are referred to as “page-turners.” The paper your ideas are showcased on makes a HUGE difference in just about every facet of the printing journey, from price to readability to the tactile sensation readers get when flipping through. Uncoated stocks may work just fine for largely text-based books, but glossy and dull matte finishes may be the way to go if you are working with images, particularly those in vibrant color. Your digital book printer can provide you with samples of stock to help you narrow your choice down.
- Color: Understanding the difference between CMYK and RGB color is imperative when prepping your book for the digital printer. CMKY (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) refers to the inks a printer mixes to make colors on printed material. RGB (red, green, and blue) refers to the colors combined to view images on a monitor or screen. CMYK is used to transform digital files into printed media. All black text for interior pages, however, should be set to 100% black – and not a “rich black” CMYK ink mixture to avoid registration issues. Check with your vendor for tips to design for digital print.
- Quantity: Are you ordering just one copy for prosperity? Or are you feeling ambitious? After all, you’ve worked hard on your book, and everyone deserves a chance to read it, right? That being said, once your digital book printer has everything they need, and your book is ready to go on the press – adjustments are easily made. Typically, the cost per book decreases as your order number increases, so that’s something else to keep in mind.
With Gasch as your digital book printer, you can print what you need, when you need it. Our team utilizes state-of-the-art digital printing equipment to produce high-quality one-color and four-color text and covers, whether black ink printed on uncoated stock to vibrant four-color images on coated paper to gorgeous covers and dust jackets with multiple laminate finishes.