Book Printing Layout: How to Save Money

"The way I lay out my book can have an impact on my final printing cost?" In a one-word answer: Yes!

For example, most offset printers use 32-page signatures. This means that you will want to keep your page count divisible by 8, 16, or 32. A 130-page book can cost a fair amount more to print than a 128-page book, so it's worth trying to figure out how to get rid of those two extra pages, if at all possible.

How can you get an economical page count? Check your margins. Sometimes just widening them by a touch or narrowing them a little can adjust your page count by 2-4 pages or more. That could be the difference between needing to print with an extra signature or not.

A minor increase or decrease in the leading (line spacing) can have a major effect on the page count. I've had books where I've had to drop a couple pages to save cost, and just adjusting the leading by a small amount - maybe only 0.2 pt. - can get me those two pages.

Note: There are a couple exceptions to the 32-page signature rule. Digital printers don't print with signatures, so page counts only need to be divisible by 2. Also, every once in a while you'll run into a sheetfed printer that uses 12-page signatures. Be sure to always ask your printer if there is a more economical page count that might save you money.

Be sure, too, that you are printing at a standard trim size. Some standard sizes include 5.5 x 8.5", 6 x 9", and 8.5 x 11". Deviate too much from a standard size and you will generate paper waste on the press. That's paper the printer has to just throw away, but you still pay for it.

Don't assume that the trim size you are using for your book will work just fine. Ask your printer's sales rep for recommendations for your trim size. Maybe they will recommend that you drop your size by just 1/8" or 1/4". Wouldn't it be worth it to do that to save money on the print run? Almost certainly!

About the Author

Joshua Prizer has worked in the book printing industry for nearly 15 years and is a cheap book printing guru. For a Free 7-Part Mini-Course on how to publish your own book, visit his web site.