A proof is a preview of your book. It’s the best way of knowing what a book is going to look like before a full order of books arrive on your doorstep. Proofs put you in the driver’s seat of your book printing experience; they allow you to see a preview of the book and make any changes necessary before production begins.
Most softcover and hardcover books are bound using an adhesive glue. Spiral bound books, on the other hand, have series of small holes punched into the left-hand side of their pages. A coil is fed through these holes to form the binding. Most spiral coils are made from plastic, but some are bound with a metal coil called Wire-O. Wire-O offers the same level of flexibility with an added touch of sophistication.
I love an immersive experience, and when it comes to book printing, bleeds are one of the great ways to pull readers into the world of your book.
If there is one type of book that draws me in, it’s black-and-white photography. Combine that with a book featuring women embracing who they are, joyfully showing their vulnerability, and…
fight against cancer. After she was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Pam decided to participate in a clinical trial rather than standard treatment. We recently asked her about her writing and printing experience
After retiring from teaching in 2006, Jan Bono began to write—and she hasn’t stopped since! Author of the six book Sylvia Avery series, Jan is also a prolific Chicken Soup for the Soul contributor and has been published in the series over 45 times, making her one of the top worldwide contributors. We love working with Jan, and recently asked her to share with us a little about her printing experience.
Many people like to think that a great cover just materializes, fully formed, in the mind of the designer. The reality is that many factors, such as visual appeal, color, fonts, and audience, all have to be considered before starting. Here are four tips on designing your cover from a professional book designer.
