Books can be prepped using InDesign for Black-and-White, Standard 70 Color, and Premium Color. No matter the format, the process is nearly identical.
The only exception involves creating the cover template. Templates for the interior and cover can be downloaded on the Template Generator Page. If you want to prepare a book in different formats, download the specific cover template and prepare different color cover files. (Paper stock varies between the formats, so it's important to create different covers for each format you wish to create.)
Books going into the print program need two PDF files, the cover file and the interior (or Book Block) file.
What do I need?
This tutorial assumes you use Adobe InDesign CC. If you are using different versions of the software, some of the instructions and screenshots will be slightly different, but you should be able to find the right feature in your software version.
How do I get this software?
Adobe InDesign is available from Adobe at www.adobe.com. Adobe does have educational discounts on their software if you are able to take advantage of them: https://www.adobe.com/products/indesign.html
Or you can get it as part of the Creative Cloud and pay a monthly fee: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/designstandard.html
1. How to Format a Book Interior for Press With InDesign
For your convenience, we have created templates to make your layout work easier. You can download templates on the Template Generator page.
Install and set color profiles
You can set the color profile now too, download the CGATS21_CRPC1.icc profile. To install in WINDOWS, right-click a profile and select Install Profile. For macOS, copy profiles into the Hard Drive/Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder. After installing color profiles, be sure to restart Adobe applications.
Now in the Edit pull-down menu, select Color Settings and set the menu that opens like this and click OK:
Master Pages
When you open the template, click the Pages menu on the right and double-click Master Page at the top of the box. Anything you place on the Master Page, including guidelines, will appear on all the pages of your book (guidelines will not appear in the print PDF).
If you have background art that is intended to appear on every page of the book, place it here making sure it is lined up properly, if it’s meant to bleed, be sure it goes to the bleed line.
The template has page numbers at the bottom of the master page in the correct placement. You can edit the font and size of the page numbers on this page.
What are all these lines?
- The red outer lines define the bleed box. Any graphics you want extended to the edge of the page should reach this line.
- The black line represents the edge of the page.
- The teal guideline is the safety area. Anything inside this line will not be affected when the pages are cut to size.
- The pink and purple box defines the margin. Text should stay inside this area.
- The black line in the center is called the gutter and is the inside spine of the book.
Setting Up Text Formatting
In the Type pull-down menu, select Paragraph Styles.
In the window, click the small pull-down menu on the top right and choose New Paragraph Style.
In the new menu, select Basic Character Formats. It is the second choice in the options to the left.
Here is where you format the basic font for the book: Headers and other fonts are set up next in this tutorial.
- Name your style.
- Select the font size and family.
Remember, this text will be small, so use a font that is easy to read without many flourishes. Industry standard is 10 to 12 pt, with leading set to auto.
Click OK when you have these options selected; the little window that is left open can be moved to the right side of the screen, out of the way. If you intend to have more than one type of body text, create them all here.
Now go back to the Type pull-down menu. Select Character Style.
In the window, click the small pull-down menu on the top right and choose New Character Style.
Select Basic Character Formats: It is the second choice down in the options to the left. Here is where you define your Headers.
- Name the Style.
- Select the Family, Style, Size etc.
You can repeat this to create different headers. Header fonts should remain between 14 pts to 24 pts. Use different sizes and bolded fonts to create a hierarchy.
Place the box over to the right when you are done. Now you are ready to start formatting text.
Adding Text
There are two ways to add text to an InDesign file:
First Option
You can select the text, copy it, and then, using the Text Tool in InDesign, click and drag to make a box then paste and the text will appear in this box.
If you have more than one column’s worth of text, you must manually flow the text by clicking the [X] box at the bottom of the text box, then clicking on the next text column with the shift key held down. InDesign will thus place all of the text for you.
If you are working on a larger format book with two columns, the text will be placed from left column to right column and page to page, in order.
Second Option
Go to the File pull-down menu and select Place. Find where you have your text, and select it.
You will see a little text block attached to your cursor. If you click in a column, InDesign will start the text in that column. If you have a lot of text to place, hold the Shift Key, and InDesign will place all of the text for you.
If you are working on a larger format book and it has two columns, the text will be placed from left column to right column and page to page, in order.
Once all of the text is imported you can format it, move it around, and add art to finalize the book.
Formatting Text
With the Text tool selected, click anywhere in the text, then right click and choose Select All. This will select all of the text you placed. The text will be highlighted for the whole book or chapter.
Select the Paragraph Styles menu (the one you set to the side) and select the style you created. This will format the basic body text.
Italics and boldface formatting can be lost when importing text. Double-check that you have not lost this information. If this occurs, use the Character Styles menu to correct the lost formatting.
To format headers, select the text and click the Character Styles menu. Select the header you want from the ones you created earlier.
Repeat this process with the headers until they are all formatted and your text is done.
Adding Art
To add art or graphics, first make sure nothing is selected by clicking on the white space outside of the book with the black arrow tool.
- Go to the File pull-down menu and select Place (same as with text).
- Find the art or graphic you want to place and click Open.
Your cursor will now have a thumbnail of the art attached. Simply click where you want the art to go.
The art will need to be resized, and it will be sitting on top of your text. Select the text column with the black arrow tool, and change the length to accommodate the art. InDesign will automatically reflow the text for you.
Now, hold down the Shift Key and resize the art box with the black arrow tool by grabbing the handle on the corner and dragging.
Once you have the art box the size you want it, you will want to resize the art to fit in the box. In the tool box at the top of the page, you'll find a series of boxes to help you format the art. Click on the box to fit the art proportionally. Repeat this process until all art is placed.
If you move art or graphics to a new folder or edit any art or graphics, you will need to relink each one. You can do this by clicking the broken chain at the bottom of the Link menu and then navigating to the file in the window that pops up.
2. Export Your InDesign File as a Print-Ready PDF Interior
Once you are ready to export, make sure the book or chapter shows no errors.
On the bottom left of the page is an indicator. If it is red, click the down arrow next to is and select Preflight Panel. Click each arrow to find out what the problem is and what page it is on. Correct these problems now before exporting.
Once your book or chapter is error-free and you have saved your work, go to the File pull-down menu and select Export to make a print-ready PDF.
Name the PDF, and choose where to save it. Make sure Format is set to "Adobe PDF (Print)", and then click Save.
In the menu that opens, be sure to set the Adobe PDF Preset to PDF/X-1a:2001.
Click the Marks and Bleeds tab on the left. In the section named Bleed and Slug, click the Use Document Bleed Settings box. Double check the bleeds are set to .125” for all sides, EXCEPT inside, which should be set to zero (0).
You will see that the Preset now has "(modified)" attached to it; this is correct. Do not check any other boxes or fill out any other information on this page.
Click Export. The PDF will be processed and saved to the location you indicated.
When your file is complete, it is best to Package the information to archive it. To do this, select Package from the File pull-down menu. In the window that opens, select Package.
Several windows will open after this. Just click "OK" through all of them. This process will collect all of the files and fonts in one place for you.
3. How to Create Your Cover File in InDesign
Filling out the Cover Template Page
To get the correct file for your book cover, fill out some details we will generate a template and email it to you.
You can find the Template Generator page here.
Breaking Down the Cover Template
What are all of these colors? Regardless of what type of cover you are producing, the guides will look the same (although in different proportions), and the book data will appear in different places depending on what format it is.
(sample hardcover template below)
- Pink Boxes show the Safe Area. No text, logos, borders, or boxes should extend outside this area. Each part (back cover, spine, and front cover) has a safe area.
- Blue Boxes show the Bleed Area. Any background color, pattern, gradient or image that you wish to extend to the edge of your cover should extend to, but not past, the Blue Box.
- White Space shows the Template Area. None of you cover elements should be in this area. Please do not alter any of the information in this area.
- Black horizontal and vertical lines are the Trim Marks and Fold Marks. This is where your spine and cover will fold and edges will be cut when it is bound with the interior pages.
- The Barcode that comes on the back cover (only) should be deleted or covered. The printer will place a barcode on the back cover. If you do not remove the sample one, or if there is no room for a barcode to be placed your cover will be rejected.
- If you want to designate where the barcode will be on your back cover, make a white box, measuring exactly 0.75” wide x 0.5” tall and place it where you would like the barcode to be. Our printer will place a production barcode there during production.
Setting Up and Formatting
Open your InDesign file, and delete the cover barcode on the back cover (leave the one below the cover where it is).
Set your color profile using CGATS21_CRPC1. If you have not yet downloaded or installed, download the profile here. To install in WINDOWS, right-click a profile and select Install Profile. For macOS, copy profiles into the Hard Drive/Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder. After installing color profiles, be sure to restart Adobe applications.
Now in the Edit pull-down menu, select Color Settings and set the menu that opens like this and click OK:
To add art, first make sure the right thing is selected:
- The art space for the front cover is selected to place front cover art;
- The spine is selected to place the spine art; or
- The back cover space is selected to place the back cover art
Do so by clicking on the box with the x on either the front cover space, spine space, or back cover space of the book with the black arrow tool.
Then go to the File pull-down menu and select Place.
Find the art you want to place and click Open.
The art will import directly into the correct place, but it may not be the correct size. If it is too small or looks cut off, don’t worry.
At the top of the page are a series of boxes to help you re-size the art. With the art selected, click the symbol that rescales the content proportionately.
Repeat this process until all of the art is placed.
Add Text
To add text to the cover, select the Type tool from the menu on the left; click and drag it to make a text box. Type what you need into the box, and then use the Type menu at the top of the page to adjust the font, size, etc.
Make sure the text is easy to read. If you are losing text in the background, you can change the color or put a stroke on the text, usually white or black, to help make the text more visible (see below).
To put a stroke on the text, double-click the text with the Text tool and open the Stroke menu to the right. (If you don't see it, click the Windows pull-down at the top of the page and select it.) A range of 0.5 to 1 is acceptable.
Open the Swatches menu. (If you don't see it click the Windows pull-down at the top of the page and select it.) Click the hollow "T", and then choose white or black for the stroke color.
To add text on the spine, create the text the same way you did for the cover, but keep it small enough to fit on the spine.
In the tool box at the top of the page, there are a series of tools that can turn the text. Select the spine text with the black arrow tool, then click the symbol that turns the text clockwise 90 degrees.
Add all the art and the text you want to have on the cover. Save.
You are ready to export.
4. Export Your InDesign File as a Print-Ready PDF Cover
Exporting the file for your cover is much the same as exporting your interior, with a few slightly different settings.
From the File pull-down menu, select Export. Name the PDF, choose where to save it, and click Save.
In the window that opens (in the pull-down menu for Adobe PDF Presets), choose PDF/X-1a:2001. There, click Export. The PDF will be processed and saved to the location you indicated.
When you are all done with the layout and have made the PDF, it is best to Package the information to archive it.
To do this, select Package from the File pull-down menu.
In the window that opens, select Package.
Several windows will open after this. Just click "OK" through all of them. This process will collect all of the files and fonts in one place for you.
5. Tips and Things to Remember
When preparing your cover, remember to add an extra page to the page count. Our printer requires that the final page of a book be completely blank, so they can add an internal production tracking barcode to that page. (This production barcode is unrelated to any ISBN or UPC barcodes and should not be confused with them.)
Depending on a book’s interior size, the final page count of a book must be evenly divisible by 2. Therefore, it is best to submit book interiors that are one page less than an evenly divisible page count. If you are concerned about blank pages at the pack of the book, you can be aware of the book signature size, see table below
| Interior Type Size | Divisible By |
|---|---|
| 6.14 x 9.21 and smaller | 6 |
| 6.69 x 9.61 and larger | 4 |
When using the cover template, specify the final page count with the blank page included; however, when submitting your interior file, make it one page less than that final page count.
For example, when preparing a large book, you might want a final page count of 120 pages. Use 120 for the page count for the Template Generator. When you submit your book interior PDF file, though, make it 119 pages.
About Specifications
- All images must be 300 dpi/ppi resolution. The physical size of the image should be at least the same physical size (i.e., in inches) that it will be in the book.
- Final PDF can not be over 240% ink limit.
- All images should be CMYK. Do not use RGB or Lab colors. The colors may shift unpredictably during the export to print ready PDF process.
- Preferred image formats are TIFF or EPS files. Refrain from using JPG or PNG files, which are more suitable for web publishing.
- Header fonts shouldn’t be too large. The optimal range is from 24 pts down to 14 pts.
- Body fonts should be 10 to 12 pts. (Line spacing or leading is usually 2 points more than the font size.)
- In making your text fit into small spaces, avoid Tracking your text more or less than 20%. Otherwise, it will look too tight or too loose.
- Avoid widows and orphans: leaving a single word at the end of a paragraph or a single line at the top or bottom of a column of text.
- Embed all fonts used in the document (all font families used, include all screen/printer fonts).
- Black text should be made with a 100% black swatch, with total CMYK values of 0% Cyan (C), 0% Magenta (M), 0% Yellow (Y), and 100% Black (K).
- Black elements should not be built in “Registration” black or with the 100% black swatch used for text. They should be built out of “Rich” black. For best results, we recommend the CMYK values of 60% Cyan (C), 40% Magenta (M), 40% Yellow (Y), and 100% Black (K).
- CMYK total value should never exceed 240%.
- Text should be at least 0.25” from the trim edge and 0.5" from gutter edge.
- Do not add information or printer marks such as crop marks, web-press comments, etc.
- You can place a barcode box anywhere on your back cover. If you do, the box should be white, measuring exactly 0.75” wide x 0.5” tall. Our printer will place a production barcode there during production.
6. What do I do next?
Once you have your finished interior PDF file and cover PDF file, it’s time to upload them!
Log into your account on site and go to the PRINT section of your Publisher Hub. Use the UPLOAD AND MANAGE PRINT PRODUCTS tool. This tool will walk you through uploading your two PDF files and setting price and other information for your print title.
After a successful upload, your titles will go into premedia processing to verify that the files are suitable for print. You will receive email notifications with further information.
7. I need more help!
If you feel stuck, take a look at the Check List for Print Books to double check your files.
If you do get any premedia errors from Lightning Source, see Correcting Most Common Print Errors for help correcting your files.
Partner Relations is always there to help: If you can not find what you are looking for, contact them by submitting a request through our webform.
You can also find professionals and contract them to create your print files. We can recommend someone for layout if you would like (as above, please contact Publisher Service for details), or you can also find freelance layout professionals at sites like www.elance.com.