![]() Page BreaksĪt the end of every chapter, you need to make sure you are using page breaks instead of simple paragraph breaks. If you are using Atticus, it is done automatically. If you are using Microsoft Word, this will have to be done manually. You can make slight adjustments to your formatting of those specific paragraphs to help them look cleaner and professional. Widows and orphans are single words at the end of the paragraph that can sometimes become isolated from the rest. ![]() The headers are a good place to add your book title, your author name, or even the chapter title if needed. The only thing you need to pay attention to here is that the headers and footers do not overpower the layout and stay within the margins that you have specified. Page numbers, headers, and footers can all be configured in Microsoft Word, or added automatically in Atticus. See my comprehensive article on font copyright here. If you are using Microsoft Word, you will need to do your research. Atticus makes this easy, by only offering fonts that you can legally use. You also want to consider the font that you use in your book, choosing something that matches the genre, but is not too overpowering.Īlso you want to make sure that you have the rights to use that font commercially. Fiction, for example, uses a simple indent for all of its paragraphs (not too large), whereas nonfiction often separates its paragraphs with a small space, much as you would see in a web article. This can be set up in Word, or is generated automatically in Atticus.Īdditionally, you want to configure your paragraph layout. The gutter margin is the portion of your book that will face on the inside, and it needs to be slightly larger than the outside margin. However, don't forget about your gutter margin. Amazon has a minimum requirement of a 0.25 inch margin around the outside of your book. Margins are another important element to consider in formatting your paperback book. 8 x 10 or 8.5 x 11: Best for coffee table books, picture books, activity books, etc.8 x 8 or 8 x 10: Best for children’s picture books.6 x 9” or 6.25 x 9.5”: Best for hardcover books and graphic novels.5 x 8” or 5.25 x 8”: Best for common trade paperbacks.4.25 x 6.87”: Mass market paperbacks (like the ones you see in the grocery store or airport).There are various sizes for various situations, and the one you use will depend on your needs. The trim size is the height and width of your book. The first decision that you'll need to make when formatting your print book is the trim size. Some of the many trim sizes available in Atticus. ![]() Here is a list of all the best practices to get right when formatting your print book. Now on to the recommendations for formatting your paperback book. And if you're looking for templates to get you started, we just rolled out a free tool to give you Word-compatible templates in a variety of trim sizes, perfect for formatting your book if you are on a budget. That said, if you use Microsoft Word, or an open source alternative such as LibreOffice, then much of this information will be valuable to you as well. Most of the screenshots I use in this article are also taken from Atticus. It is cheaper than the leading alternative, and works on virtually all platforms, including Mac, Windows, Chromebook, and Linux. The Tools I RecommendĪs the developer of Atticus, a tool I created as the ultimate formatting solution for all authors, I am naturally going to recommend it as your primary formatting software. ![]() This article will outline some of my favorite tools that you can use to format your print books, as well as all of the different elements and best practices that you want for print books. Print formatting, on the other hand, requires far more from the formatter, and it can be tricky to get it right, especially if you don't have the right tools. because these are all taken care of automatically by the ereader. This is especially true of print formatting.Įbook formatting is relatively simple, you don't have to worry about things like margins, fonts, etc. Dave Chesson, creator of Kindlepreneur and Atticusĭave Chesson is the creator of, a website devoted to teaching advanced book Marketing which even Amazon KDP acknowledged as one of the best by telling users to “Gain insight from Kindlepreneur on how you can optimize marketing for your books.” Having worked with such authors as Orson Scott Card, Ted Dekker and more, his tactics help both Fiction and Nonfiction authors of all levels get their books discovered by the right readers.īook formatting is one of those areas that doesn’t feel like it should be so complicated, but can be a major stumbling block for many authors. ![]()
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