The Book Designer

Practical advice to help build better books

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Designing for Hand Printing a Broadside in the Bookman Typeface

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Sometimes when I think back on all the time I’ve spent in graphic arts and related endeavors, I have to admit it’s been quite a ride. Of course, working all through the disruption caused by the gradual digitization of design skills and typography has given me a prime seat from which to view the disruption […]

Working With Cover and Interior Designers

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Almost every publishing professional advising self-publishers says the same thing: focus on editing and cover design. Those are the two most important elements of your book, the ones that will make the biggest difference in how your book is received and how it will sell. We’ve already discussed how working with a good editor can […]

Review: Book Design Made Simple by Fiona Raven & Glenna Collett

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Editor’s Note: Please see the end of this article for a special offer on Book Design Made Simple and a free sample download, courtesy of the authors. Are you a do-it-yourself self-publisher? If you answered “Yes,” then today is a good day for you! Professional book designers Fiona Raven and Glenna Collett have collaborated on […]

Book Design: The Architecture of the Book Page

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Book pages, especially early in the design and construction of your book, are architectural in that they contain basic structural elements that need to be built on strong foundations, allow for ornamentation where appropriate, and pay attention to the execution of the book’s function of transmitting information from author to reader. Well, that was a […]

2016 Edition of The Self-Publisher’s Ultimate Resource Guide, Revised and Expanded

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Last year I explained how I came to partner with Betty Sargent on the first comprehensive resource guide for indie authors. And how the book, with the help of readers, launched at #1 in several categories on Amazon. It was awesome. The Self-Publisher’s Ultimate Resource Guide gathered over 150 reviews online, mostly very favorable. But […]

3 Typefaces for Books from Adobe’s Robert Slimbach

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“Which typefaces should I use for my book?” That’s probably the question I get asked most often. It’s also the most frustrating. After all, I haven’t seen your book. I don’t know what it’s about or who it’s for or how you’re going to produce it. All of those impress themselves on the decision. Armed […]

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"Writers change the world one reader at a time. But you can't change the world with a book that's still on your hard drive or in a box under your bed. This blog exists to help you get that book into people's hands."
—Joel Friedlander