Last time I described how I check the status of all my linked graphics with the Link Palette, and how I re-link any missing files. The last check I make of my InDesign CS4 file before beginning the export process is to look at the book’s fonts. This is a key step in making a […]
Book Printing
Creating a PDF for Lightning Source Print-on-Demand in InDesign CS4: Part 1
Lightning Source (LSI) is my preferred vendor for print-on-demand services. Their quality is good, distribution options good for most books, and a technical staff that actually knows what they’re doing. Combined with responsive customer service, it’s easy to see why it’s the default in its field. LSI provides pretty adequate documentation but, as you might […]
Self-Publisher’s 5-Minute Guide to Book Printing Processes
Podcast: Self-Publisher’s 5-Minute Guide to Book Printing Processes With all the talk about print on demand, digital printing and the future of the publishing industry, it’s easy to forget that we’ve got books to produce in the here and now, and we need to know the best way to produce those books today, this week. […]
Self-Publishing Basics: Print on Demand—What Is It?
Do you remember this conversation from your own school days? “Ms. Murphy, can I go to the boy’s room?” “Well, Billy, you certainly can go to the boy’s room. You know where it is, and I saw you running after Sally Ketchum today at recess, so I know your legs are working fine.” “Oh, great, […]
Real World Book Design: Designing for Print-on-Demand Production
As the technology we use to manufacture books changes, designers responsible for creating those books adapt. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes reluctantly. But they adapt, because the new technology will eventually supplant the old technology. Today most books are still printed by offset lithography, and any print run over about 1,000 units will benefit from the more […]
Project Focus: 2-Color Cover Design for Trade Publishers
For offset printing, 2-color covers can be much more economical than 4-color covers, particularly for short-run books. I discussed two 2-color covers for self-published books in a previous article and explained why these covers are often preferred by publishers. Here I look at two covers done for trade publishers. This first cover was designed for […]
Project Focus: 2-color Cover Design for Self-Publishers
Before the advent of digital printing and print-on-demand production, publishers had no choice but to print on offset presses, and most books today continue to be printed by offset. Book presses are large, noisy, oily pieces of heavy machinery. There are separate parts of the press for each color that will be printed, with separate […]
Mick Rooney’s Reviews of Publishing Services Companies
If you are intending to use a “Publishing Services” company to publish your book (and I’m not suggesting that you should) you owe it to yourself to surf on over to Mick Rooney’s POD, Self Publishing and Independent Publishing blog. The Most Detailed Reviews in the Business Mick doesn’t just grab some copy from a […]
