Top Mistakes to Avoid when Printing Your Book

The journey of writing a book can be a thrilling and fulfilling experience, but the final step – printing – holds its own set of challenges. It’s essential to pay close attention to the details when printing your book, as even the smallest mistakes can impact its overall quality and appeal to readers.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the most common pitfalls authors face when printing their books and share valuable tips to help you avoid these errors. From image quality to formatting and paper stock, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover how to ensure your book’s printing process goes smoothly, leaving you with a professional, high-quality product you can be proud of.

1. Poor Quality Images: One of the most common mistakes when printing a book is including low-quality images. Blurry or pixelated images can be distracting and take away from the overall quality of the book. Ensure that all images are high-resolution and properly formatted for print.
2. Inconsistent Formatting: Consistent formatting is important in order to give your book a professional look. If there are inconsistencies in the font, spacing, or margins, it can be jarring to the reader and make the book look unprofessional. Make sure to double-check all formatting before submitting your book for printing.
3. Not Checking for Errors: Even if you’ve proofread your manuscript multiple times, it’s important to have someone else take a look before you send it off for printing. Simple mistakes like spelling errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes can be distracting for readers and take away from the overall quality of the book.
4. Not Considering Book Size: The size of your book is important to consider when printing. Choosing a size that is too large or too small can affect the readability and overall appearance of the book. Make sure to choose a size that is appropriate for your content and target audience.
5. Not Choosing the Right Paper Stock: Choosing the right paper stock can have a big impact on the quality of your book. If the paper is too thin, it can make the book feel cheap and flimsy. If it’s too thick, it can make the book feel heavy and cumbersome. Make sure to choose a paper stock that is appropriate for the type of book you’re printing.
6. Ignoring Print Guidelines: Many printing companies have specific guidelines that need to be followed in order to ensure the best possible outcome for your book. Ignoring these guidelines can lead to errors and mistakes in the final product. Make sure to read and follow all guidelines provided by your printing company.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that the book printing process goes smoothly and that the final product is of high quality – now let’s go into more detail on each point.

Poor Quality Images

Poor-quality images in print can have a significant impact on the overall quality of a book. When images are low-resolution, they can appear blurry, pixelated, or even distorted when printed. This can detract from the intended impact of the images and even make them difficult to interpret.

To overcome this problem, it’s important to use high-resolution images that are appropriate for printing. Images that are 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher are generally considered to be high resolution and suitable for printing. In addition, it’s important to use the right file format for images. JPEG and PNG files are common image formats that work well for print. Avoid using images with a low resolution or small file size, as they may not print clearly.

It’s also important to ensure that the images are properly formatted for print. Images should be sized appropriately for the book, and the colour profile should be set to CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) rather than RGB (red, green, blue), which is the colour profile used for digital screens. By using high-resolution images and proper formatting, you can ensure that the images in your book look their best when printed. For more information on CMYK please see our post – RGB vs CMYK

If you’re unsure about how to prepare your images for print, it’s a good idea to consult with us or hire a professional graphic designer or book layout designer to help you, such as The Book Typesetters. 

Inconsistent Formatting in Print

Inconsistent formatting in print can have a negative impact on the overall quality and professionalism of a book. If fonts, spacing, margins, or other elements vary from page to page or section to section, it can make the book look unorganized and difficult to read. Inconsistent formatting can also distract the reader from the content of the book and detract from the author’s message.

To overcome inconsistent formatting in print, it’s important to establish a consistent design style for the book. This includes selecting appropriate fonts and font sizes, setting consistent margins and spacing, and using a consistent layout throughout the book. Ideally, the design style should be established before the book is written, so that the author can write with the design style in mind.

To ensure consistency in formatting, it’s also important to use templates or style guides. Many word processing and desktop publishing software programs include templates that can help you create a consistent layout for your book. In addition, creating a style guide that outlines the design rules for your book can be helpful in ensuring that all elements are consistent and in line with your vision for the book.

If you’re unsure about how to achieve consistency in formatting, consider hiring a professional book layout designer or graphic designer to assist you. They can provide guidance on design style, templates, and style guides, and ensure that your book is formatted professionally and consistently.

Not Checking for Errors in Print

Not checking for errors in print can have a significant negative impact on the quality and credibility of a book. Spelling errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes can be distracting to readers and detract from the overall reading experience. Additionally, errors in content or factual inaccuracies can undermine the author’s credibility and authority on the subject matter.

To overcome errors in print, it’s important to proofread and edit the manuscript thoroughly before sending it to your printer. Ideally, this should be done by multiple people, including the author, a professional editor, and possibly a proofreader. It’s important to take the time to review every page of the manuscript carefully and ensure that there are no errors in spelling, grammar, or syntax.

One strategy for catching errors is to read the manuscript out loud. This can help you catch mistakes that may be difficult to spot when reading silently. Another approach is to read the manuscript backwards, starting with the last page and working your way to the first. This can help you focus on individual words and phrases, rather than getting distracted by the overall narrative.

It’s also a good idea to get feedback from others, such as beta readers or writing groups. They can provide valuable insight into potential errors or issues in the manuscript that may have been overlooked. Finally, consider hiring a professional editor or proofreader to review the manuscript before sending it to the printer. They can provide an objective review of the manuscript and help catch any errors or issues that may have been missed.

Not Considering Book Size in Print

One key factor that plays a significant role in the success of your book is its size. By understanding the relationship between book size, printing costs, and reader experience, you can create a final product that is both engaging and accessible to your target audience.

Printing a book in a larger size can require more paper and toner, which can increase the overall printing. This can make the book more expensive for readers to purchase, which can reduce the number of people who are willing to buy it.

Another impact of not considering book size in print is the extra shipping costs. Larger books are typically heavier and may require more packaging materials, which can increase the shipping costs. This can result in a higher price for the book unless shipping costs are added, which can again reduce the number of people who are willing to buy it.

In addition to these financial impacts, not considering book size in print can also impact the readability and usability of the book. If the book is too large or too small, it can be difficult to read or handle. This can detract from the overall reading experience and make it less likely that readers will recommend the book to others.

To overcome these issues, it’s important to carefully consider the appropriate book size for your content and target audience. Think about the intended purpose of the book, as well as the preferences and needs of your readers. If you’re unsure about the appropriate size, consider doing market research or consulting with us or a book layout designer.

While a larger book may look more impressive, it may not be financially feasible for all readers. Consider the trade-offs between book size, printing costs, and shipping costs when making your decision.

Ultimately, the goal is to produce a book that is readable, usable, and appealing to your target audience, while also being cost-effective and practical to produce and ship. By carefully considering book size in print, you can optimise the outcome of your book and ensure that it is successful in the marketplace.

Choosing the Wrong Paper Stock

Choosing the wrong paper stock in book printing can have a significant impact on the outcome of the book. If the paper is too thin, it may be prone to tearing or wrinkling, and the text or images may have show-through. On the other hand, if the paper is too thick or heavy, it can make the book feel cumbersome and difficult to handle.

The type of paper stock can also affect the way the text and images appear on the page. For example, glossy paper may make colours appear more vibrant, while matte paper may make colours appear duller or more muted. The texture of the paper can also affect the reading experience, with smoother paper providing a different tactile experience than our rougher paper such as our Bookwove stocks.

To overcome these issues, it’s important to carefully consider the appropriate paper stock for your book. This will depend on several factors, including the content of the book, the target audience, and the overall style and aesthetic you’re trying to achieve.

If you’re printing a book with a lot of images, for example, you may want to choose a heavier-coated paper stock that can better support the images and prevent them from bleeding through the page. If you’re printing a novel or other text-heavy book, you may want to choose a lighter paper stock that’s easier to handle and more comfortable to read.

In addition, it’s important to consider the finish of the paper stock, such as gloss or matte. This can affect the way the text and images appear on the page and can be used to create a specific aesthetic or tone.

To make the best decision for your book, it may be helpful to consult with us or a book designer. We can provide guidance on the appropriate paper stock for your book, based on your specific needs and preferences.

By carefully considering the paper stock in book printing, you can create a high-quality, professional book that is both visually appealing and comfortable to read. If you would like to receive our samples booklet please contact us or fill out one of our sample request forms which are completely free.

Ignoring Print Guidelines

Print guidelines are typically established by the printing company to ensure that the book is printed correctly and to minimize errors or issues during the printing process. Ignoring these guidelines can result in a book that looks unprofessional, contains errors or formatting issues, or is difficult to read.

Some of the specific ways that ignoring print guidelines can affect the outcome of a book include:

1. Text or images being cut off or distorted: Let’s say that the printing guidelines require a certain margin around the edge of each page. If the designer ignores this guideline and places text or images too close to the edge of the page, it may be cut off or distorted during the printing process, resulting in an incomplete or unprofessional-looking book.
2. Incorrect colours or colour saturation: Our colour printing process uses CMYK (RGB vs CMYK) and all mono printing should be converted to black and not CMYK black. If the designer ignores this guideline and submits images in a different colour profile, the resulting prints may have incorrect or inconsistent colours, leading to an unprofessional-looking book.
3. Margins or spacing that are too small or too large: Printing guidelines often specify a minimum margin size to ensure that text and images are not too close to the edge of the page. If the designer ignores this guideline and uses a smaller margin size, the resulting book may have text or images that are cut off or difficult to read.
4. Fonts that are too small or difficult to read: Printing guidelines may specify a minimum font size to ensure that text is readable. If the designer ignores this guideline and uses a smaller font size, the resulting book may have text that is difficult to read, leading to a poor reading experience for the audience.
5. Pages that are out of order or missing: Printing guidelines often require a specific order for the pages of a book, such as front matter, body text, and back matter. If the designer ignores this guideline and submits pages out of order, the resulting book may be confusing or difficult to navigate for readers. Similarly, if pages are missing due to a mistake in the printing process, it can result in an incomplete book.

To overcome these issues, it’s important to carefully read and follow the print guidelines. This may involve adjusting the formatting or layout of the book to ensure that it meets the required specifications. It may also involve making adjustments to images, colours, or other elements of the book to ensure that they are suitable for printing.

By following our printing guidelines carefully and ensuring that all elements of the book are in compliance with the guidelines, you can ensure that the final product is of a high quality and professional standard.

It’s also a good idea to have the book reviewed by a professional book layout designer or graphic designer before sending it to us, however, we are more than happy to take a look and offer advice in any area. We can provide valuable feedback on the design, layout, and formatting of the book, and can ensure that it meets all necessary guidelines and standards.

Finally, it’s important to proofread and edit the book carefully before sending it to us for printing. This can help to catch any errors or issues that may have been missed during the design and layout process and can ensure that the final product is of a professional standard.

By carefully following print guidelines and taking steps to ensure the quality of the book, you can produce a book that is visually appealing, easy to read, and of high quality.

In conclusion, the process of printing your book is a critical step in transforming your written work into a tangible, professional product. By being mindful of the common mistakes and following the tips shared in this blog post, you can elevate the quality of your book and create a lasting impression on your readers. Remember to pay attention to details such as image quality, formatting, error-checking, book size, paper stock, and print guidelines.

By doing so, you’ll not only ensure a smooth printing process but also produce a high-quality book that you can be proud to share with the world. Happy printing, and may your book find success and appreciation among its readers!