Text files

Format your document to a page size that is the same as the final trim size of your book. We recommend that you set a 1/2 inch minimum margin for the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your book. Do not, for instance, set up a 6 x 9 book on an 8½ x 11 electronic page size, or place two 5½ x 8½ pages on one side of an 8½ x 11 sheet. Include all blank pages (pages where printed folios do not occur in your document). Please do not use spot color black in your documents unless you are familiar with how it reproduces in a CMYK workflow. It is very important to provide a complete set of full-size laser proofs that match the final version of the electronic files you’re submitting. When sending files, copy only the version of what is needed for output onto the media you are supplying. Do not include previous versions of the document or any files that do not pertain to the title we are producing.

Page Layout

Sample One (PDF 18k)

Sample Two (PDF 27k)

Sample Three (PDF 20k)

Cover files

Covers are best constructed as one page, which includes front, spine, back, and flap copy (if applicable). Do not submit these elements as separate pages or files. Since the spine bulk, wrap, etc., is determined by the page count/trim size/binding of your project, please contact your Sales Team representative for a cover/dust jacket layout or click below and print one out. The layout will supply you with the exact dimensions you need for your cover/dustjacket. Any trapping essential on multi-color is provided by BookMasters.

Cover Layout Samples
Casebound Dust Jacket Layout (PDF)	Paperback Perfect Bound Layout (PDF)

CROP MARKS

Text files

Cover files

Cover and dust jacket files often require hand-drawn registration marks for the spine and flaps. These marks should be drawn at a weight of 0.25" and set to the color "registration" in your page layout file so they will be consistently reproduced on each color negative.

BLEEDS

Text files

A photograph, line illustration, tab, or rule is said to bleed when it prints off the edge of a trimmed page. To make sure it trims properly, we require an extra 1/8 inch of art to create an effective bleed. Do not accommodate for bleed pages by changing your page size.

Cover files

As with text, any art or background color that prints off the edge of a trimmed cover is a bleed. Again, an extra 1/8 inch of the element is required to ensure a proper bleed.

IDENTIFYING FILES

It is important to keep your files organized and named in a way that is easily understandable by those not accustomed to your project. Keep file names brief while still communicating the content. Use a suffix such as .eps to indicate the type of art file. For example, use descriptions such as "Ft. Matter", "Ch. 1", "Index", etc.

LINKS

Graphics produced outside the page program (like photo scans or illustrations) appear on the screen and in the page program by low-resolution "placeholders" - the data needed to image at the high resolution of an imagesetter remains in the original graphic. The graphic is said to be "linked" to the page file and it is very important that this link remain intact. To keep from breaking the link, do not rename files or move them to another location after they have been placed. It is also important to make sure all these support files are sent along with the page files.

PRINTER DESCRIPTION

The Printer Description (PD) is the file that contains the specific properties for that printer. To enable us to output your files correctly, the correct print driver must be selected. To choose the correct print driver, please view the PostScript instructions specific to your application.