Interior Print Design

Though this is sometimes referred to as formatting, typesetting, or layout, interior book design for print is more than just formatting. My service includes designing all interior book pages using the industry standard software, Adobe InDesign. Styles are designed and applied to chapter titles, subtitles, chapter first paragraphs (including drop caps and small caps, if desired), scene first paragraphs, and scene breaks. A separate style will be created for any text appearing in a different font (italics, news articles, text messages, computer screen text, etc.) as needed. I also create a design for all your front and back matter.

Formatting for ebook limits some of these options, due to the necessity for reflowable text and reader-controlled font settings in ebooks. Click here for details on my ebook formatting service.

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Front and Back Matter

Each page of your front and back matter will be designed to fit industry standards, as well as your taste and your genre. Seeing your cover will help me to design a similar style for your title page and chapter titles.

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Chapter Title Pages

Chapter title pages will be designed with display fonts that will fit your genre’s style and tone. First paragraphs use drop caps and small cap styling (if desired) and are styled with no first line indentation.

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Body Text

Body text will be set to high-quality font that is proven to print well. Body text is justified, and hyphenation is turned on to avoid excess white space between words.

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Hyphenation

Hyphenation will be checked on every page to ensure there are no awkward breaks and no words break across front-to-back pages. For example, it’s best to break everywhere as every-where, and not ev-erywhere.

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Widows

Every page is adjusted to minimize widows. It’s not always possible to eliminate them completely, but every effort will be made to design each page in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible.

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Running Heads & Folios

Running heads and folios appear only on numbered pages. Page numbering starts at chapter one (or prologue) and ends on the last page of the last chapter. None appear in front matter, most back matter, or chapter title pages.

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Scene Breaks

Scene breaks can be styled with a blank line or with a set of marks (asterisks or bullets) or an image. The first line after a scene break is usually not indented and can be styled with small caps if desired.

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Word Stacks

Each page of your book will be checked for word stacks (edges of paragraphs where the same word is stacked atop one another three or more times). Lines and/or paragraphs will be adjusted to reduce these.

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PDF File

The InDesign file will be exported as a either PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-3:2002 document. You can upload this PDF to your printer without it going through any conversion process. Your print book will look exactly the way it does on your screen.

Sample Pages

Interior Print Design Does Not Include:

Cover Design

Once you receive a final page count from me, send that information to your cover designer, along with your book’s trim size, and your cover designer will be able to create your paperback wrap cover.

Creating Nonfiction Elements

My service does not include the creation of charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, or graphics. These elements must be supplied to me in a format that’s ready to be placed into InDesign.

Retailer/POD Printer Assistance

My service does not include uploading your file to any POD printer or retailer. However, if there is an error or issue with the file itself, I’ll be happy to troubleshoot with you.

Interior Print Design Process

Questionnaire

Before I schedule your project or quote you a price, please fill out my design questionnaire, where you’ll tell me about your book and make selections on certain design styles.

Scheduling

Next, we’ll find a time slot that works for both of us. I generally require about a week for interior print design, but I’ll also need to find a time slot that works with my editing schedule.

Quote & Contract

Once we’ve secured a time slot, I’ll send you a quote with a plain-English contract that outlines terms that protect both your interests and mine.

First Invoice

After you accept the quote, I’ll send an invoice for a deposit of 50% of the total cost of the project. Payment of this deposit is due before the design begins.

Send Manuscript

Now that you’ve sent your deposit, it’s time to send me your manuscript. I accept manuscripts via email, Box.com, or Dropbox.com.

Sample Pages

After a few days, I’ll send you sample pages to look over and either approve or request changes. After approval, any further design changes may incur an extra fee.

Delivery of Files

When I’ve completed the design, I will send you the full PDF file. Look over this file and note any design issues you see (awkward hyphenation, missed widows/orphans, etc.)

Final Invoice

The bulk of the work is done during the design phase, so along with your file, I’ll send you a final invoice for the remaining fee. This invoice is due upon receipt of the PDF file.

Minor Adjustments

If there are any minor design issues, as noted in step 7, send me your list and I’ll make adjustments. This doesn’t not include typos that were present in the original manuscript, though I will make one pass of changes, if they are few.

Final PDF & Receipt

After adjustments (if any), I’ll send you the final PDF file, which you will upload to your retailer or POD printer. Contact your cover designer and send them your final page count and trim size. I’ll also send a paid-in-full receipt for your records.

Have you booked ebook formatting?

If you’ve booked ebook formatting, I’ll now begin formatting your book as an epub file. Click here for details on my ebook formatting service.

Post-Proofread Changes

Sometimes, proofreading comes after design. If you’ve had your book proofread after design and you have a list of changes, I’d be happy to make those changes either for free or for a small fee, depending on the amount.

Pricing

Simple Design

Text-heavy design with up to two images (usually one in front matter and author photo in back matter), no special text treatment for first lines of chapters or scenes, and no images or glyphs for scene separators. This works well for novels that have no special elements like lists, subheadings, call-out boxes, or blockquotes.

Standard Design

Text-heavy content with up to four front/back matter images. Chapter first lines may have drop cap and/or first few words as small caps. Scene first lines may have first few words as small caps. Scene breaks may have small flourish separator. Includes up to two extra content styles (newspaper clippings, handwritten letters, etcetera).

Complex Design

Everything in Standard Design, but your book has more complex design needs. Varied images for chapter title pages, several styles of subheadings, lists, blockquotes (news paper clippings, letters, journal entries, etcetera). This level is also appropriate for nonfiction (with footnotes, many subheadings, lists).

$0.003 – $0.006

per word

I use “per word” pricing, since this is the easiest to calculate, and it leaves little room for misunderstanding. Design costs vary, depending on complexity. Use the calculator on the right to get an idea of the price range I will quote you for (please note that there is a $50 minimum charge for print design).

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