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by: JoshuaPrizer
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Most people don't think of the layout design of their book as an area that can impact the printing cost, but it can have an effect.

Printers print pages in blocks, called signatures. A 32-page signature is most common, so if your page count is divisible by 32, that's the most economical option possible. However, the general rule of thumb is to try to not print less than a quarter signature of 8 pages. So if your book is 266 pages, see if you can drop a couple pages to get it down to 264. You'll definitely notice the cost savings for the print run.

To get to an appropriately divisible page count, play around with the margins in your book. Make them a little smaller or a little larger.

Adjust the leading (space between lines). A very small adjustment might be barely visible to the average reader, but it could result in dropping a few pages from your book -- saving you money on your print run.

However, before spending too much time worrying about your page count, talk to your printer. It may be that the price difference isn't worth the hassle of adjusting your layout (although it probably is). Also, if you're using a digital press, you don't need to worry about page counts since they don't use signatures. Other presses may use unusual signature breaks as well.

Be sure, too, that you are printing at a standard trim size. Some standard sizes include 5.5 x 8.5", 6 x 9", and 8.5 x 11". Deviate too much from a standard size and you will generate paper waste on the press. That's paper the printer has to just throw away, but you still pay for it.

Don't assume that the trim size you are using for your book will work just fine. Ask your printer's sales rep for recommendations for your trim size. Maybe they will recommend that you drop your size by just 1/8" or 1/4". Wouldn't it be worth it to do that to save money on the print run? Almost certainly!

About the Author

Joshua Prizer has worked in the book printing industry for 15 years and is a cheap book printing guru. For a Free 7-Part Mini-Course on how to publish your own book, visit his web site.

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