Despite the shift in demand for e-books, demand is still strong for printing of books in the education purposes.
These include:
Textbooks
Exercise Books
Workbooks
Notebooks
The advantages of printed books over e-books are:
Easy reference, especially if the work is to be done
Ability to make notes directly
Exams are still written, making it good practice to write
Here are some tips to help you with your books.
Size
We recommend using the following sizes:
For books that need to be written on, we recommend using A4 size (210mm x 297mm). It is also common to use a slightly smaller size of 200mm x 280mm.
For handbooks or reference books, we recommend using A5 size (210mm x 148mm). The smaller size makes it more handy and easier to transport.
Material
We recommend using 230gsm art card for the cover and 80gsm uncoated paper for the contents.
As the cover is usually printed in colour, 230gsm art card will be a good balance of durability and vibrancy. For the cover, add a layer of gloss or matte lamination for increased durability.
We recommend using 80gsm uncoated paper for the contents for black and white text. Heavier weights will increase the weight and bulk of the book. Lighter weights will cause text to show through on the other side of the page.
For heavy graphics and images, we recommend using 128gsm gloss coated paper. Images and photographs look more vibrant on gloss coated paper.
Binding
We offer 3 types of binding:
Wire Bind
Also known as wire-o or wiro bind, holes are punched along the side of the book. Wire loops are inserted and crimped. Ideal for note books and reference books where the books can lay completely flat on its own.
Low minimum order - 1 book
Costly for larger quantities - Wire bind is labour intensive
Able to lay completely flat
Added bulk due to the wires, especially if you have a large number of pages.
Minimum number of pages: 4 pages (2 sheets)
Maximum number of pages: 270 pages (135 sheets)
Saddle Stitch
Pages are folded and stapled on the spine. Usually used for exercise books and books that do not meet the minimum thickness required for perfect bind.
Least expensive
Minimum order - 100 books
Minimum number of pages: 8 pages (2 sheets folded)
Pages have to be in a multiple of 4
Recommended maximum number of pages: 64 pages (16 sheets folded) - any longer and the inside pages get shorter and shorter.
Perfect Bind
The cover is glued to the pages on its side. Think paperback books. This is ideal exercise books. The spine can also be printed on, making it easy to see what the book is on the shelf.
Minimum order - 100 books
Minimum number of pages: 30 pages (15 sheets). Our minimum number of pages is lower than the industry average.
Maximum number of pages: 400 pages (200 sheets)
Design & Artwork
Here are some tips to help get your artwork right.
Page numbers - The left side of the book should have the page numbers on the left and the right side of the book should have the page numbers on the right. An easy way out is to just center the page numbers.
For pages that have images all the way up to the edge, a 3mm bleed is required. This ensures that there won't be any gap between the edge of the page and your image.
Margins - Too close to the edge and your books will look unprofessional. We recommend a margin of at least 12mm all round for your books.
For wire bound books and perfect bound books, you need to maintain a clear 12mm gutter for the binding. The left side of the page needs to have the gutter on the right sides and the right sides of the page needs to have the gutter on the left.
Conclusion
All these may sound complicated especially if it is your first time printing books. We review each artwork individually and highlight the possible problems before printing. Feel free to get in touch if you need advice on the artwork getting your book printed.