Book Producer Frequently Asked Questions
What type of paper should I use?
There are literally thousands of paper choices. The paper you use in your book can say as much about your project as the words you've written. Paper can reflect a mood and style and either enhance or degrade your final product. Sharon Tully started her career as a paper expert. She has years of experience in paper production and sales and offers a unique perspective to the print buyer and publisher. One rule of thumb she goes by is, "The paper matters." The questions you ask include whether the project is color of grayscale? Is the style modern or historic? Does it need to be durable or will the book have a short life? What effect does the paper have on the overall price of the production?
Is color or shade of white important?
If you're printing vivid four-color images you don't want a paper that changes any of the colors. Likewise you don't want a paper that allows ink to run, spread or smudge. If your book is one full of antique pictures, you can use an off-white or even color toned paper to enhance the old-time look of the book.
Should I worry about the weight of the paper?
Paper weight can affect how your reader sees your project. A serious publication on flimsy and cheap paper will not be taken seriously. A lightweight paper that allows too much ink from the other side of the sheet to show through is a negative opacity, the paper's ability to block light is important. Paper weight also affects durability.
How do I market my book?
So you want to do a book but how to you get it into the hands of the readers. This should actually be the chief concern of anyone wanting to publish a book, especially if you are going to sink a bunch of your hard-earned money into it. The first question to ask yourself is the next FAQ.
Who is my market?
If you don't know who wants to read the kind of book you are producing then you can never know know how to write it, design it or sell it.