Book Printing Tips: A Guide for Authors and Creators
Updated 2 February 2026.
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Preparing a book for print can seem complex, but with a few key tips, you can ensure your project runs smoothly and the final product is something you can be proud of. This guide will walk you through the essential considerations for getting your book print-ready.
Table of Contents
Book Sizes - standard book sizes and our recommendations
Margins and Contents - word processors and how to layout text and images
ISBN - do you need an ISBN and how do you get one
Design Softwares - software for precise work with images and creating bleed
Paper - our standard paper categories
Binding - perfect binding, saddle stitch, and signature sewn hardcovers
Book Size
Choosing the right size for your book is a key decision that affects printing costs and reader experience.
When we talk about the book size we are referring to the final size of the book, as it is on your bookshelf.
The final size of the book is a decision you need to make before you begin the layout of your book. We often find that authors would write the book in Microsoft Words with the default document size as A4, which then needs to be reformatted before printing. So that why this is first on our list.
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At Aburra Press we make all our books in-house, so we can make it to any size. From pocket note books only 7 x 14 cms wide to massive hardcover A3 landscape books with full spreads, it is all possible.
Some common book sizes for novels are:
A5 Books [210 x 148mm] - This is a classic novel size comparable with the US 5x8 inch size.
Small USA Novels [5 x 8 inches or 127 x 203 mm]
Medium USA Novels [5.5 x 8.5 inches or 139 x 215mm]
Large USA Novels [6 x 9 inches or 152 x 229 mm]
Some common book sizes for books with photos are:
A5 Landscape Books [148 x 210mm] - This is a great size to balance costs and create a unique form.
A4 Portrait Books [210 x 297mm] - This is a classic document and suitable for corporate reports.
US Letter Books [216 x 279 mm] - This is a variation of A4 and is good for professional publications.
Square Books [210 x 210mm] - This is a classic size for children books.
B5 Books [176 x 250 mm] - This is a good size for memoirs and does not feel like a document
While some printers claim there is no difference in price, they are wrong. We are in Australia and you will be limited in paper options because the majority of parent paper sizes are not suited for US sizes. For example, 6 x 9 inch books require longer paper which needs to be custom cut, adding to costs.
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What We Like.
At Aburra Press, we are authors ourselves so this is an interesting topic for us.
For smaller novels, we think 5.5 x 8.5 inches is a great size that balances the look of a traditional trade paper back while fitting into the standard Australian paper sizes. For something more out there, we love the traveler size of 104 x 210mm because it looks quite trendy and the reading experience feels familiar, as it matches texts on phones with a thinner text column.
For memoirs and larger photo books, we would avoid a book that is exactly A4, as a general rule. This is because it is a boring size - and just reminds everyone of a bill or a document. Instead, we would recommend a custom size of 184 x 266mm for photo books as it fits photos quite well or go with a B5 books for a more standardised template.
If you are unsure, the first step is to have a look at your bookshelf and measure the size of a book you like.
In the end, it is your book and there are no rules!
Book Body
The body of a book is made up of sheets of paper.
On each sheet of paper there are two pages, a front and a back page.
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Pages
Once you have decided on the final book size, you need to set up your page size in a word processing software.
The pages size in a word processing software should be same size as the final book size.
If you are doing this yourself, we would recommend using either Microsoft Words is you have a license, or Google Doc or Open Office as a completely viable free alternative. All of these software are easy to use (it’s 2025 afterall) and can generally get the job done. Keep in mind that word processors are not design software. For a more professional publication or a photo heavy work, we highly recommend using a design software, either Affinity or InDesign.
Document Setup Video Tutorials:
Setting up an A5 Book in Google Docs
Setting up an A5 Book in Microsoft Words
Setting up an A5 Book in Open Office
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Margins
Ensure you set adequate margins on all sides of your pages.
We recommend 20mm on all four sides as the default for both A5 or A4 style book.
You do not need to add additional margins on the spine side. Some authors do this to try to improve readability, however this actually causes us a huge headache. Because we manufacture the books ourselves, we take care of that in the cutting and binding step. We generally leave 2-3mm extra in the spine side for readability so words are not lost in the spine.
Margin Setup Video Tutorials:
Setting up an A5 Book in Google Docs
Setting up an A5 Book in Microsoft Words
Setting up an A5 Book in Open Office
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Bleed
If you book has white borders around every page, you do not need to worry about bleed (yay!).
The Problem: It's nearly impossible to cut a stack of paper perfectly at the exact edge of the printed design.
The Solution (Bleed): Extend your background colors, images, and graphics past the intended cut line (the trim line).
The Process: When your book is trimmed down to the final size, the bleed area is cut off, leaving a clean edge.
Bleed is a terms that is specific to print production. Web designers never have to think about bleed as pixels can be perfectly arranged and perfectly rearranged. Unfortunately, for the book maker physical reality always likes to be off by 0-1 mm. This can be due to all sorts of factors; paper has expanded due to the heat, a supplier cut the paper long by 1mm, the trees that year had shorter fibers than usual.
The real issue is that adding bleed to artworks at the end of projects (right before print production day) always causes friction, as it is essential in print production but can often involve lots of pre-press work no one wants to do and no one wants to pay for.
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How we can help
We generally recommend our authors to give layout a go themselves, its quite a fun process (more fun than writing). However, we are happy to have a look at your file early to make sure you are on the right track. For example, after you have 10-15 pages formatted, feel free to send us a copy and we can give it a quick professional review. All free of charge of course.
We would take a more hands on approach for corporate project or retail products - where the design and layout is focused on achieving a professional finish. This generally involves branding discussions and adding themed colours, custom graphics, and custom fonts.
ISBN
We generally advise that authors get an ISBN.
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique 13-digit identifier for your book. The company behind the ISBN is an amazing company, they have somehow managed to monopolise selling numbers, wow I wish I thought of that!
We have found that the online marketing around ISBN seems to make the process sound very difficult, but it is really not. You just fill out a form with your details and your book details and buy an ISBN for $10 -$100 dollars.
Do You Need an ISBN ?
You will need an ISBN if you plan to sell your book through major retailers, online stores, or have it available in libraries. It is the standard for tracking and inventory in the publishing world. It also makes your book look more professional.
How to Get an ISBN ?
In Australia, ISBNs can be purchased through the official agency, Thorpe-Bowker.
Design Software
Word processors are not design software - you need the later for bleed and precise colour.
Suitable programs include Canva, Inkscape, Scribus, Affinity Designer, Affinity Publisher, InDesign and Illustrator. The first five are great programs that we highly recommend not only because they are very reasonably priced (or free) but because they are extremely good and very user friendly.
We have been using InDesign and Scribus. We thoroughly recommend Scribus as it is open sourced and easy to use. With a program like scribus you get extreme accuracy with placement, alignments and sizing of objects. Bleeds and crop marks are produced with no-guesswork, completely hassle-free and error-free – all very important issues with printing. They produce impecable pdf files (required by all printers) and easily converting all text to outlines to faithfully reproduce your brochure or whatever.
For Print Ready Files - we require a Single Page PDF with 3mm bleed
Resources
How to set up bleed in InDesign
How to set up bleed in Scribus
Paper
Paper is very important.
The paper you choose has a significant impact on the look, feel, and cost of your book. It’s a tactile element that readers notice. Paper is a very big part of printing and can dramatically affects the perceived quality of the print.
Paper weight is measured in gsm (Grams per Square Metre), paper weight determines the thickness and opacity of your pages. A higher gsm feels more substantial and thicker.
Our standard paper categories
80gsm Bond: this is your standard book paper available in white and off-white.
120gsm Bond: we use this for shorter books that need to be more sturdy.
95gsm Coated: this is your standard magazine paper
128gsm Coated: we use this stock for weighty company reports
150gsm Coated: we use this for photo books
100gsm Mondi: This is a smooth specialty stock we generally reserve for tributes.
300gsm Silk: this is the standard stock we use for book covers.
We are very particular about our paper, and source from all top Australian paper suppliers - Ball and Doggett, Spicers, and SE Papers. If you need something custom feel free to reach out - we stock lots of different papers.
Binding and Finishing
Binding is a craft - it is hands on and labour intensive and requires skill.
Perfect Binding
Perfect binding is the most popular and professional choice for softcover books, such as paperbacks, novels, and corporate reports. It is also gaining popularity in the photo book category. It is an excellent and cost-effective solution for a wide range of projects.
This is the go to form for a book. Theres a reason why all books look like this.
Saddle Stitch
We could never really figure out why this is called saddle stitch, but it sure sounds a lot better than stapled booklets.
Sometimes for short books and zines, this is the best option.
Case Bound with Signature Sewn
Often referred to as section-sewn or hardcover binding, this is the best money can buy.
The process is more intricate: the book pages are printed in a complex order, then folded into sections called "signatures." These signatures are collated in order and then physically sewn together with thread. The book bodies are then compressed under pressured and glued together at the spine. After the glue dries, the body is securely attached to a rigid outer cover, or "case." This sewn construction is the strongest and most durable binding available and allows the book to lay completely flat when open, making for a superior reading experience.
Most Australian online retailers that offer hardcover books do not make signature sewn book.
Instead they make “clip on hardcovers”, which is a perfect bound book glued inside a hardcover case. These book look good when they sit on the table, but due to their construction they cannot open flat and are quite difficult to read. We refuse to make “clip on hardcover” - if you want a premium product, just do it properly.