Book Formatting Gutter Margins

Starting a new document in word defaults to these parameters but if you re exporting to word from your word processor of choice double check the output to ensure your page size and margins are correct.

Book formatting gutter margins.

Be sure your book is in one electronic file. So yes you have a half inch margin on the left and the right to have white space to keep your book easy to read. Margins ensure your text isn t cut off during manufacturing. Exterior margins should be at least half an inch three quarters is better and the gutter should be at least one quarter inch deeper than the exterior margins.

Set the margins as 0 76 on the top bottom and inside and 0 5 on the outside. Your book has two types of margins. Other forms of binding such as saddle stitch booklet printing wire o booklet printing and spiral binding do not require any gutter. To set margins in word go to format document.

So what is a gutter margin. 0 375 9 6 mm at least 0 25 6 4 mm at least 0 375 9 4 mm 151 to 300 pages. These steps include including setting up the correct trim size setting up the correct margins formatting the text and numbering the pages. The gutter goes on the left side of right hand pages and on the right side of left hand pages.

Set your page size before you set your margins. Then set the gutter as 0 13. Margin size depends on page count and on whether you have elements that bleed. The directions below are for ms word 7 and 10 the most.

In any case for a 6 x 9 trade book you re going to want to end up with 30 to 35 lines per page in most cases. To set page size in word go to file page setup and look at the drop down menu for page size. Inside gutter margins outside margins no bleed outside margins with bleed 24 to 150 pages. A gutter is the section of the page that leads into the binding of perfect bound books and hard cover books.

0 5 12 7 mm at least 0 25 6 4 mm at least 0 375 9 4 mm 301 to 500 pages. And make sure these settings apply to whole document at the bottom by selecting that in the dropdown. This process will cause a curve of the pages coming from the spine when the book is open. These two products have binding types that are clamped and held together with glue.

For a book design with running heads and folios that are centered at the bottom of the page on a 6 x 9 book try 75 bottom margin and 5 top margins for a start. Every page has three outside margins top bottom and side and one inside margin also called the gutter. 0 625 15 9 mm at least 0 25 6 4 mm at least 0 375 9 4 mm 501 to 700 pages. Here are the basics steps on formatting your manuscript in microsoft word for self publication.

Exterior top bottom and outer edge and interior or gutter where the book is bound. In the pages area set it to mirror margins. Set up your page size. The gutter is the amount of the book that you lose to the binding process.