1. Printing File Types
We accept a range of file types for printing books but our preference is to receive print ready PDF ideally to PDF-X/1a standard. We recognise this is not always possible so we can accept files ranging from Indesign and Quark as well as ready formatted MS Word files. If files other than print ready PDF are submitted there will be a charge for converting them to PDF.
1.1 General Tips - PDFs
When supplying PDFs please supply separate files for the:
a) The Cover
Consisting of the outside back cover, spine and outside front cover. We will confirm the spine width to you and supply a template/diagram, if required.
b) The Text
Should preferably be supplied as one PDF for the entire manuscript with one page up to view. We will do the imposition for printing. Where manuscripts may be too large for one file then more than one PDF may be supplied.
c) Fonts and Graphics
These must be embedded within the PDF.To check, open the PDF and go to>File>Properties>Fonts. All fonts used in the document are listed and they ALL must have the words (embedded subset) next to them.
d) Images
These must be scanned and inserted at a minimum of 300dpi to reproduce well. Lower resolution images will not print clearly. (Please remember that images downloaded from the Internet are not suitable for printing as they are only 72dpi unless, you have specifically ordered a high-resolution image)
e) Bleed
If you have an image that prints to the edge of the book (page) this image ‘bleeds’. For us to be able to print this there has to be part of the image that gets trimmed off. Therefore the artwork needs to be extended by a minimum of 3mm on each outside edge. Please note that any text should be at least 3mm from the edge of the page.
f) Colours – Litho printing<
Files for litho printing must be created using CMYK colours. Whilst we can sometimes accept files created using RGB and convert them, this is not recommended.
g) Colours – Digital printing
We prefer to receive files created using CMYK but can convert from RGB on press.
h) Proofs
Please check your quotation to see if proofs are included. On smaller digital jobs and if PDFs are supplied, we don’t generally supply proofs though they can be provided.
2. File Types – Word Documents
Many authors and organisations find it more convenient to submit Word documents for their books. These files are, however, not ‘print ready’ and have to be converted to PDFs.This is often a straightforward process but can be complicated if there are images/graphics/tables within the text and depending upon how the document may have been formatted.Therefore some work may be required by our studio before we can successfully save it as a PDF. (The PDF is always submitted for the Author’s approval) It is by no means simple to produce the cover artwork in Word, with the spine in place and to the right size as, Word does not readily enable this type of work.