E dite d By Br i an Ab e yt a
A B o o k ab o u t
Past to Present. Design to Print.
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Past to Present. Design to Print.
A B o o k ab o u t
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05 16
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35 42 50 55 64 70
Award Winning Books
Layout & Design
Parts of a Book
CHAPTER 3: Book Design
Marketing a Book
Publishing a Book
Writing a Book
CHAPTER 2: Writing & Publishing a Book
Types of Books
Importance of Books
Modern Day Printing
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Gutenbrug & Early Printing
A BIt of History
CHAPTER 1: What is a Book?
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62 75
contents
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What I s a B ook?
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book [boo-k] noun 1. a handwritten or printed work of fiction or nonfiction, usually on sheets of paper fastened or bound together within covers.
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a bit of history
Printed pages of text bound between two covers spans about two thousand years. In that time, these amazing objects from papyrus codices to penny dreadfuls to paperbacks to ebooks helped stimulate the growth of civilization and foster the spread of knowledge. Read about the modest device that has provided humankind with untold hours of enlightenment and entertainment, instruction and armchair adventure: the book.
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What is a Book?
Histoire du livre” in France, or “Geschichte
The history of books may become in the future, its
des Buchwesens” in Germany, or “of the book” in
past shows on how a field of knowledge conver-
English speaking countries. Its name varies from
gence having of several disciplines can take on a
place to place but everywhere, it is being recognized
distinct scholarly identity.
as an important new discipline.
It arose from the on a common set of problems, to
The book might be called the social and cultural his-
do with the process of communication. Initially, all
tory of communication by print and if we understand
of them the problems the form of concrete questions
that were not such a mouthful, because its purpose is
Shakespeare’s original in unrelated texts? What took
how ideas were transmitted through print and how
branches of scholarship? What were the causes of
exposure to the printed word affected the thought
the French Revolution? What connection between
and behavior of mankind the last five hundred years.
culture and social stratification? In pursuing is the
Some book historians pursue their subject deep into the period is to before the invention of movable broadsides, newspapers, extended type. Some
those ques tions, scholars found themselves crossing paths in a no-man’s-land intersection of a halfdozen located at the fields of study.
students of printing concentrate on and other forms
They decided to constitute a field of their own and
besides the book.
to invite in historians, literary scholars, and anyone
The field can be and expanded in many ways; but for the most part, it concerns books since the time
else who wanted to understand history sociologists, librarians, the book as a force in history.
of Gutenberg, an area of research that has devel-
Books began to acquire its own journals, research
oped so rapidly during the last few years, that it
centers, conferzences, and lecture circuits. It accu-
seems likely to win a place alongside fields like
mulated tribal elders as well as Young Turks.
the history of science and the history of art in the canon of scholarly disciplines.
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The Rosetta Stone Created 196 BC Discovered 1799
A Book About Books
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What is a Book?
Writing is a system of linguistic symbols which
The words biblos and liber first meant “fibre inside
permit one to transmit information. Writing appears to
of a tree”. In Chinese, the character that means book
have developed between the 7th millennium BC and
is an image of a tablet of bamboo. Wooden tablets
the 4th millennium BC, first in the form of early mne-
(Rongorongo) were also made on Easter Island.
or pictographs through simplification.
Silk, in China, was also a base for writing. Writing was done with brushes. Many other materials were used
The oldest known forms of writing were thus primar-
as bases: bone, bronze, pottery, shell, etc. In India, for
ily logographic in nature. Later syllabic and alphabetic
example, dried palm tree leaves were used; in Meso-
or segmental writing emerged.
america another type of plant, Amate.
The book is also linked to the desire of humans to create lasting records. Stones could be the most ancient form of writing, but wood would be the first medium to take the guise of a book. The Rosetta Stone is a Ptolemaic age granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Egyptian hieroglyphics, the middle portion Demotic script, and the lowest Ancient
The world’s earliest known printed book shows the wide spread use of paper in China.
monic symbols which became a system of ideograms
Greek. Because it presents essentially the same text in all three scripts (with some minor differences among them), it provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
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A Book About Books
From the 7th to the 12th century the
When the Roman Empire collapsed about the 5th
Islamic Arab Empire flourished. Because of Arab
century A.D. Europe went through many changes.
conquests of the Chinese, Islamic scribes learned
There were wars and invasions and the Christian
how to make paper and became great book writers.
religion became a main focus of most Europeans.
Cities like Damascus and Baghdad were centers for
Several Christian monasteries were established
book production. The Muslim bible, the Koran, was
throughout Europe, and it was in these that most
compiled by copyists in or around 651 A.D. It was
of the books for this period of time were written,
beautifully decorated with elaborate borders, and
approximately 476 to 1453.
patterns called Arabesques. These were the same copyists who worked to translate the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
natural light, no fires or candle light, zfor fear of fire. The parchment or velum pages were large and ex-
The people of Europe, Africa, and Asia for over 2,000
pensive so only the greatest of care was given when
years used the skins of animals to preserve their
writing on them. I would take up to 4 or 5 monks to
thoughts. Sheep and goat skins were the first to be
do a single page, one to layout the guide lines, one
made into writing sheets called parchment. It would
to do the calligraphy, one for the illumination, and
take 12 sheep to make a 150 page book. It was discov-
another for the gilding.
ered the calf ’s skin would make an even finer type of parchment called vellum.
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The monks would sit in scriptoriums using only
The illuminator had the responsibility of illustrating what was happening in the text on each page so the
Native Americans would use bison or buffalo skins
reader could see the story unfolding. All the materi-
to keep their tribe’s stories. The sacred books of the
als used were made from natural sources, and because
Aztecs, called Amoxtli, used deerskins and would
these books were so precious, well taken care of and
be banded together to become several yards long.
respected, many of these fantasticbooks still exist today.
What is a Book?
It was the Chinese that are given credit for the first pages of paper. They would soak different materials such as plants, straw, tree bark, and even old fish nets in water, then beat them into a pulp. The pulp was then poured onto screens and pressed lightly then left out to drain and dry. When peeled off the screen you have paper to write on. The use of paper was slow to take off because most people of the 2nd century didn’t read or write.
The people of Europe, Africa, and Asia used the
When it was introduced into Europe in the Middle
skins of animals to preserve their thoughts.
Ages people felt it wasn’t trustworthy, in fact it had no legal standing hence the old saying “not worth the paper it’s written on”. It wasn’t until the 12th century in Europe
Hebrew Bible 11th century parchment fragment Fostat, Egypt
that paper mills came into production.
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14 Ancient codex. China bamboo book
Sumerian language cuneiform script clay tablet, 2400–2200 BC
A Book About Books
What is a Book?
A tablet is defined as a physically robust
A codex (in modern usage) is the first infor-
writing medium, suitable for casual transport of
mation repository that people would recognize as a
Clay tablets were just what they sound like: flattened
“book�: leaves of uniform size bound in some manner
and mostly dry pieces of clay that could be easily
along one edge, and typically held between two covers
carried, and impressed with a (possible dampened)
made of some more robust material.
stylus. They were used as a writing medium, especially for writing in cuneiform, throughout the Bronze Age and well into the Iron Age.
The first written mention of the codex as a form of book is from Martial, in his Apophoreta CLXXXIV at the end of the first century. A change happened
Wax tablets were wooden planks covered in a thick
gradually during the 3rd and 4th centuries, and the
enough coating of wax to record the impressions of
reasons for adopting the codex form of the book are
a stylus. They were the normal writing material in
several: the format is more economical, as both sides
schools, in accounting, and for taking notes. They
of the writing material can be used; and it is porta-
had the advantage of being reusable: the wax could
ble, searchable, and easy to conceal. A codex book
be melted, and reformed.
is much easier to read, to find a page that you want.
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A Book About Books
Papyrus, is a thick paper-like material made
A manuscript is any document written by
by weaving the stems of the papyrus plant, then
hand, as opposed to being printed or reproduced
pounding the woven sheet with a hammerlike tool,
in some other way. Before the arrival of printing, all
was used for writing in Ancient Egypt, perhaps as
documents and books were manuscripts. In pub-
early as the First Dynasty, although the first evidence
lishing and academic contexts, a manuscript is the
is from the account books of King Nefertiti Kakai of
text submitted to the publisher and or printer in
the Fifth Dynasty Papyrus sheets were glued together.
preparation for publication, regardless of the format.
According to Herodotus the Phoenicians brought writing and papyrus to Greece around the 10th or 9th century BC. Whether made from papyrus, parchment, or paper, scrolls were the dominant form of book in the Hellenistic, Roman, Chinese,
was usual, but today a digital file with a printout, prepared in manuscript format is most common. Manuscripts are normally required by publishing companies before being published.
Hebrew, and Macadonian cultures. The more
Manuscripts are not defined by their contents, which
modern codex book format form took over the
may combine writing with mathematical calcula-
Roman world by late antiquity, but the scroll for-
tions, maps, explanatory figures or illustrations.
mat persisted much longer.
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Until recently a typescript prepared on a typewriter
Sumerian language cuneiform script clay tablet, 2400–2200 BC
Egyptian papyrus showing the god Osiris
What is a Book?
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Gutenburg & early printing
Printing as we know it today had it’s start (again) in China and Japan. It was the 6th century and words and images are being carved into wood blocks that could be inked then printed onto paper and even on silk fabrics. In the 11th century the Chinese had the first moveable type we know of. The Europeans were a little slower, it wasn’t until the 1300’s that they began printing from wood blocks.
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Johannes Gutenberg, in 1438, was the first European to evolutionize printing with his special jeweler’s tools and an old wine press. It is Gutenberg that is given credit for the Gutenberg Bible, dubbed Europe’s first printed book even though it was never signed or dated. From here the printing of books became very complicated and was quite the business. Europeans of the late 14th century and well into the Renaissance had a thirst for knowledge and the demand for the printed words sparks a new world of business. There were type markers, type setters, printing press markers, paper makers, publishers, writers, bookbinders, guilders, foreedge painters and booksellers just to name some of the professions.
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A Book About Books
With all this new availability of knowledge
on an inked surface made of movable type, thereby
and exchange of ideas, of course there had to be some
transferring the ink. Typically used for texts, the in-
censorship. Italy, France and Germany became ma-
vention and spread of the printing press are widely
jor publishing centers and the state and church kept
regarded as among the most influential events in hu-
close tabs on the content of what was being pub-
man history, revolutionizing the way people conceive
lished. It needs to be mentioned that throughout the
and describe the world they live in, and ushering in
14th to 16th century, Europe’s states and churches
the period of modernity.
were intertwined If someone questioned the state or churches authority or doctrine they could be thrown into prison or even put to death. Of course there were always ways to get around such censorship.
ogy was invented and developed in China by the Han Chinese printer Bi Sheng between the years 1041 and 1048. In Korea, the movable metal type
By the 17th century there are books on science,
printing technique was invented in the early thir-
medicine, law and questionable little books of
teenth century during the Goryeo Dynasty. In the
poetry, short story and novels that were printed
West, the invention of an improved movable type
small enough to fit inside the other larger ones.
mechanical printing technology in Europe is cred-
Governments starting as early as 213 B.C. burned
ited to the German printer Johannes Gutenberg in
written material they deemed “not useful”, deca-
1450. The exact date of Gutenberg’s press is debated
dent or dangerous. Censors wanted to suppress
based on existing screw presses. Gutenberg, a gold-
any ideas they didn’t agree with. This censorship
smith by profession, developed a printing system
still goes on today but thank heavens there hasn’t
by both adapting existing technologies and mak-
been too many book burners lately.
ing inventions of his own. His newly devised hand
A printing press is a device for evenly printing ink onto a print medium (substrate) such as paper or cloth. The device applies pressure to a print medium that rests
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The world’s first movable type printing technol-
mould made possible the rapid creation of metal movable type in large quantities. The printing press displaced earlier methods of printing and led to the first mass production of books.
What is a Book?
Printing, “ changed the whole face and state of the world”. ~ English philosopher Francis Bacon
A single Renaissance printing press could
pass. In 1620, the English philosopher Francis
produce 3,600 pages per workday, compared to
Bacon indeed wrote that these three inventions
about 2,000 by typographic block-printing and
“changed the whole face and state of the world”.
a few by hand-copying. Books of authors such as Luther and Erasmus were sold by the hundreds of thousands in their lifetime.
In Renaissance Europe, the arrival of mechanical movable type printing introduced the era of mass communication which permanently altered
Printing soon spread from Mainz, Germany to
the structure of society. The relatively unrestricted
over two hundred cities in a dozen European
circulation of information and ideas transcended
countries. However the first book in English was
borders, captured the masses in the Reformation
not until 25 years later in 1475. By 1500, printing
and threatened the power of political and religious
presses in operation throughout Western Europe
authorities and people of power.
had already produced more than twenty million volumes. In the 16th century, with presses spreading further afield, their output rose tenfold to an estimated 150 to 200 million copies.
The sharp increase in literacy broke the monopoly of the literate elite on education and learning and bol. In the 19th century, the replacement of the hand operated Gutenberg-style press by steam-powered rotary
The operation of a press became so synonymous
presses allowed printing on an industrial scale, while
with the enterprise of printing that, by metonymy,
Western-style printing was adopted all over the world,
it lent its name to a new branch of media, the press.
becoming practically only medium for modern bulk
The importance of printing as an emblem of modern
printing. However, the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea
achievement and of the ability of Moderns to rival
printed Jikgi by using the similar method about 72
the Ancients, in whose teachings much of Renais-
years earlier than Gutenberg, and Jikgi is the world’s
sance learning was grounded, was enhanced by the
first press-printing material that is extant.
frequent juxtaposition of the recent invention of printing to those of firearms and the nautical com-
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1453
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M ovable type
pri n ti n g press
1040
1453 r o tary pri n ti n g press
wo o dbl o ck pri n ti n g
1843 ho t metal typesetti n g
A Book About Books
history of printing
1884
1938 INKJET PRINTING
D O T M AT R I X PRINTING
1951
1968 L A SE R P R I N T I N G
pho t o c o pyi n g
1969 D IG I TA L P R E S S What is a Book?
1993
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Modern day printing
Mechanical Composition until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, all type was set and composed by hand, as in Gutenberg’s workshop. Monotype and Linotype machines changed the printing process because they used mechanical means of setting type, which was much more efficient than hand composition.
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What is a Book?
In a Linotype machine, an operator would
Innovations in the accessibility of knowledge and the
type on a keyboard similar to a typewriter, which
structure of human thought that attended the rise of
produced a perforated band of paper. The band
print in Europe also influenced art, literature, phi-
was then decoded by a machine that cast type from
losophy and politics. The explosive innovation that
hot metal. These machines cast a whole row of type
characterized the Renaissance was amplified, if not in
at a time, so if an operator made an error it meant
part generated by, the printing press. The rigidly fixed
the whole line would have to be retyped and recast.
class structure which determined one’s status from
Invented in 1889, the Monotype machine worked much like the Linotype machine. A monotype operator would similarly type out a text. Each key stroke produced a perforated tape. The operator then tore
birth based on family property ownership began to yield to the rise of an intellectual midzdle class. The possibility of changing one’s status infused the less priveleged with ambition and a hunger for education.
off the tape and ran it through a separate machine,
Verifiability and communication that comes from
which produced a mould containing matrices for
one source and is disseminated to many geographi-
each character. Monotype had the advantage of
cally dispersed receivers. As illustrated by dramatic
being easier to correct because it was possible to
reform in religious thought and scientific inquiry,
remove a single letter of type, rather than having
print innovations helped bring about challenges to
a recast of a whole row. Monotype also produced a
institutional control. Print facilitated a focus on fixed,
finer quality type, so it was frequently used in the
verifiable truth, and on the human ability and right
book trade, while linotype was often used at news-
to choose one’s own intellectual and religious path.
paper presses because of its speed and economy.
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A Book About Books
The Dayes, in 1640 produced 1700 copies of the first book printed in the colonies, the Bay Psalm Book.
Print technology facilitated a revolution
Religious, intellectual and political freedom served as
of communication that reached deep into human
rallying cries for the Europeans who were drawn to the
modes of thought and social interaction. Print,
American colonies. Stephen Daye, a locksmith whose
along with spoken language, writing and electronic
son Matthew was a printer’s apprentice, brought the
media, is thought of as one of the markers of key
continent’s first press to Cambridge, Massachusetts in
historical shifts in communication that have attended
1638. The Dayes printed a broadside and an almanac
social and intellectual transformation. Oral culture is
in their first year. In 1640 they produced 1700 copies
passed from one generation to the next through the
of the first book printed in the colonies, the Bay Psalm
emotional atmosphere of interpersonal interaction.
Book. The printing press became central to political
Writing facilitates interpretation and reflection since memorization is no longer required for the communication and processing of ideas. Recorded history could persist and be added to through the centuries. Written manuscripts sparked a variation on the oral
and printers like Benjamin Franklin were heroes of the time. Print was at the heart of the dissemination and defense of visionary ideas that shaped the American Revolution.
tradition of communal story telling it became com-
Until the 19th century Gutenberg’s print technology
mon for one person to read out loud to the group.
had not changed dramatically. In the early 1800’s the
Print, on the other hand, encouraged the pursuit of personal privacy. Less expensive and more portable books lent themselves to solitary and silent reading. This orientation to privacy was part of an emphasis on individual rights and freedoms that print helped to develop. Print injected Western culture with the principles of standard
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and religious expression in the New World. Writers
development of continuous rolls of paper, a steampowered press and a way to use iron instead of wood for building presses all added to the efficiency of printing. These technological advances made it possible for newspaperman Benjamin Day to drop the price of his New York Sun to a penny a copy in 1833. Some historians point to this “penny press” as the first true mass medium
What is a Book?
Pas t 1640 Bay Paslms Book stephen daye
Present 2008 The Psalms For Today Beth LaNeel Tanner
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A Book About Books
Today, more words are being printed every second than were printed every year during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Today, printing is very different from the process used in Gutenberg’s workshop. By modern standards, Gutenberg’s printing process may seem slow and tedious; compositors put type together by hand, and a skilled compositor could assemble 2,000 characters or letters in an hour. A computer can arrange the same number of characters in about two seconds. What changed? Why aren’t we still using Gutenberg’s press? Until the nineteenth century, printers completed each step of printing by hand, just as they did in Gutenberg’s printshop. As technology evolved, inventors adapted these new technologies to revolutionize printing. Steam engines and, later, electrical engines were incorporated into the design of printing presses. In the 1970s, computers were integrated into the printing process.
PAIGE M. GUTENBORG can print nearly five million titles, including Google Books that are in the public domain, as well as thousands of publisher-permission titles. 28
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importance of books
In our strange times, when militarists and political aspirants and greedy men are struggling to divide our world intomany parts, the world remains one. More and more is this evident. The chief reason why the plots and plans of dictators succeed is because the people remain ignorant and the reason people are ignorant is because they do not read books You may ask, what sort of books ? I submit that... no man or woman should be the judge of books for people as a whole.
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What is a Book?
We know that, taken by and large among
no effort and they can pass easily from the world
literate peoples, Americans are not great readers.
of sound into the world of silent perception. More
A writer knows that if half a million of his books
often than not the local leaders are not readers. They
are read here in the United States he has achieved
are usually what are called men of action.
more than a seven-days’ wonder.
How often even our schools are controlled by local
Most books sell under five thousand copies when
boards composed of men who seldom take up a book
placed on the market. All books sell under twenty
and who do not see the need of more and better books!
thousand copies except the few best sellers. Only
I doubt whether our congressmen are readers of
the biggest best sellers, usually historical romanc-
books many of them. Perhaps even our cabinet
es, sell a hundred thou- sand copies. Multiplying
members and even our President are not and have
all these figures by five or even by ten, to allow for
not been readers of books. It is terrifying to think
libraries and lending among friends, we still have
that the policies of our country, in these dangerous
only a small fraction, indeed, of the one hundred
and unstable times, are being made by men who
and thirty millions of our people. We are con-
have not perhaps ever read, say, a history of Russia
strained then to see that our people are for the most
or of China, and have no conception of England’s
part nonreaders.
history of empire, except as subordinates brief them
They get their reading, if any, from the comics,
before conferences.
from newspaper headlines, and popular maga-
Yet in a literate democracy, where reading is required
zines. Beyond that they listen to the radio and
of every normal-minded citizen, books ought to be as
go to the movies. The plain fact is that, except
necessary as bread. We cannot understand the present
for a small percentage of our people, books are
or approach the future with any sort of common
not necessities. They are luxuries and table deco-
sense unless we have that material in our minds
rations. Publishers know this well, and have to
which can only be got from books. Locked away
reckon on it. In times of high prices books and
in books are not only all the facts which the human
diamonds show the first falling off.
mind has yet brought together and comprehend-
It may be said to comfort ourselves that the most intelligent among our people, the leaders, are readers of books. Unfortunately this too, is not
ed, but in books alone are to be found the creative thinking of the finest human minds. I use the word locked with meaning, for reading is the key
true. Some leaders do read, if they have been taught to read sufficiently well so that reading is
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A Book About Books
“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.� ~ Desiderius Erasmus. Author 1466-1532
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What is a Book?
In our strange times, when militarists and
Hitler in Germany announced his dictatorship
political aspir- ants and greedy men are struggling to
by banning books and then by burning them.
divide our world into many parts, the world remains
The banning of books always comes first. There
one. More and more is this evident. The chief reason
are steps to this process of banning. The first step
why the plots and plans of dictators succeed is because
is to make out a list of books which organizations
the people remain ignorant and the reason people are
or governments recommend, not for authentic-
ignorant is because they do not read books You may
ity or amusement or any of the proper uses of
ask, what sort of books? I submit that...no man or
books. No, they recommend books because they
woman should be the judge of books for people.
expressed the rules of the organization members
No one should say this book is good and that one is
should read them.
bad for all. It is dangerous in a democracy for any
Next comes the suppression of certain books. Then
group to set itself to tell people what they should read.
comes the actual destruction of books, and tyranny
Churches should not do it and government should
is in the seat of power. Censorship of books means
not do it. Such censorship is the first step toward
censorship of the mind, and censorship of the mind
book-burning and book-burning throughout history
is what every tyrant wants wherever he is to be found,
has been the sign of the dictator. Centuries ago, Chi-
and he can be found in any country. Sometimes he
na’s greatest dictator, Chin Shih Huang, determined to
wears the robe of a minister of religion, some- times
burn all books in order to stifle people’s minds so that
he wears a business suit, or a soldier’s uniform,
he could better control the nation. Books, he declared,
sometimes he is a government bureaucrat or high
taught people to think dangerous thoughts and then
official must watch for him wherever he is, and the
to rebel against authority. So they do, and that is the
censorship of books is the sign of his presence. The
glory of all books.
freedom of people everywhere in the world is closely linked with freedom from censorship of books.
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A Book About Books
34
nazi youth burn books germany, 1933
What is a Book?
35
A Book About Books
Now that books need not to worry about censorship or book burnings, they have come to the forefront and have been hugely important in human civilization as instruments for communicating information and ideas. The digital age has caused the landscape of books to change, with more and more of the traditional functions of books being performed electronically. People usually think of books in terms of their contents or their texts, but in fact, books may possess all kinds of potentially interesting qualities beyond their texts, as designed or artistic objects, or because they have unique properties deriving from the ways they have been printed, bound, annotated, beautified or defaced.
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Nothing can add to our intellect more than reading a book. In books, we can experience new things that we would not normally be able to experience. With an active imagination, you can go to other worlds or made up worlds. Books can change our lives and other people’s lives.
types of books
Books are definitely one of the biggest sources of knowledge and intelligence. There are wide varieties of books written by different authors covering different areas. Books can be read out of passion as a hobby, or books can also be read to gain knowledge. In any case, books always serve the same purpose and that is helping in enriching valuable knowledge. If you are a book lover, you must be aware of the fact that there are different categories of books written, and each of these categories again has their sub-types. Apart from that, there might also be some books that might fit in different categories at once.
37
A Book About Books
fiction is the form of any work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not real, but rather, imaginary and theoretical that is, invented by the author. Some examples of fiction books are The Sun Also Rises, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Their Eyes Were Watching God.
NON-fiction is a story based on real facts and information. Non-fiction is a narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are believed by the author to be factual. Some examples are The Diary of Anne Frank, “how to� books, and travel books.
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What is a Book?
It is best to start categorizing books as fiction and non-fiction. There are again different types of books that fall into these different categories. For instance, a fictional book that involves science with action is generally referred to as a science fiction book or a thriller. Pure fictions are generally those books that are made up, but some of the elements of these books are generally made of truths or real
On the other hand, there are also different adult books written, because the concepts associated with it are either beyond the understandings of the children or these are restricted for children. These Among them, anthologies are considered to be the adult books might also be writtwo most interesting genres. Satires are generally ten for different purposes, but written to make fun of something, but it is again different from humor while on the other hand, the as a whole, they largely help in anthologies are generally the compilations of different works. Apart from that, if you want, you can the enrichment of knowledge, also explore on the different types of books that are experience and values. available, and you can be assured that learning about
facts, and these elements are elaborated in such a
these books and their different categories would in-
manner, so that a new story can be created.
deed be a fun filled and entertaining experience.
On the other hand, the non-fictional books might
There are some types of books that are written exclu-
be books on social themes, how to books and
sively for children, and these books deeply focus on
many more. Often, biographies are also consid-
the young and immature minds of children. Most of
ered to be non-fictional works. There are also
these books are written with the images, so that it
some travel books which also falls in this category.
is easier for children to read and understand, and
Therefore, it is largely up to you to determine the
consequently, they can also gain lots of values from
books that you want to read, and on the basis of
it. There are also some books written which contain
that you can select from among them.
little or no texts, and these have lots of real stories
There are again some different genres because the fictional and the non-fictional books are divided into different categories. Some of these popular genres include drama, satire, anthology, history, children, travel, guide, poetry, encyclopedia, hor-
to tell. Children really love to go through these books, and visualize stories in sequence. Some of these books might also be participation books which might encourage the children to participate in different activities.
rors, thrillers, journals, diaries, cookbooks, prayer books, series and many more to mention.
39
A Book About Books
genres Satire Drama Romance Mystery Horror Self help Science fiction Children's Poetry Comics Diaries Series Trilogies Fantasy
40
Guide Travel Science Math Journals Anthologies Encyclopedias Autobiographies Biographies Cookbooks Dictionaries History Science
What is a Book?
There are some books that can largely enhance the intelligence of the reader of any age group or reading level. These types of books are great source of information that can help in improving the capacity of the mind of the reader, which in turn, also helps in overall improvement of life. Some of these categories of books might include serious fiction, which gives the reader an idea that some fictional books express truth; science books which are not only limited to the text books of science, but something that increase the knowledge and understanding of the natural world;
If you are really a passionate book lover, you will of course have lots of choices to make when it comes to selecting the best books.
poetry that can also create great imageries in the mind to help in the development of intelligence. There are some book lovers that want to categorize books in different fields, so that it is easier to select, while there are also some readers that might prefer reading various types of books belonging to different categories. However, it can definitely be said that there are books of all kinds that can certainly satisfy the tastes and preferences of a reader, and give the best of knowledge and information. Thus, if you are really a passionate book lover, you will of course have lots of choices to make when it comes to selecting the best books.
41
writ i n g & p ubli shing a book
42
“So many books, so little time.” ~ Frank Zappa
43
writing a book
Anybody with a story to tell can write a book either for their own enjoyment or to publish for all to see (and hopefully buy). If you find yourself weaving creative narratives in your head as you read your favorite novels, or when you are relaxing in the park, consider writing your stories down. Although it may seem daunting, it is possible.
44
Writing & Publishing a Book
The beginning of the story is often the
You now have several key questions answered, right
hardest part if you want it to be. The best thing to
out of the gate: who: your hero; when: then and now;
do is start as broadly as possible. Say, for example,
what: a journal, and the mystery of a missing person.
you want to write a mystery novel, and you’re a fan
You don’t know “why,” yet. That is one of the things
of World War II. Write that down: Mystery, WWII.
you must discover. How? Again, this must be uncov-
The beauty of this is that both categories are very
ered through asking yourself questions.
broad, but simply by putting them together, you instantly narrow the field of possibilities. You now have, at the very least, a time period, and a focus. Something mysterious happened during WWII. Try to focus it a little more. Is it personal, or is it sweeping? WWII was certainly both. For the sake of example, say it’s personal, one soldier’s story.
Develop your characters. Start with the obvious. In this case, you have already created two characters a young man and his grandfather. You can determine characteristics of both simply by the setting, and expand your characters in the process. Grandfather would likely have been married, so there would be a grandmother in the picture. There’s a genera-
When does it take place? WWII is obvious if it’s
tion between grandpa and the young man, so there
about a WWII soldier’s story—or is it? This is one
would be one of his parents who is also Grandpa’s
of those decision points you will come to right
son or daughter. See how easy that is?
away. Say it actually takes place now, which leads to the next question, “How now?”. To move right along, lay out the beginning scenario: Your main character finds a journal—his grandfather’s journal from WWII. This is a revelation, because Grandpa never made it home from the war, but nobody
Continue along in this fashion, extending from one character to all the others that they may interact with. Before long, it’s possible that you’ll have too many characters and interactions. This is really good, especially in a mystery.
knows what happened. Perhaps, in this journal, your hero will uncover the answer.
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A Book About Books
Edit mercilessly. If you find your plot goes nowhere, and nothing you can do will help it, back up to where it last made sense and try something else. In the process of developing your characters,
Continue along this process of creating the arc,
you will likely ask yourself the same question your
but at this point you could even hazard a tentative
readers will soon be asking: what happens next?
ending: the young man discovers why Grandpa
Use these questions to develop the story. You know,
never made it home, and how his journal did.
for your story, that the young man wants to find out
Then all you need to do is write down everything
what happened to Grandpa.
in the middle!
Since all he has is the journal to go on, he reads it,
“Timeline” your outline. Now that you’ve created the
and discovers Grandpa’s story that lead him from
basic story (minus all the words), sketch your outline
his small town in Kentucky and his pregnant wife
as a timeline, with each character’s milestone events
(grandma!), to the beaches of Normandy, to find-
laid out on their own line. There will be times when
ing himself wounded behind enemy lines all of
two or more characters intersect, and where some
which he wrote of in his journal. He never makes it
disappear altogether. Just draw a line where those
home. Knowing these things, you see questions and
events happen. This too will give you something to
a pattern emerge: Events take place in “today” time,
kickstart your muse when she falters.
and also during WWII: As the journal is read, the date is 1944. As the grandson explores, it’s today. To add some action to the mystery, the young man must do something. Since Grandpa isn’t coming home, send the young man to Germany to find him dead or alive. Where was Grandma in all this?
46
Writing & Publishing a Book
Your story is not required to do anything you tell it to do in the outline. Sometimes, the story has other ideas where it wants to go. Wherever you are in the process, the muse may beckon you elsewhere. Edit at anytime if needed.
EDDITT EDITT EDIT 47
A Book About Books
Know the elements of a good novel. If you
In fact, the wife of King Ferdinand Isabel of Castile
want to be a successful writer, think twice about
approved and funded Christopher Columbus’s voy-
taking creative writing as a course in college (unless
age to the New World in about A.D. 1492, so this
you’ve already done so); instead, take English Litera-
story probably takes place around that time.
ture. You have to know how to read with discernment and a critical eye before you write anything. Sentence structure, character distinction, plot formation, and character personality development all fall into place if you know how to read critically before you write. The setting of a book is the time, place, and circumstances in which a story takes place. You don’t need state this outright, of course. Like a painter might do, you create a picture in the mind of your reader by painting around the subject. For example: Maria walked down the steep slope surrounding the castle.
ters. It is important that you make yours interesting and introduce them properly. Introducing the setting, or the characters, is called the exposition. There are several types of characters that many books have. The protagonist is usually a main character and one that the book follows. For every protagonist, there is usually an antagonist, the character who provides the friction a story needs to proceed. The villains in books are generally antagonists, but not always.
Before she could get very far, one of her father’s maids
Keep this in mind: very often, one man’s villain is
stopped her and said, “King Ferdinand would like to
another man’s hero. Regardless of the roles they play,
see you.” This suggests that Maria, possibly a young
these character types are important to make your
girl, lives on castle grounds. This would give the read-
story successful.
er clues that the book might take place in medieval times. Maria is also a Latin name, which could suggest where she lives, and “King Ferdinand” is a giant clue!
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Characters. Every story has major and minor charac-
Writing & Publishing a Book
There are several types of characters that many books have. The protagonist is usually a main character and one that the book follows. For every protagonist, there is an antagonist, the character who provides the friction a story needs to proceed. The villains in books are generally antagonists, but not always.
protagonist?
antagonist?
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A Book About Books
The conflict. A conflict is a large problem that
Details are some of the most important things to
a character faces, usually the reason for the story
write in a book. Instead of just saying. “The sky was
to exist in the first place. Maybe Maria, the King’s
blue”, say what kind of shade of blue it is, such as
daughter, has been asked to make the decision
“The sky was a light shade of indigo.” It can really
whether to let Columbus use Spanish ships and sail-
boost the interest level of your story. But don’t go too
ors for his adventures. She may continue to face this
overboard. A bad example would be: “The sky was
problem for most of the story.
a light shade of indigo, which set off the deep burnt
The climax. The climax is the point of highest tension in the book, the point where the reader is really holding their breath. Perhaps Maria has just decided against letting Columbus use Spain’s money to explore when he shows up, begging her to let him go and saying he’ll do anything to have this chance. This is the point
onyx of the sands, flecked with effervescent spittles of foam from the lime-tinged aquamarine breakers.” Over-the-top embellishment can make you look like you’re trying too hard (and likely you are). Be descriptive and light on your feet, and maybe add a poetic tone to your story.
where Maria has a big choice to make, one that deter-
Start writing! This is the best part. If you’re having
mines the whole outcome of the story.
trouble starting, skip to the conflict of the story, and
The resolution. The climax is over, the problem has been solved, and any loose ends have been tied up. Note: if you intend to make a sequel, leave at least one or two loose ends unresolved. For the example here, Maria decides to honor Columbus’s
go from there. Once you feel comfortable with your writing, you can add the setting. You’ll probably change loads of things in the story, because the great thing about writing a book is you can let your imagination run wild.
wishes, lets him go, and convinces her father to let her go with Columbus on his journey.
S E T U P - B E G I NNN I N G OF STO RY
C ONF R ONTAT I ON - M I D D L E STO RY
WRITING FLOW WITHIN A BOOK 50
Writing & Publishing a Book
C L I M A X - I M P O R TA NT PA R T OF STO RY
R E SO L UT I ON - E N D OF STO RY
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PUBLISHING a book
For any writer who aspires to be an author, knowing how to publish a book is essential. It’s a common scenario you have an idea for a book but you have no way of knowing how to translate that idea from your computer screen into print or online. Now, more than at any other time in history, there are more opportunities and possibilities to write, share, and publish a story, and interact with an audience. Whether you are after the traditional publishing experience, complete with an agent, editor, and publisher, or want to self publish your book, it’s completely within your grasp. You decide what works best for you and your work.
52
Writing & Publishing a Book
Traditional book publishing is when a
SELF PUBLISHNG has a variety of different pub-
publisher offers the author a contract and, in turn,
lishing models, including print-on-demand, vanity,
prints, publishes, and sells your book through book-
subsidy, and self-publishing.
sellers and other retailers. The publisher essentially buys the right to publish your book and pays you royalties from the sales.
Print-on-demand (POD) publishers accept all submissions for anyone who is willing to pay is published. POD publishing uses printing technology to produce
If you want to publish a book traditionally, most writers
books one at a time through a company at a cost-
need to find an agent. In order to find one, you must
effective price. The books are printed individually as
identify the right category for your writing. If you are
orders come in. Therefore, you can adjust the book’s
or want to be a non-fiction writer, you will need to sub-
supply to meet the reader’s demand.
mit a book proposal with three sample chapters, and a synopsis of each chapter. If you are writing fiction, you must have your manuscript complete.
POD cuts back on costs and eliminates the need for space to store unsold copies. Typically editing, proofreading, or marketing is offered at an addi-
Once these steps are accomplished, you’re ready to
tional cost and you make money off of royalties
write a query letter. This letter is what you will send
from sales. In terms of rights, some can go to the
to potential agents. It’s important to mention the dif-
POD publisher for a set amount of time but this
ferent parts that make up a query letter. You should
varies depending on the publisher.
be sure to mention the synopsis of your book, the chapter summary, the market or audience your book is meant for, and a description of yourself.
53
A Book About Books
“You can’t judge a book by it’s cover but you can sure sell a bunch of books if youhave a good one.” ~ Jayce O’Neal The process of traditional publishing For works
writers out of the publishing company and onto
written independently of the publisher, writers often
the literary agents. At these companies, unsolicited
first submit a query letter or proposal directly to a
manuscripts are thrown out, or sometimes returned,
literary agent or to a publisher. Submissions sent
if the author has provided pre-paid postage.
directly to a publisher are referred to as unsolicited submissions, and the majority come from previously unpublished authors. If the publisher accepts unsolicited manuscripts, then the manuscript is placed in the slush pile, which publisher’s readers sift through to identify manuscripts of sufficient quality or rev-
agent to market their work to publishers and negotiate contracts. Literary agents take a percentage of author earnings (varying between 10 to 15 percent) to pay for their services.
enue potential to be referred to acquisitions editors
Some writers follow a non-standard route to publi-
for review. The acquisitions editors send their choic-
cation. For example, this may include bloggers who
es to the editorial staff.
have attracted large readerships producing a book
The time and number of people involved in the process is dependent on the size of the publishing company, with larger companies having more degrees of assessment between unsolicited submission and publication. Unsolicited submissions have
based on their websites, books based on Internet memes, instant “celebrities” such as Joe the Plumber, retiring sports figures and in general anyone a publisher feels could produce a marketable book. Such books often employ the services of a ghostwriter.
a very low rate of acceptance, with some sources
For a submission to reach publication it must be
estimating that publishers ultimately choose about
championed by an editor or publisher who must
three out of every ten thousand unsolicited manu-
work to convince other staff of the need to publish a
scripts they receive.
particular title. An editor who discovers or champi-
Many book publishing companies around the world maintain a strict “no unsolicited submissions” policy and will only accept submissions via a literary agent. This shifts the burden of assessing and developing
54
Established authors are often represented by a literary
ons a book that subsequently becomes a best-seller may find their own reputation enhanced as a result of their success.
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A Book About Books
A vanity publisher. The term ‘vanity publishing’
Self-publishing companies that fit this model include
originated at a time when the only way for a writer to get
Lulu, iUniverse and Createspace (owned by Amazon.
a book published was to sign a contract with a publish-
com). An author who simply hands his or her book
ing company. Reputable publishing companies generally
over to one of these companies, expecting the compa-
paid authors a percentage of sales, so it was in the compa-
ny to make it a bestseller, would meet the previously
ny’s interest to sign only authors whose books would sell
established definition of ‘vanity publishing,’ but it’s
well. It was extremely difficult for the typical unknown
unclear how many authors fit this description. Fur-
author to get a publishing contract under these circum-
ther blurring the distinction between self-publishing
stances, and many ‘vanity publishers’ sprang up to give
and traditional publishing was Penguin’s purchase in
these authors an alternative and essentially, they would
2012 of Author Solutions.
publish any book in exchange for payment up front. The term ‘vanity publishing’ arose from the com-
as a behavior rather than a set characteristic of cer-
mon perception that the authors who paid for such
tain companies or individuals, although there remain
services were motivated by an exaggerated sense of
a handful of companies that clearly qualify as vanity
their own talent.
publishers. These are companies that offer the cachet
The line between ‘vanity publishing’ and ‘traditional publishing’ has, however, become increasingly blurred in the past few years. Currently there are several companies that offer digital and/or print publication with no up front cost. However, most of these companies also offer add-on services such as editing, marketing and cover design.
56
Increasingly, then, ‘vanity publishing’ is being defined
of ‘being published’ and make the majority of their income on fees for intangible services paid for by the author, rather than sales revenue. These companies are also known as joint venture or subsidy presses.
marketing a book
It is possible, if not desirable, for an author to launch an effective book marketing campaign without a publisher’s support. Mainly, it requires time and energy. It may also require some monetary investment to hire a publicist, PR firm, or marketing consultant to advise and assist you. The good news is that, by the time your second, book comes out, you should have a solid base of readers to work from a base that was developed from marketing activities associated with previous launches.
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A Book About Books
Most authors know that the multi-city book
Kaye looks for ways to partner authors for events and
tour is a thing of the past, but of course you can
tours, since that generally leads to better turnout and
still find New York Times bestselling authors doing
a better pitch for media coverage. For example, Kaye’s
tours for their new releases. Chicago-based publi-
firm organized and promoted the Young Authors
cist Dana Kaye says such tours happen mostly as a
Give Back Tour, in which four YA authors, who had
favor to the bookstores, as a way for the author to
all published before 25, toured the country and taught
give back to the community. But bookstores aren’t
writing workshops for teens. That angle got two TV
always the best place for events.
appearances and a feature in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Kaye says, “Any time you’re trying to get people out
Even if the days of the traditional author tour are
of their house and go somewhere, it’s very difficult.
over, events still play an important role in an author’s
You’re competing with many different things. How-
career. Kaye says:
ever, more people are inclined to go somewhere if it feels like a party or an event, rather than just going to a bookstore and listening to an author read their
Touring or doing an event is more about making a footprint. When you
work or talk about their work.”
go to a city, it’s not just the books you sell, but the people you talk
Many authors and publicists and even the book-
to at the event…It’s about making connections with people. That be-
stores themselves have caught on to this and now plan events in alternative venues, such as bars or
ing said, media is the primary reason you tour, even if that’s becoming
clubs. Bookstores and other literary organizations
more difficult to pitch.
sell tickets to author lunches held at restaurants, and the ticket price includes a copy of the book. Such events feel more social, and they avoid the lower perceived value and less compelling nature of the reading-signing format.
58
Writing & Publishing a Book
Writing is a creative, often solitary work. Marketing means connecting with a larger network of people, bringing the work you’ve created to a larger public. Peter Robinson, Author of the DCI Banks detective
59
A Book About Books
First-time novelist Marjan Kamali says her
For her most recent book launch, Michigan author
readings and bookstore events—some of which she
Loreen Niewenhuis made her travelogue, A 1000-
planned herself have energized her in a surprising
Mile Great Lakes Walk (Crickhollow Books, 2013),
way. “The reason they’re so great is because I’ve
available only from twelve Michigan independent
been doing them at small, independent bookshops,
bookstores for its first two months on the market.
which is who will have me. It warms my heart to
In an interview with Shelf Awareness, Niewenhuis
think there are these people out there who still love
said, “Authors… need to think about how they’re
books, who know so much, who support authors.”
getting their books to people. They need to think
Other authors feel the same way, and go out of their way to support their independent bookstore as part of their book launch or overall marketing campaign.
need to sell my book.’ How you sell your book is just as important.”
Pete Mulvihill, owner of Green Apple Books in San
Whatever the benefits, doing events regardless
Francisco, says that some authors adopt an indie
of what venue you choose can be costly and time
bookstore to be their fulfillment center for anyone
consuming for an author, especially if turnout is
who wants to find an inscribed copy. He says,
low. A start-up, Togather, is attempting to address
“We love when authors come by and sign books, whether there’s an appearance or not, because it gives
the uncertainty and mitigate the risk by allowing publishers and authors to crowdsource events.
something we can offer something that our major
If enough people in a community support an author
online competitor cannot. We’ll most likely put it on
event, then the author commits to going. Together
our Facebook page or tweet about it. It generates a
also hosts online chats if the author can’t commit to
little more buzz. It tells people you’re in town, you’re
travel, especially to a small town or market.
a human, and that you care about indie bookstores. Even bookplates. You can send those to bookstores.”
60
about how to make connections, not just about ‘I
Writing & Publishing a Book
For her next book release, thriller novel-
Kaye says, “We had a virtual launch for a client with
ist Jamie Freveletti, a client of Kaye’s, is planning a
several hundred people, but I didn’t see the transi-
live-streaming launch party using LiveLab Network.
tion into sales. That’s what I’d warn authors. If you’re
Freveletti says, “I did one streaming event with The
going to do an online discussion…do something
Poisoned Pen bookstore, and I was surprised how
that’s going to encourage book sales. It’s a great way
many people logged in and watched it. People can be
to interact with lots of people all over the world, but
part of the excitement of it. It’s just a fun thing to do.”
you want them to buy the book.” Kaye recommends
Another online event service, Shindig, founded in 2009, allows authors to give readings in front of a live online audience; at BookExpo America this
having an active buy link during the digital launch event, or providing a discount code to attendees to drive purchases.
year, Shindig hosted live chats with dozens of their authors on the show floor to illustrate the potential of their service.
But do online events sell books?
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A Book About Books
Publishing insiders know that the num-
When she started marketing her first book in 2008 with
ber of media outlets available to pitch on any type
co-author Susan Callahan, she was totally unschooled
of coverage has dramatically shrunk. Rossman,
in pitching, and didn’t even consider TV a possibility.
whose firm specializes in high-end radio such as
But Callahan had worked in marketing and under-
NPR, says, “It’s very competitive. It makes people
stood the psychology behind it.
very selective. There’s fewer spots and that includes radio, TV, and print and there’s more syndication across the board.”
ally knocking on your door in a slightly different way for the same thing. I now realized that my instinctive
However, when you do get a hit in the media, it
approach was informed by the way I was brought up,
tends to stick with people and make an impact.
which was polite. If they say no, they say no.”
“If you’re driving in your car, and you hear Terry Gross, that interview is going to resonate with you much more than if you’re reading the interview online,” says Kaye.
Over a year after their book launched, after repeated pitching, Schumann and Callahan got on the Today show. Schumann says of Callahan, “She didn’t get overwhelmed and dispirited when encountering
With persistence and patience, authors can secure the
resistance. That’s a key component authors don’t
traditional type of media coverage without the pub-
take into account—the emotional rollercoaster of
lisher making the call. Katrin Schumann, the author
putting yourself out there continually and getting
of The Secret Power of Middle Children (Hudson
turned down, and not taking it personally.”
Street, 2011), has been featured multiple times on the Today show, as well as on NPR and other media.
62
“She had this persistence,” Schumann says, “continu-
Writing & Publishing a Book
If you build a network you can reach (either online or offline), they will come. A debut author did two events, one in St. Louis where she grew up, and one in Denver where she lives now. Because she was a debut author, I was very nervous,” Kaye says. “She ended up having about 100 people come to each event, and sold even more books because people were buying multiple copies. That was very surprising to me. I really underestimated the people and the relationships really make the difference. If you make those connections, when it’s time for your event, they will come out.”
63
b o o k de s ign
64
book design The art of incorporating the content, style, format, design, and sequence of the various components of a book into a coherent whole.
65
parts of a book
all of the necessary parts of a book and putting them in the right order is the first step to making your book credible and professional. The inside of your book, which is called the book or text block, is divided into three main sections: the front matter, book block text, and back matter.
66
Book Design
Although type design is often likened to
Books are generally divided into three
architecture, you could also argue that the construc-
parts: The frontmatter, the body of the book, and the
tion of a book is in some way architectural. The first
backmatter. Each contains specific elements, and
order of business in creating a blueprint for book
those elements should appear in a specific order.
construction is to identify the parts of a book and
Certainly authors who know and understand these
the order in which convention the inherited wisdom
divisions may well have aesthetic or organizational
of the logic of the book from all the book creators
motives to stray from these conventions, but usually
that have preceded us dictates they should appear.
they have a good reason to do so. Deviation for no
To guide you in creating your book, follow this list. Cer-
reason does not help your book.
tainly no book will contain all these elements, but now
Keep in mind that there is no book that has all of
you know exactly where they fit in the scheme of things.
these parts. Use this list instead to make sure you
Many publishers have been guided by the history and traditions of print publishing even as they have moved toward electronic publishing‌ including the logical
have the right content in the right category, and that elements of your book appear in the sequence in which they are expected.
order of elements in a printed work. Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition
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A Book About Books
Front matter introduces your book to your readers. The front-matter section, which appears before the main text, comprises a few pages that include the book’s title, the author’s name, the copyright information and perhaps even a preface or a foreword. Use the list of common front matter pages below to identify those pages that are suitable for your book. The half title page is the first page of your book and contains your title only. This page does not include a byline or subtitle. Series Title Page is used as the second page of your book to list any of your previously published books by title. It is customary to list the books chronologically from first to most recently published. Listing the title only is standard, but in nonfiction works, you may also list the subtitle if you feel it is essential. A common way to begin this page is, “Also by [author’s name] ...”
68
Book Design
The title page is the part of your book that shows your full book title and subtitle, your name, and any co-writer or translator. although if you have a specific idea of how you want this to look, you may include it. The copyright page contains the copyright notice, which consists of the year of publication and the name of the copyright owner. The copyright owner is usually the author but may be an organization or corporation. This page may also list the book’s publishing history, permissions, acknowledgments and disclaimers.
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A Book About Books
TEXT BLOCK or Book Block is everything
inside of the front cover or front endpaper that shows
between the covers of the book including the end-
the name of the book owner. It may include a space
papers. It is composed of pages, leaves, sheets, and
for writing the name with a pen or bookplates can be
signatures. One sheet of paper, folded in half is
printed and affixed to all the book owner’s collection.
two leaves and four pages. One half of each sheet
Decorative bookplates may include fancy type, person-
of folded paper is a leaf. Each side of each leaf is
al quotes, or illustrations.
a page. A signature is two or more sheets of paper stacked and folded as a group. Several signatures are bound together with adhesive or stitching to form most books. Each printed page of the text block contains an area known as the type page the area of a printed page excluding non-printing areas (margins, gutter) as well as some printed areas including headers, footers, and page numbers. The number and type of sections that follow the final chapter vary by the type of book. Technical publications generally have more of these end of the book components including an index and an appendix. Miscellaneous Parts of a Book where the designer may be involved in the selection and design of several additional parts of a book including the Bookplate. A plain or decorative paper label glued to the
70
The Inlay is an illustration or other decorative element set into the cover of a book or inset in a border or frame of paper.. While the Onlay is a decorative panel of paper or other material superimposed onto the book cover. The Tabsand Thumb Index are often seen in reference books, tabs are small pieces of paper, card, or fabric attached to the fore-edge of a book and stamped or printed with letters, words, or numbers indicating the alphabet or subject organization of the text. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and Bibles may have a thumb index where a series of half circular notches or tabs are cut into the fore-edge of a book.
Book Design
A basic knowledge of the parts of a book and
blurbs, excerpts, quotes by reviewers, barcode, ISBN,
how a book is put together can help the designer envi-
photo of author. Information such as copyright,
sion the finished product. The boards, spine, and cover
ISBN, CIP, and Library of Congress should be placed
material make up the case which is created separate
on the page directly after the title page (commonly
from the text block and attached to it. A book jacket
known as the copyright page).
or slipcase is also created separate from the case and text block. The designer may be directly involved in the design of some parts, such as the book jacket, slipcase, paperback covers, and cover art.
Page Numbers / Chapter Headings. The title page and chapter headings should always be placed on a right hand page. It may be necessary to leave a left hand page blank in order to start a chapter as a right page.
The material, such as millboard, that provides stiff-
Inserting a section break at the end of each chapter
ness or rigidity for hardcover books. The boards are
will automatically force the following chapter to begin
usually covered with cloth or leather.
in the proper right hand position. When numbering
The cover is outside of a book which wraps around (with the spine) the text block and protects the pages is the cover. Hardcover books are those bound in cloth or leather over boards. Softcover or paperback books have covers without boards usually made of
the pages in your book, you should also keep in mind that right hand pages are always odd number pages while left hand pages are even numbers. It is also common to number the pages preceding the first chapter with roman numerals.
heavy paper or other flexible material. The book title, author, illustration, and other information may appear on the front cover and back cover Hard cover books generally have blank back covers or perhaps a logo from the publishing company. Paperbacks and book jackets often carry book descriptions, promotional
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layout & design
If you think readers can’t discern between book pages “designed” with a word processor and those done by a professional, you’re wrong. A professionally designed interior gives your book instant credibility with buyers. Designing and preparing book pages, whether for print or online, goes well beyond setting the margins and choosing fonts. A professionally designed page must meet certain standards.
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Book Design
Basic Page Layout Principles once the
Full justification within the layout will give your
task of writing and proofreading your manuscript
book a clean orderly look. With full justification,
is complete, the next step is to create a proper page
your headings could be either left, right, or centered
layout for your book. The term “page layout” is
on the page.
used simply to describe the way text and images are situated on a page. In order for your book to have a professional look and feel, there are four basic principles to follow.
Repetition Create a sense of unity throughout your book by adding a few visual elements that you like, then repeat them throughout your book. Look through some of your favorite books to see what they have
In order for your page layout to be visually appeal-
used on the pages; you may get some inspiration.
ing and to keep the readers interest, you should
Perhaps a decorative ornament under the heading of
have contrast on your pages. Notice the use of
each chapter, or a decorative drop cap to start each
contrast on this page, color, font size, font style,
chapter might give your book a special look.
and bold headings. Use a contrasting type for headings, keep the headings very different from the body type. Don’t go overboard, use one type for the body copy and a different one for the headings. Consider a newspaper and how the headings are larger and bolder.
Organize your type properly by grouping text together that relates to each other. It is important to choose a page layout style, and follow it consistently throughout your book. As a reference tool, we have provided a number of recommended page layout examples complete with font and margin settings at
When choosing alignments pick one justification
the end of this page. Using the following information
and stick to it. Center justification will give the
will help ensure a professional page layout and a file
page layout a formal look. It is commonly used
that is ready for print.
for wedding invitations, formal announcements, etc. Left justification will give your book a more conservative professional look.
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A Book About Books
Choosing typefaces for your book is
Children’s books are commonly set in a slab serif
very important for both the appearance and for
font, because of their clean straight lines. Some com-
transferring files for printing. The most com-
mon Slab serif fonts are New Century Schoolbook,
mon fonts used for books are the Oldstyle fonts,
Classic SSK, and Clarendon.
as they are easily readable for large body copy. Among the most common are Times Roman, Goudy, Garamond, and Baskerville. Remember to choose a contrasting font or typeface for your
fonts being used are resident in your font folder. This includes both bold and italicized versions of each font.
headings. A sans serif font such as Arial is a com-
Fonts are also selected to add or reduce the num-
mon choice.
ber of pages in a book. For example, Bookman Old
A sans serif font is one without the “hooks” at the ends of each letter. These “hooks” help to guide the eye from one letter to another making the text easily readable. This is why sans serif fonts such as Arial should never be used for the main body of the text.
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In regard to printing, it is important to ensure that all
Style is a wide font which should be used to bulk up the book with more pages. Changing the font from Times New Roman to Bookman Old Style could increase the page count an average of 20 - 30%.
Book Design
compatible typefaces for books
Garamond gills sans Perpetua Avenir Times New Roman Univers
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A Book About Books
First of all, use a word processing software
When transferring manuscript files from one com-
which you are familiar with such as Microsoft
puter to another, it is not uncommon for errors to
Word or Adobe INdesign. Take time to familiarize
occur in the page layout of the manuscript. The most
yourself with basic keyboard functions and toolbar
common page layout error is a problem referred to
commands. Page Size Choose a page size which is
as text re-flow. Re-flow is the repositioning or shift-
appropriate for your style of book. For example,
ing of text and images which may occur when a file
a family history book or school yearbook is com-
is opened using a computer other than on the one it
monly printed in an 8 ½” x 11” size format, while
was created with. There are a number of causes for
books such as novels, autobiographies, and poetry,
text re-flow, but it is most directly related to the fonts
are commonly printed in the standard 5 ½” x 8 ½”
which are used.
format. If you have any questions regarding the proper page dimensions for your particular book, please contact us.
creates an invisible barrier to ensure that text and images remain on the page they were intended. Hard
Margins, Headers/Footers When setting the mar-
page returns are inserted by positioning the cursor at
gins for your pages, it is important to not set them
the bottom of the page and pressing the Ctrl > Enter
less than ¾” to ensure a proper distance between the
keys together. It is highly recommended that this be
printing and the edge of the page. We recommend
done as often as possible throughout the manuscript.
that when choosing a margin setting for your page
Hard page returns are not necessary when submitting
layout, you should allow 1/8” extra for the binding
a PDF file.
edge. For example, if you have selected a margin setting of ¾” for the top, bottom, and right hand side of the page, the left hand, or binding edge should be set at 7/8”. This makes the text appear balanced on the page when the book is bound.
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A hard page return placed at the bottom of each page
award winning designs
“In a badly designed book...a book designed by rote, they sit like stale bread and mutton on the page. In a well made book, where designer, compositor and printer have all done their jobs, no matter how many thousands of lines and pages, the letters are alive. They dance in their seats. Sometimes they rise and dance in the margins and aisles.� ~ Robert Bringhurst
77
A Book About Books
Dan Fante series HarperCollins Publishers, New York, New York, 2010
Project brief: We had to serialize this author to fit into our brand. Approach: “Make it badass.� Effectiveness: It sold well and looks badass. Thus, problem solved. Design firm: HarperCollins Publishers Art director: Milan Bozic
Juror Notes: Highly stylized bold and graphic approach that works perfectly. The limited palette adds to its appeal.
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Book Design
The German Genius Christopher Sergio Design, New York, New York, 2010
Project brief: Peter Watson’s The German Genius is a survey of German thinkers and thought spanning 250 years. The brief was not unusual in any way design a jacket for a book. However, the book itself presented several problems that I thought needed to be specifically addressed through design. Approach: With a long and abstract subtitle and a nearly thousand page manuscript, I was worried that the book might scare off readers despite its engaging content. My solution was to design for the entire “object,” not just the front cover. Keeping the uncommon heft of the book in mind, variety of German thought contained within. The final jacket is two flat colors, printed on an uncoated paper stock.
Design firm: Christopher Sergio Design Art director: Archie Ferguson Designer: Christopher Sergio
79
A Book About Books
Helvetica and the New York City Subway Blue Pencil Editions, New York, New York, 2010
Project brief: I co-designed this book with the author Paul Shaw. It was our close collaboration that made this book such a success. Our objective was to merge text, images and notes into a single design so that the reader could see the images discussed in the text and refer to any footnotes without having to turn a page. wOur target audience was initially typographers and graphic designers but we quickly realized that the book would appeal to railway fans, New York City enthusiasts and urban historians. The response to the book has gone beyond our expectations. The original Blue Pencil version sold out within two months. The revised MIT Press edition is already garnering the same high praise and early sales are robust.
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Book Design
Design firm: Blue Pencil Editions Designers: Abby Goldstein, Paul Shaw
81
A Book About Books
Ellsworth Kelly: Reliefs 2009–2010 Matsumoto Incorporated, New York, New York, 2010 Project brief: This slim catalogue documents a gallery exhibition by the artist Ellsworth Kelly. Approach: The artist, who is 88 years old, still paints nearly every day. For the front and back cover and the frontispiece, black-and-white photographs of Kelly at work in his studio were reproduced, echoing the palette of the artworks inside. The photographs, which show the artist and his studio walls and floor splattered with paint, are a contrast to the pristine and geometric artworks inside. Effectiveness: The large trim size and minimal layout allowed the artist’s work to speak for itself. Discipline: Book design Design firm: Matsumoto Incorporated Art director: Takaaki Matsumoto Designer: Takaaki Matsumoto
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A
C
E
Artist 78, 80
Climax 48, 49
Ellsworth Kelly 80
Author 18, 19, 31-36, 51-58, 60-69
Codex 12-14
Edit 44, 45
Antagonist 46, 47
Conflict 48
B
F
Copyright Page 67, 69
Book Block 64, 68
D
Book Design 62, 63, 75, 80
Dayes 24 Design 26, 34, 54, 65-69, 76-80 Digital Press 21
84
Fiction 5, 36-39, 51 Front Matter 62, 66
G
M
R
Gutenburg 16
Manuscript 14, 24, 51,52, 71, 74, 77
Resolution 48, 49
H
Mechanical Composition 22
S
Half Title Page 66
N
L
Novel 18, 42, 43, 46, 58, 59
Layout 10, 70, 71, 74, 80
Non-Fiction 36, 37, 51
P Paper 9-11, 14-18, 23, 68, 69
Series Title Page 66
T Tablet 9, 12, 13, 15 Title Page 67, 69 Typefaces 72, 73
Papyrus 6, 14, 15 Printing 7, 14-21, 23-26, 51, 68, 72, 74, 78 Protagonist 46, 47 Publishing 14, 18, 40, 51, 52, 54, 65-69
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AIGA. “AIGA Design Archives.” American Institute of Graphic Arts.
Darnton, Robert. “What is the History of Books.” American Acad-
AIGA. 2011. Mar. 2014 <http://designarchives.aiga.org/#/home>.
emy of Arts & Sciences, Volume 111. Issue No. 3 (1982): pp.65-83
“books.” The Free Encyclopedia., Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Feb . 2012 web 24 Mar. 2014 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book>.
Gallimard Jeunesse “The History of Making Books Scholastic Voyages of Discovery Book.” copyright 1995 by Scholastic Trade.
BUCK, Pearl S. “The Importance of Books.” Illinois State Historical
Howard Jacci B. “Parts of a Book.” About.com. About.com.,
Society, Volume 42 . Issue No. 2 (Jun., 1949): pp. 167-178
Unknown Date. 2 April, 2014. <http://desktoppub.about.com/od/
coles Stephen. “Top Ten Typefaces Used by Book Design Winners.” FontFeed. FontFeed.com. 12 NOv. 2008. 21 Mar. 2014 <http://
booksmanuals/a/book_parts.htm>. “How To Publish a Book: An Overview of Traditional & Self-
fontfeed.com/archives/top-ten-typefaces-used-by-book-design-win-
Publishing ” Writer’s Digest Shop. Writer’s Digest Shop, 5 April 2014
ners/>.
article was accessed. <http://www.writersdigestshop.com/how_to_ get_published>.
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Johnson Paul. “Literacy Through the Book Arts” copyright 1993 Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H. “List of Book Types or Genres.” YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 1 April 2014. <http://reference.yourdictionary.com/books-literature/different-types-of-books.html>. “Printing press.” The Free Encyclopedia., Wikimedia Founda-
“Traditional Publishing vS Self-Publishing.” Scribendi. Scribendie Inc., Unknown Date. 4 April, 2014. <www.scribendi.com/ advice/traditional_versus_self_publishing.en.html>. “Why Books Are Important in the World. “ KG Book Publishing. KGBOOKS., 1 April 2013. 11 Mar. 2014. <http://kgbookspub. wordpress.com/2013/04/01/why-books-are-important-in-the-world/l>.
tion, Inc. 15 Jun. 2011. web 25 Mar. 2014 <http://en.wikipedia.org/
Willson Nicole.“ How to write a Book.” The Free Encyclopedia.,
wiki/Printing_press>.
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.Date Unknown. web 25 Mar. 2014 <http://
Puri Suruchi. “What are the Different Types of Books?.” Read
www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Book>.
& Digest. Read & Digest. Date Unknown. 18 Mar. 2014 <http://
Text & Images
readanddigest.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-books/>.
Nothing can add to our intellect more than reading a book. In books, we can experience new things that we would not normally be able to experience. With an active imagination, you can go to other worlds or made up worlds. Books can change our lives and other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. Reading can make us more intelligent. Without reading we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anything that we know today. Our forefathers have taught us more than we know. This goes into what makes up a book, the parts of a book to award winning designs.
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