book design and layout
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I got hired by an author who is self publishing and I get to do all of the layout and type too! I'm trying to finalize the margins for the text, what is the usual? I have 1" for the inside and .75" for top bottom and outside edge for right now.
Meg Clayburn
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@Meg-Clayburn-0 Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think the bleed is a printing requirement, so it's decided by what the printer needs. Rather than trying to find a "standard" margin size, you should contact the printer and ask them what they would need to print the book how you want it.
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@Meg-Clayburn-0 not sure there is a usual but that sounds like loads of room. Can i ask, did you push to do the layout and text, or did they ask you for that?
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@NessIllustration generally 3mm bleed is plenty, think thats pretty universal. About 0.5inch for the gutter.
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@Meg-Clayburn-0 Congratulations on your project! Are you talking about the margin between the live area and the trim area? The live area is the area within which all the text should fit so 0.75" - 1" from the trim edge is plenty IMO.
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@Neha-Rawat yes! thats what I was talking about. I've got plenty of bleed. ok. nice to know in your opinion what would be a minimum for all the outside edges?
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@gavpartridge asked me to do it. I have some experience with typography, but almost none with book layout.
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@Meg-Clayburn-0 if you dont mind me asking, how do you quote for the extra work, do you just charge an hourly fee regardless as to whether its illustration or page layout, or do your fees change depending on what it is your'e doing that day, eg 3k for images , 1.5k for layouts and type etc.
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@gavpartridge its just a flat rate for the whole thing plus royalties once the money they paid me has been made in sales
