Tips on Book Design and Layout

Going through a book design and layout may be such a complicated and strenuous activity for some. Upon hearing the words “design” and “layout”, it might have caused a slight headache and stress. An author won’t just release a beloved book without its wrap that binds and presents the entirety of a work of art. And just like the book contents, its design and layout is an art, itself.

As books crowd in shelves, readers find the bookcover design valuable as it tells a lot about the book’s concept. Book design does not only pertain to its cover but to the whole book with its content, style, format, and sequence of its components.

Before jumping right ahead to making an ideal book design and layout, knowing what to place it would be a better way to start off.

• ·         front cover - bears the title, author, and the illustration which speaks of what the book is about.

• ·         back cover - cannot be left untouched as it is where most readers find the book summary and in some, the biographical matter of the author.

• ·         Spine- as a  book stands on the shelf, the author, book title, publisher and its logo can be easily sighted.

Book designs and layouts have conventions to follow. These conventions are not just for uniformity’s sake but for the readers’.  Here are some tips:

1. 1.     Book division.

Use: Page numbers and chapter titles.

These provide visual breaks for your readers and give them a quick reference point for returning to the book.

1. 2.      Non-text elements. 

Use:

Consistency in numbering chapters, tables, parts and charts. Tabular figures are mono spaced.

Make it easier and convenient for readers to achieve its purpose.

1. 3.      Fonts

Use:

Serif-fonts. Fonts based on old style like Garamond, Bembo, and Caslon or the modern ones like Minion and Sabon can be opted. Minion is the most popular choice, followed by ITC Baskersville . Also, check out Palatino, Bodoni, Garamond or Book Antiqua.

Small Caps font rather than all caps.

Choose a font size between 10-11 points.

Avoid:

Bold text is non-standard. Italics can be used instead for emphasis.

Choice of Font styles should not compromise the readability of the text. Other considerations would be the appropriateness and contrast of the fonts as to put emphasis on some parts of the book .And a reminder, there are legalities required for utilizing certain fonts.

1. 4.      Spacing. 

Use:  

Increase paragraph leading (space between lines) to be 2-4 points larger than its type size..

Avoid:

Double space between sentences.

Consecutive spaces in book design.

Spaces are probably the most abused character in book design.

A good rule of thumb is to make the indent size at least as wide as the font size, but less than the leading (or line spacing).

1. 5.      Formatting.

Use: 

‘Justified’ text-alignment

Wider Margins. It brings not only visual harmony to the page but provide space for annotation

Avoid:

Tabs in the beginning of paragraphs.

In layout, keeping in mind these four basic principles will help in making a good layout: contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity.

As exemplified by J. Peppers Bryar’s Undaunted: Five True Stories from World War II, designed by Portugal, designing a cover should be by thinking like a reader, not like a writer.

There may be some conventions to follow but it does not mean to limit one’s creativity. To design and layout a book is part of the whole process. The task may be hard at first but it is said that, “that out of the overflow of the heart, it comes out from the mouth.” By this, let imagination connect to desire. It may be that the best design and layout is yet created.