When self-publishing a book, there are many things to learn. Becoming your own publisher doesn’t stop with writing your book. Indie authors also have to think about book cover design, interior formatting, publication, marketing, and everything in between. While your story should WOW your readers, it’s the book design (exterior and interior), that gets them to open the book and keep reading.
This article will focus on the book’s interior design, the book formatting services available, and how to find the best designer for the job.
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Book design: The big picture
“You can’t judge a book by its cover” is only partially true, the same goes for the book’s interior design. How the interior and exterior of your book look is not necessarily an indication of the quality of the content, but it could be and that’s how your potential readers will see it. If the quality of your book’s design is questionable, why take the time to see what’s inside? There are too many other great looking books on the market that readers can choose.
Most authors want to sell a lot of books and make money. That’s why so many authors are choosing self-publishing. But, to be profitable, you have to treat self-publishing as a business which means making the best choices for your book that will maximize profitability.
For example, recently I was looking for a hand cream at a local store. I reached for a well-known brand on the shelf when a small green tin next to it caught my eye. I’d never heard of the brand before, but it was beautifully packaged which made me want to read the ingredient list. I found it had everything I was looking for plus some extra good stuff.
I bought the new hand balm for almost twice the amount of my regular lotion. Was it what was inside that caught my attention first? No. It was the beautiful packaging first and then I saw the copywriting. Everything was easy to read, and I could find the information I needed without having to scan the barcode on my phone.
There were probably other lotions I could have picked up that day, but I didn’t. I chose the one that stood out in the sea of generic copycats. I share this as an example of how what we see matters. In book business, design (inside or outside) can make or break your sales.
Why is book formatting so important?
It’s easy to understand why a book cover needs to be fantastic. There are a bazillion books on the market, so having a cover that looks like everyone else’s won’t do. However, the interior formatting of your book is critical, too. While the cover can get someone to open the book and start reading, how it is formatted can keep them engaged.
Book formatting is the process of structuring a book’s interior content to prepare it for publication. This can include everything from margins and font type to line spacing and page numbering. Why are these technical aspects of book formatting so important?
Here are some reasons why:
- Reading experience: A properly formatted book can reduce eye strain and fatigue, enhancing a reader’s enjoyment. No matter how great a story is, eye issues can negatively affect the reading experience. When a book’s interior is designed well, the right font type and size are used, and proper spacing from margins to lines is carefully considered.
- Placement: Readers expect books to be organized a certain way with front matter, body, back matter, and the specific parts in each. This is a book publishing standard that enhances the reader’s experience. You don’t want a reader to have to hunt for your Table of Contents because you put it in the back of the book. It might make it stand out from other books but not in the best way. Your reader will likely find it annoying. A professional book designer will know what goes where.
- Professionalism: Your book layout says a lot about you and your author brand. A beautifully formatted book will go a long way toward establishing your credibility as a serious author.
- Your readers: Readers have different needs and a properly formatted book is designed to make accessibility easy for everyone.
- Platform compatibility: Book distribution platforms have different requirements for file uploads. An experienced book formatter will know how to adapt the book to the specific needs of the platform.
Book formatting tips
Before considering different book formatting services for your next book, learn the tips below to help you make an informed selection.
Formatting between fiction and nonfiction books can vary.
- Nonfiction
- Structure: You’ll usually find more detail, sometimes requiring more complex formatting for different parts of your book like the Table of Contents, headers/footers, pull quotes, and chapters.
- Visuals: Nonfiction books tend to have more visual elements that break up text and require more detailed formatting to ensure that the images display correctly without too much space before or after them.
- Typography: Depending on the type of book (e.g., manual, textbook, business book), you’ll see both serif and sans serif font styles.
- Formatting: From page to page, the formatting style of a nonfiction book can vary. It can go from a simple single-column layout with no images to a three-column page with charts, pull quotes, etc. Formatting is based on the needs of the book which can also include extras like a glossary, appendices, index, and bibliography.
- Fiction
- Structure: Fiction books take a simpler approach to formatting with limited variety from chapter to chapter and fewer “extras” than you’d find in a nonfiction book.
- Visuals: Unless the book is a fantasy or graphic novel where images are more common, the typical fiction book does not have images to format, making formatting simpler.
- Typography: Traditionally, fiction books use serif fonts throughout.
- Formatting: Page formatting for fiction books is usually a simple single column with limited to no images.
Book formatting services
You have many options when designing your book’s interior. You can even do it yourself, but that’s for another article. If you’re short on time, have the budget, and don’t relish learning a new skill, hiring a book formatting service could be a good fit.
Designing a book’s interior takes time, and depending on the type of book, the process can be tedious. Hiring a professional can save you time and reduce stress in the long run.
There are many options for outsourcing your book’s interior design from freelancers to agencies. Here are five popular companies that provide book formatting services to self-publishers.
Ebook Launch – The family business has been in operation since 2009. The company formats books specifically for IngramSpark and Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Prices start at $59 for eBooks and $229 for print.
Elite Authors – Interior design services start at $599 for a print book and eBook design. You can choose from a variety of templates with customization options and up to 10 images.
Miblart – The book design company offers a variety of interior and exterior design options for both eBooks and print books. Format and layout services start at $64.
Book Baby – The self-publishing company offers ala carte services including book design. Prices start at $399.
selfpublishing.com – If you are looking for a full-service author package that includes book formatting services, selfpublishing.com offers three author packages: Become a Bestseller, Author Accelerator Advantage, and Author Accelerator Elite. Each package is designed to take the author from manuscript to publication.
How do you find the best formatting company for your book?
Whether you use a company or a freelancer, you want someone who knows what they’re doing. Formatting is more than just plugging a Microsoft Word document into formatting software. The software is just the tool. The person working on your book should understand composition, and spacing (line and character) along with genre expectations and how to make a book’s interior aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.
So, how do you find out if they know how to do all of this? Look at their book samples. They will give you a clue as to how your book’s final pages will look.
Consider asking the following questions when searching for a book formatting company. Some of the answers will be found on their website. Others you’ll want to ask directly.
- Do you have examples of your work? Most book formatting websites will have a generic sample or two on their website to give you an idea of the quality of their work; however, you can still ask for other samples, especially those in your book’s genre.
- What types of books do you format? Some companies only do eBooks, and if you are working with an offset printer directly, they may only offer print. Most popular book formatting services will offer both. Some also specialize in book types (e.g., children’s books).
- What formatting software do you use? Popular formatting software includes Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, and Vellum, but there are others. The tool the designer uses isn’t as important as the quality of the finished product and the types of files produced.
- Do you offer special formatting like drop caps, pull quotes, glossaries, etc.? Specialty formatting can give your book a special flair like drop caps on a chapter page or a necessary feature like indices. Before selecting an interior book designer, make sure they can meet your book’s requirements.
- What final file formats will I receive? You want to ensure the final files can be uploaded to your preferred platform based on industry standards. This can include a print-ready PDF, epub or mobi file, and others, so double-check before hiring. Also, ask if you’ll receive the source file. Some companies (and freelancers) will keep the source file so you have to come back to them if you need changes. If they charge an extra fee for the source file and you like the company, consider paying the extra so that you have control over the file. You may want to update the book at a later date. If the original designer is not available, you want to have the source file, so you can have another designer step in.
- I have lots of (images, graphs, etc.). Can you handle complex layouts? Images and graphics can be a challenge in interior book design because they require a lot of spacing adjustments. You have to know how to balance the size of the image with the surrounding text, which can push headers to the wrong page or make justified text look wonky. Tell them how many images you have and if they say they can do it, ask to see samples.
- Do you have experience with KDP, B&N Press, IngramSpark, or (the name of your platform)? Publishing platforms have specific requirements. When you work with them enough, you become familiar with potential errors, the process of fixing them, and how to best work with the platform to achieve the best results.
- Will you need anything from me during the formatting process? It’s important for the author to be accessible during the formatting process in case a designer needs to ask a question or request additional assets. For example, images for print should be a minimum of 300 dpi (image quality), so the designer may request updated images if the previous ones are of lower quality.
- What is your typical turnaround time? Turnaround times vary per company. If you are on a tight deadline, you want to find a service that gives you some breathing space just in case you need to request a revision.
- Are revisions included in the fee? Or, is there an additional cost? You may get your book back and decide you don’t like the header font type, even though you approved it. Or, you’d prefer your bio to be before the Acknowledgments in the back of the book instead of the last page. Revisions will allow you to make these tweaks. Some companies include a certain number in the price and charge for extra requests or offer unlimited revisions. However, if the designer misses your initial instructions, you should not have to pay for their mistakes.
- What payments do you accept, and how does the payment process work? Some companies will require half of your payment upfront and the balance when the final product has been approved, while others will request the full payment upfront. For you, it’s a matter of preference. I prefer half down and the balance when I’ve reviewed and approved the file. This gives me some safeguards just in case.
- Do you offer a client agreement? Client agreements aren’t necessary, but they are a good way to protect yourself and the designer. It’s important for both parties to be clear on the deliverables, time frame, charges, and expectations of both sides. A client agreement or contract will give you something to refer to if service questions arise. If there are a lot of legalese (legal terms) in the agreement that you’re not clear on, ask for clarification.
Book formatting services takeaway
The self-publishing process can be a steep hill to climb, but with the right knowledge and resources, you can be successful. Ultimately, you want the best book possible, so finding the right designer is a critical piece of the publishing puzzle. Professional book formatting services are like having in-house designers or a support team who do their part to make sure your book is executed flawlessly.
Whether you’re looking for print or eBook formatting services (or both), you want to find service providers who are established and professional and treat you like you’re more than a number (efficient customer service is important, too.)
The publishing industry has changed. Self-published authors have more choices than ever for quality book development support, and their books can hold their own next to traditionally published books when done the right way.
Remember that you are only as good as the quality of your last book, so whether this is your first time publishing a new book or you’re a veteran, you want to invest in the best quality you can afford.
Food for thought: Before you spend money on hiring a professional book formatting service, hire a professional editor first. Editing a manuscript after it is formatted can require further formatting and extra money later.
Book Outline Generator
Choose your Fiction or Nonfiction book type below to get your free chapter by chapter outline!
Book Outline Generator
Enter your details below and get your pre-formatted outline in your inbox and start writing today!
CONGRATULATIONS
Thanks for submitting! Check your email for your book outline template.
In the meantime, check out our Book Outline Challenge.
