Making your grocery list

Part 6: The book specifications

Let’s talk about your book specifications, or specs for short, because next week we are going to make your Profit & Loss document, or P&L. Your specifications determine your book’s manufacturing costs and are a key part of your P&L . 

The first spec is hardcover or softcover. If you conventionally publish and there is enough demand you will make a hardcover book. If not, you’ll make a soft cover. If you are self publishing, softcover is your most practical option cost wise

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The second spec is trim.  Look at books on your shelf for examples. Any fiction or nonfiction titles that are primarily text interiors will be good for reference.  If you are conventionally publishing your book it will measure roughly 5.5 x 8.5. If you self publish your trim options will be the same orientation as above. Self Publishing platforms offer up to 6” x 9” which can feel awkward for text but it’s personal preference. 

Third is page count. This is one of your budget’s  biggest factors as a-lott of the cost of making your book comes from the amount of paper you have to buy. Keep this in mind if you are writing a Trilogy at 500 plus pages each. Tolkien, fortunately for him, had a publisher to foot the cost. 

Fourth is the binding style. Most common are sewn or adhesive, also known as perfect binding. Sewn is great in that it allows the book to lay flat. However, it is much more expensive, thus most books are perfect bound. Perfect bound books are held together by glue. Sewn as you can probably guess is held by thread. 

There are a few details left. The type of lamination on your cover. Gloss lam is shiny and matte lam is matte, just like wall paint. No, there is not a satin option. There are types of matt lamination but the most common besides regular is soft touch. Additionally, your cover might have special treatments like embossing, spot UV, or foil. Most common is spot UV which can add interest and dimension to elements on your cover. 

I’m assuming that most writers are making a book that falls into the categories above. If you are making what is known as a Specialty Book, which can be anything from a Cookbook to a Journal or a Kids Book to a Bible, there is an endless array of options available and I would advise you to get some sort of help to narrow down what is best for you. 

The last specification you need to settle on to quote your book is the quantity you will produce. Though not a part of the book’s specifications in itself it’s the key driver in the cost appraisal. Next week we will kick things off on making our P&L with notes on how to determine your print quantity. 

If I left out a spec you are curious about, or wonder  why a book is a certain way, please let me know in the comments section. I have an endless amount of opinions about why you should or should not use different options in making a book.