You wouldn’t think your choice of paper for your book was so fraught!
It’s a case of paper weight and thickness — yep, it’s two different considerations with a wide range of effects on opacity, cost (raw material and shipping), image reproduction, usability, printing and binding, and environmental repercussions.
Naturally, there are other major considerations:
- The genre of your book – fiction, historical, technical affects color, coating, etc.
- Images – how crisp the reproduction(s) needs to be
- Shipping costs
One caveat I kept running across was that you should ALWAYS definitively choose your text weight paper before creating any cover art. This is because the weight of the paper changes the thickness of the book which changes the distribution of the art on a cover, especially any wording on the spine.
Exploring Later . . .
Regarding paper/trim sizes, refer to “Choose the Size for Your Book Type“, “Binding Choices (for Print)“, and/or “Terminology for Book Binding“. Another useful post may be “Publishing Software“
Book Layout & Formatting Ideas and Publishing
. . . typesetting, is all about the how the inside of your fiction or non-fiction book — whether print or eBook — looks and the experience it provides your reader. Explore which pages are required or optional, the order the pages should follow, whether the page should be verso or recto, the definitions of technical terms, each page’s content, and in-depth formatting that includes text alignment, margins, bleeds, the choice of font and sizes, linespacing, how and where to place graphics of all sorts, how to style chapter headings, the need for a table of contents, the inclusion of epigraphs, running heads and feet, and so much more. Yes, book cover design will also be covered. Do check with the style guide for your publisher or in your field for how your layout may differ in page order and requirements, whether it’s page order or formatting. Make a checklist.
At the very least, knowing more about book layout design will help you understand a book layout designer you may hire.
My research has evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us any questions you’ve had on this subject that have been a bête noire for you from either end. If you found this post on “Choices” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Paper Choices | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Book Layout & Formatting Ideas; Publishing | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Description: Paper choice considerations include the weight of the paper; the thickness of the individual sheet; whether it’s uncoated or coated; its color, brightness, opacity, and whiteness; whether the paper will be used for text or as protection; and, your own concerns for the environment.
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| Weight of Paper | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weight can refer to the individual paper thickness or the weight of a ream of paper as measured in pounds (#) or grams per square meter (GSM).
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| Pounds, # | Definition: The weight of a ream of paper.
There are two types of paper weight: |
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| Text Weight | Definition: Paper that’s thin, flexible, and lightweight. Think of standard office printer paper or a book or magazine’s interior pages. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Weight can affect:
There are four main weights: 50-, 60-, 70-, and 80-pound. It’s commonly used for the interior pages of books, custom booklets, brochures, magazines, and calendars; letterhead; newsletters; flyers; and, handouts. It can be: A.k.a. book, bond, ledger, offset paper, writing Credit to: Text Weight |
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Credit to: How |
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Credit to: How |
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| Cover Weight | Definition: Paper that’s thicker and sturdier than text weight paper. At its heaviest, cover stock weight can be similar to the material used to make cereal boxes. | |||||||||||||||||||
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It can be both coated or uncoated, glossy or matte, smooth or textured.
It’s commonly used for covers such as paperback books, magazines, booklets, programs, catalogs, and presentations, etc. A.k.a. bristol, card weight, cardstock, cover stock paper, index paper, tag paper |
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| Points, pt | Definition: Measures the thickness of the individual sheet of paper rather than the weight and is one of the main determining factors in book thickness. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Point weight measures the thickness down to each 1/1000th of an inch. The higher the points value, the thicker the paper, so a 10 point paper is 10/1000ths of an inch in thickness, while 16 point paper measures in at 16/1000ths of an inch.
As a gross example, think of the differences between poster board, railroad board, tagboard, foam board, presentation board, display board, etc. |
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| PPI, pages per inch | Definition: A number that represents the number of pages that are in a one inch stack of paper. The lower the number, the thicker the paper. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Thicker books use a lower PPI while thinner books can afford a higher PPI.
Thickness will affect the spine of your binding and production and shipping costs. NOTE: PPI and pixels are not the same. Pixels are a digital measure. |
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| Color of Paper | ||||||||||||||||||||
| You know paper comes in about any color you want, however, when it comes to books, paper comes in white or natural.
White is achieved through a bleaching process, which determines the color and brightness of the paper — brightness refers to the amount of incident light reflected from paper under normal lighting conditions. Your color choice will depend upon:
Further explore: |
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| Brightness | Definition: Refers to the amount of incident light reflected from paper under normal lighting conditions. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Bleaching the paper pulp is how you get brighter paper.
Higher brightness does not necessarily mean better quality. Technical manuals work well on high-brightness paper that provides a better contrast for illustrations, photos, and footnotes. Credit to: Caliper |
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| Opacity | Definition: The amount of showthrough in paper, or the inability to see through the paper. | |||||||||||||||||||
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The greater the opacity, the less chance of the back side of the paper showing through to the front.
Expressed as a percentage indicating the percentage of visible light NOT transmitted through the paper. A.k.a. printing opacity Credit to: Caliper |
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There are different ways to increase a paper’s opacity:
Increasing a paper’s whiteness decreases its opacity.
Credit to: Opacity |
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| Whiteness | Definition: Refers to how neutral the color of the paper is and achieved through a bleaching process, which determines the color and brightness of the paper. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Bleaching has been the traditional method to whiten paper, which creates a yellowish cast. Today they’re adding fluorescent dyes, which is a cheaper process but does add a bluish cast.
CAUTION: Playing with the shade can play havoc with accurate color printing. Credit to: Caliper |
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| Quality of Paper | ||||||||||||||||||||
| In the past, traditional paper has been the cheapest, most popular option. Over time, the paper would turn yellow and deteriorate over time. Today’s regular paper can be up to 80% acid-free due to the different fillers used in the papermaking process.
The best has been archival quality paper (often made from acid-free cotton pulp), a.k.a. acid-free, with a life expectancy upwards of 200 to 250 years. Credit to: Cai |
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| Sustainability | Definition: A goal that is environmental, economic, and social, intending to wreak as little harm on the planet as possible. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Various organizations certify the sustainability and include the:
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| Archival Grade | Definition: A permanent, durable, pH neutral, acid-free paper, which meets international standard ISO 11108. It is intended to last a very long time. | |||||||||||||||||||
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The level of permanence is affected by the inks and/or pigments used, and how the prints are stored and shown.
The best is a rag paper made from cotton, cotton rag, linen, etc. Key factors which qualify paper to be archival grade:
A.k.a. acid-free, museum-grade, museum quality |
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| Acid-free | Definition: Usually it means it’s archival grade, but not always.
Be aware that if a paper is labeled as “adhesive-backed acid free paper” or “acid free paper” and has patterns printed on it the adhesive or the ink, might not be acid-free. |
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| Conservation Grade | Definition: Commonly made from buffered, wood-based pulp and is not suitable for long-term storage, as the alkaline reserve may become depleted over time, allowing it to deteriorate. | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Not Sustainable | Definition: A papermaking process that “creates major environmental burdens, including the overuse of natural resources, production of greenhouse gases, release of toxic emissions, impacts on regions and communities, disposal of waste, and much more. | |||||||||||||||||||
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The paper industry is the largest user per ton of product of industrial process water in the US.
“Its use of 12% of total manufacturing energy leads to its US ranking as the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases among manufacturing industries, contributing 9% of total manufacturing carbon dioxide emissions.” Credit to: Kinsella |
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| Recycled | Definition: It is less harmful to the environment because less virgin fiber is used, thereby reducing tree harvesting, water usage, energy consumption (one-third less energy than virgin paper), emission of greenhouse gases and pollution. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Identify recycled paper through a symbol, merely using text is not proof:
Recycling Symbols in Black-and-White and Color The symbol may include text that indicates the percentage of recycled fiber in the paper. NOTE: Bleaching whitens and brightens the paper, but is damaging to the environment. |
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| Virgin Paper | Definition: Uses virgin wood fiber. | |||||||||||||||||||
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New-made paper, which is the most environmentally damaging, although the wood fiber for it could come from environmentally sustainable nonwood sources or from FSC-certified forests.
A.k.a. traditional paper, uncoated freesheet |
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| Coatings for Paper | ||||||||||||||||||||
| There are two types of coatings: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Uncoated Paper | Has a rough, natural feel, giving a more traditional look and feel to your pages and is recommended for more traditional books without imagery.
It typically offers a wide range of:
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The positives include: The popular choice for paperbacks and most text-based books, such as novels, textbooks, and journals. The best choice if readers are intended to write or make notes in your book. |
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| The negatives include: Not as resistant to wear and tear. Absorbs ink easily which makes images fuzzier. Colors may appear darker. |
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| Coated Paper | Provides a film for various protective purposes, including resistance, waterproofing, gaining some weight (not for you!), or looking good. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coated paper may look the same as uncoated, but the ink lies differently on the paper — coated paper is less porous.
Depending on the type of coating, coated paper can take on a number of textures and finishes, but in most cases will have a less porous, waxier surface than standard, uncoated paper. It typically offers a wide range of:
Credit to: Primo: What’s |
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| The positives include: Reflects more light and has a slicker feel and is available in dull or glossy. Makes your colors appear brighter because the paper absorbs less ink than uncoated paper. Provides a smooth surface for printing detailed illustrations. A popular choice for photography, art, comic, and children’s books. Additional uses include covers, pocket folders, packaging and display, or postcards. Resistant to wear and tear, water, and dirt. This keeps your printed materials looking crisp and professional longer than uncoated stock. |
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| The negatives include: The more expensive PUR adhesive option must be used, as it does not adhere well to the standard adhesive used in softcover book binding. A coated sheet will add about 30% to the overall weight of the book, making it more expensive to ship as well as slightly more awkward in the reader’s hands. The somewhat reflective surface makes it both difficult-to-impossible to write on and hard to read in harsh lighting due to glare. |
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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Book Layout & Formatting Ideas by exploring its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Word Confusions, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Paper Choices
Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I will earn a small percentage, if you should buy it. It does not affect the price you pay.
Cai, Leo. “What is Archival Paper and Why is it Important?” Journaling Diaries. n.d. Web. 13 May 2023. <https://journalingdiaries.com/what-is-archival-paper/>.
“Caliper, Points, PPI, Opacity, Brightness, Whiteness.” Copresco.com. n.d. Web. 13 May 2023. <https://www.copresco.com/lite18/1118ltx.htm>.
Campbell, Gregor R. “From a Binder’s Point of View.” Campbell-Logan Bindery. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.campbell-logan.com/img/pdfs/Binder%27s_PoV.pdf>.
“Choosing a Hardback or Paperback Book Size.” Imprint Digital.com. n.d. Web. 8 Aug 2021. <https://digital.imprint.co.uk/paperback-book-size/>.
Fletcher, Rob. “Sustainability and Paper: What are your options?” FESPA. 12 June 2018. Web. 12 May 2023. <https://www.fespa.com/en/news-media/features/sustainability-and-paper-what-are-your-options>.
“How is Paper Weight Measured? How to Choose the Right Paper Weight for your Project.” Print Design Education. Thomas Group Printing. n.d. Web. 12 May 2023. <https://thomasgroupprinting.com/how-is-paper-weight-measured/>.
“How to Choose the Best Paper Stock for Your Book’s Interior.” Gorham Printing. 17 Apr 2019. Web. 11 May 2023. <https://gorhamprinting.wordpress.com/2019/04/17/how-to-choose-the-best-paper-stock-for-your-book/>.
Kinsella, Susan. “Comparing Recycled to Virgin Paper: Why Recycled Content is Crucial for Printing & Writing Paper.” Paperwork. Conservatree.org. April 2012. Web. 12 May 2023. <http://conservatree.org/learn/WhitePaper%20Why%20Recycled.pdf>.
“The Most Popular Standard Book Sizes in the US and UK.” InDesign Skills. 27 July 2018. Web. 14 Aug 2021. <https://indesignskills.com/tutorials/standard-book-sizes/>.
“Opacity.” PrintWiki. n.d. Web. 14 May 2023. <http://printwiki.org/Opacity>.
Rowzie, Kathi. “What Consumers Don’t Know About the Sustainability of Paper Products.” Sustainable Paper Packaging & Print. Two Side North America. 22 Apr 2021. Web. 12 May 2023. <URL>.
“Standard Book Sizes Info.” Biddles. n.d. Web. 10 Aug 2021. <https://www.biddles.co.uk/book-printing/book-sizes-info/>.
“Text Weight vs. Cover Weight.” SmartPress. n.d. Web. 12 May 2023. <https://smartpress.com/support/stocks-substrates/text-weight-vs-cover-weight>.
“What is Book Layout Design?” Reedsy.com. n.d. Web. n.d. <https://reedsy.com/design/book-layout-design>.
“What’s the Difference Between Coated and Uncoated Card Stock.” Primo Print.com. 1 Feb 2018. Web. 12 May 2023. <https://www.primoprint.com/blog/the-difference-between-coated-and-uncoated-paper-stock/>.
Pinterest Photo Credits
Stack of Paper is under the CC0 1.0 license, via RawPixel.
