Format and design Need help with professional manuscript formating for book publications?
For books to be published with Edition Gorz, only a very few details regarding formating require standardization: the paper size and with it the measurements of the type area, the number of pages in the front, the beginning of every main chapter on a right-hand (odd-numbered) page, and the continuation of secondary chapters on the current page after two line spaces.
1. The paper size of our series is universally DIN A 5,
i.e. every page is 14,8 cms wide and 21 cms high.2. The type area should not exceed 11,5 x 18 cms;
single illustrations may exceptionally be as wide as 13,5 cms.
Please select paper size A4 and adjust the margins as follows:
right and left: 4,7 cms (or more), top and bottom: 5,6 cms (or more).3. The number of pages in the front (which will not carry page numbers) is 4: Your table of contents thus begins with page no. “5” (or, in case you prefer to paginate contents, preface, and introduction in small Roman numbers, with “v”).
– half-title; it contains only the main title and/or the author's name – empty back of the half-title; occasionally used for a frontispiece or dedication
– main title with full author's name, book title and subtitle, information regarding a possible translator or author of preface or introduction, as well as our logo. We compose this page on the basis of the data you submit to us; – impressum page: data for cataloguing. To be composed by us, with the authenticity statement we expect you to send us via email. Within these framing specifications, the layout is your choice.
Should you, however, not feel strongly about making the necessarily large number of decisions connected with good book design and not have the spare time to experiment at some length, here is one
Suggestion
It reflects the style sheet underlying the first book published in our program. All specifications are based on the assumption that you choose Times Roman as your font and single spacing. Note that different fonts etc. may require you to adjust the point sizes accordingly.
15 pt bold centered Main headings for chapters or parts I, II, etc.; always beginning in the right-hand (odd-numbered) page preceded by three line spaces from the upper edge of the page, followed by one line space of approximately half height (or 0,5 line space) 12 pt bold flush left Secondary heading separated from the preceding text by two line spaces, followed by one line space of approximately half height (or 0,5 line space) 11 pt italics flush left Tertiary heading (where needed) separated from the preceding text by one line space, followed directly by body text without further space 11 pt normal justified Body text; each paragraph begins indented ca. 3/4 cm no line spaces between paragraphs 11 pt italics flush left and right Header with a short version of the chapter heading and page numbers flush paper edge 10 pt normal justified Quotations, lists, or tabulated information separated from the body text at both ends by a half-line space; doubled-indented (at least 1 cm) 10 pt normal centered Headings for illustrations etc.; possibly using small capitals in bold print for “PLATE 1” separated from the body text before and from the following illustration by a half-line space each 9 pt normal justified footnotes without a separator line, at ca. 1 line space of distance from the body text 9 pt normal
text inserted into diagrams etc.
A few additional pieces of advice
- At the beginning of each formating session, make sure to select the printer driver you will be using for your electronic data preparation. If Adobe Acrobat Distiller is installed on your computer, you should choose the corresponding printer driver in order to avoid page- and line-breaking chaos later on.
- It looks most professional if the initial page of a new chapter or part within your study carries its page number in central position in a footer (to be discontinued on the next page). Subsequent pages carry a short chapter heading and the page number in a header. The chapter headings (flush inside) may be identical; alternatively, the one on the left-hand page may refer to the main heading and the one on the right-hand page, to the subheading.
- Emphases in the text should be discreet. Italics present less of a stumbling block than bold print or small capitals.
- Larger spaces between words in a line look ugly and should be avoided with the help of judicious hyphenation.
- “Widows and orphans”: A single line beginning a new paragraph at the foot of a page should best be avoided, a single line left over from an ending paragraph at the top of a new page is an absolute no-no. Insertion or elimination of extra words in preceding paragraphs will remedy the problem.
- The concluding matter of a book-length publication – including one on the internet – should present lists and overviews: lists of plates, tables, images, etc., bibliographies, possibly a glossary for non-specialists. An index is not, of course, necessary for online texts; it may be inserted for use in the printed version. A book closes very nicely with a blurb about the author and a concluding abstract of the project undertaken.
Catalogue Author Infos