Book Design Made Simple

VIDEOS These InDesign video tutorials explain InDesign basics in the simplest terms. Learn from book design expert, Glenna Collett.

Want to insert an image into a shape or even into some #type? We demonstrate it on #YouTube: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/videos/#images

A style sheet template for your book Having a style sheet keeps spelling and punctuation consistent throughout your book. Download our free Word template to get started.

How's your #book #editing coming along? Would a style sheet help you stay organized? We offer a free template to help: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/style-sheet-...

Make your own book signature Make your own mini book signature by hand. It's both fun and educational. Grab some paper, scissors, and a stapler, and you're ready to go.

Here's a homemade #valentine card idea: Make your own little #book. It's easy and fun. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/make-your-ow...

Your copyright page: Everything you need to know Your book's copyright page is an important part of your book marketing scheme, so here's an ultra-easy Word template for you to paste into your book. Learn the different parts of the copyright page…

We admit it. We are #copyright page snobs. A professional-looking copyright page is a great #bookmarketing tool. Our free template makes it easy. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/copyright-pa...

Your book needs CIP data—here's why I used to think that a copyright page didn’t really need cataloging-in-publication (CIP) data in order to be complete. But I was wrong.

CIP data--what is it? Do you need it in your book's #copyright page? www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/your-book-ne... #bookmarketing

Book distribution 101 You've published a book, or you will soon, and you need to get it into the hands of readers. But how? We explain book distribution basics.

There are more ways than you might think to get your published book into the market. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/book-distrib... #bookmarketing

Synchronizing styles in InDesign's Book feature Synchronize styles in InDesign using the Book feature's handy Synchronize Options, or sync individual book chapters manually. We show you how.

With #InDesign you can do things the hard way (boo) or the easier way. We explain one easy trick to get your files to work together instead of against each other. Synchronize! www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/synchronizin...

Book binding basics Understanding book binding methods will help any publisher choose the best manufacturer for their hardcover or paperback books.

Book binding is one of those things that we look at but don't see. The basics of it are actually pretty interesting: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/book-binding...

DIY book design—can you do it? Is DIY book design right for you? You can design a book, whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced book designer.

We're proud to announce that we recently overhauled our entire website, checking all the hundreds of links in our 85+ pages and posts. It was exhausting but worth the effort. And farewell to 2025, you all! www.bookdesignmadesimple.com

Creative book cover treatments Your book cover may be worthy of some extra special treatments such as metallic or 3D effects. We introduce you to the possibilities.

Ways to brighten up your #book #cover designs: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/creative-boo... You're welcome.

Author website 101 • Set up and maintain your author website Don't be intimidated by the very thought of setting up your author website. You can do this! We explain the ins and outs in this blog post.

We explain what you need to know about author websites, how to set yours up, what costs to expect, and how to maintain it. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/author-websi... #author #bookmarketing

Converting multiple images to CMYK in Photoshop Got 50+ or even 1,500+ images to convert to CMYK in Photoshop? It's a monumental task to convert each image from RGB to CMYK individually. Here's a quick and easy way to convert all of your images to…

Here's how to convert a ton of images from RGB to CMYK all at once in Photoshop using Batch Processing. Save yourself a ton of time. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/converting-m... #Photoshop #ColorConversion

How to add an image into a shape in InDesign Image in a Shape in InDesign

How to place an image inside a shape in InDesign. It's easy once you know how! www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp9v... #InDesign

Using the Book feature in InDesign Combine several InDesign documents into one large Book file using InDesign's Book feature and our step-by-step guide. It's easy to do!

We walk you through the steps to use the handy Book feature in InDesign. Combine separate chapters into one book the easy way. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/using-the-bo...

Reference books for book designers Two expert book designers share their list of go-to reference books — ones they consider indispensable for book design and typesetting.

Got a book designer on your gift list? Here's a list of reference books that make great gifts for book designers. You're welcome! #bookdesign #typesetting #graphicdesign
www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/reference-bo...

Create a live index in InDesign Attach index entries to words or phrases in your text. If you move any text later, your live index will update accordingly.

How to create a live index in InDesign. So handy! www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/create-a-liv...

A style sheet template for your book Having a style sheet keeps spelling and punctuation consistent throughout your book. Download our free Word template to get started.

Do you use a style sheet as you write? Certainly all editors do. We have a template to get you started, as it's nice to be organized. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/style-sheet-...

Designing a book title page Every book needs a title page. Designing an outstanding one is a challenge, but it can contribute to a professional-looking masterpiece.

A great title page can make a big difference in selling a book, so we constructed a little gallery of design ideas for you: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/designing-a-...

VIDEOS These InDesign video tutorials explain InDesign basics in the simplest terms. Learn from book design expert, Glenna Collett.

We are constantly amazed by the number of people who have watched our #book #layout videos. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/videos/#layout

Designing a book spine Your book spine should shout your title. It's all part of your overall book marketing scheme. Here's how to get started.

The design of your book spine is an important part of your print book marketing campaign. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/book-spine-d...

Self-publishing and book marketing: A success story Follow the account of a remarkably successful self-published author who has managed to sell lots of books and change his career path, too.

This very admirable author has made a huge success of his #self-published #book. Here's what he's done: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/self-publish...

Publishing associations to join or know about We've sifted through dozens of publishing associations to find truly nonprofit groups that can help you on your publishing journey.

Hurry, hurry! It's time to join your local publishing association. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/publishing-a...

Creative copyright notices Copyright notices don't have to look boring! Check out our gallery of creative solutions for this vital element of every book.

Who knew that a #copyright notice could look interesting? An extensive search on hands and knees in the library children's department revealed lots of fun ways to hide it or show it off: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/creative-cop...

Combining serif and sans serif fonts Mixing serif and sans serif fonts sounds difficult, but it’s easy once you know the rules. Our font-combining basics will get you going quickly and easily.

Using more than one #typeface in a #book creates a good look--sometimes harmonious, sometimes with some tension. Our thoughts on the subject: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/combining-se...

What type size should I use? We suggest type sizes for the text in all sorts of books: adult, children's, reference, large type, and more.

Designing a book requires a lot of decisions. Choosing a #type size is basic, so we've created a simple guide to get you going. www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/what-type-si...

Question: If reading for pleasure is now down to 16% of adults, then why and how are we producing so many #books these days? Who is reading them? Does this seem mysterious to you?

Self-publishing services compared Are you shopping for self-publishing services? We compare service providers for you, and let you know the pros and cons of each service.

Self publishing is not as easy as it could be, and everyone needs a little help. We've created a list of side-by-side comparisons of the service providers: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/self-publish...

Is this not the most creative copyright statement you've ever seen? (On the left page it starts at the upper left, and yes, all the info is there.) The rest of the book is fun, too.

Designing a book title page Every book needs a title page. Designing an outstanding one is a challenge, but it can contribute to a professional-looking masterpiece.

It's kind of amazing how interesting a book's title page can be. Get creative! Check out our gallery of examples: www.bookdesignmadesimple.com/designing-a-...

How does a typesetter get every poem to be centered on the page? Find out the simple trick. Typesetting a Poetry Book

Are you #typesetting #poetry and wondering how to get every poem centered on the page? Learn this simple #bookdesign trick in less than 4 minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS_S...