Technical Guide

Interior Book Formatting Best Practices

Margins, gutters, and page numbers. How to format your text so it is readable and professional.

The Gutter

The inside margin where the pages are glued (the spine) needs extra space. If your text is too close to the gutter, it will fall into the crack and be unreadable. Add at least 0.125" to 0.25" extra margin on the inside edge.

Page Numbers

Odd numbers are always on the Right page. Even numbers are on the Left. Ensure your pagination reflects this.

Fonts

For body text, serif fonts (like Garamond or Caslon) are generally easier to read in print than sans-serif fonts.