Book FAQ
- What sizes are available?
- What is the maximum page count for my book?
- What types of binding do you offer?
- What are the recommended margins for the contents of my book?
- How do I set the Outside and Inside Margins?
- What types of files do you accept?
- How do I make a PDF, all I have is Microsoft Word, Works, etc.?
- What are the three most important things to make my book look good?
- How do I fully bleed the contents of my book?
- Does my book need to paginated?
- What type of paper is used for the contents of my book?
- How do I optimize my book for Marketplace Search?
Cover FAQ
- What size should my cover be?
- What type of file and specifications do you recommend for the cover of my book?
- What type of paper is my cover printed on?
- What are the three most important things I must do to make my cover look great?
- Where can I download cover templates?
What sizes are available?
| Size | Standard Uses | Binding Availability | ||
| Wire-O | Saddle Stitch | Perfect Binding | ||
| 4.18 x 6.88 | Grocery Store Paperback | x | x | |
| 5 x 8 | Standard Paperback | x | x | x |
| 6.625 x 10.25 | Comic | x | x | x |
| 7.5 x 9.25 | Technical Manual | x | x | x |
| 8.5 x 11 | Letter Size | x | x | |
What is the maximum page count for my book?
| Binding Type | Pages |
| Wire-O | 1-500 |
| Saddle Stitch | 1-52 |
| Perfect Binding | 50-600 |
What types of binding do you offer?
We currently offer three types of binding, wire-o, saddle stitched and perfect bound. Wire-o binding is a black twin loop wire that holds your book together; it is most similar to the way a standard journal or notebook is bound. Saddle stitched binding is bound by two stitched staples and is most similar to the way a comic book or small magazine is bound. Perfect bound is like the standard grocery store paperback with the cover wrapping around the front, spine and back.
What are the recommended margins for the contents of my book?
The minimum recommended margin is .5 inches on all four sides. We have created a Microsoft Word template available for download
For wire-o binding some people prefer to center their text within the white space of the book instead of within the entire page size.
If this is your preference you can download a template
Books with a page count between 1-200 pages will be punched with a 3 to 1 die. This means for every inch there will be three holes punched in your book. Books with a page count between 201-500 pages will be punched with a 2 to 1 die. This means for every inch there will be two holes punched in your book. If you are an advanced user and prefer to not use the word template please use the following margins to center your wire-o book within the white space:
Page Counts 1-200
Outside
.5"
Inside
.75"
Top
.5"
Bottom
.5"
Page count between 201-500
Outside
.5"
Inside
.875"
Top
.5"
Bottom
.5"
How do I set the Outside and Inside Margins?
In Microsoft Word, click on File and choose Page Setup. Check the Mirror Pages box. The areas for Left and Right margins now become Outside and Inside margins! This allows you to set the margins differently on even and odd page numbers. To skip all the hard work, simply download one of our handy Microsoft Word templates.
What types of files do you accept?
For the contents of your book, we currently only accept PDF files..
How do I make a PDF, all I have is Microsoft Word, Works, etc.?
You can get a free PDF converter
What are the three most important things to make my book look good?
- Page numbers! Please put page numbers in your book, not only is this an industry standard it also ensures that your book will be assembled perfectly.
- Margins! Please have at least 1/2" margin on all four sides of your book text to ensure your book is readable.
- A correctly sized PDF! Please check the size of your PDF prior to upload to make certain the page size is what you intended it to be, converting your file to PDF sometimes has unintended page size changes.
How do I fully bleed the contents of my book?
At this time you cannot have full bleed content pages, we strongly recommend at least 1/2" margin on all pages. If you attempt to fully bleed your book there is a strong possibility that you will have a small white line at the edge of the page.
Does my book need to paginated?
No! We will take care of all the pagination and layout properties of your book. All you need to do is submit a PDF with your pages in order.
What type of paper is used for the contents of my book?
We use 50lb opaque white paper for the contents of saddle stitch, wire-o and perfect bound books.
What size should my cover be?
Your cover size should match the size of your book contents. If you want your cover art to fully bleed and cover the entire surface of the cover, your cover art should also have an additional 1/4" on all four sides. Below is a table showing image sizes for full bleed cover art.
| Book Size | Full Bleed Cover Art |
| 4.18 x 6.88 | 4.68 x 7.38 |
| 5 x 8 | 5.5 x 8.5 |
| 6.625 x 10.25 | 7.125 x 10.75 |
| 7.5 x 9.25 | 8 x 9.75 |
| 8.5 x 11 | 9 x 11.5 |
What type of file and specifications do you recommend for the cover of my book?
We strongly recommend using a png or high resolution jpg with at least 150 dpi.
What type of paper is my cover printed on?
Wire-O book covers are printed on 10 pt glossy cover stock. Saddle stitch book covers are printed on 100lb glossy book weight stock.
How do I optimize my book for Marketplace Search?
To ensure that your book or published work is searchable in the CafePress Marketplace, you will need to Tag your images. Do this by adding keywords that describe both your work's content as well as your cover art in the dedicated fields provided.
What are the three most important things I must do to make my cover look great?
- Submit a high resolution jpg or png with at least 150 dpi resolution
- Bleed out your cover image 1/4" on all four sides (no more no less).
If you design a wire-o cover please take into account that 3/4 of an inch on the left side will be punched with holes so your book can be bound. Please do not put text or important images in this area. - Bleed out your cover! Can you tell this one is important? This is the most vital part of making a great looking cover, this is also the area that most people make mistakes on. For more information on bleed click here.
Where can I download cover templates?
Right here.
4.18 x 6.88
5 x 8
6.625 x 10.25
7.5 x 9.25
8.5 x 11
Spine templates for Perfect Bound books are in the product designer. The width is dependent on how many pages your book has and cannot be decided until we have the pdf for your book.
Note: When designing your wire-o cover please take into account that 3/4 of an inch on the left side will be punched with holes so your book can be bound. Please do not put text or important images in this area.
