How to create a book on 24bookprint
Looking to create a book for personal or commercial use? Here’s everything you need to know to achieve exceptional results. A book is made up of two key components: the manuscript and the cover. If you’ve already prepared these, simply review the technical specifications and upload your files to get started!
Ready with your manuscript and cover?
Perfect! Take a moment to carefully review both your manuscript and cover to ensure everything is just right. Once you’ve double-checked, you’re all set to place your book order!
Manuscript
- Bleed: 3 mm on the top, bottom, and outer edges; 0 mm on the inner edge
- File Format: PDF (X-3/2002), .doc, or .docx
- Exclude crop marks
- Avoid using spreads or vertically stacked pages
- Images: Minimum resolution of 250 DPI
Cover Specifications
- Bleed: Ensure a 3mm bleed on all sides
- File Format: Submit in PDF (X-3/2002), JPG, or PNG format
- Image Resolution: Minimum of 250 DPI for optimal quality
- File Compression: Maintain at least 250 DPI after compression
- For exact cover dimensions, use our Cover Calculator
Preparing Your Manuscript
Your manuscript is the heart of your book’s interior. To print with 24bookprint, you’ll need a properly formatted manuscript ready for upload. This can be a PDF or Word file (though we recommend a PDF for black-and-white books). Once uploaded, your file will be converted into a print-ready PDF. It’s crucial to review this carefully, as your book will be printed exactly as it appears in the PDF. If you need to make adjustments, you can upload a revised version as many times as necessary. For additional support, check out our step-by-step guide for helpful tips.
Formatting Guidelines
We require all manuscripts uploaded to our platform to be fully formatted and ready for printing. If your book includes numerous visuals like photos or tables, we recommend using professional design software such as InDesign for the best results. For text-heavy manuscripts, formatting in Word or Pages is typically sufficient. You can upload your file as either a Word document or a PDF. Explore our manuscript templates to simplify the process! During the “Manuscript” step, you’ll find detailed guidance on essential elements like margins, page numbering, table of contents, and colophon pages. Plus, we provide plenty of tips to ensure your manuscript looks polished and professional.
Download Our Word Templates
Haven’t started writing your manuscript yet? Save time and effort by using one of our ready-made Word templates. Each template is tailored to fit the specific book formats we offer, so simply choose the one that matches your selected format. These templates come pre-designed with everything you need, including a title page, colophon, page numbers, and perfectly aligned margins—making your writing process smoother and more efficient.
Manuscript templates for paperbacks
Manuscript templates for hardbacks
Creating your book cover
The cover is the first impression of your book—its calling card. At 24bookprint, we offer two easy options for creating one. You can either upload a pre-made design (created by you or a professional designer) or take advantage of our free cover designer. Our user-friendly tool makes it simple to craft a professional-looking cover and automatically ensures it’s perfectly sized. Looking for inspiration? Visit a local bookstore or browse online to spark some ideas!
Designing Your Own Cover
If you prefer to design your book cover yourself, tools like Canva or InDesign are great options. It’s important to get the dimensions just right. Your cover’s size depends on several factors, including the book’s format, paper type, page count, and whether it’s a paperback or hardcover. Keep in mind that any changes to your manuscript’s page count will require adjustments to your cover design. For detailed guidance, check out the “Cover Design” section on our website or use our handy cover calculator. Let your creativity shine!
Design your book cover with our cover designer
Our cover designer is free and easy to use – allowing you to quickly create professional-looking covers. However, for more complex designs, we recommend using a program like InDesign or Canva.
How it works
1) Template
The first step is choosing a template. This determines the layout of your cover, but you can still make changes to it later in the process.
2) Fonts
Here you can choose from different font combinations. Don’t like them or want to change something specific? No worries, you can adjust everything later.
3) Colours
Choose the colour schemes that suit your cover. Again, if you don’t find something that meets your preferences, these are just the first steps to get you started. In the next step, you can fully customise your cover to your liking.
4) Personalising Your Cover
Now comes the fun part! If you’re already satisfied with your cover, feel free to skip this step. Otherwise, this is your chance to unleash your creativity. Simply click on any element you’d like to edit—whether it’s a text box, photo, or colour block. A toolbar will appear on the right side of the screen, offering all the customization options for that item. You can choose new fonts, adjust font sizes, change colours, upload photos or images, and more. You can even reposition text boxes as needed. Want to hide an element? Use the eye icon on the left to toggle its visibility.