Book Block Specifications

• Files must be print-ready PDF files. The most reliable method we have found for creating a PDF for our use is to create a PostScript file from your application, and "distilling" it using Acrobat Distiller Professional 6 or newer.

• We realize that many people do not have the complete version of Acrobat (which is a little pricey) so we are providing a download of a great new FREE converter called doPDF. Simply click here to download doPDF and select 'RUN' when prompted. This installs a virtual printer named 'doPDF' on your computer. With it, you'll be able to 'File > Print ...' to create a PDF from any Windows application. (If you've got a Mac, PDF conversion is built right into your system.)

• To create a PDF file using 'doPDF', simply open your file, select 'File > Print ...' and choose 'doPDF' as your printer. The first time you use doPDF, click on the 'Preferences' button and change 'Graphic Resolution' to 600 dpi (near the bottom right of the window.) Setup your custom page size. Hit 'OK' and your Preferences are all set. Hit 'Print', make sure 'Embed fonts' is turned ON, and it will create a PDF.
  Be sure to check your PDF file CAREFULLY before sending it to us for printing.
  

• If bookblock is created as a Postscript (.ps) file, files should be created with a generic Adobe Postscript driver, and must be saved at a 600dpi resolution.

• If bookblock is created as a Postscript (.ps) file, files must be created using standard desktop publishing software to produce an Adobe PostScript Level 2 or Level 3 output file (using the setting "print to file").

• Continuous tone photographs and artwork should be 8-bit grayscale, at 300 dpi. Line art should be 1-bit black and white at 600 dpi.

• All fonts should be embedded. PDF font subset should be set at 100%.

• Margins: We require that all live text and graphic elements be at least 0.25" inside the trim. Many designers choose, to have a 0.75" inside margin with a 0.5" outside margin for text. Books with larger page counts (over 400 pages) should have larger inside margins to allow for margin lost during binding.

• Interior text should be submitted as grayscale only (e.g. do not submit as CMYK or RGB).

• Text files must be submitted as a single PDF file, pages in numerical order (no printer spreads, i.e. page spreads).

• The interior pages of your book are commonly referred to as your book block and should be formatted to the exact final trim size of your book. It should also be submitted as a single PDF file with one text page per PDF page. (eg a 6"x9" book block should be submitted as a 6"x9" PDF unless bleed is required.) Keystone will not scale a text file.

• How to convert your Word file to Postsript file.