Frequently Asked Questions

What is your production time?

Our book printing production times work in two stages and are subject to order size and delivery location:

  • 5 Working Days from receipt of full payment to delivery of hard copy proof
  • 5 Working Days from proof approval to delivery of full order

What is the difference between a page, sheet & side?

You may be confused by the differences between ‘pages’, ‘sides’, ‘sheets’ and ‘leaves’. To help clear things up we only refer to ‘pages’ within our website and ordering process.

Definition
When you open a book, you will be looking at 2 pages. Each page generally has a page number and a single sheet of paper will contain 2 pages.

Will you send me a proof?

Yes. Before we print your full order we will print, bind and deliver a single hard copy proof. This is to allow you to check that you are happy with your artwork and print quality. We will ONLY print your full order on receipt of a written proof approval.

Will you deliver outside Mainland UK?

We are happy to deliver your order anywhere. However, our online quotes include delivery to Mainland UK only. For delivery outside, please contact us for a price.

When is or isn’t VAT charged?

VAT is not applicable when the book is printed by BookPrintingOnline. For example; VAT will not be charged for cover design and artwork services only if we print the book within the same order.

VAT is applicable when no printing services are required. For example; book cover design services with no print order are applicable to VAT charges.

Do you print Hard Back Books?

No. We no longer print hard back books.

My book has more than 50 pages. Can it be stapled?

No. We can’t staple books as large as this. We recommend a maximum of 40 pages (20 sheets) as the bulking over this amount will cause trimming and binding issues which will look unattractive.

My book has less than 50 pages. Can it be perfect bound?

Yes. We can perfect bind books with less than 50 pages (25 sheets). We can go down as low as 16 pages (8 sheets). However, stapling is more practical due to the ability to lay books flat.

My book size is unique – not A5 or A4. Can I place an order?

Yes. We are able to print books of any size. The vast majority of books are either A4 or A5. However, if your book size is unusual we can help.

TIP: If your book size is between A5 and A4 it will be priced as an A4. If your book size is between A6 and A5 it will be priced as A5.

Can graphics be included in my book?

Yes. A graphic is anything else that is not text. It can be a large or small picture, a piece of clip art or a map. We are happy to accept most file formats including jpg, tiff, gif and png. These are standard formats provided by digital cameras and scanners. Ideally the resolution for greyscale (B&W) images should be a minimum of 200dpi and for colour 300dpi so as to ensure optimum quality. Most modern digital cameras (including camera phones) will take acceptable photos.

What does ‘Artwork’ mean?

Artwork is the file(s) containing the content for your book.

See our Book Artwork Template Guidelines for an example of the correct layout.

What is Print-Ready Artwork?

Print-ready artwork should be saved as a high resolution PDF with crop marks and 3mm bleed.
Most publishing software (MS Publisher, Adobe InDesign, QuarkXpress) allows this type of export.
If you are submitting non print-ready artwork, i.e. a Microsoft Word Document, there will be an additional charge of £0.50p per page.

See our Book Artwork Template Guidelines for an example of the correct layout.

Blank Pages – when and where?

Most books include blank pages and they will affect the quote and spine thickness.
Example: You may want your book chapters to always start on a right hand page. This will mean occasionally blank pages need inserting to the left.

See our Book Artwork Template Guidelines for an example of the correct layout.

What file formats are accepted?

We accept the following file formats:

  • Complete Print-ready artwork files: PDF (recommended), INDD, PUB
  • Manuscripts: DOC, DOCX, TXT
  • Image files: JPG, GIF, TIF, AI, EPS, PSD

How do I calculate a book’s spine?

Below are a selection of calculations to help. Please contact us with your book’s exact specification to receive a precise measurement. Spine widths below are based on our standard material: 80gsm inner pages, 250gsm cover.

50 pages – 3.5mm spine
75 pages – 4.8mm spine
100 pages – 6.1mm spine
150 pages – 8.6mm spine
200 pages – 11.1mm spine
300 pages – 16.2mm spine

How do I calculate the number of pages needed?

To calculate the number of pages your book requires (if artwork is to be supplied non print-ready i.e. in Microsoft Word format), please use the following simple formula. This is just a rough guide and can be finalised on sight of your artwork.

Total book word count / Average words per page = Number of pages

Average words per page

Note these are based on estimates only.

A4 Book (Font: Times New Roman 12pt) = 650 words per page
A4 Book (Font: Arial 12pt) = 750 words per page
A5 Book (Font: Times New Roman 12pt) = 350 words per page
A5 Book (Font: Arial 12pt) = 400 words per page

How should my manuscript (Word Doc) be formatted?

If you’re using Microsoft Word, simply add your content to each page and save. We will then style your book according to the layout provided. We will contact you with any questions.

See our Book Artwork Template Guidelines for an example of correct print ready artwork.

I wish to supply my own cover design. What do I do?

Simply create the cover design to the size of your book. Don’t forget to include a spine and back cover.
If the cover design has an image which extends to the edge, 3mm bleed will need to be added to allow trimming.

Check out our Book Cover Guidelines for more information

What is an ISBN?

ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is an international code made up of 13 digits which is assigned to a particular title and edition of a book published by a specific publisher. This unique number is obtained from a national centre and is printed on the reverse of the book. This number facilitates the ordering and purchasing of the book and helps to identify it in national bibliographies and other book catalogues. It also further strengthens the ownership of the book.

Buy an ISBN for your book at Nielsen.

The ISBN Code can be used to generate a unique barcode which can be placed on the back of your book.