Book Design and Production:
A Guide for Authors and Publishers
by Pete Masterson

Finalist 2006 Independent Publisher Book of the Year Award (Writing)

"A masterful work. Chock-full of detail and easy to read.... The industry has needed a book like this for years."—Dan Poynter, author, The Self Publishing Manual

"It's fantastic... have it on hand for the explanations that help the publisher make good decisions.... Book Design and Production is one book a neophyte publisher can grow up with.... Much of its value becomes clearer as a publisher advances and matures."—Patricia J. Bell, publisher, publishing educator, and author, The Prepublishing Handbook

"If you think readers won't judge your book by its cover, think again. Authors today must understand rudimentary book design. Pete Masterson's Book Design and Production is a must-have to stay competitive in this overcrowded marketplace."—Fern Reiss, author, The Publishing Game

If you are thinking about self-publishing or starting a small press--even if you intend to hire professionals to do all designing tasks--you must read Book Design and Production! Very few books out there cover everything from the basics (ie: why 2 spaces after a sentence was fine for your high school typing class but not for a professional-looking book interior) to the more esoteric (ie: what the fine print on the back of a printing contract says). You'll learn why things are done the way they are and how that is accomplished. For those who never intend to DIY, you should read Book Design and Production anyway just so you know how to communicate with your designers (and what the heck they mean when they talk back).—Jacqueline Church Simonds, publisher Beagle Bay Books

“Book Design and Production: A Guide for Authors and Publishers will enable even the most novice aspirants to publishing an ideal instructional guide to every aspect of book publishing.... A master at the craft of book creation, Masterson clearly explains why 90% of all designers will prove wrong for a particular title—and the ten crucial questions to ask when interviewing book designers; why Microsoft Word is a poor layout choice—but what to do if you end up having to use it anyway; why the wrong fonts can ruin a book—and how to pick the right ones. Covering both the outside (cover) of a book, as well as its interior design, and thoroughly "user friendly" throughout, Pete Masterson's Book Design and Production is one of those indispensable instructional references that should be on the shelf of anyone seeking to produce their own books so as to be as marketable (and profitable) as possible.”—Midwest Book Review