Re: Book layout software?

Subject: Re: Book layout software?
From: Marguerite Krupp <mkrupp128 -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: techwr-l List <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:34:17 -0800 (PST)

I had to do this some time ago, and there was a piece of software called something like "Simply Imposing" that simplified the task. Sorry I don't have the exact title.
 
Anyway, if you want to google for it, the key work is "imposing" or "imposition," the printing industry term for setting up a booklet.
 
I've done it manually, too, and it really helped to make up a small-format dummy booklet showing what went on what page. When I disassembled the dummy, I could see what content had to go on each page.
 
If you can live with a 5.5" x 8.5" booklet size, you can set it up as two columns in either Word of Frame. MS Publisher has a template called "book fold" that might also work for you.
 
I don't recall seeing how many pages have to be in this booklet. Be aware that if you go beyond just a few sheets (I think 8 was the rule of thumb), you should really go to a second "signature" (group of pages) because the inmost pages tend to stick out, and you need to trim them to get a neat package. Binding signatures is another whole ball of wax, though. Back in the day, I worked in a book bindery and occasionally had to hand-stitch the darned things. Right up there with Gene's root canal!
 
Good luck!
 
Marguerite

--- On Mon, 1/11/10, beelia <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:


From: beelia <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com>
Subject: Re: Book layout software?
To: "Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
Cc: "techwr-l List" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Monday, January 11, 2010, 9:47 PM


This list has paid off time and again - I've learned things I don't even
want to know. ;-)

Very enlightening thread. Glad you posed the question, Jenny!

Bee

On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 6:33 PM, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:

> How to do it in Word:
>
> http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HP030729491033.aspx
>
> FM has similar manual settings for single/double sided and pagination, but
> if I
> don't have a canned template onhand I'd rather get a root canal than try to
> do
> it that way.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "beelia" <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com>
> > inDesign is built for this task, but it's not easy. There's a significant
> > learning curve.
> >
> > I may be wrong, but I don't think either Frame or Word has this
> capability.
>
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