FOCUS on TYPE
Ensure your book design matches the best on the shelves with layout guidelines from SilverWood Books
SilverWood Books
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To those untrained in typography – probably the vast majority of people – it may not seem that a great deal of thought needs to be put into the interior layout of a book. Publishers and self-publishing authors will tell you that this is certainly not the case. A well-designed book, both inside and out, enables the reader to comfortably get lost in the story and the author to present their work in the best possible way. An inelegant layout, however, can lead to strained eyes, a distracted reader, and an author appearing amateurish.
So what exactly makes a good layout? There are a few important factors to consider. We are fortunate to have years of typographic convention preceding us, so we already have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. Publishing is a fast-moving world – as is the world of literature in general – but the way that the human brain and eye processes text is pretty timeless; some of today’s most popular typefaces have been around since the Renaissance.
Here are the SilverWood Books team’s four golden rules for a professional, elegant book layout.
A great layout… …is readable
There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when creating a readable layout, and a seemingly insignificant change can cause problems that create a barrier between the text and the reader. The eye should be able to move along the line easily with a regular speed and rhythm. Ensuring that the spaces between words are as even as possible and that there is enough space between the lines is vital; poor spacing can create the impression of tightly packed text that is very uncomfortable to read.