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What Type of Paper Should I Use for My Book?

by: JoshuaPrizer
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With hundreds of available paper stocks, the decision of which paper to use for your print run can be overwhelming. Most of all, it's a decision determined by the type of book you are printing. A children's or coffee table book? You'll need a thick glossy sheet to help your color images stand out. A novel? Go cheap.

Let's start by clearing up a point of confusion among many looking to print their first book: the difference between bond and offset paper weights. When you purchase paper for your copy machine or home printer, you'll note paper is listed as something like 20# bond. What that means is that when the paper is manufactured at 17 x 22", 500 sheets of that paper weighs 20 pounds. However, offset paper for printing plants is manufactured in 25 x 38" sheets, which is 2.5 times larger than bond paper. So 500 sheets of that same paper stock now weigh 50 pounds. Thus, 20# bond is the same as 50# offset.

Typically, I would recommend that for a standard book with just black text (no color) and not a lot of images, 50# offset is just fine. If there are a lot of graphics in the book, you might want to bump up to 60# offset to eliminate some see-through from one side of the page to the other.

No matter what, be sure to ask your printer to send you paper samples. There is no substitute for feeling the paper in your hand to make sure your book has the feel you want it to have.

Now let's assume your book is not as simple as a novel or a book with just black text. Maybe your book needs to be printed in full color. If that's the case, you'll want to use a paper stock that highlights the color better than a typical offset sheet. Glossy paper will usually do the trick.

Also, if you are printing in full color, you'll definitely want a thicker paper stock. You don't want any see-through for your color images from one side of the page to another. I usually recommend 80# gloss for most color books. If you want a little thicker, step up to 100# gloss. If you are trying to save cost, drop down to 70# gloss - but never less than that.

I can't say it often enough: No matter which paper stock you think you want, ask your printer for some samples first.

When it comes to cover stock, for a paperback book a 10 pt. C1S cover is standard. However, it is usually very inexpensive to upgrade to a 12 pt. C1S cover. People do judge a book by its cover, so this might be a cost-effective upgrade.

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About the Author

Josh Prizer has worked in the publishing industry for more than a decade and is a book printing expert. For help with childrens book publishing, request his Free 7-Part Mini-Course.  

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