Poetry Book Layout & Printing
Budget: $750 – $1,500 CAD
I am working on a manuscript of about 40-50 poems that I’m ready to turn into a soft-cover book. The interior must feel clean and contemplative, so every poem should sit in a traditional, left-aligned layout with consistent margins, leading, and stanza breaks. One poem will require a centered, complexly spaced, layout. I already have the front-cover artwork (image); you’ll just need to size it correctly for a perfect-bound wrap (spine width will depend on your final page count).
Here’s what I need from you:
• Interior design for roughly 50–70 pages, including a simple table of contents and a short author’s note.
. Possibly a couple of appendices
• Print-ready PDF files (CMYK, proper bleed, embedded fonts) for both cover and interior that meet the specs of short-run printers such as Ingram Spark, KDP, or any local digital press we choose.
• Guidance—or direct liaison if you’re comfortable—with a printer that can run 50 or fewer copies on quality stock.
• At least one round of revisions after I review the first proof to ensure every line break and page turn feels deliberate.
Experience laying out poetry or other literary projects is a big plus; I’m hoping for someone who understands how white space can serve the text. If you’ve published your own chapbook or formatted books for indie poets before, that background will help us move quickly.
Once we approve the final proof, your job is complete, though I’d love a quick hand-off guide so I can manage any future reprints myself.
Looking forward to seeing samples of similar work and hearing how soon you can start.
Here’s what I need from you:
• Interior design for roughly 50–70 pages, including a simple table of contents and a short author’s note.
. Possibly a couple of appendices
• Print-ready PDF files (CMYK, proper bleed, embedded fonts) for both cover and interior that meet the specs of short-run printers such as Ingram Spark, KDP, or any local digital press we choose.
• Guidance—or direct liaison if you’re comfortable—with a printer that can run 50 or fewer copies on quality stock.
• At least one round of revisions after I review the first proof to ensure every line break and page turn feels deliberate.
Experience laying out poetry or other literary projects is a big plus; I’m hoping for someone who understands how white space can serve the text. If you’ve published your own chapbook or formatted books for indie poets before, that background will help us move quickly.
Once we approve the final proof, your job is complete, though I’d love a quick hand-off guide so I can manage any future reprints myself.
Looking forward to seeing samples of similar work and hearing how soon you can start.