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Post by hindssm on Dec 7, 2023 2:22:52 GMT
Hello!
I feel like this should be an easy question to answer but I haven't found a straightforward one.
When I am looking at my preview of my interior for a book on Lulu, am I trying to keep everything inside the blue transparent margin? Will any of the blue margin be cut out? What can I do to fix my pdf if my pages extend to the edges of the blue margin?
Sorry if this is an amateur question.
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davidatthegrove
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Post by davidatthegrove on Dec 7, 2023 17:03:11 GMT
Welcome, hindssm ! I think what you're referring to is the "gutter". I've found that having print inside the gutter area isn't a problem, unless your book has a lot of pages. Then, it may become difficult to read that text inside the gutter area when it's close to the spine (you'll have to fold back the spine further to see it). If you check out Lulu's "book creation guide", here: www.lulu.com/publishing-toolkit they discuss this on pages 9 and 10. Follow the info in their guide (coming from the "horse's mouth" so to speak) and you should be fine. Have fun! ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 8, 2023 0:20:28 GMT
Normally the text will only stay inside the margin, otherwise the margin is pointless. A gutter is sort of a margin extension on the side that will be bound. It's a good idea to add one no matter how many pages there are because a small amount of each page will be used to create the bind. As David suggests, the more pages there are, the greater the gutter should be. Be generous with margins because there may be trimming involved during printing/binding. But as always, if you have not done formatting before, a Proof is always how to see how it will be, then adjustments can be made before you set it free on the world.
But, it actually sounds as if you are describing a marker for the edge of pages.
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Post by hindssm on Dec 9, 2023 2:15:08 GMT
For instance, this image shows that my text and images are well in the blue "margin" (what Lulu is calling a margin). Will 'some' of it be cut; all of it? I am unsure. ![](https://i.imgur.com/DKj4Kep.png)
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Post by BlueAndGold on Dec 9, 2023 14:31:24 GMT
It's been a while since I've seen Lulu's layout tool, but I'm pretty sure letting any of your content fall under any colored area is a bad thing.
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davidatthegrove
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Post by davidatthegrove on Dec 9, 2023 16:34:32 GMT
For instance, this image shows that my text and images are well in the blue "margin" (what Lulu is calling a margin). Will 'some' of it be cut; all of it? I am unsure. Well, I'd say that in this example, your paragraphs will probably be okay, but that table could get cropped and if not cropped, it would be difficult to read the column next to the spine. Some "creep" into the margin usually hasn't been a problem for me so far, but it is better if you can avoid it altogether. From what I understand, that outside white border you see in your example is the allowance given to the printers when trimming the pages. But you still have to account for the gutter. As And still Kevin 2024 suggests, you can always try it and then order yourself a proof copy to see how it looks.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Dec 9, 2023 19:45:54 GMT
You likely want to have anything to be printed within the white-zone.
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 10, 2023 1:13:01 GMT
What have you created the original pages in? If it's something like Word then nothing would go outside the set margins, except for Headers and Footers.
But I have to be honest, I have no idea what I am looking at from your image. What is that in? The last time I used a Lulu book wizard, I 'simply' created pages in Word as one file, Saved as PDF, uploaded that to the pages section of the Wizard, then Clicked Create. That creates a Print Ready PDF (even if you upload a PDF) and it was possible to Preview it before clicking Next (or whatever).
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 10, 2023 1:21:00 GMT
Would I be right in thinking that the image you have pasted in above is actually the Cover Template?
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Post by hindssm on Dec 11, 2023 1:27:22 GMT
It is the interior according to the previewer on Lulu. I have altered the pdf to fit entirely within the blue margins now; I will see if that looks ok with the printed copy.
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 12, 2023 1:05:29 GMT
It is the interior according to the previewer on Lulu. I have altered the pdf to fit entirely within the blue margins now; I will see if that looks ok with the printed copy. How strange. The original Print Ready Preview simply showed pages as they would look as pages. What is the coloured part for if it is not the preset margins as per the original file? Surely it's not warning 'this may all get slashed off'?!
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 12, 2023 1:07:58 GMT
Well I expect a Proof will show what it is. If you have sized your PDF pages to fit within that blueness then surely plus your own margins the margin gap will be huge.
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Post by hindssm on Dec 12, 2023 13:21:28 GMT
It is the interior according to the previewer on Lulu. I have altered the pdf to fit entirely within the blue margins now; I will see if that looks ok with the printed copy. How strange. The original Print Ready Preview simply showed pages as they would look as pages. What is the coloured part for if it is not the preset margins as per the original file? Surely it's not warning 'this may all get slashed off'?!This is a screenshot of the preview. The "print Ready" look normal. I am worried, as you pointed out, that the margin will be huge because I am fitting it within the blue.
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Post by And still Kevin 2024 on Dec 13, 2023 0:19:40 GMT
Even stranger. What is the point of the preview if it's not WYSIWYG?
BTW. That looks like Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Is that not a TSR copyright? And I think Wizards of the Coast have something to do with it also.
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Post by hindssm on Dec 13, 2023 1:27:09 GMT
Even stranger. What is the point of the preview if it's not WYSIWYG? BTW. That looks like Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Is that not a TSR copyright? And I think Wizards of the Coast have something to do with it also. It is a conversion of AD&D 2e Spelljammer to another game system. I have a different book in production that has all things within the blue margins, I suppose I will report back on my findings when I receive it.
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