DEMO: Printing and/or photocopying
Cool, you're ready to go forth and multiply.
As you've probably realized, once you've got your layout done, the rest is a relative breeze. You'll have finished books in hand in no time.
This demo will discuss your two basic reproduction options: printing all originals, or photocopying from a single original. As before, I've geared the demo toward MSWord. For those of you using Windows-based PCs, your menus will look a bit different than the ones on my Mac.
You will need:
* Your layout document on your computer
* Your printer
* Plain paper (to test and to make your original for photocopying)
* And a photocopier (unless you are printing each copy)
* Your interior paper stock
Coverting your layout to a PDF (optional)
This step is optional, but I recommend it because making your layout a PDF locks your formatting, page setup, and fonts into place, and that means you can print your books from any computer with the same perfect results. Printing from a PDF also provides insurance against accidental nudging and reflow. Most newer versions of MSWord have PDF capability built-in to the Print menu. (If your version does not, I'm happy to create a PDF for you.) On the other hand, once you make a PDF you cannot edit your text, so make sure things are exactly as you want them.
1. Open your layout document on your computer. Under File, select Print. From the Print menu, click the Save As PDF button. Note: If you have blank spreads in your layout document, you should choose "Create Blank Spreads" from the Options menu as well.
2. In the Save popup window, change the three-letter extension from .doc to .pdf.
3. (This extension helps your computer identify the document type.) Click Save. Close your layout document. Open your new PDF.
Printing your PDF: First pass
4. With your new PDF document open, under File select Print. In the Print menu, select Paper Handling. Click the radial button (that's what those little dots are called) for Odd Pages.
5. Now select Copies & Pages. Enter the number of copies you want. (You might wanna test the process first with just 1, and if you're photocopying obviously you just need 1. Tip: If you're priting a large number of copies, I suggest breaking into more managable smaller batches of 10 or 15 at a time.) Click the radial button for Collated. Note: If you are printing multiple copies but do not click collated, your spreads will have to be hand-collated after you've printed both sides--a needless pain.
6. Make sure the printer is loaded with your interior paper stock if you're printing each copy, or plain paper if you're going to photocopy this original onto your stock later. Click Print. You've just printed [X] copies of the FRONT sides of your spreads. Now you're ready to print the back sides.
Printing your PDF: Second pass
7. You're going to repeat the steps above, basically, but with a few key differences. First, before you remove the spread you just printed from the output tray, note their orientation. Does the top of each spread face the left or right? Are the spreads face-down or face-up? (Different printers do different things.)
8. Now, flip your spreads over, but make sure the text is oriented the same way as it was before the flip. If you get this wrong, the backs of your spreads will print upside down. Load your flipped spreads into the paper tray (and take out any blank sheets still in there).
9. You're ready to print the Even Pages of your PDF. So with your PDF open on your computer, under File, select Print and click the radial button for Even Pages, as you did for Odd Pages the first time. YOU MUST ALSO click the check box for Reverse Page Order. (Some printers print in reverse page order by default. If yours is one of them, then UNCHECK the Reverse Page Order box now.)
10. Select Copies & Pages (just like before) and enter X number of copies (same as before) and click the radial button for Collated. Click Print.
11. If you've done these steps correctly, you should now have X copies of your booklet spreads, printed double-sided. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time, and be sure to watch for misfeeds, etc. I screw up at LEAST once every time I print a new book. I ruined 13 copies of the last one. Sheesh.
If you've printing all orginals, that's it! You're ready to print your covers and bind the things. But if you're photocopying...
Photocopying your original
12. You now have a double-sided original. Print a couple of these--just in case something goes awry on the photocopier and one gets mangled in the autofeed.
13. If you're using a copyshop repro service, give them your original (and your back ups) and ask for X number of double-sided copies of your double-sided original, collated, on your interior stock (or choose one of their paper stock options).
14. If you're DIYing your photocopies on a self-serve or office machine, you're going to load the photocopier with your paper stock, select 2-sided original to 2-sided copy (machines may vary), select X number of copies, select collated (important, unless you want to have to do it all by hand later!), and either use the autofeeder for your originals (recommended, if available) or manually place each spread front, then back, next spread front, then back...on the glass. Ready, set, go.
It will probably take you at least one or two tries, particularly if you're using unfamiliar machines. And there's always a chance of a misfeed or other mishap. So make sure you have extra paper (if you're using special paper).
As you've probably realized, once you've got your layout done, the rest is a relative breeze. You'll have finished books in hand in no time.
This demo will discuss your two basic reproduction options: printing all originals, or photocopying from a single original. As before, I've geared the demo toward MSWord. For those of you using Windows-based PCs, your menus will look a bit different than the ones on my Mac.
You will need:
* Your layout document on your computer
* Your printer
* Plain paper (to test and to make your original for photocopying)
* And a photocopier (unless you are printing each copy)
* Your interior paper stock
Coverting your layout to a PDF (optional)
This step is optional, but I recommend it because making your layout a PDF locks your formatting, page setup, and fonts into place, and that means you can print your books from any computer with the same perfect results. Printing from a PDF also provides insurance against accidental nudging and reflow. Most newer versions of MSWord have PDF capability built-in to the Print menu. (If your version does not, I'm happy to create a PDF for you.) On the other hand, once you make a PDF you cannot edit your text, so make sure things are exactly as you want them.
1. Open your layout document on your computer. Under File, select Print. From the Print menu, click the Save As PDF button. Note: If you have blank spreads in your layout document, you should choose "Create Blank Spreads" from the Options menu as well.
2. In the Save popup window, change the three-letter extension from .doc to .pdf.
3. (This extension helps your computer identify the document type.) Click Save. Close your layout document. Open your new PDF.
Printing your PDF: First pass
4. With your new PDF document open, under File select Print. In the Print menu, select Paper Handling. Click the radial button (that's what those little dots are called) for Odd Pages.
5. Now select Copies & Pages. Enter the number of copies you want. (You might wanna test the process first with just 1, and if you're photocopying obviously you just need 1. Tip: If you're priting a large number of copies, I suggest breaking into more managable smaller batches of 10 or 15 at a time.) Click the radial button for Collated. Note: If you are printing multiple copies but do not click collated, your spreads will have to be hand-collated after you've printed both sides--a needless pain.
6. Make sure the printer is loaded with your interior paper stock if you're printing each copy, or plain paper if you're going to photocopy this original onto your stock later. Click Print. You've just printed [X] copies of the FRONT sides of your spreads. Now you're ready to print the back sides.
Printing your PDF: Second pass
7. You're going to repeat the steps above, basically, but with a few key differences. First, before you remove the spread you just printed from the output tray, note their orientation. Does the top of each spread face the left or right? Are the spreads face-down or face-up? (Different printers do different things.)
8. Now, flip your spreads over, but make sure the text is oriented the same way as it was before the flip. If you get this wrong, the backs of your spreads will print upside down. Load your flipped spreads into the paper tray (and take out any blank sheets still in there).
9. You're ready to print the Even Pages of your PDF. So with your PDF open on your computer, under File, select Print and click the radial button for Even Pages, as you did for Odd Pages the first time. YOU MUST ALSO click the check box for Reverse Page Order. (Some printers print in reverse page order by default. If yours is one of them, then UNCHECK the Reverse Page Order box now.)
10. Select Copies & Pages (just like before) and enter X number of copies (same as before) and click the radial button for Collated. Click Print.
11. If you've done these steps correctly, you should now have X copies of your booklet spreads, printed double-sided. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time, and be sure to watch for misfeeds, etc. I screw up at LEAST once every time I print a new book. I ruined 13 copies of the last one. Sheesh.
If you've printing all orginals, that's it! You're ready to print your covers and bind the things. But if you're photocopying...
Photocopying your original
12. You now have a double-sided original. Print a couple of these--just in case something goes awry on the photocopier and one gets mangled in the autofeed.
13. If you're using a copyshop repro service, give them your original (and your back ups) and ask for X number of double-sided copies of your double-sided original, collated, on your interior stock (or choose one of their paper stock options).
14. If you're DIYing your photocopies on a self-serve or office machine, you're going to load the photocopier with your paper stock, select 2-sided original to 2-sided copy (machines may vary), select X number of copies, select collated (important, unless you want to have to do it all by hand later!), and either use the autofeeder for your originals (recommended, if available) or manually place each spread front, then back, next spread front, then back...on the glass. Ready, set, go.
It will probably take you at least one or two tries, particularly if you're using unfamiliar machines. And there's always a chance of a misfeed or other mishap. So make sure you have extra paper (if you're using special paper).
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