We’ll walk you through the steps to format your Word document for printing a book that is a 5.8” x 8.3” finished size on a Mac, or a 5.5” x 8.5” finished size on a PC. Editor’s note: This tutorial uses settings and options from the latest version of Microsoft Word, for Mac or a PC. Easiest option for Windows: Right-click the.ttf or.otf file and select Install. Next easiest: Go to Start Control Panel Fonts. In another window, drag the.ttf or.otf file into the font folder you just opened. For Word for Mac, double-click the font file to open a preview Install Font. Scan your existing letterhead. The scan should be of a fairly high quality, but it does not have to be super quality. Save the scanned letterhead in a picture format. I saved mine as a.jpg file, but other formats, such as.gif,.tiff,.jpeg, etc. Will work equally well. Create your Word document as you normally would. Vellum will open the Word document, analyze it to find title information and chapters, and then convert it into Vellum’s native format. Tip You can also import this or any Microsoft Word document (with a.docx extension) directly from Vellum’s File menu, or by dropping it onto the Vellum flower icon in your dock.
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In this tutorial you will use Vellum to create a great-looking book. You will start with a prepared manuscript and finish ready to generate files for each major book platform and for print. We’ve provided starting materials and will guide you through each step. By the end, you should have an understanding of Vellum and how it can be used to easily create beautiful books.
Download Vellum
If you haven’t already done so, download and install Vellum.
This is the full version of Vellum, which you will use to run through this Tutorial. You can also use it to format your own manuscript. A purchase is only necessary when you are ready to generate your books.
Download Sample Material
You’ll be creating a book from the classic H. G. Wells novella, The Invisible Man. We’ve prepared a Microsoft Word version of the text and an image to use for the ebook cover. Click the link below to download these sample materials:
The downloaded package should appear in your Downloads folder. Find the downloaded folder, which you’ll need for the next step.
Import the Manuscript
To import the text from The Invisible Man into Vellum:
- Start Vellum
- Press Import Word File…
- Locate The Invisible Man.docx in the Vellum Sample Documents folder and press Import
Vellum will open the Word document, analyze it to find title information and chapters, and then convert it into Vellum’s native format.
Tip
You can also import this or any Microsoft Word document (with a .docx extension) directly from Vellum’s File menu, or by dropping it onto the Vellum flower icon in your dock.
Note: Before importing your own manuscript, we suggest reading Importing into Vellum for tips about how best to format for Vellum.
Browse Your Book
After successfully importing the manuscript, you should see the book in Vellum.
Vellum divides your book into chapters, which are listed in the Navigator.
Click through the chapters in the Navigator. When you select a chapter in the Navigator, its content is shown in the Text Editor.
Save the Vellum File
Even though Vellum will auto-save your document, it’s good to get into the habit of saving your changes. Use Vellum’s File > Save menu item to create your first Vellum file.
Whenever you use Save, Vellum will save the changes you’ve made to your book’s content, as well as the style choices you have made.
Choose a Book Style
With the contents of your book in place, you’ll now take a look at Styles and see how Vellum combines quality typography and custom fonts and flourishes to create an attractive book.
At the top of the Navigator, click the Styles button:
The Navigator now displays the styles that can be applied to your book. The Book Style — a coordinated set of style attributes — is currently selected. To its right, the Style Carousel displays options for each kind of style.
Click on the pages of the Style Carousel to see the possible styles:
Tip
You can also move through the carousel by swiping on a multitouch trackpad or by using the left- and right-arrow keys.
Select the Oxford book style:
Word For Mac Import Style Into Existing Document Format
The Oxford book style combines historic fonts and ornaments for a “classic” look. A book style affects the title page, chapter headings, and important sections of your book. You can view these details and customize them by clicking on the other entries in the Navigator.
In the Navigator, select Heading to change the carousel to show styles for chapter headings.
Now as you navigate through the carousel, you’ll see variants on the Oxford theme. Select the heading variant you like best.
You can experiment with styles as you are writing, or come back and change your mind after you’ve proofed your book. More information about styles can be found in Apply Styles to Your Book.
Extra Credit
Maybe 17th century typefaces aren’t your thing. Return to Book Style and select something more modern. See how that affects options for Heading and other feature styles, like Ornamental Break.
Add Front and Back Matter
The manuscript for The Invisible Man contains only the content of the novel. However, a finished book should include front and back matter as well. Next, you will add a Copyright and About the Author page.
First, switch the Navigator to Contents. Use the Chapter menu to add a Copyright and About the Author element.
You can add a variety of elements using this menu. Want to add several at once? Use Add Multiple Elements instead.
Extra Credit
Edit the text of the About the Author page to add a short biography of H. G. Wells. Be sure to include a link to his Twitter account!
Add a Cover Image
Next, we’ll assign an image to use for the cover of your ebooks. To add a cover:
- Select the book title — The Invisible Man — from the Contents Navigator. This will show you the title and author information for the book.
- Now click on the Ebook Cover button to inspect the cover.
- Click on the plus that appears when your mouse is over the cover.
- Select the cover image that you downloaded above.
Vellum assigns the cover image to your book and shows you if it satisfies size criteria for ebook stores. In this case, you will see that the image is large enough for all book platforms. More details can be found in Ebook Cover Image.
Extra Credit
In the Preview, you’ll see how the cover image will be presented to your reader. Switch to an eInk device (like Kindle Paperwhite) to see how the cover image will appear on an eInk screen.
Preview Your Book
After you’ve imported your manuscript, picked your style options, and added your desired front and back matter, you can use Vellum’s live Preview to view your book on a variety of devices. Use the Device popup to switch between them.
Congratulations
You’ve finished the tutorial. If your name is H. G. Wells, you are poised to become a self-publishing sensation!
What’s Next
When you’re happy with how your book looks, the only remaining steps are to generate your books, and upload them to online retailers.
Book generation requires the purchase of a Vellum package. When you are ready to buy, press the Purchase button in Vellum’s toolbar.
If you have any questions, please see our Purchasing FAQ, which answers the most common ones.
Enjoy using Vellum!
Related Pages
Recover Word Document For Mac
Downloading Documents
You should find the Sample Documents in your Downloads folder.
If you’re a writer, you’re probably no stranger to Microsoft Word. But when it comes to self-publishing, you may not know how to format your Word document for book printing.
We’ll walk you through the steps to format your Word document for printing a book that is a 5.8” x 8.3” finished size on a Mac, or a 5.5” x 8.5” finished size on a PC.
Editor’s note: This tutorial uses settings and options from the latest version of Microsoft Word, for Mac or a PC. If you’re operating on an older version, some of the prompts may be slightly different from what you see below.
Getting Your Document Started
When you originally typed your manuscript, you more than likely opened a blank Word document and went full steam ahead.
Whether this is the case or you have yet to get started, you’ll need to open a brand-new Word document that you can copy and paste your text into for the best formatting results.
Create A Document On Mac
1. Create a New Document, and Click ‘Layout’
Mac:
PC:
2. Click on ‘Size’ and choose 5.83 x 8.26 inches for Macs. For a PC, you can set a custom size. 5.5 x 8.5 is a common book printing choice that is easy to work with.
Mac:
PC:
3. Next, click the ‘Margins’ tab, click ‘Custom Margins’ at the bottom of the options, and change Top, Bottom, Left and Right margins to 0.75”.
Mac:
PC:
It is important to note that there’s flexibility in these values. If you want larger or smaller margins on the left and right, that’s okay. We recommend never making the left or right margins smaller than a half-inch, as text can get lost in the spine of the book after it’s bound.
Additionally, depending on what you have in your headers and footers, you may want to make your top and bottom margins larger or smaller.
If you’re going to have the title of your book in the header, your margin size defines how much room you have for the title. The same rule applies for your page numbers if they’re in the footer.
Headers and Footers
As previously mentioned, the margin sizes you assign to the top and bottom of your document defines the amount of space you will have to place running title headers or page numbers.
Here’s how to properly format your headers and footers on a Microsoft document before printing, for both a Mac and PC:
1. Under the ‘Insert’ tab, select the ‘Header’ menu and click on ‘Edit Header.’
2. Enter the title of your book or whatever text you would like to appear at the top of your pages.
3. From this same screen, you can also edit your footer, where you’ll probably place your page numbers.
There is no exact way to modify your headers and footers, it’s your choice to design them as you see fit for your book.
Create and Print
Your document is now prepared to either paste text from an existing Word document, or you can begin typing your manuscript.
If you have problems or questions throughout the formatting or uploading process, let us know. Feel free to call us anytime and ask to speak with one of our designers, or email us at [email protected] help you work through any issues you may run across during your manuscript design process.
When your book is ready to print, you can upload your file and receive a free quote based on your book’s size, amount of copies you’d like to print, and paper and binding options.