Self-Publishing Tip
At Griffin Press we are asked a lot of questions about paper, after all it’s
the major component of a book!
This section on paper will help you to work out which paper is right for your
book.
At Griffin Press we use papers that are suitable for the production of read
for pleasure books. Our papers have been chosen based on the suitability of
their characteristics for the range of book products that we manufacture. When
we select a paper to be a part of our range, we take into account the price,
availability, guarantee of supply, grain direction, paperweight, bulking (thickness)
and the finishing methods to be used.
The majority of papers purchased by Griffin Press are from European mills
and are purchased on ‘indent’ (an order placed with a paper mill).
Paper can take 8 to 20 weeks to arrive. Griffin Press uses historical information
to pre-order paper while also storing many tonnes of paper in reserve. Our
paper stores are topped up on a regular cycle.
The majority of our papers are also used in Griffin Digital’s book printing
process (for short run printing), this is one of the great benefits of printing
books with Griffin Press. In most cases Griffin Press can give you a book with
the same look and feel whether you are producing ten copies or ten thousand
copies.
Bulky News is the cheapest paper that we use. This grade of paper is best
used in books that do not need halftones or stipples (images). Bulky News is
generally used for mass market paperbacks and, as the name suggests, it is
close to newsprint in appearance.
NB: This is one grade that we do not use in the Griffin Digital process as,
unfortunately, it loses too much moisture during digital printing. The end
result is a book with significant ripples through it as the paper fights with
the glued spine.
Book Creams are (as the name suggests) creamy in colour and best suited to
straight text for fiction novels. These stocks bulk up quite well to provide
a good sized spine for your book. Images can be reproduced on Book
Creams,
but do not achieve the best results (Fine Offset is best for images). A coarse
stipple can be used for chapter headings and other decorative purposes, but
fine detail should be avoided.
Neither Bulky News nor Book Creams should be used where you have a fine serif
in your typeface. There is a tendency for the fine ascenders and descenders
to break up due to the coarse surface of the paper when ink or toner is applied.
Bulky Paperback and Fine Offset are our white papers. Bulky Paperback bulks
up significantly for a low grammage book paper, and it also holds halftones
reasonably well. However, it is not a smooth white, which is why it bulks up
so well. If you are looking for a smoother paper and something that holds images
and the finer details of typefaces or stipples, then Fine Offset is the right
choice of paper.
Fine Offset is a smooth, quality white stock but does not have the same bulking
characteristics as the Bulky Paperback. Fine Offset is typically used for non-fiction
titles where images and line illustrations, etc need to be reproduced within
the body text.
Matt Art and Gloss Arts are used for illustration sections and offer the best
reproduction values for halftones or colour images.
With the exception of the Bulky News, we carry all grades in ranges varying
from 70gsm to 100gsm, so we are sure to have the right stock for your book.
Our sales executives will be able to offer advice on the best stock for your
project.
The thickness of your book (spine width)
If you would like to estimate the spine width of your book based on different
paper stocks, then you can follow the formula and guide below.
NB: This is only a guide and spine widths should always be checked before
you submit the cover files to us.
To calculate the estimated spine width of your book, simply use the following
formula:
Spine = [(Page Extent)/2] x Paper Bulk + 0.5mm, then round up to the nearest
half millimetre.
Standard paper bulks are as follows. These are estimates only, as paper bulking
characteristics can, and do, vary:
Paper Type Bulk (microns)
80gsm Fine Offset 0.100
90gsm Fine Offset 0.111
100gsm Fine Offset 0.120
79gsm Bulky Paperback 0.138
70gsm Creamy 0.140
For example, the spine width of a 280pp book printed on 80gsm Fine Offset
will be (280/2) x 0.100 = 14mm. Add approximately 0.5mm for glue, then round
up to the nearest half millimetre. This gives a total spine width of 15mm.
NB: The spine width calculator is a guide only, and should be used as such.
There is a lot to learn about paper, should you wish to, but there is no need
to get bogged down in the detail. At Griffin Press we have picked a range of
stocks as described above that are suitable to the book industry and our knowledgeable
sales team can assist you in choosing the right stock for your book project.
Previous Self-Publishing Tips:
Self-publishing Tip_Cover Design
If you have any questions feel free to contact one of our Griffin
sales executives.
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