Thanks for this. I wasn't aware of the spreads option when exporting as PDF. I spent an hour trying to come up with solutions before I found this video. Keep up the good work.
This is very nice but a lot of printers actually want a one page file for the cover and spine. Usually they will give you the dimensions they require so they have the appropriate overlap if its a hardcover book plus the amount to allow for the groove. My advice, check with the printer to find out what they would like before setting up your cover/spine file. Voice of experience here.
Greetings from Poland, thanks for the precious advices, I have an additional question, how to define the witdht of the spine ? is there a mathematic formula to estimate for a book content of x pages how should look like the spine mesurement ? thanks Betty :-)
The width of the spine is determined by the number of pages, the weight of the paper being used and printer specification. Your commercial printer will have the specifics you need or if you're using POD, such as KDP or IngramSpark you can google their specs.
You aren't allowed to drag the margins around as far as I'm aware. You can adjust them in File>Document Setup (will change all the pages) or Layout>Margins and Columns (which will allow you to change a single page)
Why would you DESELECT "Allow options to shuffle" if you want to allow options to shuffle??? Also you didn't show how to change the width of the spine (mine is grayed out).
If the pages are allowed to "shuffle," they will remain ONLY in two-page spreads. They will always "shuffle" into a two-page layout. When you disable this, they "stick" and are allowed to put three pages onto one spread. Watch from here to see how I remove the margins and THEN change the spine width: 2:40 - Adding the Spine
I really got to take time and go through your cover video like this. I think the terms just go over my head so I have to zoom in to make sure I'm clicking the exact same and then I will get it. And when I do........ I can showcase my art. I'm a artist trying to step it up. Cover design that's hiding photography that's hiding its really art is stepping it up one way.
For some reason the spine doesn't seem to shrink in size when I change the margins to 0. And I'm unable to make the width adjustment because that area is grayed and won't allow me to. Hmmm...what am I missing here?
The only reason I reduced the Margins to Zero is because InDesign will not allow a Page (or the spine) to become smaller than that Page's Margin. So: (1) Set Middle Page Margin to 0 (2) Use Page Tool to select spine (3) Change Page Width to desired size
I think my photoshop is broken. I don't see an option to add a page. I've been looking for about 20 minutes now. Going through all of the options. I simply can't find it. I'm stuck.
Hello, thank you for amazing video. I'm just a bit confused as when I reduce the width of my spine (the page in the middle), the front and back pages don't come with it. It just sits in the middle with space around it. What am I doing wrong?
Oh my gosh, I've done it -- I didn't have 'facing pages' ticked. I could cry with joy. Thanks again for super tutorial, will watch the rest now it's behaving!
1. Check that you have "Allow Document Pages to Shuffle" UNCHECKED. 2. I have seen an issue happen on some versions of InDesign where it just won't work. InDesign usually needs to be updated in this case.
@@beckysgraphicdesign THANK YOU so much for explaining this. I created my first cover :-). Might you have a video link for inserting multiple pages of a journal into an existing document?
This is great info! Thank you so much! I am actually creating my first book and I have a small technical question for the print version. When it comes to creating the file layouts (covers/spine) and your book content, would these two files be created separately or integrated into one document spread which includes the Back-Spine-Front Covers plus all inside book content (Toc/chapters, etc.)? I would assume separate. Many thanks!!
It depends on your printer. Typically, (like for KDP Amazon), they are going to want the back, spine, and front all together on a single spread, not separate. Your interior file will always be separate from your covers, however. Do not add your covers to the interior file except in the instance that you are selling a digital PDF version of your book.
Apologies if this is a dumb question, but do you have to export the cover separate to the body of your book/magazine? For example if i'm handing off print files to a publisher/printer. Do they require the cover/spine/back cover in one pdf and the entirety of the contents of the book/magazine in another pdf?
YES, the cover file includes just the front, back and spine. The interior file includes everything inside the book. It's not a dumb question - It's an "AHA!" moment :)
@@beckysgraphicdesign Thank you! All those years of stapling zines by hand and I never considering some basic things with pre-press and file exporting. Your video was very helpful. :)
Thanks for this. I wasn't aware of the spreads option when exporting as PDF. I spent an hour trying to come up with solutions before I found this video. Keep up the good work.
Glad it helped!
Just what I needed! Thank you so much for posting this. I'm a subscriber now!
Sweet!
This is perfect and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks! 🎉
You are very welcome!
This is very nice but a lot of printers actually want a one page file for the cover and spine. Usually they will give you the dimensions they require so they have the appropriate overlap if its a hardcover book plus the amount to allow for the groove. My advice, check with the printer to find out what they would like before setting up your cover/spine file. Voice of experience here.
Definitely! And this method makes it easy to add that extra groove space in after the fact, if it comes time to add it in.
One more things that the mighty God bless You
thanks, Becky!
You're welcome!
Greetings from Poland, thanks for the precious advices, I have an additional question, how to define the witdht of the spine ? is there a mathematic formula to estimate for a book content of x pages how should look like the spine mesurement ? thanks Betty :-)
The width of the spine is determined by the number of pages, the weight of the paper being used and printer specification. Your commercial printer will have the specifics you need or if you're using POD, such as KDP or IngramSpark you can google their specs.
Great! Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Hi - how do you show your bounding box handles that allow you to move the margins? I can't find them anywhere - help! (thank you!)
You aren't allowed to drag the margins around as far as I'm aware. You can adjust them in
File>Document Setup (will change all the pages)
or
Layout>Margins and Columns (which will allow you to change a single page)
Why would you DESELECT "Allow options to shuffle" if you want to allow options to shuffle??? Also you didn't show how to change the width of the spine (mine is grayed out).
If the pages are allowed to "shuffle," they will remain ONLY in two-page spreads. They will always "shuffle" into a two-page layout. When you disable this, they "stick" and are allowed to put three pages onto one spread.
Watch from here to see how I remove the margins and THEN change the spine width:
2:40 - Adding the Spine
Thank you! I'm a self-published author whose printer just stopped providing me with templates, and this was very helpful. :)
You're very welcome!
Mam Thanks.. I need some shortcuts way for indesign..
I really got to take time and go through your cover video like this. I think the terms just go over my head so I have to zoom in to make sure I'm clicking the exact same and then I will get it. And when I do........ I can showcase my art. I'm a artist trying to step it up. Cover design that's hiding photography that's hiding its really art is stepping it up one way.
For some reason the spine doesn't seem to shrink in size when I change the margins to 0. And I'm unable to make the width adjustment because that area is grayed and won't allow me to. Hmmm...what am I missing here?
The only reason I reduced the Margins to Zero is because InDesign will not allow a Page (or the spine) to become smaller than that Page's Margin.
So:
(1) Set Middle Page Margin to 0
(2) Use Page Tool to select spine
(3) Change Page Width to desired size
I think my photoshop is broken. I don't see an option to add a page. I've been looking for about 20 minutes now. Going through all of the options. I simply can't find it. I'm stuck.
That's because I'm using INDESIGN, not Photoshop! 😊
That was very helpful. Thanks. :)
Thanks Becky's... Hi from Indonesia
Hello! You're welcome!
Thank you so much. Especially how to export as a spread. I was stuck. This video really helped.
You're very welcome!
Hello, thank you for amazing video. I'm just a bit confused as when I reduce the width of my spine (the page in the middle), the front and back pages don't come with it. It just sits in the middle with space around it. What am I doing wrong?
Oh my gosh, I've done it -- I didn't have 'facing pages' ticked. I could cry with joy. Thanks again for super tutorial, will watch the rest now it's behaving!
Good job! You figured it out!
Kayla, your photo at the bottom of the screen prevents seeing some of things you are selecting.
Oops, sorry. I'll keep that in mind.
Very helpful. Thanks!
You're welcome!
I’m grateful for this up-to-date howto - so many tutorials are _out_-of-date.
You are very welcome!
Thank you for this video!
what excellent explanations! thank you!!
thanks
No problem.
Hi, my second page won't drag to the first page. They remain as two single pages. Can you advise? Thanks so much for this tutorial.
1. Check that you have "Allow Document Pages to Shuffle" UNCHECKED.
2. I have seen an issue happen on some versions of InDesign where it just won't work. InDesign usually needs to be updated in this case.
@@beckysgraphicdesign THANK YOU so much for explaining this. I created my first cover :-). Might you have a video link for inserting multiple pages of a journal into an existing document?
Thank you, Kayla, exactly what I needed. Subscribed!
Glad it was helpful!
This is great info! Thank you so much! I am actually creating my first book and I have a small technical question for the print version. When it comes to creating the file layouts (covers/spine) and your book content, would these two files be created separately or integrated into one document spread which includes the Back-Spine-Front Covers plus all inside book content (Toc/chapters, etc.)? I would assume separate. Many thanks!!
It depends on your printer. Typically, (like for KDP Amazon), they are going to want the back, spine, and front all together on a single spread, not separate.
Your interior file will always be separate from your covers, however. Do not add your covers to the interior file except in the instance that you are selling a digital PDF version of your book.
@@beckysgraphicdesign thank you 😊! Much appreciated.
This was by far the easiest instruction of all that I've been trying to understand.
Thanks so much!
Apologies if this is a dumb question, but do you have to export the cover separate to the body of your book/magazine? For example if i'm handing off print files to a publisher/printer. Do they require the cover/spine/back cover in one pdf and the entirety of the contents of the book/magazine in another pdf?
YES, the cover file includes just the front, back and spine. The interior file includes everything inside the book. It's not a dumb question - It's an "AHA!" moment :)
@@beckysgraphicdesign Thank you! All those years of stapling zines by hand and I never considering some basic things with pre-press and file exporting. Your video was very helpful. :)
Thanks