After spending several hours with a client who was incredibly frustrated and most likely PO’d at me for being the messenger. What she had so carefully structured in her 8 x 11 print out version was most likely NOT going to be the same presentation in the interior design of the finished book. “What you have done was probable fun, but it will be tossed out when your book moves into the layout design with a book designer.”
Here’s the heads up: what you put write, page-by-page in your Word document/pdf may have little to do with what it looks like in the formal book layout. So … unless you are a true DIY practitioner, don’t make yourself crazy in trying to format what you are writing so it looks like pages within a book—it’s a waste of your time.
Make your words sing.
You want to break up your copy—today’s eyes only will take in so many works—give them a break. For nonfiction, use sub-titles to lead into new sections. Use callouts and pullouts—no, don’t box the words for visual change in your Word document as well as to accent major ahas and thoughts. Book designers are skilled in creating page design for today’s reader.
To do this, help the interior designer out … insert a “lead in” to the section/segment that tells the layout person this is special—needs to be handled differently from text.
My style is to write “start box” at the beginning of the special text and then add “end box” at the end. It’s a clear message to the book designer to create a special design around all doesn’t means it’s in a box, just that something will happen around text copy—be consistent and use that type of formatting throughout. Once the designer knows your “signature” his or her journey with you will be so much easier.
If your callouts have special sections that must be contained on a specific page or between paragraphs, the probability of creating “gaps” or “holes” may be created—leaving the preceding or ending page “short.”
For fiction, your breaks can be a Fleuron – a small image to indicate a break, change in POV. I’ve used images generated from the story like, a feather, arrow, even a sword. The read knows that it is a break or segue from the previous text. Adding image pizzazz to individual chapter pages can add a WOW factor.
When your add too many bells and whistles within your original manuscript, a layout nightmare is created, almost requiring a page-by-page tweaking, meaning more costs. Book designers create a template for the book that is customized for you. It will have a consistent feel to it. Just because a word count is the same on a Word document page, doesn’t mean that it will lay down the same in a formal book layout program—breaks, leading between lines, bolding of words/phrases/paragraphs, number of paragraphs, sub-titles, illustrations and callouts, etc., will alter the final lay down. Guaranteed.
Your designer will work with you and recommend a text font to use in the book, as well as title and sub-title font. Remember—eBooks are in their own world with the ability to easily integrate color throughout without the added cost that print color brings … the reader, on the eReader selects the font that she or he wants, as well as the size. That careful layout that you envisioned becomes a fantasy.
Just make your words sing. Let the book designer bring them visually alive.
Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. In 2025, she was named Author Laureate by the American Book Fest.
Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 48 books including Cooking with Judith, Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms, Snappy Sassy Salty: Success for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a Million Dollar Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Historical fiction novels include The Secret Journey, The Secret Hamlet, and The Secret Rise. Collectively, her books have earned over 60 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences.
Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE. The AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Marketing podcast is ranked in the TOP 10 podcasts for book marketing by Mashable and Feedspot.
Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her..
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