Formatting affects reader experience, printing costs, and perceived quality. A well-formatted file reduces rejections, improves readability and avoids extra proofs. This guide focuses on India-friendly defaults for print-on-demand and eBook exports.
1 — Trim sizes (common defaults)
Pick the trim size first — it decides margins, line length and page count.
Most common for novels and trade paperbacks. Recommended margins (for 6x9): inner 0.75" - outer 0.5" - top 0.6" - bottom 0.6" (adjust for page count).
Smaller novels/novellas. Use slightly smaller font and tighter leading.
Larger formats for poetry or illustrated books — check paper & print cost on Pothi.
Use these as starting points. Increase gutter for higher page counts (300+ pages → add 0.12" to inner gutter).
- Body text: 10–12 pt serif for print (e.g., Georgia, Garamond, Merriweather). For paperback aim 11 pt with 1.1–1.25 line-height.
- Headers: Sans-serif or display fonts; keep consistent scale.
- Embed fonts: When exporting PDF, embed fonts to avoid substitution during print.
Use 300 DPI for print images. Convert color images to CMYK only if required by printer; Pothi accepts RGB but check preview. Avoid embedded large PNGs — use optimized JPG where possible.
- Use reflowable text, avoid complex page layouts.
- Use
<h1> <h2>tags or styles for chapter titles — helps eReader navigation. - Include a linked table of contents and clean metadata.
Use this checklist before uploading to Pothi or publishing platforms. (Low-cost or no-cost options covered.)
Export settings — PDF for print
Export a high-quality PDF/X-1a or PDF print-ready file. Embed fonts, set marks & bleeds only if images need them. For Pothi choose PDF; for publishing platforms check their validator preview before finalizing.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| PDF standard | PDF/X-1a or high-quality PDF |
| Color profile | RGB for Pothi (check) / CMYK for some printers |
| Fonts | Embedded, subset (no outline) — include license if needed |
Proofing & test prints
Order a single proof before going live — check margins, gutters, hyphenation and widows/orphans. On Pothi use their preview and order one copy for final verification.
Pro tips & common pitfalls
- Don’t justify small body text with default hyphenation — tweak hyphenation settings for legibility.
- Use paragraph styles, not manual line breaks — makes multi-format export easier.
- Keep front/back matter files separate then merge for final export to reduce mistakes.
Ready to export?
If you want, I can prepare a ready-to-upload PDF template (6x9) with correct margins and paragraph styles — or walk you through step-by-step in your file. Want that?