File Preparation Help
Everything you need to know about preparing your book file for printing. From understanding what bleed is, to formatting your interior pages in Word or InDesign, to fixing the most common upload errors.
Why file preparation matters
The quality of your printed book depends heavily on the file you submit. A well-prepared file prints cleanly, looks professional, and avoids costly reprints. A poorly prepared file can result in white edges where there should be bleed, text that gets cut off, color that does not match your screen, or files that fail to upload at all.
Most file preparation issues fall into a few common categories: missing bleed, wrong file format, incorrect color mode, files that are too low resolution, or formatting that does not match your chosen trim size. Each of these is fixable once you know what to look for.
The guides in this section walk you through the most common file preparation topics. If you have a specific question that is not answered here, contact our prepress team for one-on-one help.
Articles in this category
What is bleed in printing, and why does your book file need it?
Bleed is the area of artwork that extends past the trim line of your printed page. Learn what bleed is, why it matters, the standard amount we require, and how to add bleed in InDesign, Canva, and other software.
5 min read
What paper weight should you choose for your book?
A guide to choosing the right interior paper for your book, from 70# uncoated cream for novels to 100# glossy white for photo books, plus how your color choice affects paper options.
6 min readCommon book file upload errors and how to fix them
Why your upload might be failing and how to fix the most common issues, including file size limits, format problems, and browser-specific bugs.
Coming soonHow to format your book interior in Microsoft Word for printing
Step-by-step guide to setting up page size, margins, mirror margins, page numbers, headers, and exporting a print-ready PDF from Microsoft Word.
Coming soonOther help categories
More categories coming soon as we expand the help center.
Still have a file preparation question?
Our prepress team reviews every file before printing and is happy to answer specific questions about your project. Contact us before placing your order and we'll help you get your file print-ready.
Contact our prepress team