File Preparation

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

Diagram showing bleed, trim line, and safe zone on a book cover file

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
The three interior paper options: 70 pound uncoated cream, 80 pound coated white, and 100 pound glossy white

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 read
Laptop showing a book document next to a printed book, with margin and ruler icons for formatting in Microsoft Word

How to format a book in Microsoft Word for printing

A step-by-step guide to setting trim size, mirror margins, fonts, chapter styles, and page numbers in Word, plus a free downloadable 6x9 book template.

8 min read
A sharp high-resolution photo next to a blurry pixelated version of the same image, with a magnifying glass

What is DPI, and what resolution do your images need for printing?

Why your images should be 300 DPI at final print size, why low-resolution images print blurry, how to check your image resolution, and how many pixels 300 DPI needs.

6 min read

Common 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 soon

Other 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