How do i set up an A5 novel?

(Briefly) Set up your A5 document (margins etc) ensure you have Facing Pages and Primary Text Frame ticked (don't add the number of pages, leave them as 1. Then Place your World document (assuming it’s a simple document with Styles for the text and the Chapter headings) with Shift selected. It will create the number of pages needed and fill them with the text. Then create a Paragraph Style for the basic text (Font, Size and Leading, alignment – usually Justified for a novel.) and Styles for larger fonts for the Chapter headings and Prelims. Look up online things like Baseline Shift (to align the text) and how to create Running headings from the Chapter names and so on. If the novel is to be printed, then produce a separate document of the cover as it will be printed presumably in colour and on card.

Discuss with your printer what kind of PDF they want, normally PDF/X-1 or PDF/X-4

Make sure you save your document with incrementally names, so you can go back to a previous version if you mess the current document  up! 

 

Just to make sure: In general, do you have any experience working with InDesign, or is it the first time you attempt to use it?