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Participant
November 17, 2017
Question

How to create a perfect bound A4 magazine?

  • November 17, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 2013 views

Hi all,

I'm a self taught InDesign gal so I am not all that clever with it...

I am creating a magazine and I have already done heaps of it in InDesign (CC 2018). It's A4, 66 page + cover and intended to be perfect bound.

I'm trying to figure out how to create a spine for it but I'm worried I may have had to do all this at the beginning...

Basically all I have done so far is the content for the mag, with the layout just being the "book" preset size A4.

If somebody could tell me what to do in basic language (still learning!!) that would be awesome.

Thanks!

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    3 replies

    Community Expert
    November 17, 2017

    https://indesignsecrets.com/indesign-secrets-video-laying-book-cover.php

    This show how to do this .

    Wehn you make your magazine remove the pages for the cover and send that to the printers.

    Send the cover spearately

    You will also require 2 additional pages as your magazine needs to be in multiple of 4's.

    It needs to be 64 pages or 68 pages - regardless - 66 pages will leave blanks.

    Legend
    November 17, 2017

    Will your magazine be printed by a commercial printer, or were you planning to do this on a network printer/copier? If it's being done by a commercial printer, you should start talking to them now (if you haven't done so already). They can tell you what they need. They might want you to make the front and back covers as separate pages, and the spine as a third, for them to assemble. They might also ask you to make one document the width of both covers and the spine, but either way, they will need to tell you what size the spine needs to be. That will be based on the type of paper chosen (different stocks will be of different thicknesses).

    Also, ask them about the page count. Most books are done with page counts that are divisible by 4 for production reasons. If your 66-pg book needs two pages added to complete a signature, you would be the best person to decide whether you want additional content on those pages, or if you would prefer blank pages, you can decide where they go. But that might not be an issue, so asking early is better than finding out at the end.

    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    November 17, 2017

    When you create a new file check the Facing Pages Options.

    Later you can change it in File > Document Set up …