printing a zine

[bartonlew]

Based on a few posts using "printing a zine" search terms, I'm asssuming what I'm about to ask is impossible.  I created a zine ujsing a document size of Letter - Half, so I could print out my 36 page document on 18 sheets and run them through the printer twice (once for each side - I'm doing this at home).  Is there a way for Indesign to format the zine so that it prints out in the order that results in the pages I need for assembling the book - at least as per the facing pages?  If not, what should I do to achieve that?  Thanks.  

[James Gifford—NitroPress · Accepted solution]

In printing (commercially), it's called imposition — putting individual pages on the big press sheets so that they can be cut down, stacked and folded into reading order.

In the small-scale world, it's called "booklet printing" or "printing in booklet order." Between InDesign and Acrobat, there are a couple of ways to do this.

First, for both types (commercial and small-scale), you keep your document pages single and in order. You DON'T have to rearrange them in the document. (There have been a lot of confused discussions about this lately.)

From within InDesign, you want the File | Print Booklet menu. If you export to PDF, you want File | Print and select the Booklet page option. Generally, the export to PDF and print from there is preferred for a number of reasons (InDesign doesn't always handle complex printing, directly, very well).

Look those over and ask any further questions as you need. I'm not an authority on booklet printing but others here know it very well.

[bartonlew]

Thank you!  I exported to PDF as advised and chose the Print>Booklet option.  The only thing I had not thought through was having some pages as "spreads," with a wide image printed across both sides of the booklet (see screenshot).  Although I have not actually printed yet, I'm guessing this may not look smooth as the 2 halves are not on the same piece of paper.  I guess this is not done in zines much or is there some workaround which permits a seamless image?  Thanks again, James, Bob, Luke, and Adobe!

[Luke Jennings3]

A cross-over spread is best placed in the center of the book or the front & back cover, if possible. Expect paper movement in a home printer, so it's probably best to avoid cross-over pages anywhere else. A commercial printer will have better control over page registration, binding and creep.

[rob day]

or is there some workaround which permits a seamless image? 

Without a duplex printer, getting the printer spreads to backup to each other in register will be a challenge even for pages with no crossovers.

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-laserjet-pro-m501dn?&a=1

[BobLevine]

My recommended method for doing this in house is to export a proper PDF and use Acrobat's booklet feature to print it. If it's being sent out, talk to the printer but if they want it imposed, talk to a different printer.

[defaultvcqrj6ylzin8]

My problem is that when I try and use the feature you mentioned, it displays the first page correctly but after that it turns my spreads sideways so on each side of paper there are 4 pages rather than 2 pages printed per side.

[Luke Jennings3]

In addition to the good information above, you will only need 9 sheets of paper (2 pages front, 2 pages back).

Export to a single page pdf (not spread) without bleed or marks and print to booklet from Acrobat (File> Print> Page Sizing & Handling> Booklet), Acrobat assumes your first page is the front cover*. If you need bleed and are planning to trim the sheets after printing, see this post: 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/booklet-and-bleed/m-p/9737476#M93854

*if your InDesign file has the back cover as the first page, you can move the page to the end of the pdf in Acrobat before printing, instead of moving the page in InDesign.