Setup advice for 9.5" x 13" 8 page tabloid using 19" x 13"

[michaeljmann]

Hello I am using 13 x 19 paper to create a 8 page tabloid document (pls correct vernacular if not correct)

I am printing off of Epson ET-15000 (great printer for my purposes).   The final document size once folded is 9.5 x 13  I am printing the full sheets at 13 x 19 than folding them and stapling them in the center by hand.  They are turning out very nicely but it is so cumbersome as I am new to Indesign but am getting along fine adding content, just hoping there is a more efficient way to setup this document.   I am having to flip and turn pages I am sure not the best way to go about this.  Also is a pic of the front page of finished product.  Front page is page 1 and back of document picture is page 8. Hope this makes sense is there a better way to do this?  Thanks so much for any coaching greatl appreciated.

 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'm not quite sure what the question is. The usual way to set up "books" or other spread-output projects is—

• Keep the pages in linear, solo order in the document;
• Export to single pages in a PDF;
• Use Acrobat's booklet printing option to sort the pages into spreads/print order.

(While InDesign has a booklet option, it's... not very good compared to Acrobat's.)

But for short publications, it can be just as easy to do it as you have, with physically ordered spreads, which allow you to bleed content across for headers, footers and the center spread. You just have to manage the content flow and positioning in your head, which doesn't really get difficult until maybe 16 pages. And there's not a lot of value in having page-to-page flows in a newspaper/newsletter/menu layout where everything is little pieces.

So you can do it just like you're doing it, or rearrange it into solo pages and order and use Acrobat to sort and print the booklet layout. Not many third choices and again, for short publications, each method has its advantages.

[michaeljmann]

Thank you kind sir!  I don't plan on going past 8 pages but now that you bring forth the possibility maybe later.  Perhaps this is not a question but a request to affirm I am heading in the right direction.  Many thanks.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Well, you're lucky in that you have not one, but three more or less right roads here, each a matter of slightly different advantages.

[Eugene Tyson]

What part are you finding cumbersome? 

[michaeljmann]

The most cumbersome part is the printing and correctly feeding the pages in the right orientation.  I am not going to be printing a large volume.  I like what Scott advises below

[Scott Falkner]

If this is something you will do often I would create the document normally, with eight pages in order. InDesign lets you place another InDesign file within another, use this to create your imposition document. Make a new four page file 19˝ × 13˝. On the Parent Page make two graphic frames for the pages to be imported. Then place pages 1–8 in the new document to make your imposition. Future prints can be made by relinking to each new document.

[michaeljmann]

Many thanks Scott!