Tips To Keep in Mind While Format Your Book
Although you put many late nights into writing your book, your effort doesn't end there.
Now that your book has been polished, you can either send it to literary agents or, as more and more individuals are doing these days, go directly to self-publication. Either way, you'll want to ensure your book is formatted correctly so the person who reads it after you doesn't find it awkward.
Think about reading a classic like The Great Gatsby or The God of Small Things with the margins off-center and the fonts changed. Those mistakes would certainly be off-putting. We've compiled some formatting and layout suggestions to assist you in polishing your book as you work on creating your masterpiece.
Basic format
Font
Make sure your book's font is straightforward and unified unless you're creating a children's book and wish to use a whimsical style. We advise selecting a good serif font like Times New Roman or Courier New (or an equivalent).
Color
We recommend sticking with black text throughout the book because other colors can distract the reader from the story's true emotional impact.
Font size
To make your writing easy on the eyes and non-distracting for your reader, keep the font size constant—ideally 12pt. Chapter titles may be a little larger, but we don't advise going past 16–20 points.
Margin
The columns of whitespace, known as margins, are located between the text and the page's edge. Margins also aid in guiding the reader's gaze. A line with too many words would need a longer, more continuous movement, which might be uncomfortable for some readers. It is best to allow an even 1-1.4 inch spacing on all four corners of your material.
Frontpage Title
The most important component of your book is its title. Have you ever visited a bookstore to purchase a book but are having trouble recalling the title? Similar to trying to find a needle in a haystack. Make your title distinctive, enduring, and pertinent to your plot to prevent readers from blanking out at the bookshop or library. To draw the reader's attention, format your book so that the title appears exactly in the middle of the first page.
