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Imagine your book

Say what kind of book you are making, how it will be read and what matters most to you. You get a starting point, drawn from the advice IN TEMPO has published: a trim size, a paper, a binding, a cover. You then send it as a quote request, and you can change anything first.

Already know your trim size, your paper, your print run? I already have my specs

What kind of book are you making?
How will it be read?

One answer. It changes the starting point where IN TEMPO has written about that use.

You settle in with it
Looked up, come back to
Leafed through, shown
In a bag, in a pocket
Kept and passed on
What matters most?

Two choices at most.

The paper, the touch, the object
It holds, read again and lent
Nothing superfluous
The paper, the printing, the run
A fair, an anniversary, a publication

Your starting point

A pocket paperback

  • Trim size: 10.8 × 17.8 cm

    Why: 10.8 × 17.8 cm for pocket paperbacks.1

  • Paper: Wood-containing paper, 49 or 52 gsm

    Why: For pocket paperbacks, most publishers use wood-containing papers in low weights such as 49 or 52 gsm.1

  • Binding: Perfect bound

    Why: It has to be said that, with the progress made in glues, most of the books you will find in a bookshop are perfect bound.1

A novel, an essay, a biography, poetry

  • Trim size: 14.8 × 21 cm, or 14 × 19 cm

    Why: 14.8 × 21 cm for novels and essays (our own favourite is 14 × 19 cm).1

  • Paper: White or cream high-bulk paper, 70, 80 or 90 gsm

    Why: Novels, biographies, essays and poetry go rather on white or cream high-bulk paper at 70, 80 or 90 gsm, with a bulk between 1.5 and 2.1

  • Binding: Perfect bound

    Why: It has to be said that, with the progress made in glues, most of the books you will find in a bookshop are perfect bound.1

  • Cover: Paperback, with flaps if you wish

    Why: On the covers of paperbacks, perfect bound or sewn, you can also choose handsome flaps1

A technical, practical or school book

  • Trim size: 16 × 24 or 17 × 25 cm

    Why: 16 × 24 or 17 × 25 cm for technical books.1

  • Paper: White offset paper, 80 or 90 gsm, 90 for more opacity

    Why: Technical books, practical guides and even school books are usually printed on white offset paper at 80 or 90 gsm. They often carry illustrations, drawings, diagrams and a second colour, so 90 gsm is better, for more opacity.1

  • Binding: Perfect bound

    Why: It has to be said that, with the progress made in glues, most of the books you will find in a bookshop are perfect bound.1

  • Cover: Paperback, with flaps if you wish

    Why: On the covers of paperbacks, perfect bound or sewn, you can also choose handsome flaps1

An art book, a photo book, a cookbook

  • Trim size: 22 × 28 or 24 × 30 cm

    Why: 22 × 28 cm or 24 × 30 cm for art books and books of photographs.1

  • Paper: Gloss, silk or matt coated paper, or offset paper

    Why: Art books and books of photographs go on gloss, silk or matt coated paper. At IN TEMPO, we love cookbooks and photo books printed on offset paper! Less bright, admittedly, but more on trend.1

  • Binding: Hardback, square or rounded spine

    Why: Hardback binding, with a square or rounded spine, 2.4 mm (24/10) boards or Intégra binding, for dictionaries, art books and so on.1

  • Cover: A dust jacket if you wish

    Why: A dust jacket can be added as well.1

Something else

For this one there is no ready-made starting point: describe it in the message and we will talk it through.

By how it will be read

Open on a table

  • Binding: Hardback, square or rounded spine

    Why: Hardback binding, with a square or rounded spine, 2.4 mm (24/10) boards or Intégra binding, for dictionaries, art books and so on.1

  • Cover: A dust jacket if you wish

    Why: A dust jacket can be added as well.1

Carried everywhere

  • Binding: Perfect bound with hot-melt or PUR glue

    Why: Hot-melt and PUR glues are very strong, even for daily handling.1

  • Cover: Paperback, with flaps if you wish

    Why: On the covers of paperbacks, perfect bound or sewn, you can also choose handsome flaps1

Kept, handed down

  • Binding: Sewn binding

    Why: Sewing is still the strongest way to bind a paperback, but it costs more, because many printers cannot sew when they print digitally.1

  • Cover: Paperback, with flaps if you wish

    Why: On the covers of paperbacks, perfect bound or sewn, you can also choose handsome flaps1

By what matters most

The feel in the hand

  • Finishes: Foil stamping, embossing or debossing

    Why: A little more complex and more expensive: foil stamping, embossing or debossing.1

Lasting

  • Binding: Sewn binding

    Why: Sewing is still the strongest way to bind a paperback, but it costs more, because many printers cannot sew when they print digitally.1

  • Cover: Paperback, with flaps if you wish

    Why: On the covers of paperbacks, perfect bound or sewn, you can also choose handsome flaps1

The cost per copy

  • Trim size: A standard trim size

    Why: To keep costs down and to be able to approach a large number of printers, stick to the standard sizes.1

  • Page count: A page count that comes out even in sections

    Why: The book is put together section by section, sewn or glued; a page count that does not come out even leaves blank pages at the end, or calls for a section of another size.2

The carbon footprint

  • Printing: Offset or digital, depending on the print run

    Why: Digital printing generally emits less on a short run: offset requires plates and make-ready sheets.3

Sources

  1. How to choose the trim size, paper and binding of your book
  2. Section
  3. Carbon footprint of a book

Our work of this kind

Each cover is drawn to the scale of its finished size, beside the others. Choose a book to see its specification.

A pocket paperback

A novel, an essay, a biography, poetry

Exploser tout bas

Specification

  • Trim size: 12.7 x 21.6 cm
  • Interior: black both sides on Munken Print Cream, 80 gsm
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: full colour outside, matt lamination outside, single-sided board, 240 gsm
See the details: Exploser tout bas
Herbier du souvenir

Specification

  • Trim size: 12.7 x 21.6 cm
  • Interior: black both sides
  • Paper: Holmen Book Cream 80 g
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: full colour outside
See the details: Herbier du souvenir
Journal en souffrance

Specification

  • Trim size: 15 x 20 cm
  • Extent: 144 pages in black both sides
  • Paper: Clairbook Ivoire 80 g
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: full colour outside on Invercote PEFC
See the details: Journal en souffrance
Jours de gloire

Specification

  • Trim size: 14 x 20.5 cm
  • Interior: black both sides on Holmen Book Cream, 80 gsm
  • Cover: full colour + gloss lamination outside on single-sided board, 280 gsm
  • Binding: perfect binding
See the details: Jours de gloire
Les Fantômes de Gaza

Specification

  • Trim size: 12 x 19 cm
  • Interior: black both sides - Holmen Book Cream 80 g
  • Cover: 4 pages in black + Pantone + matt varnish outside on white offset, 250 g
  • Jacket printed and fitted in full colour + matt lamination + selective varnish outside
  • Satin coated paper both sides, 150 gsm + 2 flaps of 8 cm
  • Binding: perfect binding
See the details: Les Fantômes de Gaza
Lucioles

Specification

  • Trim size: 14.5 x 21 cm
  • Interior: black both sides on Munken Print White FSC, 80 gsm
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: full colour, Arena Rough Natural FSC, 300 gsm
See the details: Lucioles
Utopiques V

Specification

  • Trim size: 15 x 20 cm
  • Extent: 640 pages in black both sides
  • Paper: Munken Print White 70 g
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: full colour outside on Sirio Pearl Cocktail Mai Tai Fabriano-Fedrigoni
See the details: Utopiques V

A technical, practical or school book

None of our work of this kind is shown on the site yet.

An art book, a photo book, a cookbook

À la buvette des Mongerons

Specification

  • Trim size: 15.5 x 23.5 cm
  • Interior: full colour both sides on semi-matt coated paper, 150 gsm
  • Binding: sewn
  • Cover: full colour + matt lamination outside on single-sided board, 250 gsm
See the details: À la buvette des Mongerons
L’histoire d’une reconstruction

Specification

  • Trim size: 21 x 29.7 cm
  • Interior: full colour both sides - Artic Volume Ice 150 gsm
  • Endpapers: 2 x 4 pages - full colour both sides - Artic Volume Ice 170 gsm
  • Binding: 24/10 boards, square spine, sewn sections, cased in Brillanta BRI4039 cloth - foil blocking on the front board and the spine, headband at head and tail
  • Jacket: full colour + matt lamination outside on semi-matt coated paper, 170 gsm
  • Printing + fitting with 2 side flaps of 12 cm
See the details: L’histoire d’une reconstruction
Le BUP

Specification

  • Trim size: 14.8 x 21 cm
  • Interior: full colour both sides on satin coated paper, FSC, 90 gsm
  • Cover: 4 pages in full colour both sides + scuff-resistant matt lamination outside
  • Machine varnish inside on matt coated Multiart FSC, 250 gsm
  • Binding: PUR perfect binding
See the details: Le BUP
Revue Photographica 12

Specification

  • Trim size: 19 x 24 cm
  • Interior: full colour both sides on offset paper, 120 gsm
  • Binding: perfect binding
  • Cover: Procop Color 1802 Parma, 270 gsm
See the details: Revue Photographica 12

Something else

None of our work of this kind is shown on the site yet.

To go over together

  • The choice of printer
  • The paper available when the book is printed
  • The print run, and what it changes to the cost: ask in the quote

By what matters most

The feel in the hand
How the paper and the finishes feel in the hand
The cost per copy
What weighs on the cost of your book: ask in the quote
A date to meet
Your date, and whether it can be met: ask in the quote

Ask for your quote

The message carries your starting point. Add to it or change it, then send.

Fill in what you already know of your specification, under the message, and say in the message what is still open.

Answer the questions

Add your specification (optional)

Fill in what you already know and leave the rest empty.

Your message arrives in IN TEMPO’s mailbox and is used only to answer you and to draw up your quote. We keep it for up to twelve months after our reply, then we delete it. The detail, and your rights: Privacy policy

IN TEMPO helps you define your specification precisely and find the right printer.