tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post6658883332587662605..comments2023-06-12T17:08:36.320+01:00Comments on How Publishing <i>Really</i> Works: Guest Post: How Book Design Affects ReadabilityJane Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-88803265316363047072009-06-01T03:15:10.290+01:002009-06-01T03:15:10.290+01:00Good post. Maggie's captured the charge of the boo...Good post. Maggie's captured the charge of the book designer, as I see it, pretty well: to make pages that convey the author’s words, and don't overshadow them.<br /><br />That's a part of my stated creed for the 17 or so years I've done book design and layout work. The cover should properly invite the reader in; and the interior pages should lead the reader through the author's words. And the balance is to keep the reader's interest without distracting from the reading.<br /><br />Maggie gets it.Steve Tianohttp://www.tianodesign.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-40179259355512466942009-05-29T21:16:36.053+01:002009-05-29T21:16:36.053+01:00Maggie,
Wow, great post. Really got me thinking ...Maggie,<br /><br />Wow, great post. Really got me thinking about just what it is that I've been reading, literally.<br /><br />I think this especially plays a big part when you're looking comparatively -- which Sherlock Holmes anthology to get, or which of the two books on the subject you need -- and you need to make an instinctive decision almost immediately.David Dittellhttp://alphabetsoupkitchen.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-58784626059672083842009-05-29T18:35:37.038+01:002009-05-29T18:35:37.038+01:00A very good commentary on the need for readability...A very good commentary on the need for readability as a major consideration for book design. This is a topic I've been preaching for many years and eventually led me to write <I>Book Design and Production: A Guide for Authors and Publishers</I> to help small- or self-publishers do a better job.<br /><br />The one book that influenced me to better understand the science behind the process is <I> Type & Layout: Are you Communicating or Just Making Pretty Shapes </I> by Colin Wheildon. The latest version is published by an Australian publisher, but an earlier edition is also available as a used copy. <br /><br />A note for the responder who complained about poor kerning in some fonts: often selecting "optical kerning" in Adobe InDesign (along with some modest adjustments to the default letter and word spacing) will solve 98% of the problems that occur with poor kerning tables, etc. That only leave a few instances where a touch of manual adjustment is required.Pete Mastersonhttp://www.aeonix.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-42184937342121924972009-05-29T17:57:35.183+01:002009-05-29T17:57:35.183+01:00Happy the author who can suggest a more readable f...Happy the author who can suggest a more readable font or different layout for a contents page, for instance, and be listened to and taken seriously. Having published 19 books with presses from Doubleday to Leapfrog, I've found that smaller presses tend to treat their authors better around all design issues. I've had very rewarding cover and design consultation with Leapfrog, Perseverance, University of Wisconsin Press, and Walker (before they were sold), and I still chuckle over my novelist friend who's worked with Ballantine and SMP, who gaped in disbelief, "You talked to the art director, and she listened?!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-88318356037906401592009-05-29T05:36:12.543+01:002009-05-29T05:36:12.543+01:00Internal design is still one of the easy ways to d...Internal design is still one of the easy ways to differentiate a professional effort from most DIY print-on-demand works--someone just didn't quite enough homework to pull it off. <br /><br />But my pet peeve is online literary magazines that have horrid design, both in terms of overall effect and readability. If you can appreciate elegance in language, then don't cheat the words--serve them appropriately.OHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02067433464196821903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-31257746150033363932009-05-28T19:38:29.098+01:002009-05-28T19:38:29.098+01:00As an author and book designer I tend to use the m...As an author and book designer I tend to use the most readable fonts, and lately I prefer Palatino Linotype and Comic Sans Serif. I never use 11 point for anything unless I am designing a file for upload to an ereader processing engine. I find that 10 point is sufficient. I also use 8 pt spaces between blocks of text to save space. I chose the straight block design like this because when I used to read books I found Times Roman hard to read, even with glasses. I am about telling the story, not really creating an art book. For my book covers, on the other hand, I try to tailor the art to fit what is inside. I even develop title calligraphy when necessary to convey what the book is about.Theresa M. Moorehttp://www.antellus.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-8939548086895696482009-05-28T15:38:08.739+01:002009-05-28T15:38:08.739+01:00A very interesting post indeed, and despite being ...A very interesting post indeed, and despite being a bit of a font-geek myself, I had never really considered the impact that it has on my reading. <br /><br />I wonder how much of this wisdom is transferable to websites? <br /><br />Bubblecow tweeted a link this morning that goes into this a little bit:<br />http://ow.ly/9yyFTangledallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00832116206807907835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-19866847222885752182009-05-28T14:03:41.284+01:002009-05-28T14:03:41.284+01:00My graphic designer brother always says the best b...My graphic designer brother always says the best book (& for that matter magazine, website, prospectus, you name it) design is invisible - you don't even notice the text has been "designed" because the layout, typography etc do their job so well that you can simply sit back, read and enjoy.Imogenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12811393485894960485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-55814939005944692862009-05-28T12:15:05.498+01:002009-05-28T12:15:05.498+01:00A fabulous and wonderfully informative post - than...A fabulous and wonderfully informative post - thanks to both Jane and Maggi. I know I've put down books before now because of their ugly typesetting but I don't think I have truly appreciated how much of a difference good typesetting makes. I shall from now on!Alishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18406189984167289987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-40772537192940066572009-05-28T09:34:42.416+01:002009-05-28T09:34:42.416+01:00I'm not surprised that there's been such a positiv...I'm not surprised that there's been such a positive reaction to this post: Maggie's such a good writer, and has written about such an important, and often overlooked subject. <br /><br />And Patrick, why don't you email me? "HPRW at tesco dot net" should get through to me.Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-80741989513909556032009-05-28T02:21:25.396+01:002009-05-28T02:21:25.396+01:00I am the extremely grateful recipient of some fabu...I am the extremely grateful recipient of some fabulous design on my last picture book. Book designers are unsung heroes, as we don't consciously think of design when we find a book readable. Nor do we blame them when we dislike the book and put it back on the shelf. But design can make all the difference. Maggie and Patrick, the thrill you get discussing fonts just illustrates why you are so good at what you do.Melinda Szymanikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10202080805759494767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-65410995106437747252009-05-27T21:39:51.796+01:002009-05-27T21:39:51.796+01:00We need people like you, Maggie! I wouldn't have a...We need people like you, Maggie! I wouldn't have a clue how to choose fonts but it's so obvious when someone gets it right - or wrong ... <br /><br />Thank you!Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-22102438361212583072009-05-27T19:48:31.912+01:002009-05-27T19:48:31.912+01:00Not something I always think about when choosing a...Not something I always think about when choosing a book, but it's so true! Thanks for the truly awesome post. :)Paige Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15579058823079691230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-84337392634691602892009-05-27T19:39:44.270+01:002009-05-27T19:39:44.270+01:00Derek, ID is on my hard drive waiting for me to co...Derek, ID is on my hard drive waiting for me to continue working with it. I'm still doing most of my stuff in Quark because that's what my current crop of clients wants me to use. But thanks for the heads-up. Good to know for the future.<br /><br />Patrick ... I love those old Monotype cuts as well. As good as digital type can be, there's nothing like the old 'uns for sheer gorgeousness.Maggie Danahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09397320196343147825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-35323749971601593832009-05-27T18:11:47.243+01:002009-05-27T18:11:47.243+01:00Maggie, I think InDesign lets you choose between m...Maggie, I think InDesign lets you choose between metrical and optical kerning.Derekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07161696211557610509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-83594482288309363562009-05-27T18:10:02.777+01:002009-05-27T18:10:02.777+01:00Great post, and something I often think about.
I ...Great post, and something I often think about.<br /><br />I cannot tell you the number of times I have picked up a book, hated the font or how dense it all was, and put it right back down again. <br /><br />Or really liked a font and the layout. A nice layout really stands out for me: the hardcover edition of Harlan Ellison's Slippage, which I bought over ten years ago, still stands out in my mind as being really well done; the hardcover edition of Stephen King's fifth and sixth Dark Tower books, as well (the rest I bought in paperback, so I don't know if the others are different); and others. <br /><br />I don't really remember bad layouts, though, probably because I tend not to spend much time with them. <br /><br />This is why I still do most of my book buying in actual brick and mortar book stores. I want to be able to pick up and book and look through it before I decide if it's an object I'm willing to spend ten or fifteen hours with.RDJhttp://ryandavidjahn.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-76707250293126574972009-05-27T17:59:59.683+01:002009-05-27T17:59:59.683+01:00Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a recent exam...Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a recent example of design gone well. In fact, I found it so reader friendly, I wonder if part of its success could be attributed to this. It certainly added something to my reading experience.Kim Hrubahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17707688244510990236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-33690366583705665312009-05-27T17:54:55.359+01:002009-05-27T17:54:55.359+01:00Maggi
I should have pointed out, I guess, that th...Maggi<br /><br />I should have pointed out, I guess, that the versions of both Bembo and Gill I would be happy to use to the exclusion of all other typefaces are of the course the old Monotype cuts, which are still the finest. But then as I said, I've been around a very, very long time...<br /><br />And Jane<br /><br />I'd be happy to contribute to your blog. I have loads to say. You may end up regretting it<br /><br />PatrickPatrick Nugentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-86741877165888997472009-05-27T17:45:25.023+01:002009-05-27T17:45:25.023+01:00Lovely post. Thank you!Lovely post. Thank you!Kara Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138568589340791297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-66830214162732805942009-05-27T16:45:01.375+01:002009-05-27T16:45:01.375+01:00Maggie, this piece has been linked to from the Boo...Maggie, this piece has been linked to from <A HREF="http://www.thebookseller.com/" REL="nofollow">the Bookseller's front page today</A> (go and look right now!), so it's getting a LOT of hits.<br /><br />I just love watching people obsess over things like this, and find the Bembo/Gill/true caps discussion fascinating. I think I can even follow part of it, although I'm not even going to attempt to participate in that bit of the conversation!<br /><br />Patrick, if you're not careful I'll make you write something for my blog too: I love your Beatrice Warde quote, <I>"type in books should be regarded as the glass in a window, that is you should be able look though it to see the view without being aware of its presence."</I> That's just lovely, and so true.Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-33949692139623739542009-05-27T16:31:23.006+01:002009-05-27T16:31:23.006+01:00Patrick:
I like both Bembo and Gill, but Adobe's ...Patrick:<br /><br />I like both Bembo and Gill, but Adobe's versions (which I own) have given me nothing but grief. Not enough kerning pairs and too little space after terminal punctuation, especially the period. I even talked to Adobe about it and got nowhere, so I stopped using both fonts.<br /><br />I was told by another typesetter that the only way to solve these issues was with Fontographer, or by adjusting kerning pairs in my page layout program. I'm not willing to do either; I'll just use other fonts.<br /><br />If you have any words of wisdom here, I'm all ears!Maggie Danahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09397320196343147825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-3304137849437000412009-05-27T16:23:36.975+01:002009-05-27T16:23:36.975+01:00Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments. I'm so g...Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments. I'm so glad my article struck a cord with you and am happy to answer questions, if anyone has any. I'm a typography nut and can talk about fonts, white space, and true small caps (Derek!!!) all day. <br /><br />By 'true' I mean a typeface that's specifically designed to be caps and small caps, no lowercase letters at all. Not all font collections come with a true caps/small caps typeface. Sadly, when they don't, some designers will use a faux cap/small cap setting that makes me nuts. And when I see something as egregious as bold italic caps/small caps, I go postal. Caps/small caps should only be displayed in roman, not italic or bold or any other variation.<br /><br />See, I told you I was a font nut!Maggie Danahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09397320196343147825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-37887361049706606332009-05-27T16:22:06.367+01:002009-05-27T16:22:06.367+01:00This is a very interesting area. Speaking as a boo...This is a very interesting area. Speaking as a book designer of almost 40 years (mostly complex, illustrated non-fiction) I have seen many changes in typographical fashions: the hems have gone up and down many times, so to speak. However we designers have to be careful in trying to send editorial messages via typography, ie in using complex hierarchical structures of headings, which the reader is expected to hold in the head while navigating complex, usually, non-fiction material. I have learnt to keep type as simple as possible. Research was done some years back by Herbert Spencer, published in his book ‘This Visible Word’. In this it was found that while reading speed and comprehension is effected by typographical factors other elements came into play. The readers, when asked after they had read a passage of text, hadn’t picked up on very basic features such as whether type was ranged left or justified, or even whether it was it was serifed or sans serifed.<br /> Beatrice Warde, the patron saint of typography, in her book of essays, ‘The Crystal Goblet’ stated that type in books should be regarded as the glass in a window, that is you should be able look though it to see the view without being aware of its presence. Unless the typographer is producing the equivalent of a stained glass window, where it is the glass that is the point, typographical flourishes and decoration should be used with extreme care.<br /> I have often said that, in spite of the many thousands of typefaces available to the designer these days, I wouldn’t be unhappy if I was told that for the future I could only use Bembo family, as a serif, and Gill family as a sans for book interiors.<br /><br />Patrick Nugent FSCDPatrick Nugentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-41954317077140751882009-05-27T16:03:04.952+01:002009-05-27T16:03:04.952+01:00Kristina wrote, "...what a fun coincidence about t...Kristina wrote, <I>"...what a fun coincidence about that book... Mags, you are indeed multitalented!"</I>I know--we were both knocked speechless for a while, and then we laughed a LOT. And yes, I love the book and still have it beside me, with its lovely, elegant writing AND design.<br /><br />Thank you, Maggie, for this post. It discusses such an important point, which many people don't even think about.<br /><br />(By the way, everyone, Maggie is lined up to contribute to my Trios series soon, which is going to be great.)Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-50325171341181458672009-05-27T15:07:57.460+01:002009-05-27T15:07:57.460+01:00Very interesting viewpoint, and one that is often ...Very interesting viewpoint, and one that is often overlooked. Thanks.Elliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10811043705085959688noreply@blogger.com