Publishing Software

[K9walker]

Can anyone tell me anything about a good software or how to use Microsoft word to put together a booklet on 8.5 x 11 paper that you simply fold in half and staple in the center...

[wgjones3]

I'd think you could set your page layout to landscape and use columns in Word to do what you want. The help file should be able to walk you through enough to start experimenting.

[Keith Wallis]

The difficulty in WG's solution is getting the right pages together on the sheet and in the right column ! I've done it this way a few times and it's a nightmare. There must be an easier way but I normally end up printing each page seperately and then building the "book" to see where they should be printed to give the required result. Then placing them in the apropriate columns and with their mating pages. How's that for doing things the hard way !!

[writegirl1949]

I'm going to be looking into doing the same thing because I'm probably going to start my own publishing business for the booklets I want to do (also incorporate my eBooks into the business, but that's an entirely different format, i.e., PDF) ... exact same format as you're talking about.

I'm not sure about software because I'll probably be working with my brother (a printer on the East coast) and I've got to use whatever software he uses as it will all be digital/electronically sent to him AND he only works with certain software.

I think if you are going to do and have an "original" used to make copies somewhere like Staples, you could as suggested here but doesn't Microsoft publisher have a program for doing this without what Keith has done in the past (and I've done it too, Keith).

I'll be interested to see other suggestions -- that is, if I haven't totally confused you. :p

Blessings, Francine

[Keith Wallis]

Might be interesting to look into the "paginate" feature which is on some software - could save ME a bit of work !

[David Meigs]

I've used ClickBook (http://www.bluesquirrel.com/products/clickbook/) to make multi-page booklets. It works flawlessly and it's not too costly. I believe they make it for both PC and Mac.

[EpicInspiration]

I have put a book together with word. Its not real tough, you just go into page set up and set your parameters. The best way to do it is to get a book the size you are wanting to create. Then measure its margins as far as chapter drops, etc, and then plug those parameters into the page setup of word.

The best program to layout a book is Adobe Creative Suite which is about $1500 You can get just the publishing software from the package for about $800. I encourage to get the entire package though because it helps with creating covers and everything.

I have not used clickbook, but I am interested in learning more about it.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can help in anyway.

Jayson Lowery
www.epicinspiration.com
Epic Inspiration- Changing the world, one story at a time