What Type of Paper Should I Use for My Book?

By Joshua Prizer

It's a tough question to answer, and one I hear all the time: Which paper stock should I choose for my book? And although it's a tough question, it is an important one because the paper you choose will tell your potential buyer what kind of book this is. Go too cheap, you might lose some buyers to a different title. Go too expensive, you just wasted your money.

Book paper weights are different than the paper weight measurements you will see in an office supply store. A 20# bond that you would find at Staples is similar to a 50# offset at a book printer. A 24# bond is similar to 60# offset, 28# is similar to 70# offset, etc.

Typically, I would recommend that for a standard book with just black text (no color) and not a lot of images, 50# offset is just fine. If there are a lot of graphics in the book, you might want to bump up to 60# offset to eliminate some see-through from one side of the page to the other.

No matter what, be sure to ask your printer to send you paper samples. There is no substitute for feeling the paper in your hand to make sure your book has the feel you want it to have.

Now let's assume your book is not as simple as a novel or a book with just black text. Maybe your book needs to be printed in full color. If that's the case, you'll want to use a paper stock that highlights the color better than a typical offset sheet. Glossy paper will usually do the trick.

Most full color books are printed overseas, where a different standard of paper measurement is used - grams per square meter (gsm). To calculate gsm, multiply the offset weight by approximately 1.5. So an 80# gloss sheet in the U.S. would be the same as a 120 gsm sheet overseas. You'll definitely want a thicker paper stock for your color book versus a black & white book.

I can't say it often enough: No matter which paper stock you think you want, ask your printer for some samples first.

When it comes to cover stock, for a paperback book a 10 pt. C1S cover is standard. However, it is usually very inexpensive to upgrade to a 12 pt. C1S cover. People do judge a book by its cover, so this might be a cost-effective upgrade.

About the Author:

Josh Prizer has been working in the book printing business for nearly 15 years and is a book printing expert. For help with childrens book publishing, request his Free 7-Part Mini-Course.