First page formating

[radicicksatbluewindotch]

two questions from a total newbie:

1. Is it correct that the margins should have a bit of extra space on the binding side?  And if so, why does the Preview available in the book purchase page cut off the edges?

2. Page 1 in the PDF is a blank page - so where does that fall in the actual bound book?

In other words, is the first page of the PDF the back side of the 1st physical page or the front side of the first physical page?  

Or seen in yet another way, the 5 page preview on the book purchase page brings the cover up as the first image, and page 1 (blank) the second image that comes up.  Is page 1 the front side of the first page you see when you open the cover or the back side of that first page you see when you open the cover?

Maybe I'm thinking too hard, but thanks for any answers!

[Ken Anderson · Accepted solution]

Too much thinking!!

The margins on the inside of pages are called the gutter. It is normal to make them slightly larger so that the text can be read when the pages are opened particularly on books bound with a lot of pages.

The inside of both the front and back covers are just "inside covers". They are not pages and cannot contain any print.

The first page of a is the page on the right when the cover is opened.
For books in distribution the first sheet of paper must be blank on both sides - pages 1 & 2, although they will not be numbered and page numbering itself will start on the second sheet.

Don't worry about the preview as Lulu automatically adds the cover to the front of the preview.

Click here for more help on Page Numbering

[radicicksatbluewindotch]

Ken,

Thanks for the response!

That resolvesr question one and for question two...

...I was wondering if on the LuLu side the first page (blank on both sides) is added in or if I need to have two blank sides in my PDF.  As noted I only have one.

Thanks again for your answer!

[Ken Anderson]

Ignoring the cover - the first two pages must be blank.
Likewise the last two pages must also be blank.

 So you pdf would contain:

blank, blank, 1,2,3,4,5,...........97,98,99,100, blank, blank.
So atotal of 104 pages of which 100 are the book contents.

[NickPopio]

Thanks to Ken for another excellent response! Great work!

[radicicksatbluewindotch]

Ken,

Thanks a million that makes everything clear!! 

Have a great week and thanks again for the great answers

[lotontech]

Hi Ken,

Did you make a mistake in this answer? What's this about making the first two pages blank? It's a new one on me. Surely the first page would be the title page and the second page would be the copyright page. And the final page(s) should be blank for distribution, just as you said.

Tony.

More tips and tricks in Book Publishing DIY : The Do It Yourself Guide to Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing (Second Edition) at www.lotontech.com/publishing

[radicicksatbluewindotch]

Aha, so there are different perspectives on this. 

I will be very very happy to hear more from Ken and Iotontech!!

Thanks in advance for your perspectives...

[Ken Anderson]

Tony,
You are right.
In years gone bye when you where knee high to a grasshopper that used to be the case. 
Now it's just the final two.
It's still good practice though.

[radicicksatbluewindotch]

So in the end it is simply a style issue if you want a front/back page that is blank and then the title (front) and copy right (back) page  or just the title - copy right page to be first?

Thanks for your response.