Lesson 1Global grid and page geometry: margin sizes, baseline grid, and column structureDefine the global page geometry for 5 × 8 inch interiors. You will set margin proportions, text block size, baseline grid increments, and optional column structures, ensuring comfortable reading and production efficiency.
Choosing margin proportions and folio zonesCalculating text block size and positionSetting baseline grid increment and originSingle-column versus multi-column choicesAccounting for creep, trim, and bindingLesson 2Hyphenation and justification settings: language-specific rules, permitted breaks, and emergency strategiesSet hyphenation and justification controls for multiple languages. You will define dictionaries, hyphenation zones, minimum word fragments, emergency letterspacing, and when to override defaults to avoid rivers and unsightly gaps.
Language dictionaries and hyphenation patternsMinimum prefix, suffix, and word lengthHyphenation zones and rag qualityEmergency tracking and glyph scalingManual overrides and exception listsLesson 3Paragraph and grid rules: paragraph spacing, orphan/widow control, and first-line indentsSet paragraph spacing and grid rules that control rhythm and page colour. You will define space-before and space-after, first-line indents, orphan and widow limits, and how paragraphs lock to the baseline grid in complex layouts.
Space-before and space-after standardsFirst-line indents and no-indent casesBaseline grid alignment for paragraphsOrphan and widow thresholds and fixesBalancing gray value and page rhythmLesson 4Footnotes and endnotes: sizing, leading, separators, placement, and linking rulesCreate consistent rules for footnotes and endnotes. You will define reference markers, note text size and leading, separators, placement on the page, and linking behaviour for EPUB and tagged PDF accessibility.
Reference marker style and placementNote text size, leading, and alignmentRule separators and spacing from textPage placement and column balancingHyperlinks and accessibility taggingLesson 5Heading hierarchy: design and exact specs for at least three heading levelsDesign a clear heading hierarchy for long-form books. You will specify fonts, sizes, weights, spacing, alignment, and keep options for at least three levels, ensuring navigability, consistency, and compatibility with digital outputs.
Defining semantic heading levels H1–H3Font families, weights, and case choicesSize scales and vertical spacing rulesAlignment, breaks, and keep optionsNumbered headings and running heads linksLesson 6Body text specification: family, size, leading, tracking, alignment, indent, and hyphenationSpecify body text for 5 × 8 inch books, including serif choices, point sizes, leading ratios, tracking ranges, alignment strategy, paragraph indents, and hyphenation rules that balance readability, economy, and production constraints.
Choosing primary and fallback text familiesSetting point size and leading ratiosTracking and word spacing tolerancesRag, justification, and alignment rulesParagraph indents and hyphenation policyLesson 7Running heads and folios: content rules, placement, style, and spacingEstablish rules for running heads and folios in 5 × 8 books. You will define content sources, placement, alignment, type specs, spacing to text, and special cases such as chapter openers, front matter, and blank pages.
Choosing verso and recto running head contentType specs for heads and foliosVertical and horizontal placement rulesSuppressing heads on special pagesAligning folios with grids and marginsLesson 8Captions, image labels, and figure handling: type size, leading, alignment, and wrap rulesStandardise captions, image labels, and figure handling. You will set caption sizes, leading, alignment, numbering, and text wraps, plus rules for anchoring figures to text and maintaining grid and margin integrity.
Caption type size, leading, and styleFigure numbering and label formatsAlignment and proximity to imagesText wrap settings and safe offsetsAnchoring figures to relevant textLesson 9Cross-format consistency: mapping print styles to EPUB and PDF CSS equivalentsDefine how print paragraph, character, and object styles map to EPUB and tagged PDF. You will plan class naming, CSS rules, media queries, and fallbacks so typography remains coherent across reading systems and devices.
Building a style taxonomy and naming schemeMapping InDesign styles to semantic HTMLAuthoring EPUB-safe CSS for textHandling reflow, fonts, and line lengthTesting EPUB and PDF output for parityLesson 10Pull quotes, block quotes, and display text: sizes, spacing, and alignment rulesSpecify typography for pull quotes, block quotes, and other display text. You will set sizes, indents, spacing, alignment, and rules for integrating these elements without disrupting the baseline grid or reading flow.
Block quote indents, size, and leadingPull quote placement and alignmentDisplay text contrast and hierarchySpacing display elements within gridsAvoiding widows around display items
