Lesson 1Line length (measure), leading, and optimal characters per line for long-form readingOptimise line length and leading for smooth long-form reading. Calculate ideal characters per line, tweak leading for various sizes and fonts, and fine-tune for dense text, notes, and multi-column setups.
Measuring characters per lineChoosing target line length rangesSetting leading for body textFine-tuning leading for headingsHandling narrow and wide columnsTesting pages with real contentLesson 2Paragraph styling: first-line indent vs space-between, hyphenation, widow/orphan controlCraft paragraph styles that blend readability with finesse. Compare first-line indents versus space-between, configure alignment and hyphenation, and manage widows, orphans, and runts for balanced, polished pages.
Indent vs space-between strategiesSetting alignment and justificationHyphenation rules and exceptionsWidow, orphan, and runt controlParagraph spacing and groupingUsing styles for global changesLesson 3Handling headings, subheadings, block quotes, lists, and pull quotes with consistent stylesBuild uniform styles for headings, subheadings, lists, and quotes. Set hierarchy, spacing, and alignment to keep elements clear, cohesive, and easy to handle in lengthy documents and series.
Heading levels and naming conventionsSpacing above and below headingsStyling subheads and run-in headsBulleted and numbered list treatmentsBlock quotes and pull quote designBuilding reusable style sheetsLesson 4Running heads, page numbers, and chapter open treatments: placement, content, and typographic styleDesign running heads, page numbers, and chapter starts that aid navigation. Define placement, content guidelines, and typography for front matter, main text, and special pages, ensuring subtlety and consistency.
Running head content conventionsPositioning and aligning foliosOdd and even page variationsSuppressing heads on special pagesDesigning chapter opening spreadsCoordinating with cover and seriesLesson 5Choosing main text and heading typefaces: serif vs sans-serif tradeoffs and licensing considerationsSelect body and heading fonts for print books wisely. Weigh serif against sans-serif, check readability, pairings, and character support, plus handle licensing, embedding, and formats for smooth production.
Serif vs sans-serif for long-form readingEvaluating readability and text colorPairing body, display, and special facesOpenType features for book typographyLicensing, embedding, and usage rightsManaging font files in the workflowLesson 6Type scale and hierarchy: establishing base font size, modular scale for h1–h4, and ratio examplesCreate a type scale for sharp hierarchy in 6×9 layouts. Pick base sizes, modular ratios, assign to heading levels, and test to ensure consistency, legibility, and flow throughout the book.
Choosing a base text size for printSelecting modular scale ratiosMapping sizes to h1–h4 levelsAligning scale with line lengthAdjusting scale for special pagesDocumenting the type hierarchyLesson 7Treatment of footnotes and endnotes: inline callouts, placement, spacing, and pagination strategiesDesign footnote and endnote setups that stay readable yet discreet. Style callouts, pick placements, handle spacing and rules, and manage pagination, breaks, and references in note-rich books.
Footnote vs endnote use casesStyling note reference calloutsNote text size, leading, and indentsPlacement, rules, and spacing logicHandling note breaks across pagesManaging notes in multi-author worksLesson 8Margins, type area, and optical alignment for a 6×9 trim: inner/gutter, outer, head, foot, and folio placementSet margins and type areas for 6×9 pages that feel stable and comfy. Adjust inner/outer margins, head/foot space, folios, and apply optical alignment for balanced spreads and better symmetry.
Standard margin schemes for 6×9 booksBalancing inner and outer marginsHead, foot, and folio positioningDefining and testing the type areaOptical alignment of text blocksAdapting margins for binding methodsLesson 9Integrating images and diagrams: sizing, captions, float behavior, and image resolution for printPrepare, size, and position images and diagrams for print. Manage resolution, colour modes, captions, and floats so visuals stay sharp and enhance text without breaking the reading rhythm.
Print resolution and color mode standardsSizing images for single and double columnsCaption hierarchy and typography rulesAnchoring, wrapping, and float behaviorBleeds, full-bleed spreads, and safetyPreflight checks for placed artwork
