InDesign page set-up and creating chapters

InDesign page setup and creating chapters. Create a folder, a book, add a document.

InDesign page set-up and creating chapters.

InDesign page setup and creating chapters. Let’s go over book and page documents. If you use the physical copy of this book as an example, or you can substitute your own book specifications. This is just one way to organize work. There are more images of the set-ups in the physical book.

  • Create a folder for the book, “My Book Title” to store everything that pertains to your book.
  • Create a book. In InDesign, go to File > New > Book. I named this .indb book file “BOOK DESIGN Simple & Professional BOOK.” Add “BOOK” to the end to differentiate the book from the folder. Once you create the book, make sure it is visible in InDesign. If it is not, select Window > and scroll down an see your book title. Select your book.

Create a document

File > New > Document. Select the preset option for print.

  • Change Units to Inches.
  • Page size, use the size of this book: Width 7 in, Height 10 in.
  • Number of Pages: Type 4 and check the Facing Pages box.
  • Start of Page #: 1.
  • Click the down arrow for Bleed and Slug. If the book has images to bleed, add 0.125 in for Top, Bottom, Inside, and Outside. Optionally, “Inside” may be set to “ 0 ” in.
  • Margins can be set in File > Document Setup . . . If any page bleeds, set all documents to bleed.
ALTERNATIVE

You may already have a document open in InDesign. Go to:

  • File > Document Setup . . . Select the preset option for print and follow the instructions above.
  • Graphic artists sometimes say that they do not see where to add the bleed. “Bleed and Slug” has a circle in the first image to the right.
  • The lower right image shows the “Bleed and Slug” area.
  • If the book has images that bleed, add 0.125 in for Top, Bottom, Inside, and Outside. Optionally, “Inside” may be set to “ 0 ” in.
  • This will be the first document in your book. I chose to name it with the initials of the book title: BD 00 Front Matter. Then Save.

Add a document to the book; creating chapters in InDesign

  • With the book window open, select the “ + ” sign to a Add Document. It is circled above, to the left of the “ + ” sign. Save the book.

If designing a novel with just a few images, creating multiple documents might not be necessary. One InDesign document will do.

Some books have many high-resolution images. Depending on the image sizes, manage larger chapters by breaking content into smaller chapters or documents for better InDesign page setup.

CHANGE FRONT MATTER NUMBER STYLE
  • Go to Layout > Numbering & Section Options . . .
  • The front matter numbering uses Roman numerals. Under page numbering, change the [Roman] Style to i, ii, iii, iv . . .

Creating chapters in InDesign

CREATE CHAPTER 1 AND MORE
  • Put the cursor on the front matter document to highlight. Go to File > Save as . . . Now rename the new document. I chose the name: BD Ch 01 PLAN Fundamentals.
  • In the book window, click the “ + ” to add that new chapter.
  • All chapters and back matter use Arabic numerals. Under page numbering, change the [Arabic] Style to 1, 2, 3, 4 . . .

The number of pages in each document will increase as you add more pages, and it will be different than the example given here.

Numbering for InDesign page set-up in a book

  • Now create chapter 2 by saving Chapter 1 under the new name, “Chapter 2.”
  • With your cursor on the first page of the chapter, go to Layout Numbering & Section Options . . . Activate the radio button for “Automatic Page Numbering” if not already active.

Front matter and Chapters 1 and 2 are now saved in the book for your InDesign page set-up. Add new chapters by copying Chapter 2 and renaming the new chapter. Because you are using Chapter 2, the page numbering for the rest of the book will be correct.

Note: When you are close to finishing the entire book, know that the total page count is tallied to include the number of pages in the book, plus the number of front matter pages. Make sure you have the correct number of pages to match the printer’s quote.

The total number of pages will always be an even number, and the last page in a book will always be a left-hand page.

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