| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
reader
USA
59 Posts |
 Posted - 11/07/2008 : 09:22:26
|
| I created books in Word and uploaded them to Lulu before. Can I submit just the basic PDF to Lightning Source or does it have to be set up differently? |
|
|
scdbbs
USA
56 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2008 : 10:18:32
|
Lightning Source prefers PDF files.
1. For the cover, ideally they want you want to use Adobe PDF (.pdf) files using the setting of "PDF/X-1a:2001"
(This setting is available in Acrobat 6 or later.) You also can give them regular PDF, InDesign or Quark files.
2. For interior (black and white). again they prefer Adobe PDF "PDF/X-1a:2001," regular PDF, InDesign or Quark files.
3. For 4-color books, you HAVE to use "PDF/X-1a:2001."
Personally, I lay out all my books in InDesign and upload the PDF/X-1a:2001 type PDFs (which is one of the print settings directly out of InDesign, so it's really easy).
One of our clients has uploaded "plain old" PDFs from Word for his book interiors with success (I did the 4-color covers for him in InDesign). That special X-1 setting mostly ensures you get the right settings for 4-color and also halftones. If your book is all text, it's not as important and many people upload PDFs from alternate PDF programs. The main thing is to make sure you select highest/print quality (not screen quality).
You (or your graphic designer) will want to read the guide because LSI also has page-count requirements. The final laid out book must be a multiple of 4 and the last page MUST be blank.
When it comes to PDFs, the pagination doesn't change. That's one reason to upload a PDF. Unlike Word, you won't get repagination issues. What you see in the PDF is what's going to print. (Word gets a lot of information from the print driver you have set up, so that's why people often have repagination issues when you move a Word file from one computer to another.)
The full specs on what LSI needs is available from the web site. Go to http://www.LightningSource.com. Under File Creation, choose Digital File Submission Standards. It's a PDF file.
This article also has more info on dealing with LSI:
http://newsletter.logicalexpressions.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=182
Let me know if you have other questions...
Susan Daffron
Logical Expressions, Inc.
http://www.logicalexpressions.com
Founder National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals
http://www.naprp.com
Author - Web Business Success, Happy Hound, Happy Tabby,
Vegan Success and avid IdeaWeaver software user
|
 |
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
PDF and Lightning Source
