[Richard Meyer]

Michael: Thanks for your remarks. Much appreciated. Your comments about book length and what to include are very helpful.

Maryann: You are a treasure of information. Thank you for the valuable insights. I greatly appreciate those several technical items you mentioned. Concerning typeface, for example, I’ve noticed that in various journals and poetry books the font size seems both rather small and somewhat faint. This doesn’t make for good eye appeal or for easy reading. Recently, I was looking through a print copy of the Alabama Literary Review, and I was struck again with its visual appeal. The print is crisp and clear and wonderfully readable—a treat for the eyes.

Bill: Nice to hear your thoughts. It’s quite interesting and disheartening to hear that even “reputable publishing houses” can turn out shoddy work at times.

Quincy: I never heard of Seven Towers, but what a shame that publisher produced a piece of crap for you. Thanks for the input about The Raintown Review preference for font.

Richard

[John Whitworth]

It seems to me that a lot of American poetry books are too big. I don't mean too long but too big, too tall. They won't sit on the average shelf. Or perhaps my shelves are too small.

64 pages is the usual length, isn't it? There's some printers' reason for this. Avoid coloured paper for God's sake. My Girlie Gangs was done by Enitharmon in Albertina. It looks very nice

[Maryann Corbett]

Originally Posted by John Whitworth

It seems to me that a lot of American poetry books are too big. I don't mean too long but too big, too tall. They won't sit on the average shelf. Or perhaps my shelves are too small.

I don't know why, but the paperbacks I own from UK presses, like Waywiser and Cinnamon Press and Enitharmon, are usually in the 5 by 7 3/4 size, while the American books are 6 by 9. Perhaps it's just that paper standard sizes for book production are different, as they are for copy machines; we've got 8 1/2 by 11 and you've got A4, etc. Does anybody know?

64 pages is the usual length, isn't it? There's some printers' reason for this.

It has to do with the number of pages in a gathering. If the number of pages is evenly divisible by sixteen, there won't be a lot of blanks in the last gathering. You can have more than sixty four, but I think Michael's advice about being choosy is valid.

[Charlotte Innes]

Bill: Thank you for raising the flag about badly designed books. I'm often appalled at how badly designed some poetry books are.

For example, the leading (space between lines) is sometimes totally absent!

I feel for you...

Richard: some publishers note which font they've used in the back of the book. For example, I just picked one up at random "Still Life with Waterfall" by Eamon Grennan and found that it is in Jansen. The font's a good one, though it seems a bit small here, but I desperately need new glasses! However, I agree with Quincy that the font size in "Obscure Classics..." is way too big, which is also hard to read.

I do like Garamond--which Quincy mentions--and actually The Raintown Review has very good spacing. So a good model. And Baskerville is good too.

Basically, my preference is for a nice clean-looking font--not too big or small--with good spacing between lines and letters. I also like something of round-ish font, not too sharp--which is easier on the eyes.

At any rate, Richard, tastes vary, and really, looking at books and experimenting with fonts on your own computer is the way to go.

Charlotte

[Charlotte Innes]

Richard,

Here's an interesting link to "Ten Top Typefaces Used by Book Design Winners."

Charlotte

[Richard Meyer]

Thanks John, and thanks again to you, Maryann, for the additional remarks.

Very good of you, Charlotte, to offer those thoughts and suggestions. You've given a lot of helpful information. In the little checking I've done on my own thus far, I've read some good things about Baskerville font.

Although my manuscript has been shortlisted in a couple of book competitions, and although the senior editors at two well-regarded publishing houses have responded with some generous compliments about my submission, a book deal continues to elude me. I've pretty much given up hope of ever getting a book in print.

Sometimes, however, circumstances change for the better, and there's a strong likelihood that I may have a book of my poetry published by a California based company. If so, I'll have a great deal of input about the formatting of the book, and this is what led to my inquiry on this discussion board.

Thanks again to all.

Richard

[W.F. Lantry]

As an aside, here's my favorite typeface story: http://www.economist.com/news/christ...ght-over-doves

and here's the result: http://www.typespec.co.uk/doves-type-revival/

You can actually get it here. It seems to be the real thing: http://www.typespec.co.uk/doves-type/

[Catherine Chandler]

Richard,

Unless you are self-publishing, the publisher will decide on the font. At least that' s been my experience in my three trade books.

If you're talking about a manuscript submission, unless the guidelines specify a font, e.g. Times New Roman 12 pt., you can pretty much do what you want. My personal favorite is Calibri Light.

Best of luck with your project!