Chapbook Template User Guide
By John J. Chalmers Chalmers Communications Ltd. 442 Reeves Crest Edmonton, Alberta T6R 2A3 Phone 780-435-8194, Fax 780-430-8151, Email johnchalmers@shaw.ca
hat is a “chapbook”? The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a small and often self-published booklet of poetry, stories, etc., usually saddle-stitched or stapled.” This guide was written to accompany my template called Chapbook Template, provided in Microsoft Publisher software format for use on Windows computers to help you produce just such a book at low cost, quickly and effectively. To create your own chapbook, open the Chapbook Template in Publisher, and go to work! Feel free to copy and distribute both this user guide and the template.
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In order to use the Chapbook Template, you need to have Microsoft Publisher software installed on your computer. You will also need to be knowledgeable in the use of the software and can use your manual to learn how to use Publisher. This user guide provides information on using the template. It is not a guide to using Publisher, but does attempt to provide a quick and easy approach to using the software effectively with a preformatted template into which you place your poems to build and print the chapbook. You may already have Publisher installed on your computer. If not, the software can be purchased at comparatively low cost from a software supplier, or on the Internet at www.microsoft.com or from computer supply stores with web sites. Publisher is a desktop publishing program that can produce many types of publications using ready-made designs included with the software, or from custom designs such as the Chapbook Template. Note: If you don’t have Publisher, you can order a 30-day Trial copy at very low cost ($14.95) from the Microsoft web site to try it out. The Microsoft web site also includes tips and techniques for using Publisher, frequently asked questions, and additional free clip art.
The Template is designed as a 48-page publication, in 5 ½” wide x 8 ½” deep page size, based on folded 8 ½” x 11” sheets to produce pages half the size of standard letter paper. Each page in the chapbook is set with a margin of .5” at the top and inside edge of the page. The outside margin on the page is set at .6” to allow a little extra space for trimming that edge when the chapbook is assembled. The bottom margin is set with at 1” to provide additional space for appearance purposes, and to provide space for the text frame with the page number. The first four pages are for front cover, introduction, Table of Contents, one additional page for whatever you want, or it can be left blank. Pages 5 to 47 inclusive (numbered as pages 1 to 43) each have a full-size text frame into which you can place a poem. Just click within a text frame to activate it for use. 1
Using the Chapbook Template 1. Introductory Pages
The introductory pages of the chapbook consist of the first four pages, including the outside and inside front cover, as unnumbered pages. A sample title, “My Greatest Poems,” appears on the outside front cover with a graphic image, plus the name of the writer below. The title appears in color, but can be changed to black if you prefer. The inside front cover contains text frames with an author’s note and a publication notice, plus the same graphic in smaller size. If you prefer, the inside cover could be left blank and this information could be placed on page four. The third page shows a Table of Contents. The fourth page is blank, but does have a full-size text frame into which any text may be placed, such as a dedication, acknowledgements, and so on. The fifth page is the first numbered page, numbered as page 1. This is done so that the content, i.e. the poems, may start on page 1 as a right-hand page, which is the common practice. The last page is the outside back cover, which would not normally have a poem. So of the 48 pages in the template, 43 are available for your poetry. It is unlikely that you would put a poem on the 48th page, the outside back cover. On the outside back cover, which is unnumbered, a graphic plus text appear at the bottom of the page, which repeats the information at the bottom of the inside front cover. Additional pages may be added if necessary, as described below. 2. Adding Or Deleting Pages When adding or deleting pages, do it in multiples of 4 pages because one 8 ½” x 11” sheet will hold 4 half-size pages when printed on both sides. The Template at 48 pages will print on both sides of 12 sheets of paper. Adding 4 pages (to produce a 52-page chapbook) will require a total of 13 sheets. A book of 40 pages total would print on both sides of 10 sheets. To add pages, go to page 47 by clicking the page 47 icon (which will highlight pages 46 and 47) at the bottom of your screen when the Chapbook Template is open in Publisher. Pull down the Insert menu and select Page… which will bring up the Insert Page dialog box. Enter the number of pages you wish to add, and select After right page, so that the new pages will follow page 47. Under Options in the dialog box, select Duplicate all options on page. This will create additional pages exactly like pages 46 and 47 with a large text frame like previous pages, and with the page number frame at the bottom of the page. The reason for duplicating pages 46/47 is so that you will have a full-size text frame produced on the new pages and will not reproduce the graphic and the publication notice text frame on the original last page in the template. The last page in the template is also the outside back cover, so it does not have a page number. The new pages will be inserted before that page so that it still remains as the last page. Note: If you add 4 new pages, they will show as having the same page number as the previous last page number (43). Manually correct the page numbers to show their new correct numbers. Click in the page number text frame, delete the page number and re-enter it. The original outside back cover will still remain in that position, but will now be indicated as page 52 on your screen.
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An explanation: Pages in the template have been numbered manually, rather than by using the automatic page number capability of Publisher. This was done in order to have the first four pages without numbers, so that the first poem will appear on numbered page 1. To delete pages, click on the page icon number at the bottom of the. Then under the Edit menu, choose Delete Page to bring up the Delete Page dialog box. Specify which page(s) you want to delete and click OK. Note: If pages are deleted from within the chapbook rather than at the end, it will be necessary to correct the page numbering. As with adding pages, you will need to delete in multiples of 4 pages. Each page numbered from 1 to 43 (the pages available for your poetry) has a full-size text frame included, with typeface preset as Times New Roman in 10-point size. If you wish, the font, size and style can be changed to suit yourself wherever you wish to use something different. For illustrative purposes, page 1 includes my poem, “Lucky’s Win,” which was my contribution to the 2001 anthology published by the Stroll of Poets Society in Edmonton, Alberta. This example shows what a page looks like with a poem in 10-point Times New Roman typeface with the title in bold. A byline and date are included, but normally you wouldn’t provide that information with each poem in your chapbook. A color graphic has also been added to the page with the poem. The graphic has nothing much to do with the poem, but is used simply to illustrate two things: a. Graphics, as well as text, can be placed anywhere on your pages. This graphic was selected from the ready-made clip art that comes with Publisher software. Other sources may also be used. Consult your Publisher manual for more information. b. If you have a color printer, you can enhance your printing product with color in both graphics and text. Consult your Publisher manual for more information. To remove the poem from page 1, just click inside the text frame with the text insert point, press Control-A to select all text and then press the Backspace or Delete key to remove the poem. To remove the graphic, click on the graphic to select the graphic frame, then press the Backspace or Delete key to delete both the graphic and the graphic frame in which it appears. 3. Making Your Chapbook To build your chapbook, open the Chapbook Template file in Publisher. Click in the text frame on any page numbered from page 1 and following (i.e. from the 5th page in the template). You can then type in your poem if you wish to write directly in Publisher. To import a poem written in a another software program such as a word processor, open that file, select all the text, copy it, return to Publisher, click in the text frame and under the Edit menu, Paste in the poem. It may be necessary to select all text again to reformat it to the typeface, size and style you want. Another way to insert a poem is to open it in the word processor program that created it, and save the poem as a text file. Then in Publisher, click in the text frame and under the Insert menu, select Text File… and choose the text file from the appropriate folder on your disk drive. Click OK and the poem will be imported directly into Publisher in the pre-selected typeface.
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4. Some Production Tips a. Page numbering – Conventional page numbering begins with page 1 and all odd-numbered pages as right-hand pages. Even-numbered pages appear on the left. If you have a poem that fits on a single page, it may be placed on either the left or right page of your chapbook. b. Linking text frames – For longer poems, such as a poem that needs two pages to accommodate it, start the poem on an even-numbered page on the left. When you place the poem in the text frame, it will not all fit in a single page and a dialog box will appear which says that, “The inserted text doesn’t fit in this frame.” You can use the link feature of Publisher to flow the remaining text into the next text frame on the facing page on the right to put a longer poem in a two-page spread. Check your user manual or use the online Help feature for assistance by clicking on Help and then entering “connect text frames” as the topic for help to flow text from one frame to another. For short poems, you can place more than one poem in the same text frame as long as it fits. Or, you may wish to reduce the size of the full-page text frame and then add a second text frame on the same page for another poem. Check your Publisher manual for details. c. Re-setting margins – The text frame on each page is set with margins as described on the first page of this guide. If you want to change the margin settings in Publisher, under the Arrange menu, select Layout Guides… and specify the size of margins you want. If you change the margins, it will be necessary to adjust the size of the text frame on each page accordingly. The Preview box in the Layout Guides dialog box shows a representation of your page appearance. d. Adding graphics – Graphics can be added from a variety of sources to any page to illustrate your chapbook and enhance the appearance of the pages. Graphics should complement the poetry, not detract from it. Or, you may wish to have a traditional non-illustrated appearance with no graphics. However, if you wish to add graphics, you will need to create picture frames in which to place them and size them as required. Check the manual or on-screen Help for details. e. Changing text – Text font, size and style can be varied in Publisher just as it is in word processing. Color can also be used for text. The title, “My Greatest Poems,” on the outside front cover of the chapbook is in dark blue. The large capital W in the first paragraph on page 1 of this guide is called a “drop cap.” Publisher can create drop caps automatically, and the Chapbook Template includes two examples, one on the inside front cover, and one in the poem on numbered page 1 (the 5th template page). For details, check your Publisher manual or click Help, enter “drop cap” and then click the Search button. Keep in mind that consistency in style and design of your text appearance adds continuity and professionalism to the look of your chapbook. Hint: You can set text “styles” to pre-set text format, which can save time in production and formatting. In the online Help file, enter “styles” and click Search to bring up information on the topic. f. Adding color – If you wish to enhance your chapbook’s appearance with color, use color graphics and/or text on only the outside front and back covers, or any other pages which print on the same sheet. This will keep down the cost of color printing by using it sparingly. All the inside pages could be printed in black for photocopying. The cover with color could be printed separately and the inside pages could then be added for stapling. For example, in the Chapbook Template, the color graphics on the front and back covers will print on the same side of the sheet. g. Proofing – Proof read your chapbook on the computer before printing. You’re almost certain to want changes. Check the layout for accuracy, consistency, formatting, appearance, positioning of text and graphics, page numbers and so on. After you have printed your master sheets, proof read all material again to ensure accuracy and to root out mistakes and typos. Hint: Before reproducing your chapbook at the copy shop, assemble a mock-up by printing all pages and placing them in position. If you are printing on only one side of the sheet, glue the appropriate pages in position, back-to-back and fold the pages to ensure that you have an accurate
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presentation of what your final product will look like. This is important to check position, because one 8 ½ x 11 sheet will have a total of four chapbook pages printed on it. For example, when you print your chapbook, numbered pages 1 and 40 (template pages 5 and 44) will appear on the side of one sheet, and numbered pages 2 and 39 (template pages 6 and 43) will appear on the other side. 5. Printing Your Work
a. Print your master sheets with a printer that has a high dot per inch resolution (600 dpi or better) and print them on good quality paper such as 24 lb. laser paper. The masters can then be taken to a photocopy service for reproduction, assembly and stapling, or you may wish to do some of these steps yourself. When the assembly is completed, you may wish to trim the outer edges of the pages to make them even and give your work a better appearance. b. Under the File menu, select Page Setup and under Choose a Publication Layout, select Special Fold. In the next box under Choose a Special Fold, select Book Fold and ensure that width is set at 5.5” and height at 8.5”. Under Choose An Orientation, check to ensure that Landscape is selected, which will print sideways with two pages per sheet. The Preview image at the right will indicate that your book will print two pages per sheet. Click OK. c. Under File, select Print Setup and in the Name area ensure that the name of the printer appears which you will be using to print your chapbook. Ensure that for Size you have selected Letter 8 ½ x 11 inch. In Orientation, select Landscape. Click OK. d. Under File menu, select Print and under Name choose the printer you will be using. In Print Range select the Pages you want to print and in Copies specify the number of copies to be printed. Click OK. Hint: You might want to print just a few pages at first to ensure that your book appears the way you want it to look. If you like what you see, continue printing. Also, you may want to set up the chapbook to print the covers separately, perhaps on heavier stock or colored paper. You could use Publisher to set up a template for covers only if you prefer. 6. Reproducing The Chapbook
You will likely print your master sheets on a single side of the paper. A photocopy service can produce copies quickly and inexpensively, printing on both sides with correct pagination. Print only the number of copies you think you require. If you need more, order them when you need them. In this manner you won’t be spending money and stockpiling copies that aren’t distributed. A final note… Computers, software and printers have made it possible for a poet to become an effective publisher as well as a writer. Feel free to make changes in the Chapbook Template to suit your own personal preference and style. Add or delete pages, change the size of margins and text frames, set your own styles. Insert your poems or use the template for prose in a collection of essays and short fiction. Producing your own chapbook gives you have the opportunity to take your work from the written word right to the finished product. Good luck with your project, John J. Chalmers
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