{book-design} is about the design and layout of books. Typical subjects are cover, title pages, margins, odd and even pages and order of sections in front matter and back matter.
63
votes
9answers
10k views
How can I design a book cover?
Can anyone share his or her experience on designing a book cover? I just finished writing my "Awk One-Liners Explained" e-book and now I am designing the cover. I tried \maketitle and the result was ...
35
votes
4answers
2k views
Are there any good general typesetting books / references?
I would like to learn more about typesetting, the accepted best practices, rules and tricks used in books, letters, resumes etc. For example, what are the usual left and right margins? Line spacing? ...
33
votes
5answers
4k views
A cookbook in LaTeX?
I am interested in making a cookbook in LaTeX. Each page will contain a recipe, including ingredients, instructions, and a photo of the finished food. Has this been done previously? Where do I ...
29
votes
3answers
8k views
What is the right order when using \frontmatter, \tableofcontents, \mainmatter, \part, \chapter, \backmatter, \appendix etc?
I am using the book documentclass and want to know the correct order when arranging
\frontmatter
\maketitle or \begin{titlepage}...\end{titlepage}
a page that contains copyright, ISBN, edition ...
24
votes
1answer
1k views
Book layout Contents, Chapter, Section,
my goal is to get new style of Table of Contents, new style of Chapter and new style of section. I there is one more: how to change itemize native symbol for a black square?
Table of Contents: text ...
23
votes
7answers
883 views
How long does it take to format a book in LaTeX?
I am new to this website and I hope this is not considered off topic but how long does it take to format a book in LaTeX?
I understand this is a subjective question but maybe the "specs" of the book ...
21
votes
4answers
3k views
Resources for title page and front matter design
I need to create the area between the outer cover and the table of contents for a novel. This will present (at least partially, but preferably at a minimum):
the title
the author's name
the ...
21
votes
2answers
2k views
How do you setup a TeX document to self publish a book online?
I am a casual TeX user. Mostly I have used it to type up some reports/homeworks for class in my graduate engineering work. In the past I have used document type "article". And then kept all the ...
20
votes
2answers
2k views
Template for a book for children
I intend to (write and) typeset in LaTeX one or more books for my almost-4 child. They would be books telling a fairy tale (or the labours of Hercules, say) with one sentence and a large illustration ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
How to write a multiple choice test book with LaTeX?
I want to write a book which will consist of many multiple choice exam sheets. Putting the codes below into my preamble, I wrote the question like as
\begin{enumerate}
\item $2+2=?$
\choice $1$ ...
18
votes
1answer
916 views
Exercises in lecture notes without predetermined placement
I'm writing up some lecture notes for a math course in LaTeX (using the book class so far, but I may change that), and as I do so possible homework exercises occur to me which I want to include in the ...
17
votes
2answers
695 views
Where to find people for hire with LaTeX skills and designer skills?
I have now written my first e-book in LaTeX but before I publish it, I wish to hire someone with superior LaTeX skills to fix the design of the book and formatting. At the moment I have tons of issues ...
16
votes
10answers
3k views
Headings and advice to write a PhD in physics using LaTeX
I have 3 months to write a PhD thesis in French.
I have a good level in LaTeX (wrote several memoires and many articles), however, I would like to know if you have any suggestions concerning good ...
16
votes
1answer
1k views
Two-column LaTeX class for a photobook
I am looking for a solution to produce a two-column(ed) LaTeX-based photobook. Text and comments should go on the outer column (in a two-sided document)--something like a wide outer margin. Photos ...
16
votes
1answer
263 views
Indexing an interval of words on top of every page
Friends, I'm curious on how to do the following in LaTeX:
Dictionaries have two words on the top of each page, meaning the interval of words to be found on that specific page, e.g.,
In the figure, ...
16
votes
3answers
636 views
What are good packages for laying out a play?
I'm formatting a play as a LaTeX book. Is there any particular package the is best for laying out books like this (aside from the LaTeX-book class)?
I'm wondering if there are any examples of ...
15
votes
2answers
983 views
Writing a technical book, structuring first then layout later possible?
I want to write a Technical Book that eventually should go to Lulu.com for publishing, so I have to stick to certain strict rules about page sizes and layout.
I'm currently looking for a way to focus ...
15
votes
1answer
364 views
How to print section titles like tab-list?
Can I create a user manual with sections at the right like multi-tab?
Like this:
--
I think maybe I can template the page by tikz. (That will be very flexible if possible) so I added the tikz tag.
...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
Insert foldable A3 pages in an A4 document with active references
I am at the end of a big LaTeX document (my thesis) and I would like to insert A3 tables and figures in the Annexes (Supporting informations) section. These A3 pages would be foldable and ideally I ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
Typesetting a poem book for manual binding
I would like to typeset a poem book, which I am planning to print then stitch and bind manually. My requirements are:
The book should be printed on A4 paper, with two A5 pages on each side.
It ...
14
votes
1answer
683 views
Rules of thumb for size of binding correction (BCOR)
I was searching for this for a while now and I keep getting referred to an article about binding correction (probably in german) that seems to be offline.
Another tip was to measure the horizontal ...
14
votes
1answer
491 views
How could one setup a layout for a dictionary? (if possible)
A friend asked me if I knew any free software for creating dictionaries - which is good at saving space (reduce total number of pages).
Example:
I suppose this might be possible in LaTeX. ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Printing a book
I would create a document using latex, if I want to print the document and make a book out of it, how should I do it?
If my document has 50 pages, and following requirements :
Double side printing
...
13
votes
2answers
1k views
How can I produce a fancy chapter heading like this one?
I just found some chapter headings that are really nice:
But I can't exactly figure out how to extend the rule off the margin and put the figure on the page before the chapter and the caption on the ...
12
votes
3answers
701 views
Book cover, integration multilayered equations. (Suggestions?)
I am sort of writing a compendium about integration, everyhting from basic substitutions, to contour integrals, Gamma, beta integrals and so forth.
I feel that no standard frontcase suffices and I ...
12
votes
1answer
581 views
Has the typesetting of Knuth and gang's Concrete Mathematics been modified over subsequent editions?
I understand its a late 80's book and the authors were justifiably proud of their new AMS Euler typeface when they wrote it. However, by today's display standards, I find it a bit lacking (atleast in ...
12
votes
1answer
511 views
Are there any packages similar to fncychap?
I use fncychap this way:
\usepackage[Conny]{fncychap}
This lets me have pretty decent chapters, ToC and title page design. But the options are scarce and too popular.
Are there any other packages ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
Book cover fonts
I am typesetting my first book. I am using Computer Modern for the font. I am trying to decide which font to use for the covers/dust jacket.
I took a look at a number of similarly formatted books, ...
11
votes
1answer
541 views
Typography and style for acknowledgments written in different languages
My thesis is written in English, but for the acknowledgment page I think I will write a first paragraph in English, one in Italian and one in French.
I was wondering if I have to do something ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Alternative symbol sets for footnote marks
The footmisc package describes 3 additional systems in which one can apply numbering to footnotes in a paper:
bringhurst: â, â , âĄ, §, ||, ¶.
chicago: â, â , âĄ, §, ||, #.
wiley: â, ââ, â , ...
10
votes
2answers
203 views
How to put signature number in footer (derived from page number)?
To make my book easier to bind I'd like to automatically put the signature number with small type in the footer of the first page of each octavo signature (except the first one which is given since it ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Is there a good plain TeX tutorial that explains about doing automation and making layout?
I am interested in learning plain TeX especially in
automation: looping, conditional branching, jumping, iterating, etc.
layout: creating custom smart tables and boxes that can span cross pages.
...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Is there anywhere a tutorial of how to publish a book with LaTeX?
I am looking for all the tips and what should be considered specifically for the layout of professionally looking books.
10
votes
1answer
575 views
Create a book cover with spine, rear page and flaps
I have just finished my thesis, and I want to ask if there is a way to create a front-title page with spine (I don't know if this is the right term for the area between front page and rear page)? I ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Is there a template available that allows easy publishing of poem book?
I would like to layout a professionally designed book containing poems. What template should I use?
9
votes
1answer
561 views
Getting started with Chinese in ConTeXt
I am trying to setup a basic document with ConTeXt, but I am having difficulty even getting started.
First, I tried the documentation at ConTeXt wiki: Chinese. I tried the sample code on that page:
...
8
votes
2answers
350 views
Bind reports/articles into a book, but keep the ability to compile them individually
I see a few questions and answers about writing a book/thesis in LaTeX (here's one). But I would like to be able to compile reports separately as I write them to have a bunch of standalone documents. ...
8
votes
3answers
2k views
LaTeX techniques and templates for writing a book
I am about to write a couple of books using LaTeX. I am fairly used to producing small LaTeX articles using Sweave and R, but I have never written a book using LaTeX and I am not conversant with the ...
8
votes
1answer
878 views
When using a book class (memoir), text shifts from left to right on each page
I'm very new to latex, and I've noticed that using a book class causes the text on one page to be on the right and then left on the next and so on. I'd like for it to all to be on the left or ...
8
votes
1answer
452 views
How to type multiple choice questions with more than one correct choice
I want to type multiple choice question (which may have two or more answer) book using exercise package such as
\begin{questions}
\question This is the first question
\choice Wrong answer
...
8
votes
1answer
3k views
Order of the pages in the front matter of a book
Following "A few notes on book design" from Peter Wilson (author of the memoir class) the order of the pages of the front matter is:
Half-title page
Blank
Title page
Copyright page
Dedication
...
8
votes
1answer
389 views
Recommendations for partial contents page arrangement in memoir
I'm writing a moderately large reference work using memoir. As it falls naturally into parts by audience, I'd like to include partial tables-of-contents, by part.
I have managed to get my head round ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
How to write a mathematics problem book
I'm a mathematics student and a newbie latex-user, and would start to collect my favourite problems in a problem book written in latex, dividing the content in two parts: the first, with the labeled ...
7
votes
4answers
8k views
Good LaTeX template for book about maths
As I want to write a short "book" about Analysis I would like to work with a template which is good enough for readability, looks good and furthermore can handle dozens of my theorems, axioms, ...
7
votes
1answer
440 views
How to mark book paragraphs as note, warning, tip etc.?
In my text I have some paragraphs that should be denoted as "note", "caution", "tip", "story". These paragraphs should be rendered with darker background and an icon on the left side.
I was not able ...
7
votes
2answers
431 views
Different chapters, different layout
On request, I have two different layouts for chapters for a book. The first one is exclusive to the Chapter 1 and the other one is for the others. The layout affect how the sections, definitions and ...
7
votes
2answers
10k views
Where to put the acknowledgements in a thesis document?
Basically there are three possibilities:
add just a 'Acknowledgement' section as last section of you introduction chapter
put it at the end - between the last appendix and the bibliography
put it ...
7
votes
3answers
190 views
Foldable DIN A0 page within normal document
This question is somewhat similar to this question: Insert foldable A3 pages in an A4 document with active references
However it's not completely the same.
I want to have a foldable DIN A1/DIN A0 ...
7
votes
2answers
361 views
Is there a package to pull out Answer Keys from Exercises to the last page? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How can I produce exercises in one part of a LaTeX document with selected answers in another?
I am writing a book containing exercises for the readers.
To ease writing ...
7
votes
1answer
655 views
Memoir chapter styles
I'm designing a book collection using the memoir class. I want chapter titles to have a page for themselves (before the chapter proper). I'm using the following code for that:
...
