SANJIESAN LORE / BUYING GUIDE
Choose a setting-book print format with a gutter proof
A setting book can look excellent as a flat PDF while losing labels near the binding when printed. Lulu’s official print-book page offers different formats, binding options and file templates. Use those choices to investigate the actual pages you need, rather than selecting the most imposing cover before testing the inside.
Prepare three difficult pages
Choose a map spread, a page of dense reference text and an illustration with a caption. Keep important labels away from a hypothetical centre until you have the supplier’s specification for the chosen format. Compare the same content at two possible trim sizes. If shrinking the book makes every label unreadable, reduce the map’s scope or redesign it instead of assuming higher image resolution will restore legibility.
Use the exact template for the chosen object
Confirm page count, paper, binding and cover type before preparing the final cover file. Ask which choices affect margins, spine dimensions and bleed, then use the current supplier guidance for that configuration. A generic cover downloaded for another size is not enough. Separate interior and cover checks, and inspect the uploaded preview for missing fonts, clipped captions and accidental blank pages before any order is considered.
Decide what a physical proof must answer
If proceeding with printing, request or order a proof through the supplier’s normal process before committing to a larger run. Inspect how the book opens, whether the map’s centre remains usable and how small text appears under ordinary reading conditions. Confirm the live total and destination shipping separately; no cost or delivery guarantee is implied here. This guide checks the supplier route and suggests a proof plan, not a completed print test.