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Importance of Typesetting in Publishing Industry

Typesetting

A common refrain is that one cannot judge a book by its cover. The same may apply to the interior content of a book. However, the fact is that most people determine the merit of a book on the basis of visual elements, often to the detriment of the reading experience.

This is where the role of typesetting comes in. Typesetting is the physical or digital arrangement of text in the arena of graphic design and publishing. It is a unique art of fine-tuning and organizing document content and titles.

What does it entail?

The Typeset process involves the selection and setting of a kind of document. Often it may be confused with typography which implies type design as both share focus on the visual presentation of text.

The typeset process consists of the careful arrangement of images and text in preparation for printing. This needs graphic designers, typesetters, and editors to choose the best style and size of every chain of text and design elements.

Though the Typeset process may seem simple, it is, in reality, a time-consuming and technical activity. In case you fail to properly edit and manage the typeset, it will result in visually unpleasant flaws inside the text.

Such flaws will impede the experience of the reader to comprehend the text. Sometimes, flaws in the typeset will render a work tough to read. In other cases, the visual aesthetic of the interior of documents appears unpleasant because of poor typesetting decisions.

Examples of glaring typeset flaws include kerning- the space between letters. Flaws in Kerning can cause the reading to be uncomfortable. Other flaws include widows and orphans, book blocks, word stacks, and drop caps.

Also, some flaws may emerge when inexperienced typesetter uses different typefaces in the same document. This renders a cluttered and distracting look to the pages. In sum, the type that is tough to read dilutes the message which the document strives to convey. Typically, the experienced typesetter strives to find a balance between function and form.

Importance to authors

The typeset process can be carried out either as a DIY job or a professional job. But there is no more hiding- most readers can easily identify a DIY job. You may lose your reader because of the poor formatting of the text.

 The goal of the author for his book can help determine what route to take up in the typeset process. In case book sales are not crucial (when books are meant only for private circulation with friends and family), authors typically go the DIY route for content formatting.

But if the book is meant to compete in the genre of best sellers or has been created as a marketing tool for a business or as a promotion for the author, the quality of the typeset process is crucial.

The book mirrors the author and the sloppy typeset reflects on the author directly. In such cases, the author may desire to consult with a professional book designer to accomplish the optimum design of the page and the most enjoyable experience for the reader.

In sum, hiring a professional typesetter company like DTP Labs is the right way to go for an excellent typeset process. With a professional, you will get what you paid for. Unless you are confident that you can design a high-quality layout on your own, it is worth hiring a professional typesetter like DTP Labs, which has much experience and expertise in this field. 

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