Hello there. I'd joined the forum to ask a question, but after hopping around various threads I've found the topics and discussion really interesting, and can't wait to become an active member around here! But as for the question, I've written a little novel, something I did in my spare time to relax and flex my imagination muscles. As I neared completion I decided I'd actually like for my family and friends to read it, and many expressed the sentiment that they'd find it hard to sit and read a novel in word on the computer. So now I'm looking into printing it myself. I've bound little novels before, and that's what I'm looking to do this time, only I'm not sure how to print it in the format I'd like. I have the pages in landscape, and split down the middle. I want to print the odd pages on the front of the paper, and then the even pages on the reverse side. In other words, print pages 1,3,5,7, etc. Then take those pages, flip them over, put them back in my printer and print pages 2,4,6,8, etc. To help explain I threw together a visual. The top is how it appears in Word, the bottom is how I'd like the printed pages to appear. Does this make sense, and can anyone offer some advice as to how I can pull this off in MS Word? Thanks for any help! -Michael
Your printer might actually have options for 2-sided printing. Click "File, Print, Properties" and see if there's anything for 2 sided printing. Otherwise, click "File, Print." In the "Print" box, there's an option for "Odd Pages" or "Even Pages." Charlie
I'm not sure if you can do what you're wanting in Word. Adobe InDesign can do it, but that's an expensive application. You create a document using Legal Half or Letter Half paper size and then choose to Build Booklet. InDesign will reposition all the pages for you so that when you print on legal paper, for example, it can be folded and bound in the middle by two staples (i.e. 2-up saddle stitch). You could do this yourself in Word, but you would have to figure out the placement of each page manually, which is a pain. You might see if your school or library has a copy of InDesign. Then you could import your Word document and make the booklet that way. A facility like that would probably also have a printer that handles duplexing (print on both sides) which will make the process that much easier. Then you'd only have to staple and fold manually.
Thank you both for your replies! I'll look into going somewhere. Maybe ask Kinkos if I could work it out there? But I can also check out the library, thanks again!
I don't see much sense in this printing layout. It's not a pamphlet layout, so you would really need to cut each page in half ahfet printing, and then bind the stack of pages. That also means you need to allow a gutter on each page (on the right on even-numbered pages, on the left on odd-numbered pages) for the binding area, in addition to the margins. I realize you're trying to save paper, but you are better off letting them read it in manuscript format - letter-sized pages, double-spaced. printed single-side, pages numbered but not bound. If youwant to cut the page count, print single-spaced (but not for submission!).
If you're just getting it printed yourself, a good print+bind job isn't too difficult at most little places like Kino's or Officeworks - most of the time you don't even have to format it yourself.
i agree with cog that it makes better sense to print full pages, instead of trying to make it look like a book... and if you want to print both sides of the full pages, ms word DOES have that option... click on 'properties' then the 'finishing' tab there, and then check the box 'print both sides'... i'm not sure how it works, but if you check it out in the 'help' menu, i'm sure it'll tell you...
