How Book Illustration Files Should Be Set Up Before Sending to a Formatter

Before you send your artwork to a formatter, the file setup matters more than most authors realize. Sloppy files cause delays, reprints, and extra costs — none of which you want close to a launch date.

Every illustration, including your book cover illustration, needs to be saved at 300 DPI minimum. Anything lower and the print quality drops fast. Colors should be set to CMYK, not RGB, what looks great on your screen often prints darker or flatter than expected.

Keep your layers organized, name your files clearly, and always save in the format your formatter actually asks for, usually TIFF or high-res PDF. Sending a compressed JPEG and hoping for the best is a gamble not worth taking.