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Printing your book kit

It's easy and it's fun. Here's how.


Watch the trailer:

 

Get step by step instructions:

Movie Plots is 36 pages long, and is designed to be printed on standard 8 1/2" x 11" paper, for a finished chapbook that is 5" x 8" inches, with two pages on both sides of 9 sheets of paper (9 x 4 = 36).

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9 sheets

Nine sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper. Sidewalk is optional.

 

 

 

The printing procedure depends on what kind of printer you have: does it draw paper from the top of the paper feed or from the bottom? Once you determine that, you're all set. We suggest you do a trial run with ordinary paper and a draft setting for your ink; once you get it down, use the best paper you can and the higest-quality ink setting.

In either case, start by loading just 9 sheets of paper in your printer, and push PRINT; the printer will stop when it runs out of paper.

 

   
  Insert paper   Insert the nine sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper into your printer.
 

 

When the printer stops:

  • if you have a bottom-feeding printer, simply re-insert the pages exactly as they came out (with the text facing up), and the printer will resume printing
  • if you have a top-feeding printer, reverse the order of the pages, then flip them along the short axis, re-insert them, and let the printer finish printing.

(Printers may vary, but basically there’s only one way any given printer can screw up, so if that happens, simply print again, changing just one of the variables—reversing or flipping—and the next print run should be perfect!)

 

   
  Reinsert   Print the other sides. The print should be
right-side-up on both sides when you're done.
 

 

Then fold the pages in half (it works best to fold each sheet individually), fold the cover...

 

   
 

Crease

  You can crease freehand, as shown, or use a
clean table with a straight edge.
 

 

...and either staple or sew along the spine. To staple the book, open your standard stapler flat and carefully plunge two (or three) staples in holding the flattened chapbook against a cork board...

 

   
  Staple   Stapling. You can also use a saddle-stitch
stapler, if you happen to have access to one.
 

 

...then bend the staples closed with pliers, a butter knife, or the like.

 

   
  Bending the staples   A clean knife is best.
 

 

To sew the book, pre-punch holes every inch or so with a needle slightly larger than the one you're going to sew with, then sew using sturdy carpet thread or the like, leaving longish thread ends to tie off and trim when finished. Voilà! Your handmade collectible book is yours to read and enjoy for years to come.

 

   
 

Sew

  Remember to use a thimble when punching the holes.
 

 


You may also, of course, print any number of copies of the chapbook without the letterpress cover, to give to your friends. The insides are designed as a stand-alone volume. Purchasers of the Book Kit are not only authorized but encouraged to make lots of copies, the only proviso being that they may not be sold, only given away for free. Or you can make your own cover, in which case your options are limited only by your imagination. If you like, you can send us a scan of your custom-made covers, and we will try to post them on this website. Have fun!

   
 
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