Want to print my very own chapbook, is there a freeware printing app for the occasion?

February 3, 2011 11:26 AM

Want to print my very own chapbook, is there a freeware printing app for the occasion? Am using an ancient version of Word, so it needs to be standalone if possible - on and it needs also to be smallish - like paperback size. Any leads, help and suggestions, please list them. Thank you!
posted by watercarrier to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Sorry, didn't see that you put the question in the title. What version of Word are you using? There's an option for printing multiple pages per sheet in the print dialogue. Can you print your file four up and fold? Or print four up, and only odd pages, then flip the sheets and print the same, only with even pages, and then cut the sheets?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:33 AM on February 3, 2011

Response by poster: 97......I can't print booklets with this and the printer I have an old HP 3 in 1 with its wonderful disposition is going to drive me nuts, stopping and stalling every step of the way, so any kind of program that will do what you wrote - would be just the thing I need - only without cutting. It's not needed. I could do with 2 pages printed on one side of a sheet.
posted by watercarrier at 11:46 AM on February 3, 2011

If you print to a PDF file, you can use something like bookletcreator to print your chapbook.

I used to format the pages manually, and it's a huge pain to get the pages matched up. Remember to leave the inside cover blank, and then ...

Make sure the number of pages is divisible by 4.
Print the pages in the order ....

Last Page, First Page; 2nd Page, 2nd to last Page; lastpage - 2, 3rd page; 4th page, lastpage - 3, etc....
posted by seanyboy at 12:05 PM on February 3, 2011 [1 favorite]

If you are only wanting a couple copies, doing the printing yourself is fine, but if you are going to want to do many then consider a printer. I get chapbooks made up all the time at about the cost of a buck a book.

You don't list your OS, but I am presuming PC. If it's an ancient copy of Word I doubt you'll be able to do it from within that app. Open Office or its ilk should have a layout program, but wrapping your head around bookletting is irritating.

You can probably make a PDF of each page, print those pages and take an old school approach and past them up. Then make copies of these. This works wonderfully if you are going for the old "zine" look and feel.

Again, if you work with a printer you can often do this pasteup virtually. If you provide them with individual PDFs of "Cover" "Contents," etc. It shouldn't bee too hard to have them do the work. It'll look better in the end and is often more cost effective that print cartridges.

They'll probably also let you have the final PDF in case you want more.

My printer keeps any of my jobs on file, so if I want copies made of my chapbooks or business cards I just call them.

If this is a one off short run thing it doesn't make sense to get additional software. If you find yourself doing it a lot investing in layout software is the way to go. Word is pretty horrible at this sort of thing.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:11 PM on February 3, 2011

May not be relevant, but... If you're hoping to print a medium-size print run, you can print it normally on 8.5x11 paper. Then, many fancier copiers (like those at Kinko's, in many offices, at Staples, etc) have a "chapbook" setting to shrink each page by 50% and paginate it properly, so that you end up with a 5.5x8.5 booklet. Print a cover on cardstock and use the long-arm stapler at the printshop to cheaply bind.
posted by soviet sleepover at 5:48 PM on February 3, 2011