Printing a Novel in Word

Hi Steven, 

Thank you for your detailed feedback and for trying the steps we suggested. I totally understand the frustration of formatting not working as expected, especially when you've spent a lot of time on your manuscript. 

Let's go through a more detailed guide to help you achieve your desired results: print a 6x9 booklet in signatures, directly from Word. 

Please try the following steps:

1. Open the correct Page Setup dialog box 

• Go to the Layout tab.
• Click the small arrow in the lower-right corner of the Page Setup group (to open the full dialog).
• Trong tab Margins: 
  • In the Multiple pages section, select Book fold.
  • Set up the word 0.25–0.5" Gutter (to leave room for binding).
  • Margin Settings: Top/Bottom = 0.75", Inside = 1", Outside = 0.75".

2. Set up a 6x9 paper size 

• In the same dialog, switch to the Paper tab.
• Select Custom size and enter: 
  • Width = 6 inches
  • High = 9 inches

Note: Some printers do not directly support 6x9 format. In that case, you can keep the paper size at 8.5x11 and adjust the margins to simulate a 6x9 layout in the middle of the page. 

3. Print Setup 

• Go to File > Print.
• In the Settings section, select: 
  • Print on Both Sides
  • Flip pages on short edge
• If your printer doesn't support booklet printing, you can select Microsoft Print to PDF, and then use Adobe Reader to print in Booklet mode.

If you still see the miniature equipment in the middle 

This usually happens when: 

• The printer driver is automatically shrinking the content (check and turn off the Scale to Fit or Fit to Page option).
• The paper size in Word does not match the printer's paper tray settings.

If you want, I can send you a pre-formatted Word template in 6x9 size and Book Fold mode. 

Please if you have any further questions or need additional assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is always here to help. 

Good luck with your novel project! 

Warm Regards, 
Chris-DKN – MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

Using the settings above, I changed to landscape and now I'm getting this:

Huge text, no headers.

Have you tried changing the page orientation to Landscape?

Hi, Chris. Thanks for the reply.

I've taken the steps above that you suggested. Here are some notes:

• There is no Layout > Page Setup. If I choose Page Setup > Margins, I see two tabs: Margins and Layout. There is nothing referencing book fold on that Layout dialog box
• On the Layout ribbon, there is no Page Setup option
• If I set the page size to 6x9, and I set Page Setup > Marghins > Pages (Multiple Pages > Book fold, I get this:

This is why I'm so frustrated. I follow these directions and keep getting these odd results.

I don't need to go to PDF. I simply want to export my novel into signatures to my laser printer with a properly formatted page. Everything I try ends up with odd results like the above, or this shrunken image in the center of the page.

Dear Steven,      

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Community. We can see that you're working on formatting and printing your novel as a booklet with signatures for binding, but the final output isn't appearing as expected. We're happy to assist. 

To better understand the issue and provide relevant guidance, could you confirm the following details? 

• Are you using the Book Fold layout in Word?
• Have you adjusted the Gutter margins to accommodate binding?
• Are you printing directly from Word or exporting to PDF first?
• What printer settings are you using (e.g., duplex printing, booklet mode)?

In the meantime, here are some steps you can try to format your document for booklet printing: 

1. Adjust Page Setup:

• Go to Layout > Page Setup and select Book Fold under Multiple Pages.
• Set the Paper Size to 6x9 inches.
• Adjust margins to 0.75" top/bottom and wider left/right margins for binding.

1. Ensure Proper Printing Settings:

• Go to File > Print and select Print on Both Sides (if your printer supports duplex printing).
• Choose Flip pages on short edge to ensure correct orientation.
• If printing manually, follow the printer’s instructions for feeding pages correctly.

1. Check PDF Export Settings (if applicable):

• If exporting to PDF, ensure the page size and layout remain intact.
• Verify that scaling settings are set to Actual Size rather than Fit to Page.

For additional guidance, you may find this Microsoft Support article helpful. If the issue persists, please provide more details, and we’ll be happy to assist further. 

We hope you have a great day! 

Best Regards,   
Chris-DKN - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.