I have to make a decision about the typeface to select for my books on Christian economics.
This is not an easy decision. Every author wants his books to be read. The easier the typeface is to read, the more likely it is that the book will be read.
Another consideration is the shrink factor of the typeface. It is obviously an advantage to have a book that is shorter than longer. It takes less paper to print it. When people see it, it is less intimidating. But there is a trade-off: sometimes a more efficient typeface in terms of space is less readable. I have seen typefaces that are so small that it is unlikely that anybody is going to read the book. No author should ever allow this. He had better maintain a veto over the decision of the publisher with respect to both typeface and font size.
I have a preliminary version of the student's edition of the book. I like the look of the typeface, but it is not efficient. There is almost no shrink factor for my double-spaced 12-point manuscript. So, it will cost more money to print the book. That is not a crucial concern, because the book is only about 300 pages long. My major concern is the size of the teacher's edition and then the scholar's edition. These will be much longer books. If I use the same typeface for all volumes, I will probably have to go to two volumes for the scholar's edition. The teacher's edition is going to be fat.
1. Here is the preliminary typesetting. Click here: https://www.garynorth.com/CE-Student.pdf
In contrast are the books in my series on the economic commentary on the Bible. They are readable. They have about a 25% shrink factor, which is good.
2. Here is a volume (Genesis): https://www.garynorth.com/SovereigntyAndDominion1.pdf
3. Here is The Covenantal Structure of Christian Economics. It is here: https://www.garynorth.com/CovStructure.pdf
Print out two pages of each book: 61-62. How do they compare?
In your view, is the sample version significantly more readable than the Genesis book? The font is larger, so there will be some improvement. But it will add to printing costs. Also, it is hard to sell two-volume books. Do you like 1, 2, or 3?
If you are a site member, please post your comments on the general Q&A forum. If you are not a site member, send me your evaluation at garynorth@garynorth.com. Put this in the subject box: Typesetting.
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