The Challenges of Printing a "Mythoria-Style" Book
Creating a book is magic. But turning it into something physical—smelling the paper, flipping through the pages, seeing your name on the cover—is a one-of-a-kind experience.
At Mythoria, we want everyone to get to experience that.
In this article, we'll pull back the curtain on custom book printing: from production methods to choices in paper, spines, and binding, showing how every little detail makes a difference.
If you're looking for how to print your book, want to learn about print-on-demand, or just want to understand what happens after you click "Publish," this guide is for
🏭 Bulk Printing vs. Single-Copy Printing
Not all printing is created equal. There are different printing methods, and the right choice depends on volume, quality, and budget.
🔹 Offset Printing
The classic method used by major publishers.
It works using metal plates that transfer ink to paper—ideal for high-volume runs (hundreds or thousands of copies).
💡 Pros: very low unit cost in large quantities and exceptional color quality.
⚠️ Cons: high initial setup cost and very little flexibility—it's not worth it to print just one copy.
🔹 Digital Printing
The technology that democratized the physical book.
It allows you to print a single copy with professional quality in just a few minutes.
💡 Pros: speed, flexibility, and no setup costs.
⚠️ Cons: slightly higher unit price and minor color variations between batches.
At Mythoria, we use high-quality digital printing, which allows us to create unique books, tailor-made for each author and each story.
📏 The Deal with the Spine: There Isn't Always Room for the Title!
The spine is the side of the book where the title is usually printed.
But its size depends on one very simple factor:
The number of sheets and the paper weight.
With too few pages or thin paper, the spine becomes so narrow that it's impossible to print text.
That's why we often opt for a discreet black band, keeping the look elegant and uniform even on thin books.
👉 The spine only gets thick enough starting at around 30 sheets (60 pages front and back), depending on the paper weight:
- 90 gsm paper → ~0.09 mm per sheet
- 120 gsm paper → ~0.12 mm per sheet
With fewer than 30 sheets, the book is too thin, and it becomes difficult to ensure a durable binding.
🧷 Margins, Weight, and Binding: The Invisible Side of the Structure
The physical structure of a book is made of details that are almost invisible, but essential.
Every printed book needs:
- Internal margins for cutting and binding (minimum of 5 mm on all sides);
- A 3 mm bleed for elements that reach the very edge of the page;
- Cover on 350 gsm paper, which is thicker and more resistant;
- Interior on 90 to 120 gsm paper, depending on the type of book.
During the assembly process, the sheets are grouped and glued to the spine with PUR hot glue—ensuring both strength and flexibility.
But when the number of sheets is low, there's little volume for the glue to adhere to, which can compromise durability.
💡 Mythoria Tip: We always recommend opting for the “aesthetic crease,” a finish where more pressure and a score line are applied near the spine.
This technical detail ensures the pages fold naturally during reading and prevents them from coming unstuck over time.
👶 What About Short Children's Books?
Many children's books have fewer than 30 pages—which makes them visually charming, but technically difficult to print with a glued spine.
Since we want every child to have a "Mythoria-style" book in their hands, we are developing a new feature:
✨ “Story Compilation”—which will allow gathering several short stories into a single volume.
That way, even short tales get enough body for a perfect and durable print.
🖨️ Where and How to Print: Autonomy for Our Authors
In the beginning, all print orders were handled manually by us, in an almost artisanal process.
We tested different print shops, gathered feedback, and optimized the “final art” (the delivered PDFs) to always guarantee the best possible result.
But as the number of authors grew, we realized we needed to give more autonomy to the Mythoria community.
Keeping with the motto, "The one who imagines it is the one who authors the story," we decided to offer all the necessary tools so that each author can:
- Print as many copies as they want;
- Choose their preferred print shop;
- Receive their book faster.
💡 Did you know?
A print shop takes, on average, 1 to 2 hours to print and assemble a book (depending on their workload).
With this new option, and for a very low cost, our authors receive:
- The PDFs with the final art, ready for printing;
- All the technical instructions to ensure the best quality;
- And a list of recommended print shops, with contacts and locations, to make the choice easier.
The result?
📦 Faster, cheaper, and with total creative freedom.
🧠 In Short
Printing a book is much more than a technical process—it's the moment a story gains body and identity.
At Mythoria, we believe every author should be able to turn their creation into a real object, with the same care and attention it was written with.
Because, in the end, what we print aren't just pages.
They're stories—and dreams—taking shape. ✨
👉 Coming soon: our Mythoria Print Guide, with tips, cover examples, and step-by-step instructions to prepare your book for printing.