Downloaded your story and want to hold the actual book? You can print a surprisingly good version at home in about fifteen minutes. No special equipment needed -- just a standard printer, some paper, and a stapler. Here is exactly how.
🛒 Your printing checklist
- A printer (color looks best, but black and white works too)
- Regular Letter size paper (8.5" x 11")
- A stapler
- Scissors or a paper cutter (optional, for cleaner edges)
📖 How the PDF is set up
Your story comes as an A5 PDF — that's half the size of a standard sheet. This means two story pages fit on one piece of paper, making it perfect for a compact, easy-to-handle booklet.
📕 Cover and back cover (one sheet)
The front and back covers print together on a single sheet. Once folded in half, you'll have your cover on the front and back cover on the reverse — just like a real book.
🪟 Windows
- Open the PDF in your viewer
- Press Ctrl+P to print
- Select only page 1 and the last page
- Find "Multiple pages per sheet"
- Choose "2 pages per sheet"
- Print on regular paper
🍎 Mac
- Open the PDF in Preview
- Go to File > Print (Cmd+P)
- Click "Layout" in the dropdown
- Set "Pages per Sheet" to 2
- Select only first and last page
- Hit Print
📄 The story pages
Now for the rest of your story. You have two options depending on your setup:
Option A: Using half-size paper
- Cut Letter paper in half or load A5 paper if available
- Set paper size to A5 in print settings
- Enable double-sided printing if your printer supports it
- No duplex? Print odd pages first, flip the stack, then print even pages
Option B: Using regular Letter paper (most common)
- Select all inside pages (skip cover and back cover)
- Choose "2 pages per sheet"
- Enable double-sided printing
- Print, then cut the sheets in half
📎 Putting it all together
- Fold the cover sheet in half with the cover facing out
- Stack the inside pages in order
- Nestle them inside the cover
- Staple along the spine — 2 or 3 staples work best
💡 Pro tip: Stapler won't reach the center? Open it flat and staple against a piece of cardboard or cork. Then fold the staple legs down manually with a ruler.
✨ Make it look professional
Heavier paper makes the cover more durable and gives the booklet a more professional feel.
If printing in color, wait a couple of minutes before handling the pages to avoid smudges.
Print a couple of pages first to make sure orientation and sizing are correct before committing to the whole book.
🎁 Make it gift-worthy: binding ideas beyond staples
If you want something a bit more special than staples, here are three ideas families have shared with us:
- Ribbon binding -- punch two holes along the spine, thread a ribbon through, and tie a bow. Takes thirty seconds and looks lovely.
- Washi tape spine -- run a strip of decorative tape along the folded edge. Clean, colorful, and surprisingly durable.
- Local print shop -- most high-street print shops (Ryman, Staples, or your local copy centre) will spiral-bind it for a couple of pounds. Worth it for a gift.
🏠 Home print vs ordering a book
Absolutely — if you want your story right away. There's something special about a homemade booklet, and it only takes a few minutes.
Want a premium hardcover edition with professional binding? We also offer printed books delivered to your door.
