Paper affects how a book looks, feels, opens and travels. Weight alone does not describe those qualities: thickness, opacity, shade and surface also matter. These guides help you consider materials alongside page count, artwork, binding and the intended use of the publication. Prepare questions about a proposed stock, or explore why papers with similar descriptions can behave differently. Where the choice depends on the full specification, the guidance shows which details to review together rather than recommending one paper for every finished book.
Paper changes more than print appearance. Publishers should consider how a stock affects color, binding, spine width, finished feel and shipment weight. The choice should be made alongside the complete product specification.
See Binding & Finishing for how the selected materials relate to the proposed book construction.
Send the size, page count and intended finished feel, with any paper reference you already have.