Memoir Book printing
Writing a memoir can be as challenging as it is liberating. It’s not just telling a story; it’s telling your story in a way that will touch hearts and resonate with the experiences of people you may never meet. In short, it’s one of the most powerful and important genres in literature.
At QinPrinting, we are dedicated to helping memoir authors design and print the most beautiful memoir books possible. With over 25 years of success in the industry, an expert and caring team, state-of-the-art technology, and unrivalled customer service, we’re your first choice for memoir book printing.
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Whenever I have a creative idea, their team goes above and beyond to help bring it to life. I’ve printed four comic books with them, and each time, they’ve exceeded my expectations. If you’re considering a printer, take a chance on these friendly, reliable folks—they truly value your business. - Chad Townsend, Creator of The Black Phantom.
But working with Nelson was an absolute pleasure. He patiently addressed all my concerns, and my final printed book was just as I would hope it would be.
Popular Memoir Book Sizes
The most popular memoir book sizes are:
- 148 mm × 210 mm (A5 size, standard and cost-effective)
- 160 mm × 230 mm (slightly larger, offers a more premium feel)
But you’re not limited to these options. If you’d like to customise the size of your memoir book, that’s absolutely fine. We’ll be happy to advise you on the practical and technical requirements for any non-standard sizes you have in mind.
Memoir Book Paper Options
The paper you choose for your memoir book’s interior pages and cover depends on several factors, including whether your book contains photographs or text only, the binding style, and the final book size. We’re always happy to support and advise you so you can make the best choice for your needs and budget.
Here’s a general guide to the most common paper stocks we use when printing memoir books:
Interior Paper
- 80 gsm uncoated text paper
- 100 gsm uncoated text paper
- 80 gsm coated text paper
- 105 gsm coated text paper
- 128 gsm coated text paper
Paperback (Perfect Bound) Cover Paper
- 250 gsm C1S paper
- 250 gsm coated cover paper
- 300 gsm coated cover paper
Hardcover Paper
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2 mm greyboard
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2.5 mm greyboard
Special Finish Options
Here are some popular surface finishes that can enhance both the appearance and durability of your memoir book.
Shiny and reflective, perfect for vibrant graphics and photos.
Glossy highlights on specific areas for a striking contrast.
Smooth and non-reflective for a simple yet professional design.
Similar to matte lamination, but the resulting surface has a delightful, almost velvet feel.
A glossy finish applied to specific areas for a bold and distinct look.
Metallic or pigmented foil for a shiny, eye-catching effect.
Raised designs for added texture and elegance.
A recessed design that creates a tactile impression on the cover, adding texture and sophistication.
Cut a shape out of the paper material
Thin metallic foil—usually gold, silver, or bronze—is applied to the trimmed edges of your book's pages.
Custom patterns and images are sprayed on the edges for a truly unique appearance.
Print your design on a special paper that reflects light in a rainbow-like pattern.
Wrap your book in a durable synthetic leather material.
Cover your book with woven linen or cotton fabric.
Memoir Book Binding Options
While there are many binding styles available, the two most suitable for memoir books are perfect binding — the industry term for what is commonly called paperback or softcover — and hardcover binding (also known as hardback or hard case binding).
Paperbacks are more affordable and faster to produce, while hardcovers offer a more professional and authoritative appearance, have higher perceived value, and provide greater durability.
Hardcover Binding (Sewn Hardcover)
With perfect binding, the cover is a single sheet of heavier paper or cardstock, coated on one side for printing, which wraps around the interior pages to form a front cover, spine, and back cover. The interior pages are gathered into a block, glued along the spine with a strong, flexible adhesive, and then attached to the cover. Finally, the cover and pages are trimmed so they align perfectly, creating the “perfect” bind.
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Memoir Book Artwork and Design Tips
Export your files as vectors in PDF format for the best results. Our recommended software for memoir book design are Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign. These also allow you to convert your colour space from RGB to CMYK, which is necessary for offset printing.
If you can't provide vectors — for example, if you're exporting bitmaps from Photoshop based on scans of your family photos — ensure the resolution is at least 300 dpi. Vectors don't require worry about resolution, but all other images must be high definition to avoid becoming blurry or pixelated when resized.
You'll need to add a 3 mm bleed zone around all your image pages. A bleed is an extended area beyond the finished page size. After printing, your pages will be trimmed to the exact memoir book size, so this extra area ensures your images reach the edge with nothing unwanted left showing.
Inside the bleed zone, mark your trim lines — usually in green — to show the final page dimensions. Make sure any important elements of your images or text are at least 10 mm away from the trim line.
If a photo or artwork crosses two pages in a spread, ensure that nothing crucial — such as a person's face or important details — falls directly on the centre crease.
Need Help Preparing Your Files? We Offer a Free File Checking Service
Memoir Book Printing Prices
The cost of printing your memoir depends on several factors, including the number of pages and copies, the paper stock you select, the binding style, and more. The most popular binding options for memoirs are paperback (also known as perfect bound) and hardcover.
To get a detailed quote, you can use our online print price calculator. Alternatively, if you prefer, contact us by phone, email, Skype, or through our contact form — we’ll be happy to provide a personalised quote tailored to your needs.
In the meantime, you can get a rough idea of printing costs from the charts below:
How much does it cost to print a softcover memoir book?
Softcover Memoir Book Printing Price Chart (148 mm x 210 mm)
| Page count | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies | 10,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72pp + 4pp | Unit: A$9.77 Total: A$977 |
Unit: A$2.81 Total: A$1,404 |
Unit: A$1.83 Total: A$1,831 |
Unit: A$1.39 Total: A$2,781 |
Unit: A$1.19 Total: A$5,900 |
Unit: A$1.09 Total: A$10,913 |
| 96pp + 4pp | Unit: A$12.16 Total: A$1,216 |
Unit: A$3.52 Total: A$1,756 |
Unit: A$2.30 Total: A$2,301 |
Unit: A$1.78 Total: A$3,572 |
Unit: A$1.51 Total: A$7,579 |
Unit: A$1.43 Total: A$13,490 |
| 128pp + 4pp | Unit: A$15.50 Total: A$1,550 |
Unit: A$4.54 Total: A$2,270 |
Unit: A$2.97 Total: A$2,972 |
Unit: A$2.31 Total: A$4,614 |
Unit: A$1.96 Total: A$9,788 |
Unit: A$1.85 Total: A$18,480 |
- Please note all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 250 gsm coated cover paper with matte lamination
- Interior: 100 gsm uncoated text paper
- Binding: perfect binding
- Cover and interior: full colour printing
How much does it cost to print a hardcover memoir book?
Hardcover Memoir Book Printing Price Chart (150 mm x 230 mm)
| Page count | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies | 10,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80pp | Unit: A$18.21 Total: A$1,821 |
Unit: A$5.15 Total: A$2,572 |
Unit: A$3.80 Total: A$3,803 |
Unit: A$3.19 Total: A$6,379 |
Unit: A$2.73 Total: A$13,652 |
Unit: A$2.61 Total: A$25,015 |
| 112pp | Unit: A$22.77 Total: A$2,277 |
Unit: A$6.47 Total: A$3,234 |
Unit: A$4.64 Total: A$4,642 |
Unit: A$3.82 Total: A$7,642 |
Unit: A$3.21 Total: A$16,032 |
Unit: A$3.06 Total: A$29,024 |
| 192pp | Unit: A$34.16 Total: A$3,416 |
Unit: A$9.75 Total: A$4,875 |
Unit: A$6.76 Total: A$6,759 |
Unit: A$5.41 Total: A$10,821 |
Unit: A$4.41 Total: A$21,229 |
Unit: A$4.20 Total: A$41,511 |
- Please note all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 157 gsm coated cover paper with matte lamination, wrapped on 2.5 mm greyboard
- End sheets: 140 gsm uncoated text paper, blank
- Interior: 128 gsm coated text paper
- Cover and interior: full colour printing
For a more accurate estimate, try our handy online Printing Cost Calculator. Simply zoom in on the form, adjust your settings, and click for an instant quote! If you have any questions, get in touch — one of our enthusiastic, knowledgeable team members (not a robot or bored call centre operator!) will be more than happy to assist you.
Black-and-White vs Full Colour Memoir Book Printing
When you decide to print your memoir, one of the first choices to make is whether to print the interior in black-and-white or full colour. This decision impacts both the overall look of your book and its printing cost. To make the best choice for your project, it’s helpful to understand the processes and benefits of each option.
Full Colour Printing
Colour printing is ideal for memoirs that contain a lot of photographs or illustrations. While it is more complex and therefore more expensive, colour helps bring your story to life. It’s particularly suitable for shorter books—typically fewer than 100 pages—where visual elements play a central role in evoking memories and engaging readers.
Colour adds depth and vibrancy, helping to capture the essence of people, places, and events in your life. It also increases the perceived value of the book, making it an excellent choice if your memoir is intended as a special gift or heirloom.
Black-and-White Printing
Black-and-white printing is a cost-effective option for longer memoirs. It’s especially well-suited for text-heavy books and offers a timeless, classic look. This option refers only to the interior pages—the cover can still be printed in full colour, even if the interior is monochrome.
Many authors choose black-and-white for the main body of text but include a few colour pages—such as photo inserts or section breaks—within the book. This hybrid approach allows you to highlight important images without the cost of printing the entire interior in colour.
Why Print Your Memoirs?
Both the writer and the reader stand to gain from creating a memoir. A memoir shares a life story from the writer’s perspective, allowing readers to understand the author’s choices and actions on a deeply personal level. Whether or not the audience knows the writer personally, this can be profoundly powerful, offering insight not only into what happened but why certain events occurred. It may also provide psychological and emotional reflections relevant to the reader’s own life.
Writing your memoirs — whether as a legacy for family and friends or for commercial purposes — is a commendable, engaging, and meaningful pursuit. It can bring significant personal fulfilment or catharsis, while also offering great enjoyment and value to others. However, it is also a considerable amount of work. After investing all that effort, it’s important to honour your memories by having your book printed by a professional, experienced, and empathetic offset book printer with a thorough knowledge of the industry.
At QinPrinting, we’ve been working with self-published authors for over 25 years. We have a genuine commitment to personalised customer care, extensive expertise, and state-of-the-art printing facilities. If you’ve written your memoirs and want to produce an edition that truly does justice to your story, we’re here to help.
Let's Talk!
Designing and printing your memoir—whether as a treasured keepsake for your family and friends or as a commercially self-published book—is always a meaningful and rewarding journey.
At QinPrinting, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’ve already finished your manuscript or are just getting started, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out today for a friendly chat about your project or request a no-obligation quote.
Let’s work together to create a memoir you—and your loved ones for generations to come—can be truly proud of.
