# Createspace -- white vs. cream paper



## Kylo Ren (Mar 29, 2014)

What's the difference, and how does the paper compare to trad published books?


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

I've only used the white paper so far (although am considering going cream for next book). The paper is good quality.


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## BOOK-ie (Jul 28, 2014)

I don't think it makes a difference. Both work.


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## ketosis (Apr 19, 2013)

The cream paper is much, much better and more like a true paperback.  The white paper is like white computer paper almost, so expect a very bright background.  The cream is softer, easier on the eyes, and looks more professional IMO.


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## Usedtoposthere (Nov 19, 2013)

I tried both and got samples, and liked cream much better. I do all mine on cream. White is too glossy. Cream is more matte. Difference in weight, though--you need to do a different cover depending on which you choose.


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## Deke (May 18, 2013)

I'd go with the cream.  For some reason the white is too bright and has a sort of print-on-demand vibe to it. The cream gives more of a "book" vibe.


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## Chris Culver (Jan 28, 2011)

I like the cream paper a lot. I have books published by Grand Central on a cream-colored paper, and I've got Createspace books on a cream-colored paper. Both have very crisp printing and very nice contrast between the paper and the print. Both are easy to read and look good. They're comparable. Interestingly enough, I'd say the Createspace paper feels better. It's thicker and the light doesn't pass through it as easily. 

I can't speak to the white paper, but I don't think you'd be disappointed with Createspace's cream paper.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

If your book cover is white or predominantly white, the cream will look far too yellow. Otherwise, I like it better than the white.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## tknite (Feb 18, 2014)

I use cream for my books because it's easier on my eyes when reading for long periods. Both types of paper on CS are very nice looking though. I have samples of both, and they look equally high quality to me.

However, the cream is a bit MORE cream colored than you tend to see in trad books, so I do agree with ruecole about the contrast if your cover is white. If not, then the cream should look just fine.


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## Kylo Ren (Mar 29, 2014)

Thanks. I figured that the cream probably looked a bit more professional, given that most trad books are not printed on totally white paper.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

I used cream also, and was happy with it.  Many people associate white paper with text or reference books.


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## cblewgolf (Jan 3, 2011)

What Logan said.  White is too computer-type-facey.  Cream is much better.


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## jimkukral (Oct 31, 2011)

I did cream the first time and I love it.


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

Creme = fiction
White = non fiction

That is personal preference too, but pretty standard I have found. BTW I briefly tried matte covers and thought they looked nice. They feel better than gloss in hand, but I switched back. Gloss is just nicer for colour saturation and fiction I think, at least for the art used in mine it is.


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

I prefer the cream. Looks more like a "real" paperback.

On a side note, I've heard a handful of complaints about the cream paper being too dark in some printings, but I've never had that experience.


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## Mike Dennis (Apr 26, 2010)

Cream looks good, but, if I'm not mistaken, it's not available in all sizes offered by CreateSpace.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Mike Dennis said:


> Cream looks good, but, if I'm not mistaken, it's not available in all sizes offered by CreateSpace.


What do you mean? Is it available in 5x8 or 6x9?


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Mark E. Cooper said:


> Creme = fiction
> White = non fiction
> 
> That is personal preference too, but pretty standard I have found. BTW I briefly tried matte covers and thought they looked nice. They feel better than gloss in hand, but I switched back. Gloss is just nicer for colour saturation and fiction I think, at least for the art used in mine it is.


Matte is a problem for me. I checked out a Thomas & Mercer book from the library and the cover is smudged and had this mossy eeky feel to it. I think I'm going for gloss FWIW.

BTW I have a nonfic to be released as soon as I finish formatting it and I'm toggling between cream or white. Is it OK to break the industry norm on white for nonfic? I want it to have a novel feel So I was going for cream...


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## Chris Culver (Jan 28, 2011)

> BTW I have a nonfic to be released as soon as I finish formatting it and I'm toggling between cream or white. Is it OK to break the industry norm on white for nonfic? I want it to have a novel feel So I was going for cream...


I've read narrative nonfiction with cream paper. I didn't think anything of it to be honest.


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## Kylo Ren (Mar 29, 2014)

It seems like most of the trade paperbacks I buy have matte covers rather than gloss. So, I've been leaning more toward that. And I think that cream is available in most of the standard trim sizes (sizes that you would normally use for novels). 

Does anyone have any advice about trim sizes? My book is more for a mature teen audience (thought adults would like it too, I think). I measured a YA book, and it came out to 5.5 x 8, which isn't a size that Createspace offers. I'm thinking I'll use 5.5 x 8.5. 6x9 seems to be a pretty standard size for adult fiction. Not sure if any of that matters. 

I'm also wondering about line spacing. Thinking I should go with 1.2. Are there any hard and fast rules about these kinds of things?


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## AJStewart (May 10, 2014)

JanThompson said:


> Matte is a problem for me. I checked out a Thomas & Mercer book from the library and the cover is smudged and had this mossy eeky feel to it. I think I'm going for gloss FWIW.
> 
> BTW I have a nonfic to be released as soon as I finish formatting it and I'm toggling between cream or white. Is it OK to break the industry norm on white for nonfic? I want it to have a novel feel So I was going for cream...


I did gloss with white pages for my first novel and it looks like I did it on my computer at home. When matte became an option I changed the cover and it looks miles better I think. I can't change the page paper without changing ISBN so I haven't bothered. I'm redoing my covers now so I might do it then and issue with a new ISBN.

My second book was matte with cream and it looks just like a legacy published trade paperback. I never see legacy pubbed paperbacks (fiction) in gloss and for mine anyway, I thought it looked cheap and "self pubbed". Matte with cream is how I'll go in future.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

artofstu said:


> It seems like most of the trade paperbacks I buy have matte covers rather than gloss. So, I've been leaning more toward that. And I think that cream is available in most of the standard trim sizes (sizes that you would normally use for novels).
> 
> Does anyone have any advice about trim sizes? My book is more for a mature teen audience (thought adults would like it too, I think). I measured a YA book, and it came out to 5.5 x 8, which isn't a size that Createspace offers. I'm thinking I'll use 5.5 x 8.5. 6x9 seems to be a pretty standard size for adult fiction. Not sure if any of that matters.
> 
> I'm also wondering about line spacing. Thinking I should go with 1.2. Are there any hard and fast rules about these kinds of things?


Standard size for YA trade PBs is 5.25x8.

Not sure on line spacing, as I'm not a formatter.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

I picked cream for my history mysteries, and white for my non-fiction.


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## Ceinwen (Feb 25, 2014)

I love the cream pages, they're a little more expensive and heavier, but it looks more professional and as a binge reader white pages are too hard on my eyes after an hour or so. 

And as for trim, I chose to make my YA novel 5x8. It was comparable to the YA books on my own shelves, and I wanted people to be able to throw it in their school/hand/bag. I'll be sticking with the trim and the cream, and might switch between glossy and matte depending on the colours of the cover.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

artofstu said:


> I'm also wondering about line spacing. Thinking I should go with 1.2. Are there any hard and fast rules about these kinds of things?


I think it's a matter of preference. I've seen indies use anywhere from 1.15 to 1.2 to 1.5 to even 2 for some reason. I wouldn't go with 2 at all bc it looks MS-like and amateurish IMO. After all, Kindle can do that for you already... But no one I know is doing line spacing of 1.



AJStewart said:


> My second book was matte with cream and it looks just like a legacy published trade paperback. I never see legacy pubbed paperbacks (fiction) in gloss and for mine anyway, I thought it looked cheap and "self pubbed". Matte with cream is how I'll go in future.


Good points re: legacy pub comparables. Have to think about that. Thanks. Even legacy NF is not necessarily white paper with glossy cover. Yes, it does look homemade.


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## Ceinwen (Feb 25, 2014)

Maybe it's a YA thing, but looking at my shelves right now I see loads of paperbacks with glossy covers, including The Fault In Our Stars and These Broken Stars which are both really popular right now.


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## Cactus Lady (Jun 4, 2014)

I use the cream, and love it. It looks very professional.

As for matte vs glossy, I've heard the glossy is better for dark covers. I have a book with a lot of dark in the background, and the subtle designs and textures got lost in the matte finish, so I'm trying it with glossy. Haven't ordered one yet, though.


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## 75845 (Jan 1, 1970)

Mark E. Cooper said:


> Creme = fiction
> White = non fiction


In response to that adage I checked the books on my shelves and found that this was mostly true, but not universally so. I used white for a novel, which is my only CreateSpace product to date.



AJStewart said:


> I never see legacy pubbed paperbacks (fiction) in gloss and for mine anyway, I thought it looked cheap and "self pubbed."


You mustn't look at many paperbacks then. I have very few print books (once read then go to the charity shop), but the count is two glossy, three matte (one of which was borderline glossy) and two hybrid (matte with gloss effects):
Glossy
Julie Penelope and Sarah Valentine, _International Feminist Fiction_ (Crossing 1992)
James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, _Witch and Wizard_ (Young Arrow 2010)
Matte
Mikhail Bulgarov, _The Master and Magarita_ (Wordsworth 2011) (might be glossy it's hard to tell on black)
John Connolly, _The Black Angel_ (Hodder and Stoughton 2005)
Iain Banks, _Transition _(Abacus 2010)
Hybrid
Anne Fortier, _Juliet _(2010)
Stephanie Meyer, _Breaking Dawn_ (Atom 200


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## tknite (Feb 18, 2014)

artofstu said:


> I'm also wondering about line spacing. Thinking I should go with 1.2. Are there any hard and fast rules about these kinds of things?


I believe anything from 1.15 to 1.5 can work well. Anything higher than 1.5, and it starts to look rather college essay-ish. Anything less than 1.15, and it starts looking crowded. To me, anyway.

1.2 should be fine.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

artofstu said:


> What's the difference, and how does the paper compare to trad published books?


The stock is generally good in both cases.

If your book has any interior images in it, for good contrast and reproduction quality, go with the white stock.

If your book is fiction and text only, either works. Personally, I prefer the cream. It has that slightly-yellowed hue that older books get, and cuts down on glare / eye strain issues for older readers with sensitive eyes.

Be aware: there are some very partisan feelings on KBoards, some people who will figuratively come to blows over whether cream stock is "too yellowed," but it's all I've used on my print books, and I've had no issues out of the ordinary. (And some of my copies are three years old already.)

I've also had friends who've used white stock for books with color photos and I was impressed by the quality and contrast of those books on white stock. Some of the photos almost looked better than some prints she'd had made of the same photos, minus the glossy finish.

That being said, which one you choose is largely a matter of personal preference, and you are the publisher of your books, so don't let anyone here bully or browbeat you into selecting one or the other. It's _your_ choice.

All best,


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

tknite said:


> I believe anything from 1.15 to 1.5 can work well. Anything higher than 1.5, and it starts to look rather college essay-ish. Anything less than 1.15, and it starts looking crowded. To me, anyway.
> 
> 1.2 should be fine.


All depends on how text-dense he wants his page. That range, yes, is generally acceptable.

Although, personally, I do layout in InDesign because then I can have finer-grain control over spacing.

I tend to prefer 11-point text with 15-point spacing. I will sometimes go down to 14-point spacing or even 13-point if I'm trying to bring the page-count down, though.  (I've even done half-point steps, like 11-point text on 14.5-point spacing.)

To each their own.


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2014)

loganbyrne said:


> The cream paper is much, much better and more like a true paperback. The white paper is like white computer paper almost, so expect a very bright background. The cream is softer, easier on the eyes, and looks more professional IMO.


^^^^THIS^^^^

Also, I chose glossy for my books because the colors are brighter with glossy. However, I'll be changing my covers soon, and I prefer matte. If the new covers look okay with matte, I'll go with matte next time.


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## mcahogarth (Jul 27, 2014)

I guess I'll be the odd person out and say I don't much like the cream for the interior. It feels too yellowy to me. I think it might work for more literary fiction, but I guess I grew up reading mass market paperbacks and I think the white paper is higher contrast and easier to deal with. The layout of the book's interior says a lot more to me about how professional it is than the color of the paper. I certainly have never looked at the color of the page and said, 'Wow, that looks so POD.' 

I also briefly tried the Createspace matte covers and I was very disappointed. It's almost plasticky. I expected something more like the matte paper covers, not something that looked like it had been extruded.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

Cream and glossy @ 5x8 with CS template fonts & spacing. Looks great with my dark covers. Since the first book was out before matte came in, it made sense to keep the others glossy too.

But I used matte and white for an anthology of poetry and prose I put together for my writers' group. The poetry looks cleaner against a crisp white background.

Looking at my shelf of ARCs, it's a fairly even split between matte and glossy for paperbacks - although teh hardbacks seem to be predominantly matte. Every single one is cream paper though. What's interesting is the Del Rey paperbacks are rough cream paper that is so thin you can see the text from the other side! And the whole book seems flimsy and cheap. Clearly publishers are cutting costs!


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## CfaE (Jul 25, 2014)

artofstu said:


> What's the difference, and how does the paper compare to trad published books?


It might be just me. But I tried both, and the cream paper looked more like a real paperback to me. For a UK looking paperback, I prefer the cream 5x8. I might be wrong, but I always just assumed that white was for non-fiction and cream was for fiction. The cream 5x8 is closer to the mass market paperback in size and style, in the UK anyway.


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## Kylo Ren (Mar 29, 2014)

Ceinwen L. said:


> Maybe it's a YA thing, but looking at my shelves right now I see loads of paperbacks with glossy covers, including The Fault In Our Stars and These Broken Stars which are both really popular right now.


Huh. I was looking at Fault in Our Stars in the store the other day. Could've sworn that it had a matte cover. I'll look again next time I'm there. Do you have the original cover, or is it one with the movie poster on the front. Cuz when they do that for a cross promotional kind of thing, they often switch to glossy. Like with Divergent or Hunger Games.


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## Ceinwen (Feb 25, 2014)

artofstu said:


> Huh. I was looking at Fault in Our Stars in the store the other day. Could've sworn that it had a matte cover. I'll look again next time I'm there. Do you have the original cover, or is it one with the movie poster on the front. Cuz when they do that for a cross promotional kind of thing, they often switch to glossy. Like with Divergent or Hunger Games.


I have the blue cover with the black and white clouds. It's the Australian edition, which might be slightly different.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## PaintedLady (Mar 27, 2014)

I ordered a proof for my first novel through CS last week and went with a matte cover and cream paper. Most of the books I've seen in my genre are the same way, and I figured it would help me look as professional as possible.

As for line spacing, I used the Word template that you can download directly from CS and the line spacing was set at 1.15. It looks great on screen, and hopefully will look as good when I get my hard copy. Can't wait!


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## Jennifer Lewis (Dec 12, 2013)

When i was researching this everyone I asked (all romance writers) said cream, and I agree--it's easier on the eyes. Mine are all 5x8. For my first covers I did glossy, and really liked the way they look, but for my new series with the light covers I'm going for matte. It's nice to be able to try different things


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## heidi_g (Nov 14, 2013)

Ooh, so glad to hear all these positive comments about the cream! We just ordered our first proof with cream paper... waiting... waiting... waiting... checking the mailbox!!!! Not here yet, but can't wait to get it now!


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## chris56 (Jun 8, 2013)

I always use cream instead of white.  I do not, however, like the matte covers.  I used it for one book and the colors came out very dark so I switched it to glossy and it came out much nicer.


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