If you’re an author, you know that publishers prefer your work to be submitted in the Portable Document Format (PDF). But do you know why that is?
Here are the 3 main reasons why submitting your work in PDF is the way to go.
- Safe & Secure File Sharing
A PDF is a read-only file that cannot be modified without leaving an electronic footprint. If modifications are made to a PDF file, they are registered and can be easily identified. This is one of the reasons why PDFs are the most secure and reliable means of distributing or exchanging electronic documents.
Both the author and the publisher are protected. The author can make sure her/his work will not be modified, and the publisher doesn’t have to worry about being accused of tampering with the author’s work.
- Preserving the Formatting
The original formatting of a PDF file stays intact when printed. The fonts, images, layout and margins are preserved once the PDF file is sent to your publisher, so you don’t have to worry about how it will look on their end.
PDF is also ideal for publishers that demand print-ready files. The guidelines for a print-ready file are normally provided by the publisher. Some criteria include document size, margin size, resolution, and more. You need a reliable PDF software in order to adhere to these guidelines.
- Reducing File Size
Ever had trouble emailing a file due to its size? No worries – PDF files can be easily compressed. This means you can reduce your file size in order to meet the requirements of your email provider.
There is one downside to compressing your PDF files: the quality of the images included in your file might be slightly reduced depending on the option you choose. However, if you’re submitting a manuscript that does not contain images, the text itself will remain the same. Therefore, file compression is ideal for PDF files that do not contain images.