Map Sizing for Print Novel

[Voolf]

1. When you receive a commission for a novel, how do you determine the size of your map? This map will be portrait on one page, which makes it a bit easier.

Client have to provide you the size, it is his job to do, not yours. Just remember to keep it at least in 300dpi for quality print.

2. But what about if your map is landscape across two facing pages? How do you manage the gutter, or where the pages fold together?

You don't. If a printing company dosen't do that, you can cut the map in half and one half will be printed on one page and the other on the second page. But i guess printing companies know how to handle that. If the book is thick and has wide inner margin, they will have to offset the map on the page and probably shink it a little. All of that is actually what client have to confirm and know and just give you the size.

3. And finally, if you're in a situation like this, where the client isn't 100% confident of their page size, how would you choose a size for your map? There's also the case of maps that appear in books of multiple sizes (hardcover, then paperback, for example). How do you manage that?

Again, you can't manage it. This is the first thing client has to get to know before actually commissioning anyone. It's like I would go to the paint store and ask for a paint without knowing what colour i want. What should the clerk do? Sell me any colour? Sure, but then i may decide that this is not what i actually wanted and problem arises. So don't try to figure out the size for the client... especially if it's for the book. Sure you can help him out if you have any knowledge about it, but ultimately he has to know what is required.