Be sure your folds are even and you crease each one well. Consider sliding your fingernail or something hard such as the edge of a pencil over the crease. Start by folding the paper so that it is long and skinny (long edge folded to long edge). Then fold the paper in half short edge to short edge. Fold the paper in half again, short edge to short edge.
Be sure you stop cutting at the horizontal seam. You are just cutting a slit in the paper, you are not cutting it all the way across.
You will need to reverse the direction of the fold on one of the seams. Push the two ends towards each other until you have 4 “wings” moving outward from the center, like a cross or an X. [3] X Research source
Knowing the purpose of your book will help you decide the appropriate number of pages. Consider also having one sheet of special or colored paper that you can use as the book cover. You can use more than 12 pages, but binding may become more difficult with more pages.
This guide assumes that you will be using standard letter-sized paper (8. 5”x11”), but other sizes may work as well. Paper with a heavier weight (thickness) may be more durable than printer paper. Resume paper or paper with a colored finish provides a nice visual effect if you plan to give the book as a gift. Avoid using lined notebook paper if possible. The lines will be vertical and the paper book will not look as nice as it would with other paper.
Folding each page individually will give you a cleaner crease and more even lines than trying to fold all of the pages together at once. Be sure the edges of the page are lined up nicely before making your crease. Sharpen your crease by running your fingernail along it, or by sliding a hard object such as a pen or pencil along the edge.
If you nest more than six pages together, the inner pages will start to protrude beyond the outer pages and your book will not look neat. If you have an even number of pages, try to make even sets of book sections (for example, 2 sets of 6, 3 sets of 4, or 4 sets of 3 pages).
Try to stagger the staple placement on the sections so that there is not a bulge from a stack of staples all together when you bind the sections together. Depending on your binding technique, this step may not be necessary. If you will be taping, it is necessary.
Check all edges for neatness and uniformity. If one of the pages is sticking out, it may not have been folded neatly. You may want to replace it with a more carefully folded page.
Prepare your book cover by folding it in half short end to short end and sharply creasing the edge. When you put the cover on your pages depends on the type of binding you choose.
Cut a piece of sturdy tape, such as duct tape, slightly longer than your book. Carefully place the tape on the front of the book spine and wrap it around the back so that half of the tape is on each side of the front and back book page. Cut excess tape from above and below the book.
Cut two pieces of tape the same length of the book. Fold the tape in half long ways, sticky side out. Open the back of your book and place the folded tape along the crease on the inside back cover. One side of the tape will be on the inside of the back cover and one side will be on the outside of the last inner page. Open the front cover of your book. Place the second piece of tape, also folded lengthwise sticky sides out, along the crease between the inside front cover and the outside of the first inner page. Close the book and firmly run your hand along the folded edge to secure the taped pieces.
If you are using a cover, place the folded cover over the stacked book sections. Use a hole puncher to punch holes in the entire book where you would like the binding to be. The holes should be close to the folded edge of the book, but be sure you do not punch the folded spine. Make at least two holes. You can have more if you would like, but be sure the holes are spaced apart evenly so that the binding is aesthetically pleasing. If you have more than six pieces of paper, you may want to punch holes in each book section separately, but be sure to measure where the holes go so that they will align neatly when you combine the sections. For shorter journals, try using decorative brads through the punched holes. Thread string or ribbon through the holes in your book and tie neatly. String can be woven in and out of multiple holes, then run down the back cover of the book along the spine and tied together, or separate small bows can be tied for each hole, with the string going through a hole, around the spine of the book, and being tied to itself. [6] X Research source For much longer journals, consider sewing the book sections together with strong thread by punching holes in each section and passing needle and thread in and out of the holes until all sections are bound together. [7] X Research source
