Choose for sustained reading
A display font that works on a cover may be tiring across a chapter. Print several paragraphs at the intended page size. Check punctuation, italics, numerals and any accented characters your text needs.
Keep the type system modest. A clear body face and a complementary heading face often give a book enough variety. Let hierarchy and spacing do some of the work instead of assigning a different font to every element.
Keep the license with the project
A font download is software with usage terms. Find the license supplied by the font maker or distributor and keep a copy with the receipt and font name. Check the version too; similarly named fonts may come from different sources.
Ask separate questions about commercial print use, PDF embedding, eBook embedding and transfer of editable files. Permission for one use does not establish every other permission. If the wording is unclear, ask the provider before using the font.
PDFs and editable files are different
Adobe Fonts permits commercial projects and properly protected embedding in PDFs and eBooks under its terms. A client receiving a properly embedded PDF does not need the font merely to view or print it; editing with the font is a separate licensing question. That example does not describe every font license.
Do not attach font files to a project handoff just because the designer used them. List the font names and legitimate acquisition sources instead, unless the license expressly permits distribution.
Check the finished edition
Inspect the exported PDF’s font information and review pages for substitutions. A replacement font may change line endings and pagination without being obvious at first glance.
For a reflowable eBook, readers can often choose their own type size and face. Build meaningful headings and readable structure rather than relying on one font to carry the design. Tell us about language requirements before layout so the chosen type includes the characters your book actually uses.
Official references
Check the current requirements for your chosen edition before final export.