check out the nearest bookshelf. Have you noticed that books come in all shapes and sizes? Contrary to popular belief, this is not because publishers want to erase perfect symmetry from our shelves. The truth is that book sizes vary by individual book, and publishers determine these sizes based on economic, practical, and artistic factors.
If you’re a self-publisher planning to produce physical copies of your book, you may be wondering if this should matter to you. The answer: Yes, your choice of book size will not only affect how you compose your manuscript, but also your audience’s reading experience and your potential profit margin.
You are reading: Different sizes of books
In this post, we’ll walk you through industry standard book sizes, why they’re important, and what to consider when choosing the best trim size for your own book.
what is trim size?
“trim size” is essentially the publishing term for “book size”. After each copy is printed and bound, the book is mechanically “trimmed” so that each page is uniform in size. the crop size relates these dimensions, in width x height format.
in the usa In the US, trim size is listed in inches; In Europe, it is in millimeters. For future reference, we will use us. uu. format and talking about us book sizes in this post.
why is slice size important?
asking why you should care about your book’s crop size is akin to asking “why do people make such a fuss about the shape of the iphone?” you want a phone that’s sleek and comfortable to hold, not an awkward clunker. in the same way, you can reduce the importance of trim size to three things: reading experience, marketability, and cost.
the size of the crop determines the presentation of a book
If you imagine your physical book as a house, then the trim size is your footprint. adjusts to the size of your “real estate” and influences both the inside and outside of your book.
In a nutshell, the trim size determines the number of pages. the smaller the crop size, the more pages your content will need. It also affects the spine of your book: the more pages your book has, the thicker the spine and the more substantial it will appear on the shelf. the dimensions of the book cover will be affected. your choice of trim size will also have a ripple effect on most aspects of your book’s interior. How many words fit comfortably on a page? How wide can your margins be?
When you’re writing your book, you’ll need to maneuver a number of ingredients on the page: everything from the reference grid to the size of your font. Page trim size is a critical part of this complex balance, and the first thing you need to decide is that you will create a beautiful book.
To find out more about the art of typesetting, check out this primer.
crop size affects costs and prices
Another important reason to be concerned about your choice of print size: it can affect your printing costs. Since print-on-demand presses charge you by page count (and page count depends on print size), the size of your book could have a ripple effect on your bottom line profit margin.
but more on cost and pricing in a bit! First, let’s dive right into something you’re probably wondering: what are the standard book sizes in the publishing industry?
psst: do you want to know if you are 100% ready to publish your book? Take our short quiz below to find out what steps you may have missed.
what are the industry terms for finish sizes?
Standard book sizes may vary by genre. Let’s first define some familiar industry terms to give you some context for the numbers that follow.
Mass Market Paperbacks: Compact and inexpensive to produce, these books (also called paperbacks) measure about 4.25″ x 6.87″. You’ll find them on the shelves of grocery stores and supermarkets.
trade paperbacks: the best quality books you can buy at a barnes & noble bookstore, trade paperbacks are probably what you picture when you think of a paperback. trade paperback sizes will range from 5.5″ x 8.5″ (a size called abstract) to 6″ x 9″ (also known as US trade). In today’s market, this is the paperback size range for many novels, memoirs, and nonfiction books.
See Also: "All About" Books: Writing Unit of Study – The Kinder Corner
Hardcover: You are probably familiar with these premium formats. these book sizes tend to range from 6″ x 9″ to 8.5″ x 11″.
here is a real world comparison of some trade paperback sizes:
and now that you have a frame of reference, it’s time to go further! Let’s break down book sizes by genre.
what are the standard book sizes in the publishing industry?
For your reference, standard book sizes in inches are:
- fiction: 4.25 x 6.87, 5 x 8, 5.25 x 8, 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 9
- novel: 5 x 8
- children’s: 7.5 x 7.5, 7 x 10, 10 x 8
- textbooks: 6 x 9, 7 x 10, 8.5 x 11
- nonfiction: 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 9, 7 x 10″
- memories: 5.25 x 8, 5.5 x 8.5
- photography: whatever you think is convenient!
infographic: standard book sizes for each genre
here is a visual comparison of these sizes below:
how should I choose the print size of my book?
There is no clear cut way to determine the “best” print size for your book, as it ultimately depends on your personal aesthetic preferences. With that said, we’ve outlined some key considerations for your decision-making process below.
digital or offset?
Let’s say, for example, that you want to print a book that is an unusual size of 4″ x 20″. is that possible?
sure, if you use something called offset printing. an offset printing company will charge you up front and you can use it to print almost any custom size you want.
However, the consensus is that offset printing only makes financial sense when you plan to run a large print run, or when you absolutely need to print your book in a size that no print-on-demand company offers. otherwise, most authors can choose one of the book sizes offered by print-on-demand companies.
We are focusing on digital printing in this post and the following tips are for choosing a capsule size. speaking of which…
what should I consider before choosing a crop size?
Before you decide on a paperback size, consider these three factors that will play a big role in your decision (get it?):
choose a print size that suits your word count
See Also: 25 Funny and Relatable Quotes About Reading Books – Hooked To Books
a general guide: the more words in your manuscript, the larger the print size of your book can be. makes sense, as that will reduce the number of pages. (Take the example of The Hunger Games, which is 101,900 words long. Its trade paperback size is 5.5 x 8.5 inches.) Vice versa, if your book is short, a smaller cut size can make it appear physically more substantial. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, for example, is 67,707 words long, and the paperback edition of Penguin Classic is in a relatively small 5.2″ x 8″ frame.
adapt your trim size to gender standards
When readers are looking for their next book, you can bet they’ll gravitate toward the familiar. “This book is similar to that other one that I loved, maybe I’ll check it out.” so if you publish a harlequin-style romance novel with a 9″ x 7″ crop size, you’re almost guaranteed to baffle fans of the genre, and not in a good way.
Since your best marketing move (nine times out of ten) is to make your book meet potential readers’ expectations, definitely double-check the typical measurements for your specific genre before going off the beaten track and choosing a cut size that is very rare. in the genre. most authors choose an edition size that is comparable to major commercial paperback releases in its genre.
consider the cost implications
If you plan to print digitally, keep in mind that print-on-demand printers will charge you based on the number of pages. the more pages there are in your book, the higher your printing cost, and the lower your profit margin!
The page count also influences the royalties you’ll retain (since print-on-demand companies will share some of your compensation). Based on a retail price of $11 and a standard book size of 5.5″ x 8.5″, we’ve broken down a theoretical scenario for you below. here are your royalties if your page count was:
While that may make a larger book size (with fewer pages) suddenly seem very appealing, you don’t necessarily want to go for the cheapest possible option. according to our theme of the day, it depends on your target audience. fans of cookbooks, for example, will appreciate a premium product. and could a reader easily carry your book if it were 6” x 9”? probably not. if you want people to read your book on the go, you can go with a 5.5″ x 8.5″ size or a similar size that’s more portable.
Our best advice is to spend some time in a bookstore with a tape measure. Study the books in your genre and measure the size of your paperbacks. then take one of the books. how does it feel? awkward, or just right? Does the content fit comfortably on the pages? Does it stand out when you put it back on the shelf, or does it “match” other books in your genre? If you’ve already decided to print your book, it’s worth remembering that a physical book should always add some value over an e-book. so make it count!
where to find your file requirements
As we mentioned earlier, print-on-demand printers like kdp print and ingramspark have resources on their websites that will expressly state their trim size options and their requirements for each trim size:
- amazon kdp
- ingramspark (scroll down to “what are the ingramspark file requirements for print books?”)
Look at them carefully and consider the different distribution options. familiarize yourself with the dimensions offered. and be sure to check out a sample chapter to find out how your content will look on the page.
paperback and hardcover file requirements
Each print-on-demand service will also have specific requirements for printed cover files, which also vary based on print size, format, and number of pages (the more pages, the thicker the spine).
- amazon’s kdp has a cover calculator that can help you determine the precise dimensions of your cover file.
- ingramspark has a similar cover template generator that will allow you to determine the measurements accurate for your paperback and hardcover editions.
If you are working with a professional book designer, it is your responsibility as the author/publisher to prove that they have the correct dimensions for your cover file.
For our review of the top four print-on-demand services, check out this post.
mount it
If you want to experiment with book sizes and how they can affect your typesetting options, the reedsy book editor lets you do it for free. the editor also provides four popular crop sizes for formatting (4.25 x 6.87 inches, 5 x 8 inches, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, 6 x 9 inches).
With some real-life examples by your side, you should have a better idea of what crop size is best for your book. And if you’re really having a hard time choosing between book sizes (especially for those working on illustrated content or one-off products that require the right paper and format), why not contact a professional book production manager for some advice. ? their expertise in these matters is second to none and they will be able to polish your project, especially if you are working on a book that relies on the image that needs to look professional on the shelves.
Trim sizes, with all their complicated and similar-sounding numbers, can be confusing, but they’re worth understanding if you don’t lose sight of the end product: a beautiful book.
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