Welcome to the world of book publishing, where there are as many different sizes of books as the stories that fill them (well almost as many). This post will explain the standard book sizes for the various genres out there. So whether you’re publishing fiction, non-fiction, a novella, a memoir, a children’s book, textbook, or photography book, you’ll know the size that’s just right.
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Sizing Up the Standard Book Sizes
Selecting the size for your book seems easy, right? Generally, it is. However, even with standard book sizes, there are a number of factors you’ll want to consider before you settle on the size that’s right for your particular book. They include:
- Genre: Take a look at the books in your genre, whether they’re at the library, on bookstore shelves, or in your own shelves at home. These books will give you a good feel for the various sizes that work best. You’ll want to stick with genre and industry standards so readers will be comfortable with your book and it will look and feel professional.
- Finding Your Favorites: Within your genre, pick up the books that you like best. Those sizes will help you solidify what you’re envisioning for your own book.
- Knowing What You Want to Earn: Books are a business. It’s important to think about what you want to earn before you pick the size, since the size is a big price determinant. For instance, you may save money from going up a size but printing fewer pages. Which leads us to….
- Knowing What You Want to Charge: A function of what you want to earn, what you want to charge per copy will be affected by the size you pick. You’ll need to be able to print each copy for a price that still gives you a healthy margin.
- Seeing How It Fits: The way your book fits in readers’ hands and on shelves is important too. If you’re printing a beach read, you don’t want it to be too hard to handle in a chair.
- Knowing Your Distribution Channels: Some book sizes are easier to ship and shelve than others. Unique or unusual sizes will be harder to sell to bookstores, so you’ll want to take this into consideration too.
Related: “What Book Binding Method is Right for Your Print Job?”
Let’s Talk About Trim
While there are many factors that influence the cost of printing, page count is one of the biggest. Before you decide on the book size you need, you’ll want to calculate your book’s page count for each book size (trim size) to determine the printing costs. Pages are mechanically trimmed by the press, which is why the book size is called the trim size.
Other factors will help determine the page count too. Margins play a role, and the font type, font size, and overall spacing also influence page count. Usually, the font size and spacing are proportional to the trim size, so a smaller book will have a smaller font. If you need a large font, you’ll opt for a larger trim size. Higher word counts will need bigger trim sizes to reduce the page count. A shorter book will appear more meaty if it’s printed in a smaller trim size.
Terms of the Trade
Before we delve into sizing for the various genres, let’s first explore the larger categories into which they fall:
- Mass-market Paperbacks: These are the books you’ll see at airports, convenience stores, and supermarkets. They’re small and low priced. They’re also called pocket books since they fit neatly in your pocket; the size is usually around 4.25” x 6.87.”
- Trade Paperbacks: These are higher quality books that are usually sold at bookstores. They are sized between the “digest” 5.5” x 8.5” and the “U.S. Trade” 6” x 9.” Most memoirs, novels, and non-fiction books fall into this category.
Hardcover:
These are the most expensive to produce since they have a hard cover. Sizes fall between 6” x 9” to 8.5” x 11” and include all genres.
Related: “What’s In a Bind? Four Types of Book Bindings — Pros and Cons.”
Genres by the Numbers
Now, the numbers you’ve been waiting for! Here are the standard book sizes for the major book genres:
- Fiction: 4.25” x 6.87” (pocket book), 5” x 8”, 5.25” x 8,” 5.5” x 8.5,” 6” x 9”. The 5.5” x 8.5” digest format is the smallest of the “trade” sizes in the United States. The more common 6” x 9” is the “U.S. Trade” size mentioned earlier. This is a great pick for any type of fiction, whether it be fantasy, science fiction, romance, science fiction, horror, adventure, or crime and mystery. Check out your book’s category to determine the most commonly used book size within these standards.
- Non-fiction: These three sizes are standard: 5.5” x 8.5,” 6” x 9,” 7” x 10." This category covers memoirs, biographies, historical writings, textbooks, and more.
- Hardcover: Ranges in size anywhere from 6” x 9” to 8.5” x 11.” Hardcovers are a great choice for premium fiction and non-fiction books, since their heft and classic look give them more cache.
- Novella: One size fits all novellas, which are mini-novels with a word count between 15,000-40,000 words. 5” x 8” works well for these compact books.
- Memoir: This genre comes in two standard sizes: 5.25” x 8” and 5.5” x 8.5.”
- Textbooks: Sizes for textbooks are pretty, well, textbook: 6” x 9,” 7” x 10,” and 8.5” x 11.” They are generally hardcovers to stand up to wear and tear.
- Children’s: There are three standard sizes for children’s books, which usually have a uniform page count as well: 7.5” x 7.5,” 7” x 10,” and 10” x 8.” These books are made to be shared, and the larger format allows for beautiful spreads that showcase the illustrations.
- Photography: Also known as art books or coffee table books, you have a wide berth for these books, since they generally don’t need to fit on a shelf. You can size your book up to 8.5” by 11” or larger. These book sizes capably display art history, illustrations, photos, or classic artwork.
Time to Print
We are here to help! We’ve been perfecting our printing process for over sixty years and have the beautiful books to show for it. There’s nothing quite like holding a freshly printed copy in your hand after shepherding an idea into reality. Let us know about your next book—we’d be honored to help bring it to life for you in any size.
Watch our video, which explains trim size, margins, and bleed:
Contents:
A few key terms before you start:
- Trim size. Your printed book's width and height. The most common trim size for books in the US is 6" x 9" (152.4 x 228.6 mm), but you have several other options. Books with a measurement more than 6.12 inches (155.5 mm) or more than 9 inches (228.6 mm) in height are considered large trim sizes.
- Bleed. Bleed is a printing term that refers to when printed objects on a page, such as images, background color, or graphics, extend past where the publication will be trimmed. Setting your bleed properly ensures printed objects reach all the way to the edge of the page. Accounting for bleed is important, because it prevents a white border from appearing at the edge of the page when the book is trimmed.
- Margins. Every page has three outside margins (top, bottom, and side) and one inside margin (also called the gutter). Margins ensure your text isn’t cut off during manufacturing. Set your trim size before you set your margins, since margin size depends on page count and on whether you have elements that bleed.
Trim Size
You can choose from a variety of trim sizes to set the size of your printed book. The most common trim size for paperbacks in the U.S. is 6 x 9 inches (152.4 x 228.6 mm) and is a regular trim size. The size of your book will determine its page count, and there are minimum and maximum page counts by size, which are listed in the
Books with a measurement more than 6.12 inches (155.5 mm) in width or more than 9 inches (228.6 mm) in height are considered large trim sizes and have different printing costs than regular trim sizes. Learn more about printing costs for
Note: To set your trim size, you typically need to adjust the page or paper size setting in your chosen software (for example, Microsoft Word).
You can
Trim size specifications (width x height) with minimum and maximum page counts(kdp.amazon.com)
Paperback
Trim Size
Black ink and white paper
Black ink and cream paper
Standard color ink and white paper
Premium color ink and white paper
5" x 8" (12.7 x 20.32 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.06" x 7.81" (12.85 x 19.84 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.25" x 8" (13.34 x 20.32 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
6" x 9" (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
Large Trim Sizes
6.14" x 9.21" (15.6 x 23.39 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
6.69" x 9.61" (16.99 x 24.41 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
7" x 10" x (17.78 x 25.4 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
7.44" x 9.69" (18.9 x 24.61 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
7.5" x 9.25" (19.05 x 23.5 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
8" x 10" (20.32 x 25.4 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
8.25" x 6" (20.96 x 15.24 cm)
24 - 800
24 - 750
72 - 600
24 - 800
8.25" x 8.25" (20.96 x 20.96 cm)
24 - 800
24 - 750
72 - 600
24 - 800
8.5" x 8.5" (21.59 x 21.59 cm)
24 - 590
24 - 550
72 - 600
24 - 590
8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm)
24 - 590
24 - 550
72 - 600
24 - 590
8.27" x 11.69" (21 x 29.7 cm)
24 - 780
24 - 730
Not available
24 - 590
Hardcover
Trim Size
Black ink and white paper
Black ink and cream paper
Standard color ink and white paper
Premium color ink and white paper
5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
75 - 550
75 - 550
Not available
75 - 550
6" x 9" (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
75 - 550
75 - 550
Not available
75 - 550
Large Trim Sizes
6.14" x 9.21" (15.6 x 23.39 cm)
75 - 550
75 - 550
Not available
75 - 550
7" x 10" (17.78 x 25.4 cm)
75 – 550
75 - 550
Not available
75 - 550
8.25" x 11" (20.96 x 27.94 cm)
75 - 550
75 - 550
Not available
75 - 550
Trim size specifications (width x height) with minimum and maximum page counts(kdp.amazon.co.jp)
Paperback
Trim Size
Black ink and white paper
Black ink and cream paper
Standard color ink and white paper
Premium color ink and white paper
4.06" x 7.17" (10.3 x 18.2 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
4.13" x 6.81" (10.5 x 17.3 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
4.41" x 6.85" (11.2 x 17.4 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5" x 7.4" (12.7 x 18.8 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.04" x 7.17" (12.8 x 18.2 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.83" x 8.27" (14.8 x 21.0 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.98" x 8.58" (15.2 x 21.8 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
5.98" x 8.94" (15.2 x 22.7 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
Large Trim Sizes
7.17" x 10.12" (18.2 x 25.7 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
7.17" x 8.11" (18.2 x 20.6 cm)
24 - 828
24 - 776
72 - 600
24 - 828
8.27" x 10.12" (21.0 x 25.7 cm)
24 - 780
24 - 730
72 - 600
24 - 780
8.27" x 11.69" (21.0 x 29.7 cm)
24 - 780
24 - 730
Not available
24 - 780
Note:
- Hardcover is not available in kdp.amazon.co.jp
- Standard color is currently unavailable for Amazon.co.jp
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Bleed
Bleed is a printing term that refers to when printed items on a page, such as images or illustrations, reach all the way to the edge of the page. All book covers on KDP require bleed. However, you can choose whether your interior has bleed or not.
Note: Bleed is only supported for fixed-format files like print-ready PDFs.
Book interior during file setup:No bleed (left) and with bleed (right)
Book interior after final trim:No bleed (left) and with bleed (right)
When a book is printed, all pages are trimmed to the selected trim size by cutting 0.125” (3.2 mm) from the top, bottom, and outside edges. In order for objects on your page to reach all the way to the edge of the page, those objects must extend past where the page will be trimmed by 0.125” (3.2 mm). This means you need to increase your page size beyond where it will be trimmed.
Examples of page size with and without bleed(kdp.amazon.com)
Page size without bleed
Page size with bleed
5" x 8" (12.7 x 20.32 cm)
5.125" x 8.25" (13.01 x 20.96 cm)
5.06" x 7.81" (12.85 x19.84 cm)
5.185" x 8.06" (13.17 x 20.47 cm)
5.25" x 8" (13.34 x 20.32 cm)
5.375" x 8.25" (13.65 x 20.96 cm)
5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
5.626" x 8.75" (14.29 x 22.23 cm)
6" x 9" (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
6.125" x 9.25" (15.56 x 23.50 cm)
Large Trim Sizes
6.14" x 9.21" (15.6 x 23.39 cm)
6.265" x 9.46" (15.9 x 23.99 cm)
6.69" x 9.61" (16.99 x 24.4 cm)
6.815" x 9.86" (17.29 x 25 cm)
7" x 10" (17.78 x 25.4 cm)
7.125" x 10.25" (18.08 x 26 cm)
7.44" x 9.69" (18.9 x 24.61 cm)
7.565" x 9.94" (19.2 x 25.21 cm)
7.5" x 9.25" (19.05 x 23.5 cm)
7.625" x 9.5" (19.35 x 24.1 cm)
8" x 10" (20.32 x 25.4 cm)
8.125" x 10.25" (20.52 x 26 cm)
8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm)
8.625" x 11.25" (21.89 x 28.54 cm)
8.25" x 6" (20.96 x 15.24 cm)
8.375" x 6.25" (21.26 x 15.84 cm)
8.25" x 8.25" (20.96 x 20.96 cm)
8.375" x 8.5" (21.26 x 21.56 cm)
8.25" x 11" (20.96 x 27.94 cm)
8.375" x 11.25" (21.26 x 28.54 cm)
8.27" x 11.69" (21 x 29.7 cm)
8.395" x 11.94" (21.3 x 30.3 cm)
8.5" x 8.5" (21.59 x 21.59 cm)
8.625" x 8.75" (21.91 x 22.23 cm)
Examples of page size with and without bleed (kdp.amazon.co.jp)
Page size without bleed
Page size with bleed
4.06" x 7.17" (10.3 x 18.2 cm)
4.18" x 7.42" (10.62 x 18.84 cm)
4.13" x 6.81" (10.5 x 17.3 cm)
4.26" x 7.06" (10.82 x 17.94 cm)
4.41" x 6.85" (11.2 x 17.4 cm)
4.53" x 7.10" (11.52 x 18.04 cm)
5" x 7.4" (12.7 x 18.8 cm)
5.13" x 7.65" (13.02 x 19.44 cm)
5.04" x 7.17" (12.8 x 18.2 cm)
5.16" x 7.42" (13.12 x 18.84 cm)
5.83" x 8.27" (14.8 x 21.0 cm)
5.95" x 8.52" (15.12 x 21.64 cm)
5.98" x 8.58" (15.2 x 21.8 cm)
6.11" x 8.83" (15.52 x 22.44 cm)
5.98" x 8.94" (15.2 x 22.7 cm)
6.11" x 9.19" (15.52 x 23.34 cm)
Large Trim Sizes
7.17" x 10.12" (18.2 x 25.7 cm)
7.29" x 10.37" (18.52 x 26.34 cm)
7.17" x 8.11" (18.2 x 20.6 cm)
7.29" x 8.36" (18.52 x 21.24 cm)
8.27" x 10.12" (21.0 x 25.7 cm)
8.39" x 10.37" (21.32 x 26.34 cm)
8.27" x 11.69" (21.0 x 29.7 cm)
8.39" x 11.94" (21.32 x 30.33 cm)
When to choose bleed for your interior
You should include bleed in your interior file if you have any images, backgrounds, or illustrations in your book that you want to reach the edge of the page.
Note: Even if just one page in your interior requires bleed, then your entire file should be set up with bleed.
Your paperback manuscript file must be sized correctly for bleed to prevent a white border from appearing at the edge of the page when the book is trimmed. To prevent the white border, increase your page size and ensure that the image extends beyond the trim line. This way, when the book is trimmed to size, the image will reach all the way to the edge. For help calculating your book dimensions,
Inches
Centimeters
(Trim height) + (0.125" x 2 (bleed)) = Page height with bleed
(Trim width) +(0.125" (bleed)) = Page width with bleed
(Trim Height) + (3.2 mm x 2 (bleed)) = Page height with bleed
(Trim Width) + (3.2 mm (bleed)) = Page width with bleed
For example, if your trim size is 6 x 9 inches (15.24 x 22.86 cm), set the page size to 6.125 x 9.25 inches (15.54 x 23.46 cm).
Bleed manuscript layout for a 6 x 9 inch (15.24 x 22.86 cm) book:
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Margins
Margins protect your content from running off the page and being cut off during the manufacturing process. The top, bottom, and outside margins must be a minimum of 0.25 inches for books without bleed and 0.375 inches (9.6mm) for books with bleed. The inside margin size depends on the page count because the higher the number of pages, the thicker the book will become, which means the inside margin must also increase to allow enough space for the spine.
This page details how to format your book’s trim size and margins, depending on whether your book requires bleed, to ensure your book prints correctly. Without proper sizing, your manuscript may be rejected on upload, or you may see print quality issues with your printed book. Watch our video, which explains trim size, margins, and bleed:A few key terms before you start:You can choose from a variety of trim sizes to set the size of your printed book. The most common trim size for paperbacks in the U.S. is 6 x 9 inches (152.4 x 228.6 mm) and is a regular trim size. The size of your book will determine its page count, and there are minimum and maximum page counts by size, which are listed in the Trim Size Specifications table below.Books with a measurement more than 6.12 inches (155.5 mm) in width or more than 9 inches (228.6 mm) in height are considered large trim sizes and have different printing costs than regular trim sizes. Learn more about printing costs for paperback and hardcover books.To set your trim size, you typically need to adjust the page or paper size setting in your chosen software (for example, Microsoft Word).You can download a Microsoft Word template in the trim size you need with or without sample content.Bleed is a printing term that refers to when printed items on a page, such as images or illustrations, reach all the way to the edge of the page. All book covers on KDP require bleed. However, you can choose whether your interior has bleed or not.Bleed is only supported for fixed-format files like print-ready PDFs.When a book is printed, all pages are trimmed to the selected trim size by cutting 0.125” (3.2 mm) from the top, bottom, and outside edges. In order for objects on your page to reach all the way to the edge of the page, those objects must extend past where the page will be trimmed by 0.125” (3.2 mm). This means you need to increase your page size beyond where it will be trimmed.You should include bleed in your interior file if you have any images, backgrounds, or illustrations in your book that you want to reach the edge of the page.Even if just one page in your interior requires bleed, then your entire file should be set up with bleed.Your paperback manuscript file must be sized correctly for bleed to prevent a white border from appearing at the edge of the page when the book is trimmed. To prevent the white border, increase your page size and ensure that the image extends beyond the trim line. This way, when the book is trimmed to size, the image will reach all the way to the edge. For help calculating your book dimensions, try our calculator . Alternatively, use the following formula to calculate your page width and height with bleed:For example, if your trim size is 6 x 9 inches (15.24 x 22.86 cm), set the page size to 6.125 x 9.25 inches (15.54 x 23.46 cm).Bleed manuscript layout for a 6 x 9 inch (15.24 x 22.86 cm) book:Margins protect your content from running off the page and being cut off during the manufacturing process. The top, bottom, and outside margins must be a minimum of 0.25 inches for books without bleed and 0.375 inches (9.6mm) for books with bleed. The inside margin size depends on the page count because the higher the number of pages, the thicker the book will become, which means the inside margin must also increase to allow enough space for the spine.