1.Basic Book Design/Page Size-->Click Here
1.For books printed on offset printers, use a 6"x 9" (152mm x 229mm) page size.
2.For books or anything else printed on laser printers (including Xerox Docutech printers), use 5.5"x8.5" (140mm x 216mm) or 8.5"x11" (216mm x 280mm) page size mf.
3.The standard book size is six inches wide and nine inches tall (6"x 9"). Your book will probably be cheapest to print, easiest to read, and easiest to sell (e.g., it'll fit on bookstore shelves) in this size.
Larger books are harder to hold, carry, or put on a shelf.
4.Smaller books lose disproportionately more space to margins, increasing the cost. A 6"x 9" book has nearly 20% more text space. But a 6"x 9" book costs only about 5% more than a 5.5" x 8.5" book. The result is a 15% cost savings.
5.The cover of a 6"x 9" book is 15% larger than a 5.5"x8.5" book. The cover is your best advertising space. In a bookstore window, passersby are more likely to see a larger book.
6.Setting up your software applications for 6"x 9" pages can be tricky. In Microsoft Word, go the File…Page Setup…Settings… Custom Paper Size.
2.What is the trim size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Trim size is a term that you will hear about quite often when you are printing your book. This refers to the size of the book when it is in its final form. It is the size that the book will be when it is trimmed. Trimming of the book happens after the binding process (when the bookblock has the cover attached). All the above sizes we have talked about refer to the trim size of the book.
3.What size should my paperback book be?-->Click Here
Answer :-A regular paperback book can be any size that you want it. Most book printers will be able to accommodate sizes ranging from small A6 (105x74mm / 4.13×2.91 inches) pocketbooks to larger A4 landscape (297x210mm / 11.69×8.26 inches) books. The dimensions you decide to go for will depend on a variety of factors; look and feel, price, the genre of book, fiction or non-fiction and shipping costs. These factors will be covered in-depth in this page.
4.What size are trade paperback books?-->Click Here
Answer :-Trade paperback books are normally the same size as their hardback equivalent but without the hard cardboard cover. They will have a thicker cover than a mass-market paperback book. A nice benefit of the trade paperback is having the nice, larger size book but without the bulk and weight of the hardback books. Trade paperback sizes are usually 5.5×8.5 inches – 229x152mm (9×6 inches) – 279x216mm (11×8.5 inches). Picture books for children tend to be in the range of 254x203mm (10×8 inches).
5.What is the standard size of a paperback book?-->Click Here
Answer :-If you are producing a standard fiction book then you can be safe to set your book in one of the more common book sizes. Either B-Format (198x129mm – 7.8×5.07 inches) or A5 (210x148mm – 8.26×5.82 inches). There is no set standard paperback size for all books as the size differs with genre and market.
6.What size should I design my hardback book?-->Click Here
Answer :- If you are deciding on a size for your hardback and you have published a paperback version already then you should work from the paperback size. All hardback book sizes are based on their paperback equivalent. You can view the table below to see what sizes of the book fit both types. Most hardback book sizes tend to be in the ‘trade’ or ‘mass-market’ size. Popular sizes for hardback books – 229x152mm (9×6 inches) – 279x216mm (11×8.5 inches). Having a larger size than those two sizes would normally be reserved for picture books.
7.What is the standard fiction book size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Fiction books come in all different shapes and sizes. It would be a shame if every fiction book on the market were at the same size. Mass market paperback books tend to be 171x108mm (6.75×4.25 inches). A popular reason for this size is to save on production and shipping costs. If you are not going to send out hundreds of thousands of your books then you could go for something a little bigger. B-format books are a popular size of books around the world. In the US B-format books tend to be classed as 198x129mm (7.79×5.07 inches) and in the UK and Europe 210x135mm (8.26×5.31 inches).
8.What is the standard non-fiction book size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Non-fiction book sizes are vastly different, more so than fiction books, then you have the hardback sizes to choose from. If you want to decide on a size for your non-fiction book, it would be best to go to local bookshops and have a look at some books which are in a similar genre. See what size they are and see what size will match your book. Some popular sizes non-fiction are A5 (210x148mm 8.26×5.82 inches), Royal (234x156mm 9.21×6.14 inches), B5 (250x175mm 9.84×6.88 inches) and A4 (297x210mm / 11.69×8.26 inches).
9.What is the standard children’s book size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Children’s book sizes tend to be based on age. If you’re targeting younger readers up to 2 years then smaller books in the region of 190x190mm (7.5×7.5 inches) will be better. If your book is for more advanced readers in the age between 2 to 5 then the size of 178x25mmm (7×10 inches) and then for older reads from 5 years a size of 254x203mm (10×8 inches). Having a larger book can be better, you can have a more detailed image and more text on a page.
10.What is the standard photo book sizes?-->Click Here
Answer :-Photobook sizes tend to be in large hardback format. The size of the books is normally quite a bit larger than your regular fiction books. Photo books look lovely on size but you should try and aim for upwards of B5 (250x175mm 9.84×6.88 inches). Blurb tends to be one of the more popular printing companies for photo books and you can see their sizes by clicking here.
11.What is the standard portfolio book size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Portfolio book sizes are similar to photo books but not quite as large as they are not necessarily all about photos. If you’re producing a modelling photo book then of course, the larger the book the better, around A4 landscape, should be an aim (297x210mm / 11.69×8.26 inches). However, a nice size for a portfolio book would be around the size of B5 (250x175mm 9.84×6.88 inches).
12.What is the standard pocketbook size?-->Click Here
Answer :-Pocketbook sizes are as the name suggests something you can fit in your pocket. A good idea is to think A6 (105x74mm / 4.13×2.91 inches). Maybe even a little bit taller but still a similar width such as 229x137mm (9.01×5.39 inches). This size of book is a popular size in the UK for map books.
13.What is the standard comic book sizes?-->Click Here
Answer :-A standard comic book is 257x168mm (10.11×6.61 inches). This doesn’t mean your book has to fit this size though. Your comic book size can be even bigger than this – 381x254mm (15×10 inches) is on the larger size of comic books but with a graphic novel this can look amazing.
14.What are the most common book sizes?-->Click Here
Answer :-As you have probably guessed by now, there is no common book size in the publishing and printing industry. Many books fall under many different categories. If you were to try and pick a few common book sizes it would have to be the following; B-format (198x129mm 7.79×5.07 inches) – A5 (210x148mm 8.26×5.82 inches) – Trade Paperback (229x152mm 9×6 inches) – Royal (234x156mm 9.21×6.14 inches) and A4 (297x210mm / 11.69×8.26 inches).
Question:- -->Click Here
Answer :- THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOOK FORMATS EXPLAINED
Nicole Hill May 15, 2020
This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission.
You’re reading this article because you love books. I’m writing it for the same reason. But how much do you know about the books themselves? Why are they shaped the way they are? Why are there so many different book formats? How can you fit all of these different sizes of books on your bookshelf?
For that last question, I have no answer. Though that hasn’t stopped others from trying to make sense of all of these mismatched sizes.
“It is, admittedly, all too easy to take the existence of physical books for granted,” writes Keith Houston in The Book. “The sheer weight of them that surrounds us at all times, in bookcases, libraries, and bookshops, leads to a kind of bibliographic snow blindness.”
Recent news, though, has us thinking more deeply about book formats. In March, Harlequin discreetly made some changes to its mass market paperbacks; it made them bigger, dubbing the new format “mass market paperback max.” And in April, Kensington Publishing announced plans to switch its mass market to titles to the “mass max” size in September 2020.
What does all this mean? What’s a mass market paperback, and how’s it different from any other paperback? Why are books different sizes anyway? Let’s revisit the different types of book formats and why each exists.
TRIM SIZES
Before we go any further, a note on terminology: “Trim size” is publishing industry speak for book size. After a book is bound, it’s trimmed down to one of several uniform sizes—sizes for which, in the United States, you actually have Woodrow Wilson to thank.
As Houston outlines in The Book, a wonderfully thorough history of, well, the book, standard book trim sizes are a relatively modern invention. Standardization didn’t start in the U.S. until 1921, when the Wilson administration established two committees dedicated to defining paper sizes: the Permanent Conference on Printing and the Committee on the Simplification of Paper Sizes.
That pair of granularly named committees is responsible, for example, for our standard letter sizes (8 x 10 ½ inches and 8 ½ x 11 inches). How they arrived at such a definition is telling. The dimensions, Houston writes, were (super scientifically) copied from Secretary of State Herbert Hoover’s personal letter paper.
Regardless, any time I refer to “trim size,” I’m merely referring to the actual size of the book.
HARDCOVERS
What they are: Hardcovers, sometimes referred to as “trade cloth” books, are hardbound books with sewn spines. When you buy them new, they may come with removable dust jackets to protect their covers.
Where you see them: Most new releases arrive in hardback first, followed by a paperback release around a year later.
Likely, you’ll see them in your local library, too. Hardcovers—especially those with reinforced library binding—hold up better over time for multiple borrowers, particularly with popular titles, according to Leah Oswald, a reference librarian with the Austin Public Library. Books with lower expected circulation, meanwhile, often get stocked in cheaper paperback form.
Where you won’t see them: A lot of genre fiction (romance, science fiction, fantasy) dispenses with the hardcover format. Many books from indie presses likewise debut in paperback.
Why they exist: Prior to the hardcover, ancient book formats vacillated between various forms of parchment and papyrus scrolls. While these scrolls and bookrolls became increasingly durable, usability problems remained.
“It takes two hands to simultaneously unfurl a bookroll at one end and roll it up at the other,” Houston writes in The Book. “There is no way to casually prop open a scroll in one hand while sipping from a glass of wine held in the other.”
Hardcovers exist for their durability and relative convenience. Their (typically) rectangular, solid shapes behave nicely on bookshelves! And until World War II, they were really the only trim size available. (More on that in a second.)
Today, publishers still put out hardcovers first for the simple fact that they sell, as Philip Jones, editor of publishing-industry magazine The Bookseller, explained in an interview with The Guardian. Citing data from Nielsen BookScan, Jones said hardcovers compose roughly 20% of the printed fiction market.
Why? Any number of reasons. Readers may prefer hardcovers because they’re more durable than paperbacks. Bookstores may prefer them because they’re larger, more easily visible on bookshelves. Without a doubt, publishers prefer hardcovers because they’re more profitable, often selling for “twice the price of a paperback” without twice the production cost, Jones said.
And as Mental Floss notes, hardcover releases followed up by paperback releases give publishers two big marketing opportunities for any given title—double the chances that book will end up in your hands.
TRADE PAPERBACKS
What they are: Trade books are what we consider “standard” paperbacks.
Where you see them: Trade paperbacks (usually measuring somewhere around 5 x 8 inches) are less expensive, more portable book formats. You’ll see trade paperbacks everywhere, for works of adult and children’s fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry alike.
Where you won’t see them: Most books are published in paperback (at some point), but there is the whole oversized books market, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
Why they exist: Paperbacks of any size exist because of their accessibility, affordability, and portable nature. But the mainstreaming of paperbacks in the United States is largely a product of World War II.
Penguin began publishing its cheaper, commuter-friendly paperbacks in Britain in 1935. Pocket Books followed suit in the United States in 1939 with its own lines of books stocked in accessible consumer locations like newsstands. Certainly, there was an audience, which Andrew Liptak documented for Kirkus. In a country still buffeted by the Great Depression, hardbacks were out of economic reach even for the traditional “reading classes.”
And then World War II.
Prior to the 1930s and ‘40s, the American paperback market was the dominion of pulp novels and comics. So-called serious literature was available in costly hardcover forms. But wartime America created a new audience of soldiers hungry for the comforts of home and a distraction, as The Atlantic’s Yoni Appelbaum reports.
In a partnership between publishers and the U.S. military, cheap Armed Services Edition paperbacks were produced on magazine presses and sent to the front lines, as Cara Giaimo writes for Atlas Obscura. Available titles included popular pulp favorites like westerns but also classic and best-selling books previously published only in hardcover—all sold to the Army for just 6 cents a book.
When those soldiers returned home, there was no going back to days without a less expensive, widely available, easily held book format.
MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
What they are: If the hardcover is the Range Rover, the trade paperback is the luxury sedan. The mass market paperback? It’s the 2006 Toyota Corolla you’ll drive until one of you dies. Designed for affordability rather than perceived elegance, mass market paperbacks are typically smaller with tighter typeset.
Where you see them: Romance novels, but also much of adult genre fiction, including science fiction and mystery. (No doubt you’ve seen the vivid fantasy covers of mass market paperbacks at your favorite used bookstore.)
Where you won’t see them: Curiously, the industry segment with a gaping mass market hole is the current YA landscape. You’d think books intended for youth audiences would be printed in the cheaper, more easily maneuverable format, no? At least, you’d think that if you’d spent as much time with mass market Christopher Pike thrillers as a teen as I did.
Why they exist: At 4 x 7 inches, they’re perfect to throw in your bag, though that convenience is also the reason why you’ll find them in used bookstores, their covers tattered from being loved too much.
Dedicated readers of genres like romance get very attached to the hand-feel of mass market paperbacks. They’re easy to hold and easy to stow. That’s why Harlequin and Kensington’s announcements about the “mass max” paperback are such big news. The mass max books will measure an expanded 4.75 x 7 inches. That may not seem like a big increase, but think about the size of your palm in comparison to ¾ of an inch.
In announcing its move, Harlequin cited positive reader feedback about the larger size (and larger fonts), paper quality, and spine design—notably, all hallmarks of a traditional (slightly more expensive) trade paperback.
Time will tell if the mass max will eclipse the smaller mass market paperback or even eat into the number of books published as trade paperbacks.
OVERSIZED BOOKS
What they are: Finally, we arrive at coffee table books. These massive hardcovers are most likely what you artfully stack in the living room before guests come over.
Where you see them: Typically, you’ll see oversized art books, photography collections, and cookbooks, as well as nonfiction books that otherwise rely on visuals and imagery. Occasionally, you’ll see graphic novels appear in this format for collected volumes like Saga.
Where you won’t see them: Barring unusual circumstances or unique publisher whims, you’re not going to be lugging home any oversized novels or works of narrative nonfiction.
Why they exist: Oversized books for display have been around for centuries, but David Brower, the first executive director of the Sierra Club, is commonly credited with inventing our modern coffee table book.
In Natural Visions: The Power of Images in American Environmental Reform, author Finis Dunaway explores the reasons behind the Sierra Club’s “Exhibit Format” books, which paired nature photos from the likes of Ansel Adams with text from nature writers.
These “large, heavy books, measuring over 10 inches wide by over a foot long” were part of a coordinated campaign to lobby Congress on wildlife protection bills, Dunaway writes: “Sierra Club artists used the camera to present nature as sacred and sublime; their photographs encouraged audiences to view wilderness as a place where people are visitors who do not remain.”
They were on to something. Nature photography remains a huge subject for these oversized books, though only one of many to take advantage of this visually striking form.
So that’s it. That’s a brief look at the most common trim sizes for books. Are there other book formats? Yes, as evidenced by spiral-bound cookbooks or children’s board books. If you’re interested in learning even more about books as an entity, give these 10 Nonfiction Titles That Will Change the Way You See Books a try. .
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