[ Book Publishing ] How To Pick The Size of Your Book

It’s been over a decade since I self-published my first book: “Social Media Success Made Possible.” I learned so much in the process and much of it from mistakes I made or from figuring out how much I didn’t know about book publishing back then.

Although my first book publishing experience turned out to be profitable in many ways after all, I admire you for actually reading empowering yourself with guidance that will help your publishing journey to be smoother, and most likely avoid painful or costly mistakes.

I love reading and writing books, so it’s not surprising that one of my most favorite aspects of my work with mompreneurs is helping them write, publish, and market their books. I also love speaking at writing conferences and author events, helping moms navigate their publishing and self-publishing journeys, so I’m always excited to share what I’ve learned.

One of the questions that usually come up in the book publishing process is: What size should my book be?

I will always answer: there is no should, but yes, there are considerations that will help you make the decision that works for you. 

“Trim size” is the publishing term for “book size,” because that’s the stage in book publishing in which the book is trimmed. Trim size is expressed in Width x Height format. In the U.S., the trim size is denoted in inches; in other countries, it’s expressed in millimeters.

Why is deciding your trim size important in book publishing?

If you are self-publishing your book, you’ll soon find out that your trim size of choice will affect the typesetting of your manuscript, the interior layout of your book, your book cover and back cover size, how thick your book spine will be, the printing method you plan to use, your paper choices, your book pricing (and profit margin!), and other book publishing factors.

Even if you are planning to submit a book proposal to a literary agent or book publisher, it’s wise to include the trim size you would prefer.

No matter how you plan to publish your book, it’s wise to get acquainted with “industry standard” sizes for your book genre, because you definitely want to choose a trim size and page count your audience is familiar with and prefers.

I think that the most important aspect of choosing a trim size for your book is its impact in how your readers will perceive your book, because your book is about them, about meeting their expectations and enhancing their reading experience, not about you… right? 

If you love the bookstore as much as my family does, then I recommend you go to your favorite one and check out the shelf where you want to see your book sold. Bring a tape measure, if you will, but definitely examine how the mainstream trade paperback books in your genre look and feel.

Those of us who still read traditional books over ebooks choose a book that feels like it belongs in our hand and in our shelf – it’s hard to explain, but if you’re “old-school” like me, I know you get it.

With this being said, I know that most people will tell you that choosing a trim size is a matter of preference, but it’s really a marketing decision because it will ultimately dictate how marketable your book will be.

A lot of the aspiring mom authors I’ve worked with have expressed a desire of doing something different and choosing a trim size that will make their book stand out from the rest, and sometimes this works. I’d love to guide you through this decision if your creativity and practicality are at war.

Standard Trim Sizes In Book Publishing

If you choose an offset printing company rather than a digital book printer, you will be charged upfront, but hey can print almost any custom size you want, and you’ll have less restrictions on book size, as well as the opportunity to chose from a wider variety of paper weight, paper color, paper texture, and paper finish.

Print-on-demand presses print charges and royalties will depend on your page count, but there is less up-front cost, so let’s assume you are self-publishing and let’s explore Blurb’s, KDP’s and IngramSpark’s distribution options!

 Lightning Source Trim Sizes 

4.37 x 7 inches (178 x 111mm)
4.72 x 7.48 inches (190 x 120mm)
5×7 inches (178 x 127mm)
5 x 8 inches (203 x 127mm)
5.06 x 7.81 inches (198 x 129mm)
5.25 x 8 inches (203 x 133mm)
5.5 x 8.5 inches (216 x 140mm)
5.83 x 8.27 inches (210 x 148mm)
6 x 9 inches (229 x 152mm)
6.14 x 9.21 inches (234 x 156mm)
6.625 x 10.25 inches (260 x 168mm)
6.69 x 9.61 inches (244 x 170mm)
7.44 x 9.69 inches (246 x 189mm)
7.50 x 9.25 inches (235 x 191mm)
7 x 10 inches (254 x 178mm)
8 x 8 inches (203 x 203mm)
8 x 10 inches (254 x 203mm)
8 x 10.88 inches (276 x 203mm)
8.25 x 11 inches (280 x 210mm)
8.268 x 11.693 inches (A4) (297 x 210mm)
8.5 x 8.5 inches (216 x 216mm)
8.5 x 9 inches (229 x 216mm)
8.5 x 11 inches (280 x 216mm)

Kindle Trim Sizes

5 x 8 inches, 12.7 x 20.32 centimeters
5.06 x 7.81 inches, 12.9 x 19.8 centimeters
5.25 x 8 inches, 13.335 x 20.32 centimeters
5.5 x 8.5 inches, 13.97 x 21.59 centimeters
6 x 9 inches, 15.24 x 22.86 centimeters
6.14 x 9.21 inches, 15.6 x 23.4 centimeters
6.69 x 9.61 inches, 17 x 24.4 centimeters
7 x 10 inches, 17.78 x 25.4 centimeters
7.44 x 9.69 inches, 18.9 x 24.6 centimeters
7.5 x 9.25 inches, 19.1 x 23.5 centimeters
8 x 10 inches, 20.32 x 25.4 centimeters
8.25 x 6 inches, 20.955 x 15.24 centimeters
8.25 x 8.25 inches, 20.955 x 20.955 centimeters
8.5 x 11 inches, 21.59 x 27.94 centimeters
8.5 x 8.5 inches, 21.59 x 21.59 centimeters

Blurb (Full-color Books) Trim Sizes 

5 x 8 in., 13 x 20 cm
6 x 9 in., 15 x 23 cm
7 x 7 in., 18 x 18 cm
8 x 10 in., 20 x 25 cm
10 x 8 in., 25 x 20 cm
13 x 11 in., 33 x 28 cm
12 x 12 in., 30 x 30 cm

[ela]