Originally published by Reedsy. To help explain trimsize to you in the event they change their content.
“Trim size” is essentially the publishing term for “book size.” After each copy is printed and bound, the book is mechanically “trimmed” so that the size of every page is uniform. The trim size relates these dimensions, in Width x Height format.
In the U.S., the trim size is denoted in inches; in Europe, it’s in millimeters. For future reference, we’ll be using the U.S. format and talking about U.S. book sizes in this post.
Standard book sizes can vary depending on your genre. Let’s first define some familiar industry terms to give you some context for the numbers coming next.
Mass-market paperbacks: Compact and inexpensively-produced, these books (also called pocket books) are around 4.25” x 6.87”. You’ll find them on the racks of grocery stores and supermarkets.
Trade paperbacks: The better-quality books you might pick up in a Barnes & Noble bookstore, trade paperbacks are probably what you picture when you think of a paperback book.Trade paperback sizes will range anywhere from 5.5” x 8.5” (a size that’s called digest) to 6” x 9” (also known as US trade). In today’s market, this is the go-to paperback size range for many novels, memoirs, and non-fiction books.
Hardcover: You’ll probably be familiar with these premium formats. These book sizes tend to range from 6” x 9” to 8.5” x 11”.
For your reference, the standard book sizes are:
- Fiction: 4.25" x 6.87", 5" x 8", 5.25" x 8", 5.5" x 8.5", 6" x 9"
- Novella: 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"
- Non-fiction: 5.5" x 8.5", 6" x 9", 7" x 10"
- Memoir: 5.25" x 8", 5.5" x 8.5"
- Photography: Whatever you see fit!
Here is a visual comparison of these sizes below:
