Dear Book Alchemist,
I’m going to self-publish my book as a print-on-demand paperback. How do I know what dimensions to use? Does size matter?
— Just Wondering
Dear Just,
Yes, size matters. But you’ll have a lot of good choices. First, decide how you want to distribute your book, then check that manufacturer’s standard sizes. If you’ll be using more than one print-on-demand supplier (we suggest Ingram Spark for broad bookstore distribution, plus CreateSpace for optimal Amazon.com access), be sure to choose a size that both suppliers offer.
Here are the 11 sizes currently supported by both Ingram Spark and CreateSpace
(be sure to double-check; these may change):
- 5 x 8″ (203 x 127mm)
- 5.06 x 7.81″ (198 x 129mm)
- 5.25 x 8″ (203 x 133mm)
- 5.5 x 8.5″ (216 x 140mm)
- 6 x 9″ (229 x 152mm)
- 6.14 x 9.21″ (234 x 156mm)
- 6.69 x 9.61″ (244 x 170 mm) (Pinched Crown)
- 7 x 10″ (254 x 178 mm)
- 7.44 x 9.69″ (246 x 189mm)
- 7.5 x 9.25″ (235 x 191mm)
- 8 x 10″ (254 X 203mm)
Notice that A5 size (5.83 x 8.27 or 210 x 148mm) is not on the list; Ingram supports it, but CreateSpace does not.
