How big will my book be based on word count?

How big will my book be based on word count? Or more specifically, how big will my 48,251 word book be that I want to publish?   Will my book be small and flimsy?  Will it have sufficient bulk to carry around?  Will it be big enough to proudly display on my bookshelf behind me in Zoom meetings?

I put some thought into my physical book size before publishing. But I didn’t agonize over it by any means. When I was getting ready to publish my book, I simply wanted to follow best practices and industry standards.

I discovered the most common physical dimensions of a book are 6” wide by 9” tall.  So therefore…that’s what I chose.

Essays Out of Left Field

What are the physical dimensions of a book called?

The physical dimensions of a book (width x height) are typically referred to as the book’s “trim size”.  Books certainly come in all shapes and sizes. Well, maybe not all shapes. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a triangle shaped book. But lots of different trim sizes at least.

The table below shows several different common options for book trim sizes. You might be thinking – that’s too many options.  And I would agree.  Since this was my first book, I didn’t have any experience telling me I should do something other than the most common choice == Trade Paperback (6” x 9”).

And if the choices listed below aren’t enough, you can apparently create any trim size you want.  If you want to create a 38 foot tall obtuse scalene triangle book trim, knock yourself out.  But it’s going to be easiest (and cheapest) to pick an industry standard.

Common book trim sizes:

• • Trade Paperback (6″ x 9″):
    • • A standard size for fiction and non-fiction books.
    • • Widely accepted and provides a professional appearance.
    • • Commonly used for novels, memoirs, and general non-fiction.

• • Mass Market Paperback (4.25″ x 7″):
    • • Compact size often used for genre fiction, such as mysteries, thrillers, and romance.
    • • Portable and cost-effective for large print runs.

• • Digest (5.5″ x 8.5″):
    • • Slightly smaller than trade paperback, used for non-fiction books and memoirs.
    • • Offers a balanced size between standard trade paperback and smaller mass market sizes.

• • Large Format (7″ x 10″ or 8.5″ x 11″):
    • • Suitable for illustrated books, textbooks, and certain non-fiction genres.
    • • Provides more space for images, charts, and other visual elements.

• • Square (8.5″ x 8.5″ or 6″ x 6″):
    • • Ideal for art books, children’s books, and photography books.
    • • Offers a unique and visually appealing layout.

• • A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″):
    • • Common in Europe, similar to a smaller trade paperback.
    • • Used for fiction and non-fiction works.

• • Standard Letter (8.5″ x 11″):
    • • Often used for textbooks, workbooks, and certain non-fiction genres.
    • • Provides ample space for text and visuals.

Trim size represents the dimensions of the pages and book cover (for paperback cover books.) But trim size only gave me part of the story in determining the physical size of my book.

I mentioned, a bit too specifically, that my book was 48,251 words long.  If I chose a 6 x 9 trim size book, 6” x 9” inch pages would be filled with 48,251 words.  The bigger the pages, the more words would fit onto each page. And therefore fewer pages would be needed to fit 48,251 words. (I realize this is not groundbreaking mathematical discovery, but it does play an obvious and important role in the physical dimensions of books.)

The number of pages was going to determine how “fat” my book would be. I don’t believe book “fatness” is an industry accepted term. The depth or thickness? Regardless, this was another important factor in the tangible properties of my published work of art.

What is the edge of a book called?

The spine of a book is the edge that connects the pages together. The title and author name are typically listed on the spine.  It’s usually the part visible on a bookshelf.

Ah ha.  I didn’t really think about this. The spine of my book would ultimately be most impacted by the NUMBER of pages in my book. The fewer the pages, the smaller the spine. (or the skinnier my book will be.) When smashed together with other books on a bookshelf, the spine will become the most important physical property of the book. It could determine if someone stops to read the title or just skims right over to the next.

My 48,251 word, 6” x 9” trim size book has a spine of 7/16” (or .4375”). .4375 inches is not very fat. It’s a bit thinner than I anticipated.

Here it is on the shelf next to a wide variety of book sizes

The books I’m comparing to include:

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody