If you’ve taken my Publish It Yourself Course or read my book the Publish It Yourself Primer, you know a little about trim sizes. “Trim size” is one of those holdover terms left over from the days when analog printing was all there was. For efficiency, book pages were, and still are, printed on large sheets of paper. They come off the press, are stacked, and then cut, or “trimmed,” to size. Then they are gathered in book sets with all the pages in the right order. This work was originally done by highly-skilled printers, then later, computers helped to speed things up. Just like now.
The size of your book plays a part in how it’s perceived, in general and against other books in its genre. Not every country prints books in the same sizes used by American printers.
I asked Google Gemini whether I should consider re-designing the Touchwood Press 50 Fun Facts baseball books for international markets, now that baseball is rapidly growing as a global sport.
Dear AI: I have published a series on books on baseball teams and used a trim size of 5″ x 8″ to make them easily portable and pocket-sized. Should I change the trim size for international markets?
Gemini: While your 5″ x 8″ trim size is a classic, portable choice that works well in many markets, there are a few professional and logistical reasons you might consider adjusting it for international distribution—specifically if you are looking at the UK and Commonwealth markets.
Here is a breakdown of how trim sizes translate globally:
1. The “Trade Paperback” Standard
In the United States, 5″ x 8″ and 5.5″ x 8.5″ are standard for trade paperbacks. However, in the UK and Australia, the standard “B-Format” is slightly different:
- UK B-Format: Approximately 5.1″ x 7.8″ (129mm x 198mm).
- Your Current Size: 5″ x 8″ is very close to this, meaning it won’t look “wrong” on a shelf next to British sports books. It is actually a very safe “middle ground” size.
2. Industry Expectations by Category
According to the IngramSpark guide to popular trim sizes, different genres have “trained” readers to expect certain dimensions.
- Reference & Nonfiction: Many international nonfiction titles lean toward 5.5″ x 8.5″ or 6″ x 9″.
- Portability: Since your brand is built on being “pocket-sized,” staying small is a smart move. Moving to a larger size like 6″ x 9″ might alienate your current fans who value the portability.
3. Print-on-Demand (POD) Economics
If you use services like IngramSpark or KDP for international distribution, you should check if your specific size is “Standard” or “Custom” in those regions.
- Distribution Reach: Most POD services offer 5″ x 8″ as a standard size globally. If you chose a highly unusual custom size, you might be restricted from “Expanded Distribution,” but 5″ x 8″ is widely supported.
- Page Count & Pricing: If you change to a smaller size, your page count will increase, which can raise the print cost and lower your profit margin per book.
4. The “Look and Feel” Factor
As noted by Amy Collins, book buyers and librarians are often “trained” to recognize professional quality by the trim size. A 5″ x 8″ book:
- Feels like a Mass Market or B-Format book in the UK.
- Is perfect for “commuter reading,” which is a huge market in Europe and Asia.
Recommendation
I wouldn’t recommend changing it. Your 5″ x 8″ size is globally recognized as a standard portable format. Changing it for international markets would require you to manage multiple interior layouts (files) and different cover wraps for the same book, which increases your overhead and the risk of formatting errors. The “pocket-sized” branding is a unique selling point for a sports series—stick with it to maintain brand consistency across the globe.
Gee, thanks. I’ll stick with my current strategy.
There’s a lot I could unpack in AI’s comments, but that will wait for another post or book. Let us know if you have questions.
Good writing!