Paperback sizes?

Can I just say, as the person who stores the books for the local library second hand book sales, will somebody please, please standardize book sizes!
 
I'm releasing my first series as 6x9. Not sure how common this is for fiction but I like the larger books. That said, it is super thin at 60k. Anything new will be 5x8ish.
 
Thats what I was worried about at 5 x 8, I didn't want it to be a thin book, but at 96k words it was just right imo.
 
I went with IngramSpark in Nov 2014
and took the view that I wanted PAPERBACK and HARDBACK

So I chose a size that was available in the same size for both
203mm v 127mm
this is 5 by 8

This allowed 'cream paper' for the paperback
I was 92k words and Garamond Font 12 - with about 28 lines per page
The thickness of the book was "just right"

If you want to see for yourself... buy a copy from Amazon
Emergence by Nick M. Lloyd
:)

it will probably be the 5th paperback I sold all year
... Kindle appears to be the only game in town
to the extent that for Book 2 I am only going to do Paperback as an afterthought
 
My latest novel (out this month) is 5.06 x 7.81, which seems to be the standard (UK) book size and in my humble view looks more pleasing to the eye. I'd previously published via Lulu.com and used the 6 x 9 size, which I was never 100% happy with and some readers said looked mismatched against other books they have. The only downside of 5.06 x 7.81 is that it does not qualify for extended distribution through Createspace / Amazon - as I suspect the majority of sales will be through Amazon co.uk / com or through e-book versions on various platforms, I've decided to go with a book size I prefer.
 
downside of 5.06 x 7.81

Also, the cream paper option isn't available at that size. I worried that the "white" would be too bright, and cream has a nice old, paperback look about it that I personally preferred. 5"x8" isn't far off, but I agree - 6"x9" looks odd for a paperback IMO.
 
With createspace, my first book was 6X9 and I think it was too big. I'm thinking of redoing it for future purchases.

I just made Explorations: Through the Wormhole live on amazon for the paperback and went with 5X8, size 11 font Garamond, cream paper, and it looks awesome. The book is 120,000 words so and I found the font size was defaulted too big. The book is still at 402 pages which seems hefty for a POD.

IMO the white paper (which is have a proof of too) doesn't look nearly as professional.
 
I agree - white paper doesn't look as good. You can have cream paper on Createspace with 5.06 x 7.81 sized book (I have it on my books) but that makes it ineligible for extended distribution (you can still sell through Amazon.com / co.uk etc. though).
 
Interesting - I did select that size at one point, but it didn't allow cream paper with it. However, it's quite possible I misunderstood, or did something wrong. :)
 
Interesting - I did select that size at one point, but it didn't allow cream paper with it. However, it's quite possible I misunderstood, or did something wrong. :)

Just going through the process again, and selecting 5.06 by 7.85 for the interior still gives the warning that it's not a standard trade size, and that cream cannot be selected - it then lists the allowed sizes for cream paper. And yet the same warning notice also links to this page, which has that book size as both standard and available for cream:
Book Publishing and Book Printing Solutions for Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry

I'd be tempted to change my paperback size, but I'd have to ask the artist to rejig the cover and I can't see her being available for that for some time.
 
From that page::

Choose a Trim Size

You can select from a variety of standard and custom trim sizes, but you'll need to select one of the industry-standard sizes below to be eligible to sell your book through Expanded Distribution channels.

Learn more
Important: Books with cream paper must be one of the following trim sizes: 5" x 8", 5.25" x 8", 5.5" x 8.5", or 6" x 9" in order to enroll in Expanded Distribution
::
This seems to be reiterating the notion that Expanded Distribution is limited to those sizes. Are you set for Expanded Distribution or is there even a setting for that. The warning might just be a warning that you won't be eligible for Expanded Distribution.
 
5.06 by 7.85

That seems an odd size: it's very close, but not quite spot on, the standard UK paperback size of 5.06 x 7.81 (as mentioned up-thread). Are both really available, when they're so close?

Any case it seems odd that Createspace thinks it's not standard. Maybe they use American sizes?
 
Was that a typo Brian as the page you linked to says "5.06 x 7.81 inches"?
 

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