BookBaby offers 13 of the most popular US standard trim sizes. We do not offer solutions for non-standard trim sizes. Please adjust your files to fit one of the standard trim sizes that we support in our online book configurator here: https://www.bookbaby.com/quoter/default.aspx
If you need help formatting your manuscript, please add Interior Formatting to your quote and let our professional book designers do the formatting work for you. Our book designers have worked on thousands of titles and know how to create a smooth reading experience for your readers through effective manuscript formatting.
Why is it important to use standard trim sizes for book printing?
Book Manufacturing
Everything, from the paper that books are printed on to the printing presses and binding equipment themselves, is built to accommodate standard book trim sizes. Deviating from these standard sizes requires special equipment setups, increases paper waste, and results in high production costs for the publisher.
Retail & Distribution
It's important to use standard trim sizes for book printing because distribution and retail systems are built to support these standard sizes. That means that things like retail shelves, shipping cartons, distribution warehouse racks, conveyor belts, book cases, etc., are all built to support the industry standard book sizes. Using a non-standard trim size can result in retailers choosing not to carry a book, added handling costs with the wholesalers, and damages in shipping and handling.
Reading Experience
Readers are trained to expect books to be the correct trim size based on their genre. If the book is a unique trim size, it's perceived as defective. Sometimes non-experienced designers will think that a unique trim size will attract a readers attention but in reality the opposite is usually true. Readers find odd book sizes to be a distraction when they are carrying or reading their books because they are accustomed to books being a standard trim size.