Current picture book sizes due to the pandemic??
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just curious, does anyone know what the current standard sizes are...i know because of the pandemic there are limitations on printing and so the sizes are limited as well...anyone know where i can get this info?
thanks!
jenn -
@jennmaynard73 hi Jenn … are you asking because you’re self-publishing? Or is this for client work? There are several factors that go into choosing a trim size for a picture book.
For traditionally published books, there is a larger range of sizes, but most fall somewhere between 8.5-10 x 9-11 inches. The vast majority of PBs on my shelf are portrait orientation and are sized somewhere around 9 x 11.
For self-published books, most authors seem to prefer a square format, predominantly 8.5 x 8.5 inches. 8x10 or 8.5x11 seem to be the next most popular trim sizes. This is because the majority of self-publishers choose print-on-demand (POD) as opposed to offset printing (which offers more printing options but is a greater initial expense because the minimum order quantity is usually around 1,000 books). PODs print books as they’re ordered and has minimal setup costs, but the printing options and trim sizes are limited. It all has to do with the type of printer that POD books are printed on. 8.5 x 8.5, 8 x 10, and 8.5 x 11 are standard trim sizes offered by all PODs.
While there’s currently a paper shortage which has affected supplies and lead times, the shortage isn’t really affecting trim sizes. In POD, it’s not the trim size but the page count that raises the printing price.
Hope this long-winded saga helped answer your question!
