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Paperback format

Self-publishing black & white and full-color books in 4x7 paperback, 5x8 paperback, 5.5x8.5 paperback, 6x9 paperback, 6.14x9.21 paperback, 7x10 paperback, 8x10 paperback, 8.5x11 paperback, 8.5x8.5 (square) paperback, and 11x8.5 (landscape) paperback sizes

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Depending upon your package selection, the paperback format comes in a variety of sizes with a number of different paper choices. Scroll down to the Product Details for more specific information.

Paperback bindings for the One-Click Black/White Suites, Ultimate, Basic, and Economy packages are perfect bound and must be at least 18 pages in length at the time of publication. If your book is shorter than that, there are ways to make it long enough and your author rep will help you with that.
 
Paperback bindings for the One-Click Chidren's Suite and the Full-Color are perfect bound for books of at least 24 pages with standard color interior paper, and at least 18 pages for standard color interior paper. 
 
Perfect bound paperbacks are the most common binding of books found in stores and libraries and for that reason we do not offer alternate forms of bindings like coil bindings (bookstores dislike them) or saddle-stitched which are held together with staples along the spine. The pages of a perfect bound book are held together within the cover with a strong adhesive. 
 
Paperback Recommendations
 
The benefit of Outskirts Press is that you can publish any kind of book you want, but here are some general recommendations, for what they're worth:
 
The most common trade paperback size is 6 x 9, so if you don't have a specific preference, or aren't sure what to get, 6 x 9 is the best choice. The only exception is if you are ALSO getting a hardback, in which case, get the 5.5 x 8.5 so they can match sizes (it's less expensive for you that way).
 
Fiction books tend to be either 6 x 9, 5.5 x 8.5, or 5 x 8 (which is our closest size to a "mass-market paperback.") Rarely are black/white fiction books larger than 6 x 9. That is why the default size for our One-Click Fiction Suite is 6x9.
 
Poetry tends to be 5 x 8 or 5.5 x 8.5.
 
Non-fiction tends to be 6 x 9, 6.14 x 9.21, or 7 x 10.  Rarely is non-fiction smaller than 6 x 9. That is why the default size for our One-Click Non-Fiction Suite is 6x9.
 
Children's books run the gamut. The most popular size for children's books is 8.5 x 8.5 and they should rarely ever be bigger than 7 x 10. That's why the default size for our One-Click Children's Suite is 5.5x8.5.
 
No matter what type of book it is, rarely is the 8.5 x 11 or 8.25 x 11 a good choice.  It's better to pick a trim size that will look like a "book" when it's done, and not like something that could be produced at your run-of-the-mill copy shop.
 
 
 

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