Book Sizes & Formats

All formats are now the same price. Small A, medium B, large C and larger B5 paperbacks cost the same in short runs.

C format: 235 x 153mm

First editions in hardcover or paperback. These books sit at the front of bookshops, face out, where they'll attract the most attention with browsing shoppers. They carry premium prices: $26.95, $29.95, $35, $40.

This size is easy to hold and read while sitting in a chair, but can still be read in bed, on the train or at the beach. Suitable for first edition novels, memoirs, non-fiction.

You can see the quality and size of C format books we've published when you order one of the following books:

• Discovering the Ancient Sites of Western Europe - Vincent Burke
• Spilt Milk - Dr Len Lotzof
• Bradman: Master Ball-Player - Graeme Philip
• Rainbow City - Libby Wong

B format: 200 x 130mm

For literary first editions and quality paperback editions of C format hardcovers. These books sit at the front of the shop, too, but carry prices of $19.95, $22.95, $24.95.

Suitable size for memoirs, diaries, poetry, novels, anthologies. Easy to carry in a bag, read at the beach, in bed, or on the train. This size is economical for short runs of 50 - 500 copies.

You can see the quality and size of B format books we've published when you order one of the following books:

B Plus Format: 190 x 135mm

This is a new modern size especially for fiction - novels and short stories. Bulky cream paper is the most appropriate and a slick matte cover finish looks grand. Complete instructions for text layout on this format are now available to subscribers.

A format: 182 x 110mm

A mass market rack-sized paperback book that is printed on economy paper (newsprint) and sold at a low price. Print runs usually begin at 25,000 copies.

Suitable for romance, mass-market fiction, crime thrillers.

There are other popular formats for cookbooks, local and family history, coffee table books and children's picture books.

B5ish books-

are a very suitable size for cookbooks, local and family history titles, because they can be opened flat: the weight of the paper helps to hold the pages apart. The dimensions are 250 x 176mm.

A4ish books-

are "coffee table" sized. Usually, this size is read at a desk or table. Art books, large-format family history, and children's picture books are all this size to fit on bookshelves: 275 x 205mm.

Colour printing through the text pages.

It costs much more to print in colour than it does in black & white. This is because:

• Colour printing machines cost 10 times as much
• Make-ready takes 4 times as long
• Spoilage is 20% higher
• Labour costs 50% more

Most books are printed in black & white.

• Cookbooks use colour 'wrapped' around 16 page black & white sections
• Biographies print photos in black & white. If colour is required, then it will be limited to an 8 page section
• Full colour books have commercial print runs of at least 15,000 copies

But hasn't digital printing made colour affordable now?

• Yes, but it costs about $1 per page, per book. If you add 8 colour pages to your book, add $8.80 per copy.

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