Learn How to Set Your Fiction Novel to a Standard Book Format!

Standard book format is one of the basics of writing and publishing a book. It is the look and feel of your final draft just before taking it to an eBook creator.

If you are publishing your book through a fiction publisher, check out how to write a manuscript in standard manuscript format prior to your submission.

When getting your novel ready for standard format, there are a few things to consider before making your final touches. First, you must decide the size and style of your book in the final form.

There are several sizes to consider when choosing a proper format (all sizes are in inches). There's 8 1/2 x 11 (standard for coil binding format), X x X (for normal mass produced paperback) 6 x 9 (normal for paperback), 9 x 7 for picture books and hard cover books, and there is a comic style book as well as a square book. It all depends on the type of book you have and how you want it to look. In most applications for fiction writers, you will use 6 x 9 for your paperback or 9 x 7 for your hard cover books.

After you choose a size, now you must now choose a style for your book. A style is how you want your book to look. Do you want a formal style or a relaxed style? A formal style includes a table of contents, dedication page, forward, and epilogue (a more traditional look). A relaxed style may have those same elements, but they are optional. In a relaxed standard book format, you may also add in your own artistic touch such as a different font for your chapter names, fancy borders, or colors.

Now you are ready to put your final draft to standard book format.