Core Matter
Font Size
Font size is the recommended size for the main text of your book. Proper sizing is largely dependent on your genre and visual style. Here’s a few examples and common use cases:
10pt. Size
10pt. Size is small print. If you have a smaller sized book (under 5 x 8), 10pt. may be the best way to display that text without having a page count that’s too high. This size is not advisable for standard sized books due to difficult readability.
Suitable for
Poetry Books
Novels
11.5pt. - 12pt. Size
11.5pt. - 12pt. Size is the most common size for book typesetting. This achieves good readability while allowing your book to have as few pages as possible.
Suitable for
Poetry Books
Novels
Biographies
Art Books
Cookbooks
Yearbooks
14pt. - 16pt. Size
14pt. - 16pt. Size is larger-than-normal text. This size, compared to 12pt., can add approximately 25% more pages to a book. This larger size is best for readers with poor eyesight, and may be a good choice if you expect your audience to be in an older demographic.
Suitable for
Poetry Books
Art Books
Cookbooks
Yearbooks
Children's Books
17pt. and Higher Sizes
17pt. and Higher Sizes are too large for traditional print typesetting. These should only be used in headings or situations in which there are 20 words or less on a single page.
Suitable for
Art Books
Yearbooks
Children's Books