How words become pages
The estimate starts from roughly 300 words on a 6" × 9" page and scales it by the area of text on your trim size after margins. Smaller pages hold fewer words. It then adds pages that every printed book has but your word count doesn't show: front matter (title, copyright, contents), the extra space at the start and end of each chapter, and back matter. Finally the total is rounded up to an even number, because every leaf has two sides.
Worked example
A 60,000-word novel in 20 chapters prints to about 242 pages at 6" × 9", 338 pages at 5" × 8" and 146 pages at 8.5" × 11". The trim size you choose changes your printing cost and spine width, so decide it before you price the book with the KDP royalty calculator.
Typical word counts by book length
| Length | Words | Chapters | Pages at 6" × 9" | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short — Lead magnet, novelette, short guide | 12,000 | 8 | 64 | 48 min |
| Standard — Most non-fiction & novellas | 30,000 | 12 | 130 | 2 h 0 min |
| Full-length — Full novel or in-depth book | 60,000 | 20 | 242 | 4 h 0 min |
| Epic — Big novels & comprehensive references | 90,000 | 30 | 358 | 6 h 0 min |
Choosing a trim size
6" × 9" is the most common trim for non-fiction and many novels; 5" × 8" and 5.5" × 8.5" suit fiction and give a thicker, more substantial book; 8.5" × 11" is used for workbooks and textbooks, and 8.5" × 8.5" for picture books. Supported sizes here: 5" × 8", 5.25" × 8", 5.5" × 8.5" (Digest), 6" × 9" (US Trade), 7" × 10", 8.5" × 8.5" (Square), 8.5" × 11" (Letter), A5 (148 × 210 mm).
Common mistakes
- Using Word's page count. A Letter-size manuscript in 12-point double spacing has far fewer words per page than a typeset book.
- Forgetting front and back matter. Title page, copyright, contents, acknowledgements and author bio add pages — and spine width.
- Designing the cover before the page count is final. Once you know your pages, size the spine with the spine width calculator.