For authors, designers & indie publishers
Everything you need to turn a manuscript into a real book.
Trim sizes, paper sizes, spine widths, cover templates, ISBN tools, fonts and a directory of publishers, awards and literary magazines — 6,800+ reference pages built from open data and careful book math.
Free calculators
All tools →
Spine & cover
Calculate paperback spine width and full-wrap cover dimensions for any trim size, page count and…
Words → pages
Estimate how many printed pages your manuscript will be at any trim size and font size, plus spine…
ISBN converter
Convert ISBN-10 to ISBN-13 and back, validate check digits and hyphenate any ISBN correctly using…
ISBN barcode
Create a print-ready Bookland EAN-13 barcode for your ISBN with an optional 5-digit price add-on…
Paper size converter
Convert paper and page sizes between millimetres, centimetres, inches, points and pixels at any…
GSM ↔ lb
Convert paper weight between g/m² and US basis weights — bond, text (book), cover, index and…
Image DPI
Check whether an image is sharp enough to print: maximum print size at 300 dpi, pixels needed for…
Booklet imposition
Get the page order for printing a saddle-stitched booklet or zine on a home or office printer…
Explore the reference
35 pages
Trim sizes
Every paperback and hardcover size with margins, page counts and platform availability.
805 pages
Spine width & covers
Cover dimensions for 12 trims and 66 page counts, with templates.
289 pages
Word count to pages
How long your manuscript will be in print, at any trim and font size.
285 pages
Paper sizes
ISO, US, JIS, envelopes, photo, poster and historic sizes in every unit.
1,260 pages
Free fonts for books
Open-source fonts with book-page specimens and pairing ideas.
1,266 pages
Publishers
Publishing houses, university presses and imprints worldwide.
757 pages
Literary awards
Book prizes with organisers, prize money and recent winners.
292 pages
Literary magazines
Journals and reviews for short fiction, poetry and essays.
710 pages
Public-domain classics
Word counts and print-length estimates for the most-read free books.
288 pages
ISBN groups
Every ISBN registration group and its publisher ranges.
49 pages
Book anatomy & binding
Front matter order, binding methods and how they compare.
20 pages
Imposition & signatures
Folding schemes and booklet page orders with diagrams.
72 pages
Paper weight & stocks
GSM and pound conversions, thickness and paper types.
59 pages
Genres & book length
Expected word counts and trims for every major category.
172 pages
Glossary
Printing, binding, typography and publishing terms explained.
414 pages
Classic typefaces
Garamond, Baskerville, Caslon and the history of type.
Popular trim sizes
All trim sizes →
6 x 9 in US Trade
6 x 9 inNonfiction, Fiction, Memoir
5.5 x 8.5 in Digest
5.5 x 8.5 inFiction, Nonfiction, Memoir
5 x 8 in
5 x 8 inNovels, Novellas, Poetry
8.5 x 11 in Letter
8.5 x 11 inWorkbooks, Manuals, Coloring books
Royal (6.14 x 9.21 in)
6.14 x 9.21 inNonfiction, Hardcovers, Academic
8.5 x 8.5 in Square
8.5 x 8.5 inPicture books, Coloring books, Photography
Guides
All guides →- How to Choose a Book Trim SizeA practical decision guide to picking the right trim size for your paperback or hardcover — by genre, page cou
- Book Spine Width Explained (with Formulas)How spine width is calculated for paperbacks and hardcovers, why paper choice changes it, and how to design a
- Bleed, Trim and Safe Zones: Print Files Done RightWhat bleed, trim and safe zones are, how much bleed printers need, and how to set up interior and cover files
- Paper Weight Explained: GSM vs PoundsWhy 20 lb bond and 50 lb text are nearly the same paper, how to convert GSM to pounds, and which paper weights
- ISBN Guide for Self-PublishersWhat an ISBN is, when you need one, how many to buy, free vs purchased ISBNs, barcodes and how ISBNs connect t
- Front Matter and Back Matter: The Complete OrderThe standard order of a book's front matter and back matter — what each page is for, which side it goes on, ho
- Book Interior Typography: Fonts, Size, Leading and MarginsPractical typesetting rules for book interiors — choosing a body font, type size and leading, line length, mar
Directory highlights
About this site
Leaf & Spine is an independent, free reference for people who make books. The numbers come from published printer specifications and transparent formulas — see how we calculate — and the directories are compiled from open data sources credited on every page.