The standard font size for a book is 11pt for body text at 5.5”×8.5” trim. But the right size depends on your trim, genre, and audience — a YA novel at 12pt reads very differently from a thriller at 10.5pt. Font size is the single biggest lever for page count: increasing from 11pt to 12pt adds roughly 15–20% more pages to your book, directly increasing your print cost and price.
Font size by trim
| Trim Size | Body Text | Line Spacing | Characters per Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5” × 8” | 10.5–11pt | 1.25–1.35× | 55–60 |
| 5.25” × 8” | 11pt | 1.3–1.4× | 58–63 |
| 5.5” × 8.5” | 11pt | 1.35–1.45× | 60–67 |
| 6” × 9” | 11–12pt | 1.4–1.5× | 62–70 |
| 8.5” × 11” | 11–12pt | 1.4–1.5× | 70–80 |
The sweet spot is 60–67 characters per line — the range where reading comprehension and speed are highest. Too few characters per line and the eye jumps too often; too many and readers lose their place.
Font size by genre
| Genre | Recommended Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Literary fiction | 11pt | Standard, invisible typography |
| Romance | 11pt | Fast reading, high consumption |
| Thriller / suspense | 10.5–11pt | Tighter = faster pacing feel |
| Fantasy / sci-fi | 11pt | Long books, moderate density |
| Horror | 11pt | Standard, no visual tricks |
| YA (ages 14–18) | 12pt | Larger for younger readers |
| Middle grade (ages 9–12) | 12pt | Essential for readability |
| Children’s (ages 5–8) | 14–16pt | Large and clear |
| Picture books | 16–20pt | Designed for read-aloud |
| Nonfiction | 11–12pt | Depends on trim and density |
| Self-help | 11–12pt | Generous spacing preferred |
| Poetry | 11–12pt | Size serves the line, not the page |
| Large print | 16–18pt | Accessibility standard |
Page count impact
Font size is the biggest driver of page count. For an 80,000-word novel at 5.5×8.5:
| Font Size | Pages | Print Cost (KDP) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10pt | ~240 | ~$4.00 | -30% pages |
| 10.5pt | ~260 | ~$4.24 | -14% pages |
| 11pt | ~280 | ~$4.72 | baseline |
| 11.5pt | ~310 | ~$5.08 | +11% pages |
| 12pt | ~340 | ~$5.44 | +21% pages |
| 13pt | ~390 | ~$6.04 | +39% pages |
Going from 11pt to 12pt adds ~60 pages and ~$0.72 to your print cost per copy. Over 1,000 copies, that’s $720.
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Heading sizes
Fiction
| Element | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter number | 12–14pt | Regular or small caps |
| Chapter title | 16–20pt | Bold or regular |
| Body text | 11pt | Regular |
| Scene break ornament | — | Sized to match spacing |
Nonfiction
| Element | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| H1 (Chapter title) | 18–24pt | Bold |
| H2 (Section) | 14–16pt | Bold or semibold |
| H3 (Subsection) | 12–13pt | Bold or bold italic |
| Body text | 11–12pt | Regular |
| Captions | 9–10pt | Italic |
| Footnotes | 8–9pt | Regular |
Front and back matter sizes
| Element | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Half-title | 16–20pt | Centered, light weight |
| Title page title | 24–32pt | The largest text in the book |
| Title page author | 14–18pt | Below title |
| Copyright text | 8–9pt | Small, dense, left-aligned |
| Table of contents | 11–12pt | Match body or slightly larger |
| Page numbers | 9–10pt | Smaller than body |
| Running headers | 8–9pt | Small caps or italic |
Common mistakes
- Using 12pt because Word defaults to it — Word’s 12pt is designed for letter-sized paper (8.5×11). At 5.5×8.5, 12pt is too large for adult fiction.
- Increasing font size to pad page count — readers notice. A thin book in large type looks worse than a thin book in proper type.
- Decreasing font size to save pages — going below 10pt to reduce print costs makes the book uncomfortable to read.
- Different sizes for different chapters — body text must be the same size throughout.
- Forgetting that font choice affects size — 11pt Palatino is visually larger than 11pt Garamond because Palatino has a larger x-height.
How font x-height affects apparent size
Two fonts at the same “point size” can look very different:
| Font | Visual Size at 11pt | x-Height |
|---|---|---|
| Garamond | Smaller | 0.43× |
| Minion Pro | Medium | 0.45× |
| Baskerville | Medium | 0.45× |
| Palatino | Larger | 0.47× |
| Georgia | Largest | 0.48× |
Georgia at 11pt looks like Garamond at 12pt. If you switch fonts, you may need to adjust size to maintain the same visual density.
Use the Book Font Explorer to compare fonts at the same size, or the KDP Book Calculator to see page count impact.
Related guides
- Best fonts for fiction — font recommendations
- Best fonts for nonfiction — heading-heavy layouts
- Best fonts for romance — genre-specific
- Garamond vs Baskerville — detailed comparison
- Book Font Explorer — preview fonts interactively