5.5" × 8.5" Paperback Cover Dimensions: 200 Pages, B&W Cream
PDF Width
11.7500"
846.00 pt
PDF Height
8.7500"
630.00 pt
Spine Width
0.5000"
36.00 pt
How These Dimensions Are Calculated
spine_width = 200 pages × 0.002500" = 0.5000"
pdf_width = (2 × 5.5") + 0.5000" + 0.25" = 11.7500"
pdf_height = 8.5" + 0.25" = 8.7500"
pdf_width = (2 × 5.5") + 0.5000" + 0.25" = 11.7500"
pdf_height = 8.5" + 0.25" = 8.7500"
The 0.25" added to both width and height accounts for 0.125" bleed on each side. Your cover image must extend into this bleed area to avoid white edges after trimming.
Cover Layout (Left to Right)
[0.125" bleed] [Back Cover 5.5"] [Spine 0.5000"] [Front Cover 5.5"] [0.125" bleed]
Key Specifications
- Trim size: 5.5" × 8.5"
- Page count: 200 pages
- Paper type: Black & White on Cream Paper
- Bleed: 0.125" on all outer edges
- Safe margin: 0.25" inside trim line
- Spine text: Allowed (200 ≥ 79 pages)
- Barcode reserve: 2" × 1.2" on back cover
- Resolution: 300 DPI, RGB color space
Dimensions in Multiple Units
| Measurement | Inches | Points (pt) | Millimeters | Pixels (300 DPI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Width | 11.7500" | 846.00 | 298.45 mm | 3525 px |
| PDF Height | 8.7500" | 630.00 | 222.25 mm | 2625 px |
| Spine Width | 0.5000" | 36.00 | 12.70 mm | 150 px |
At 150–299 pages with cream paper at a 5.5"–6.14" × 8.5"–9.21" trim, spines measure roughly 0.38"–0.75". This configuration is extremely popular in indie publishing for literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and essay collections. Cream paper's 11% thickness premium over white produces a noticeably thicker book at 250 pages — a 0.625" cream spine versus 0.5630" on white. Authors who care about shelf presence often choose cream for this reason. Keep in mind you will need to update your cover file if you ever switch from cream to white paper for a reprint.