Complete Guide to Book Formatting in MS Word

This is almost the full ritual. The sacred geometry of margins, styles, and invisible formatting ghosts that ruin manuscripts at 2 a.m.

Here is the complete, calm, practical guide to formatting a book using Microsoft Word from the very beginning. No shortcuts, no mysterious menu clicking, no “just adjust it later” nonsense that turns into structural collapse.

The article itself is clean and professional so you can actually use it. Try not to treat Word like a rebellious typewriter.

A step-by-step manual from blank page to print-ready manuscript in MS Word

Book formatting is the process of structuring your manuscript so it reads professionally and prints correctly. Proper formatting ensures consistency, readability, and compatibility with publishing requirements, whether you plan to self-publish, submit to a publisher, or produce a print-on-demand edition.

This guide walks through every stage, beginning with document setup and ending with export.

Preparing Before You Open the Document

Formatting works best when decisions are made early.

Changing the structure halfway through is like rebuilding a house after installing the roof.

Decide:

Book size (trim size)
Font style and size
Line spacing
Margin layout
Chapter structure
Front and back matter
Print or digital or both

Common Book Trim Sizes

Choose a size before formatting because margins and layout depend on it.

Popular fiction sizes:

5 × 8 inches
5.25 × 8 inches
5.5 × 8.5 inches
6 × 9 inches (most common)

Nonfiction often uses:

6 × 9 inches
7 × 10 inches
8.5 × 11 inches (workbooks, manuals)

Publishers or print-on-demand services will specify their requirements.

Creating a New Document

Open Microsoft Word

Create a blank document.

Immediately save the file with a clear name:

BookTitle_Manuscript_v1.docx

Turn on auto-save if available.

Setting Page Size (Trim Size)

This defines the physical book dimensions.

Go to Layout
Click Size
Choose your trim size

If your size is not listed:

Click More Paper Sizes
Enter width and height manually
Apply to the whole document

Do this first. Everything else depends on it.

Setting Margins (Including Gutter)

Books need different inner and outer margins because pages are bound.

Go to Layout
Click Margins
Select Custom Margins

Typical Margin Setup

For 5.5 × 8.5 or 6 × 9 books:

Top: 0.75″
Bottom: 0.75″
Outside: 0.625″
Inside: 0.875″ to 1″
Gutter: 0.125″ to 0.25″

Mirror Margins

Books alternate left and right pages.

In Margin settings:

Choose Mirror Margins

This automatically flips inside/outside margins for facing pages.

Set Orientation

Books are portrait.

Layout → Orientation → Portrait

Choose the Correct Font

Readable serif fonts are standard for printed books.

Common body fonts:

Garamond
Times New Roman
Baskerville
Minion Pro
Palatino

Avoid decorative fonts for body text.

Standard Settings

Body text size: 10.5 to 12 pt
Print fiction standard: 11 or 12 pt
Line spacing: 1.15 to 1.5 (often 1.2 or 1.3 for print layout)

Define Styles (Critical Step Most People Ignore)

Styles control consistency across the entire document.

Never manually format each heading. That way lies chaos.

Open Styles Panel:
Home → small arrow in Styles group

Create or modify:

Normal (body text)
Heading 1 (chapter titles)
Heading 2 (subsections)
Scene break style (optional)

Modify Normal Style

Right-click “Normal”
Modify

Set:

Font
Size
Alignment (justified recommended)
Line spacing
First line indent (usually 0.25″ or 0.3″)
Space after paragraph (often 0)

Apply to the entire document.

Paragraph Formatting

Open Paragraph settings (small arrow in Paragraph group).

Recommended book paragraph settings:

Alignment: Justified
First line indent: 0.25″
Spacing before: 0 pt
Spacing after: 0 pt
Line spacing: Multiple 1.2 to 1.3

Important rule:
First paragraph of chapter or after scene break has NO indent.

Create a separate style for that.

Turn Off Widow/Orphan Problems

Word can manage lonely lines at page tops or bottoms.

Paragraph settings → Line and Page Breaks tab

Check:

Widow/Orphan control

Optional:

Keep with next (for headings)
Page break before (for chapters)

Set Up Chapters Properly

Each chapter begins on a new page.

Never press Enter repeatedly.

Use page breaks.

Insert Page Break

Ctrl + Enter
or
Insert → Page Break

Section Breaks (For Advanced Control)

Sections allow different headers, footers, and numbering.

Use section breaks for:

Front matter vs main book
Different page numbering styles
Landscape pages
Special formatting areas

Insert → Break → Section Break (Next Page)

Formatting Chapter Titles

Use Heading 1 style.

Common chapter formatting:

Centred
No indent
Extra space above and below
Larger font (14–18 pt)

Optional formats:

CHAPTER ONE
Chapter 1
Roman numerals
Title only

Consistency matters more than style choice.

Scene Breaks

When a scene changes within a chapter:

Options:

Blank line
Centred symbol (***)
Ornament divider

Create a specific style for scene breaks.

Do not improvise spacing manually.

Headers and Footers

Books usually include:

Page numbers
Author name
Book title
Chapter title (optional)

Open header or footer by double-clicking page margin.

Different First Page

Chapter opening pages usually have no header.

In Header & Footer tools:
Check Different First Page

Page Numbering

Most books place numbers:

Top outer corner
Bottom centre
Bottom outer corner

Insert Page Numbers

Insert → Page Number → Choose position

For mirrored pages:
Use different odd and even headers.

Roman Numerals for Front Matter

Front matter uses Roman numerals.

Main text uses Arabic numbers.

Steps:

Insert a section break after the front matter
Go to the front section
Insert page numbers
Format page numbers → Roman numerals

Then:

Go to the main section
Unlink header/footer
Start numbering at 1

Front Matter Structure

Typical order:

Half title page
Title page
Copyright page
Dedication
Epigraph (optional)
Table of contents
Foreword / Preface / Introduction

Each begins on a new page.

Often centred vertically.

Creating a Table of Contents (Automatic)

If you used Heading styles, Word builds the TOC automatically.

References → Table of Contents → Automatic Table

Update anytime with:
Right-click → Update Field

Back Matter Structure

After the main text:

Acknowledgments
Author bio
Appendix
Glossary
Index
About the author
Other books

Same formatting rules as front matter.

Hyphenation

Books use controlled hyphenation for justified text.

Layout → Hyphenation → Automatic

Check results manually.

Managing Line Breaks and Spacing

Never use:

Multiple spaces
Multiple returns
Manual alignment using spaces

Use formatting tools only.

Turn on paragraph marks to inspect layout:
Home → ¶ symbol

Images and Illustrations

If your book includes images:

Insert → Pictures

Set wrapping:

In line with text (safest)
Square or tight (for advanced layouts)

Keep resolution at least 300 DPI for print.

Footnotes and Endnotes

References → Insert Footnote

Word handles numbering automatically.

Use consistent style.

Proofing Layout Before Export

Check carefully:

Chapter starts on new pages
No blank pages
Headers correct
Page numbers aligned
Margins consistent
No manual spacing errors
Fonts embedded if required
Scene breaks consistent
TOC updated

Zoom out and scroll the entire book visually.

Exporting for Print (PDF)

Most printers require PDF.

File → Save As → PDF

Choose:

Standard (printing)
High quality

Check:

Page size correct
Margins preserved
Images sharp

Preparing for E-Book Conversion

Word is not ideal for e-book layout, but clean formatting helps.

Remove:

Headers
Footers
Page numbers
Fixed spacing
Complex layout

Use styles only.

Export to EPUB using conversion software if needed.

Common Formatting Mistakes

These destroy professional appearance:

Using tabs and spaces for alignment
Manual font changes everywhere
No styles
Random spacing
Enter key instead of page breaks
Wrong margins
Mixed fonts
Inconsistent chapter titles
Ignoring mirror margins

Professional Polish Details

Small touches that elevate a book:

Drop caps at chapter openings
Decorative separators
Consistent heading hierarchy
Balanced white space
Running headers
Carefully chosen font pairing

Minimalism usually looks more professional.

Printing a Test Copy

Always print sample pages.

Check:

Margin comfort
Readability
Page balance
Binding space
Paper feel

Digital previews lie. Paper reveals truth.

Final Checklist

Before declaring victory:

✔ Trim size correct
✔ Mirror margins set
✔ Styles applied consistently
✔ Chapter breaks clean
✔ Front matter complete
✔ Roman numerals correct
✔ Page numbering reset
✔ Headers aligned
✔ TOC updated
✔ Hyphenation checked
✔ Images high resolution
✔ Exported PDF verified

Book formatting in Word is not complicated. It is structured, methodical, and merciless toward improvisation.

The process is simple when done in order:

Define physical structure
Build style system
Apply consistent formatting
Control page layout
Export cleanly

Word can produce fully professional print interiors when used deliberately. The secret is not technical skill. It is discipline and consistency.

Once styles and layout are set, formatting becomes automatic, predictable, and repeatable. That is the real goal. Not decoration. Not clever tricks. Stability.

A properly formatted manuscript becomes invisible. The reader notices only the story. And that, inconveniently, is the entire point.

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