What Kind of Margins Should My eBook Have?

by on July 24, 2012 in eBook Formatting, EPUB Conversion

The short answer: small and uniform!

Unlike with print books, where the margin is bigger on the left or right-hand side of the page depending on which is nearest the spine, eBook margins should be the same on both sides of every page.

We generally recommend that you use .5″ all around. This will ensure that the reader can customize their reading experience without worrying about text loss. When your margins are larger, you risk your book looking like a receipt when it’s displayed on smaller screens.

In some cases margins will be selectable on the device, so the margins you’ve set will be overridden if the reader chooses to do so.

Also, be absolutely sure that all your margins are positive numbers. Negative margins will result in words getting cut off from your book.

Let BookBaby help you with all your eBook conversion needs!

[eBook image from Shutterstock.]

Chris Robley

About Chris Robley

Chris Robley has written 384 posts in this blog.

splits his time between the Portlands Oregon and Maine, always longing for the other. He plays music on the West Coast and writes poems on the East. His music has been praised by NPR, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, and others. Skyscraper Magazine said he is “one of the best short-story musicians to come along in quite some time.” Robley’s poetry is forthcoming in Prairie Schooner, RHINO, Pacifica Literary Review, and The Fine Line.

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