{
  "slug": "book-format-decision-matrix",
  "title": "Book Format Decision Matrix",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "updated": "2026-07-09",
  "status": "planning-model",
  "methodology": "The matrix maps common book jobs to sensible starting decisions. It is intentionally a starting point: audience, distribution, manuscript density, production cost, and brand position can justify a different choice.",
  "limitations": [
    "Trim and typography recommendations are not platform acceptance rules.",
    "Image-heavy, academic, workbook, RTL, and accessibility-intensive books need additional specialist review.",
    "Body-size ranges depend on the actual typeface; point size alone does not determine readability."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "KDP print option ranges",
      "url": "https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834180",
      "checked": "2026-07-09"
    }
  ],
  "columns": [
    {
      "key": "book_job",
      "label": "Book job"
    },
    {
      "key": "starting_trim",
      "label": "Starting trim"
    },
    {
      "key": "typography_direction",
      "label": "Typography direction"
    },
    {
      "key": "body_size_range",
      "label": "Body size starting range"
    },
    {
      "key": "production_risk",
      "label": "Primary risk"
    },
    {
      "key": "cambric_fit",
      "label": "Cambric fit"
    }
  ],
  "rows": [
    {
      "book_job": "Commercial novel",
      "starting_trim": "5.25 × 8 or 5.5 × 8.5 in",
      "typography_direction": "Readable serif, quiet hierarchy, controlled scene breaks",
      "body_size_range": "10–11.5 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Overdense pages or repetitive chapter openings",
      "cambric_fit": "Strong"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Long genre novel",
      "starting_trim": "5.5 × 8.5 or 6 × 9 in",
      "typography_direction": "Efficient serif with comfortable leading",
      "body_size_range": "10–11.5 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Page count, spine size, and gutter",
      "cambric_fit": "Strong"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Memoir",
      "starting_trim": "5.5 × 8.5 in",
      "typography_direction": "Literary serif with restrained display contrast",
      "body_size_range": "10.5–12 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Mixed dates, letters, and section breaks",
      "cambric_fit": "Strong"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Narrative nonfiction",
      "starting_trim": "5.5 × 8.5 or 6 × 9 in",
      "typography_direction": "Serif body with clear heading ladder",
      "body_size_range": "10–11.5 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Heading consistency and notes",
      "cambric_fit": "Strong for text-led books"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Business/self-help",
      "starting_trim": "6 × 9 in",
      "typography_direction": "Open body, scan-friendly headings, short sections",
      "body_size_range": "10.5–12 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Callouts and hierarchy become visually noisy",
      "cambric_fit": "Strong when layouts remain text-led"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Poetry collection",
      "starting_trim": "5.5 × 8.5 or 6 × 9 in",
      "typography_direction": "Preserve line measure and intentional white space",
      "body_size_range": "10.5–12.5 pt by face",
      "production_risk": "Line wrapping and page-break semantics",
      "cambric_fit": "Conditional; test the longest lines"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Large-print edition",
      "starting_trim": "6 × 9 in or larger",
      "typography_direction": "Large, open body with explicit edition labeling",
      "body_size_range": "16 pt or larger starting point",
      "production_risk": "Page-count expansion and binding limits",
      "cambric_fit": "Conditional; verify edition requirements"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Textbook with many tables",
      "starting_trim": "7 × 10 or 8.5 × 11 in",
      "typography_direction": "Dense hierarchy with controlled figures and tables",
      "body_size_range": "Context dependent",
      "production_risk": "Complex fixed layouts and cross-references",
      "cambric_fit": "Not the primary target"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Children’s picture book",
      "starting_trim": "Square or large illustrated trim",
      "typography_direction": "Image-led fixed composition",
      "body_size_range": "Art-direction dependent",
      "production_risk": "Bleed, color, and per-spread positioning",
      "cambric_fit": "Not the primary target"
    },
    {
      "book_job": "Workbook/journal",
      "starting_trim": "7 × 10 or 8.5 × 11 in",
      "typography_direction": "Writing space and repeated exercise components",
      "body_size_range": "Context dependent",
      "production_risk": "Interactive page construction and repetition",
      "cambric_fit": "Conditional; specialized layout may be better"
    }
  ]
}