Free 8.5 x 11 book template for Word
A Microsoft Word template set to a 8.5 x 11 inch page, ready for KDP and IngramSpark. Full letter size, for workbooks, manuals and course books with room to write. Mirror margins, a gutter for your page count, running headers, page numbers and chapter styles are already set up, so you can simply start writing.
Choose the template for your book's length
Free with a DocToPrint account. Enter your email and we send you a link that signs you in and starts the download. There is no password to choose.
What is already set up
- The exact trim size (8.5 x 11 inches), so Word shows you real book pages and a real page count as you write.
- Mirror margins with a gutter for your page count. KDP requires a wider inside margin as a book gets thicker: at least 0.375" up to 150 pages, 0.5" up to 300 and 0.625" up to 500. Each template sets a quarter inch more than that minimum, so no words disappear into the spine.
- Running headers: your book's title on right-hand pages and your name on left-hand pages.
- Page numbers that start at 1 on your first chapter, with the title, copyright and dedication pages left unnumbered.
- Chapter and section styles. Chapters use Word's built-in Heading 1, which starts each chapter on a new page and shows it in Word's navigation pane. Heading 2 is for sections within a chapter.
- Book-style body text: Georgia, justified, with indented paragraphs, and a title page, copyright page, dedication and About the Author page ready to type over.
Which page-count template do I need?
| Your finished book | KDP minimum inside margin | Template inside margin |
|---|---|---|
| 24 to 150 pages | 0.375" | 0.625" (0.75" on 8.5 x 11) |
| 151 to 300 pages | 0.5" | 0.75" (0.875" on 8.5 x 11) |
| 301 to 500 pages | 0.625" | 0.875" (1" on 8.5 x 11) |
Not sure how long your book will be? Start with the 151 to 300 page template. If you upload your manuscript to DocToPrint, it lays out the final pages itself, so the template you pick matters most if you print straight from Word.
How to use the template
- Open the template in Word and type over the sample title, subtitle and your name on the title page, then fill in the copyright page.
- Write each chapter under a heading in the Heading 1 style. Type the heading, then pick Heading 1 from the Styles list. It starts a new page by itself.
- When you paste in text written elsewhere, use Paste Special, Unformatted Text, so it takes on the template's body style.
- Put three asterisks (* * *) on a line of their own for a scene break.
- Change the running headers by double-clicking the top of any right-hand page (the title) or left-hand page (your name).
Other sizes
Questions
Are these Word book templates really free?
Yes. Every template is free to download with a free DocToPrint account, and you can use it for as many books as you like, including books you sell.
Do the templates work for KDP and IngramSpark?
Yes. Each one is set to the exact trim size, with mirror margins and an inside margin a quarter inch wider than KDP’s minimum for that page count. IngramSpark accepts the same trim sizes and margins.
Which page-count template should I pick?
Pick the range your finished book will fall in. Books get a wider inside margin as they get thicker, because more of each page curves into the spine. If you are not sure yet, start with 151 to 300 pages. When you upload your manuscript, DocToPrint lays out the final pages itself.
Why do chapters need the Heading 1 style?
Heading 1 tells Word, and DocToPrint, where each chapter starts. It starts every chapter on a new page, puts the chapters in Word’s navigation pane, and lets DocToPrint build your Contents page and running headers without guessing.
Can I print straight from the template?
You can export a PDF from Word, but Word cannot drop the page number and header from every chapter opening, keep chapters on right-hand pages without manual blank pages, or embed every font the way printers want. Uploading the finished file to DocToPrint does those things and shows you every formatted page free before you pay.
Does the template work in Google Docs or Pages?
It opens in both, and the Heading 1 chapters survive. Mirror margins and odd and even headers are Word features, so for the page setup itself use Word or LibreOffice.
