How to Create a Book Template in Microsoft Word

Create a reusable book template in Microsoft Word by setting the page size and margins, applying paragraph styles, building headers and page numbers, and saving the document as a Word Template (.dotx). You will then be able to start each new book document with the same layout instead of rebuilding the formatting. Before you begin, check your printer or publisher’s trim-size and margin requirements; if you do not have them, use a temporary size and plan to verify it before production.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The Mac version has similar controls, with a few menu and save-path differences noted below.
The intended finished page size (often called trim size), plus any margin, gutter, header, and footer requirements from your printer or publisher.
A short sample of your manuscript, if possible, to check paragraph spacing, chapter openings, and page breaks before saving the template.
Optional: a sample cover or a style guide if you need the interior to match an existing design.

Step-by-Step

Start with a blank document. In Word, choose File > New > Blank document. Save a working copy with a temporary name using File > Save As before making layout changes. Keeping a normal document as your working file gives you a safe place to experiment; you will save the reusable template separately at the end. Use a descriptive name such as “Novel interior template working copy.”
Set the finished page size. On the Windows ribbon, select Layout > Size > More Paper Sizes. In the Page Setup dialog, enter the finished book width and height on the Paper tab. For example, a 6-by-9-inch book uses 6 inches for Width and 9 inches for Height; confirm those dimensions with your printer because common sizes vary by market and print method. Choose portrait orientation for a typical novel or nonfiction book. On Mac, use Layout > Size and choose a listed size or open the custom paper-size controls. Word’s page size should represent one finished page, not a two-page spread.
Choose margins and a binding gutter. Select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins. Enter the top, bottom, inside, and outside margins specified by your publisher. Under Multiple pages, select Mirror margins so the inside margin alternates sides on facing pages. Set Gutter to the extra space required for binding; its position is normally added to the inside edge when mirror margins are used. Do not guess at a final gutter for a print run: thick books and different binding methods need different allowances. Click OK, then check that the text area still leaves comfortable space around the page.
Set up the main paragraph style. On the Home tab, right-click Normal in the Styles gallery and choose Modify. Choose a readable body font and size, then use Format > Paragraph in the Modify Style dialog to set alignment, line spacing, and space before and after paragraphs. Many book interiors use left alignment and little or no extra space between ordinary paragraphs, with a first-line indent instead. To set an indent, open Paragraph settings and enter a value under Special > First line. Avoid typing spaces or pressing Tab at the start of every paragraph; a style keeps the setting consistent. Leave the setting to update the style automatically turned off unless you intentionally want direct formatting changes to alter the style.
Create styles for chapters and other recurring text.} Use the Home tab’s Styles gallery to apply built-in Heading 1 to chapter titles and Heading 2 to any recurring subheadings. To customize one, right-click its style and choose Modify, then set the font, alignment, spacing, and other paragraph options. You can create a separate chapter-title style from the Styles pane if you want a distinctive title that should not appear as a normal section heading. Use styles rather than formatting each title manually: they make later global changes easier and help Word identify headings for navigation and a table of contents.
Decide how chapter pages should begin. When a chapter should start on a new page, insert a page break with Insert > Page Break or press Ctrl+Enter on Windows (Command+Enter on Mac). A page break is generally more reliable than pressing Enter repeatedly. For chapters that need different headers, page numbering, or other page settings, insert a section break instead: Layout > Breaks > Next Page. Section breaks are powerful but can affect headers and numbering, so use them only when the chapters genuinely need different section settings. You can turn on the Home tab’s Show/Hide button to see breaks while editing.
Add headers and page numbers. Double-click near the top or bottom of a page to open the header or footer area, or choose Insert > Header or Insert > Footer. For a book with different content on facing pages, select Different Odd & Even Pages on the Header & Footer tab. Select Different First Page if the first page of a section should have no header or a different one. Add page numbers with Insert > Page Number and choose a position and style. If you used section breaks, inspect each section: Word may link its header and footer to the previous section. Turn off Link to Previous when a section needs independent content. Page numbering can also be continued or restarted in Page Number > Format Page Numbers.
Set up front matter and an optional contents page. A title page, copyright page, dedication, and contents page may use different numbering or no visible number. Use section breaks when those pages need different headers or numbering, and check the Link to Previous setting before editing them. For a contents page, apply heading styles to the chapter titles, then place the cursor where the contents should go and choose References > Table of Contents. Word creates a table from recognized heading styles. It can be updated later by right-clicking it and choosing Update Field. If you do not want a contents page in every new book, leave a clearly labeled placeholder rather than inserting a list of sample chapters.
Review the layout with sample text. Paste or type a few pages of representative text, including a chapter title, a long paragraph, and a heading. Use View > Multiple Pages or Print Layout to inspect facing pages and check that the inside margins, indents, line spacing, headers, and page numbers look consistent. Look for a chapter title stranded at the bottom of a page, headers too close to the page edge, and content that spills into an unexpected page. Use File > Print to preview the pages, but do not assume the preview proves the layout meets a printer’s production specifications. Remove the sample text when the design is ready.
Save the reusable template. In Word for Windows, choose File > Save As > Browse. In the Save as type menu, select Word Template (*.dotx), give the file a recognizable name, and save it in Word’s default Custom Office Templates folder or another location you can find. A .dotx file does not contain macros. To use it, choose File > New and select the template, or open the .dotx file; Word creates a new document based on it rather than making you edit the original template. On Mac, use File > Save as Template and choose a name and location. Keep a separate backup of the template before making major revisions.

Common Mistakes

Using Letter or A4 by default: A standard office page is not necessarily the finished book size. Changing the page size late can reflow text, move chapter breaks, and alter page count. Confirm the intended trim size before polishing the layout.

Setting one-sided margins for a bound book: Equal left and right margins do not account for the binding edge. Mirror margins place the inside margin on the correct side of each page; the gutter adds further binding space when required.

Formatting headings by hand: If chapter titles are only bolded and enlarged manually, a global redesign takes longer and Word may not recognize them for a contents page. Apply a consistent style to each type of text.

Using repeated blank lines to position content: Many Enter presses can shift text unpredictably when a paragraph changes. Use paragraph spacing, page breaks, and section breaks for their intended purposes.

Saving over the template while drafting: Start a new document from the template instead of typing a manuscript into the .dotx master. Otherwise, the master can become filled with draft content and cease to be a clean starting point.

Tips

Keep the design simple until the text is stable. A restrained set of styles—body text, chapter title, subheading, and perhaps a quotation style—is easier to maintain than many nearly identical formats. Give styles descriptive names if you create custom ones, and use the Styles pane to see which style is applied to a paragraph.

Use a placeholder such as “[Book title]” only if you clearly intend to replace it, and remove any sample text that could be mistaken for manuscript content. You can also leave a short instruction in a nonprinting comment, but comments should be removed before delivering a final file.

Check the template with a realistic sample, not just one page. A chapter opening and several ordinary pages reveal problems that a blank page cannot, including odd/even header differences and paragraph flow. If your print provider supplies a Word specification, follow it over generic layout suggestions. For professional typesetting or a complex interior, ask the provider whether Word is an acceptable production format.

On Windows, Ctrl+Z undoes recent changes; on Mac, use Command+Z. Undo is useful while editing, but it does not replace keeping a backup. Before editing a template used for several projects, save a copy with a version date so you can return to the earlier layout if needed.

Troubleshooting

The page size changes back: Confirm that you edited the document’s paper size rather than a printer-only setting. Reopen Layout > Size > More Paper Sizes and verify the values. Some printers impose paper-size limits, so print preview or a test print may differ from the Word page setup. Save the document after confirming the dimensions.

Odd pages have the wrong inside margin: Recheck Layout > Margins > Custom Margins and make sure Multiple pages is set to Mirror margins. If the page is inside a section, check that the section has not inherited unexpected settings. A section break can carry different page setup from the preceding section.

Page numbers disappear or restart unexpectedly: Open the footer or header and inspect the section. Check whether Link to Previous is on, then use Page Number > Format Page Numbers to choose Continue from previous section or Start at a chosen number. A first-page setting can also hide the number on the first page of a section. Review the settings in every section, not just the opening pages.

The contents page is blank or incomplete: Make sure chapter titles use heading styles, then right-click the table and select Update Field. Choose Update entire table if headings or page numbers have changed. If a custom chapter-title style is not included, adjust the table-of-contents settings to map that style to a level, or use a built-in heading style.

Opening the template edits the master: Create a new document through File > New and select the saved template. If you opened the .dotx directly and made changes, close it without saving if you meant to make a draft. Keep the template in a known folder and verify the file extension is .dotx rather than .docx.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Word template and a Word document?
A .dotx file is a reusable starting point. Creating a document from it gives you a separate .docx file to edit, leaving the template available for future projects.

Can I create a book template in Word without knowing the final page count?
Yes. Page size, styles, margins, and headers can be set before the manuscript is complete. However, the final page count depends on the finished text and formatting, and a printer may need it to determine spine width or other production details.

Should I use mirror margins for an ebook?
Usually, no. Mirror margins and a binding gutter are intended for facing printed pages. An ebook layout often reflows to suit a reader’s screen, so follow the ebook platform’s formatting requirements instead.

Can Word make chapter numbers automatic?
Yes. Word supports multilevel lists linked to heading styles, but the setup needs careful configuration. If your book uses simple chapter titles, manually entered labels may be easier to maintain; for automatic numbering, test additions and reordering before saving the template.

Can I use the same template on Windows and Mac?
Usually. A .dotx template can be opened in Word for Mac, although fonts, custom paper settings, and some layout details can vary. Use fonts available on both systems and inspect the document on the computer that will produce the final file.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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