How to Format a Google Doc Like a Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adele

Jun 24, 2025

How to Format a Google Doc Like a Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

Formatting your Google Doc like a professional book can make a huge difference whether you're self-publishing, sharing a manuscript, or creating an eBook. Google Docs is a powerful and accessible tool that lets you format your document with ease - no expensive software required.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to format a Google Doc like a book , step-by-step. Plus, we’ll introduce you to Formswrite.com , a handy tool where you can convert your Google Docs into forms with just one click - perfect for gathering feedback or information related to your book project.

Step 1: Set Up Your Page Size and Margins

Books don’t usually use standard letter-size pages. To give your Google Doc a book feel:

Open your Google Doc.
Click File > Page setup.
Under Paper size, choose a book-friendly size like **6 x 9 inches **(custom size).
Set margins to about **1 inch **on all sides or customize based on your needs.
Click **OK **to save.

Step 2: Choose an Appropriate Font and Size

Books generally use readable serif fonts and a comfortable font size for long reads:

Highlight your text or select all (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
Choose fonts like Times New Roman, Garamond, or Georgia.
Set the font size to 11 or 12 pt.
For chapter titles or headings, use larger sizes and bold formatting.

Step 3: Format Paragraphs with Indentation and Spacing

Indenting paragraphs (instead of using line breaks) gives your book a polished look.

Select the body text.
Click Format > Align & indent > Indentation options.
Under Special indent, choose **First line **and set it to 0.5 inches.
Set **Line spacing **to **1.15 **or **1.5 **for easy reading ( Format > Line & paragraph spacing).
Avoid extra space between paragraphs - this keeps it consistent with book formatting.

Step 4: Add Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers

Books usually have page numbers and sometimes chapter titles in headers or footers:

Click **Insert > Headers & footers > Header **or Footer.
Insert page numbers by selecting Insert > Page numbers.
Customize your headers/footers by adding book title, chapter name, or author name.
To start page numbering from a specific page (e.g., after the title page), use the **Different first page **option.

Step 5: Insert Chapter Breaks and Table of Contents

Organize your book clearly:

Add a page break at the end of each chapter ( Insert > Break > Page break).
Use **Heading styles **(Heading 1 for chapters) to structure your document.
Create a Table of Contents by clicking Insert > Table of contents. This updates automatically based on your headings.

Bonus Tip: Convert Your Google Doc Into a Form for Feedback

Once your book is formatted, you might want to gather feedback or reviews. Here’s where Formswrite.com comes in.

Formswrite is a website (not a plugin) that lets you convert your Google Docs into interactive forms with a single click. Whether it’s for beta readers to submit feedback or for surveys related to your book, Formswrite makes the process seamless.