Octavo (8vo) produces 16 pages per signature and is the most common size for standard hardcover novels and trade books. The final page dimensions usually range from five by eight inches to six by nine inches, depending on the parent sheet. It offers an ideal balance of readable page area and efficient use of press paper.
Heard on the job
Set the margins for a standard 8vo, we're running this on the usual trade stock.
Also heard as
- octavo
Do not mix it up with
- 4to: 8vo yields eight leaves and a rectangular page, while 4to yields four leaves and a squarer, larger page.
Related terms
4to
The standard abbreviation for quarto, a book size made by folding printed sheets twice.
12mo
A book format created by folding a printed sheet into twelve leaves.
Signature
A large printed sheet folded multiple times to form a sequential section of a book.
Imposition
The arrangement of pages on a press sheet to ensure correct order after folding and trimming.