DIY Book Formats
Derek Murphy's free book formatting templates for Microsoft Word and InDesign, with an optional paid premium template pack for more designs.
Best for: Budget-conscious first-time authors who want free Word or InDesign templates plus step-by-step guidance to format a print book themselves
Cheaper than 7 of 11 tools · periods vary
Tools at this price point typically fit a Professional Stack ($2,000+ total).
Details
- Tool Type
- Template Pack
- Formats Supported
- Docx, Indesign, Print Pdf
- Platform
- Windows, Mac
Limitations
- Not software — these are template files, not a formatting app; there's no live preview or automated export
- Free set is intentionally limited — a starter selection designed to lead toward the paid premium pack
- Ebook output is secondary — the templates are print-first; authors needing polished EPUB may prefer a dedicated formatter
DIY Book Formats is book-designer and bestselling author Derek Murphy's hub of free, downloadable book interior templates for Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign. Aimed squarely at budget-conscious and first-time self-publishers, it pairs a free starter pack of genre templates with detailed tutorials, recommended free fonts, and a self-publishing email course — the free counterpart to paid template shops like Book Design Templates.
The free bundle includes sample templates plus five genre-specific designs, each offering several chapter-heading styles. Murphy also sells a larger premium pack for authors who want more designs.
What You Get
- Free starter templates: editable Microsoft Word and InDesign interior templates you download and drop your manuscript into
- Genre coverage: designs and guidance for novels, nonfiction/how-to, cookbooks, and children's picture books, commonly at the 6x9" print trim size
- DIY guidance included: step-by-step formatting tutorials, a curated list of free fonts, and a free email series on self-publishing on a budget
- Print-focused: templates are built for print-on-demand interiors (KDP, IngramSpark) with correct margins and page setup
Pricing
| Tier | Price | |---|---| | Free starter template pack | $0 | | Premium template pack (more genres/designs) | $97 (often on sale ~$47) |
The free templates are fully usable on their own; the premium pack is an optional upgrade. Both are one-time, not subscriptions.
Best For
- First-time authors who want to test-drive the template approach before paying for anything
- Budget publishers who are comfortable following a tutorial and editing a Word or InDesign file themselves
Limitations
- Not software — these are template files, not a formatting app; there's no live preview or automated export
- Free set is intentionally limited — a starter selection designed to lead toward the paid premium pack
- Ebook output is secondary — the templates are print-first; authors needing polished EPUB may prefer a dedicated formatter
Alternatives
- Book Design Templates — the established paid alternative with a wider genre range and four included file formats (Word, Pages, Affinity, InDesign)
- Reedsy Studio / Atticus — guided formatting apps if you'd rather not hand-edit a template
- Adobe InDesign / Affinity Publisher — full layout software for authors who outgrow templates
More Formatting & Layout Tools
Showing 3 of 19 alternatives
See all 19 toolsBook Design Templates
Genre-specific book interior template packs — one purchase includes editable Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Affinity Publisher, and InDesign files.
Also offers Template Pack
Higher price than DIY Book Formats
- Best For:
- Authors who want a professionally designed, genre-matched book interior they can edit themselves in Word, Pages, Affinity Publisher, or InDesign — no designer required
Adobe InDesign
The industry-standard page-layout app for complex, fully-designed books — cookbooks, children's picture books, comics, and art books reflowable formatters can't handle.
Also offers Indesign
Lower price than DIY Book Formats
- Best For:
- Complex illustrated books (cookbooks, children's books, comics, art books, textbooks) needing pixel-precise layout control
Affinity Publisher
Professional InDesign-class page-layout software, now completely free after Canva's acquisition of Serif — the top no-subscription tool for illustrated book layout.
Also offers Print Pdf
- Best For:
- Authors who want InDesign-level layout power for illustrated books at zero cost, with no subscription
Complete Your Toolkit
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