What Goes Into A Book’s Interior?
When it comes to the visual aspects of a book, the cover gets a lot of shine and praise (and rightfully so!). But there are a few sections within a book’s interior that may go unnoticed by the average reader. In this latest installment of “What Goes Into A Book?” we’ll breakdown the standard segments that form the contents of a typical book.
Frontmatter
The first portion of a book is called the frontmatter. It’s placed before the main content or story and it houses several pages of information, such as the half title, title, copyright and dedication pages. The frontmatter can also consist of other elements like, a table of contents (commonly used for nonfiction titles), an introduction, foreword, preface or prologue.
In special genres, like young adult fantasy, the book may start with a map, artwork and/or a list of terms that will be useful to the reader as they go along.
Half Title
This page is usually the first seen when a book is opened and it simply displays the title once again. While it’s standard practice to start a book with a half title page, it can also be omitted altogether.
Title Page
The book’s title, subtitle (if applicable) and author name sits on this page, along with the publisher’s name and logo. The title page info is customarily on the right side of the spread (or recto), while the left page (verso) remains blank or lists other books by the same author.
Copyright
The copyright page immediately follows the title page and sits on the left side of the spread (or verso). This page is where all the information regarding legal notices, credits, year of publication, editions, the ISBN number, Library of Congress Control Number, the publisher, and any related contributor names lives. It’s optional to also add information about the printer, any metadata and typefaces used.
For emerging authors, it’s important to note that if you’d like to have your book in libraries, you’ll need to register for a free Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN), which is a unique identification number that’s assigned to books in the US for cataloging purposes.
Since the Library of Congress assigns these numbers ahead of a book’s publication, it’s important to consider the application timeline in your overall planning as the LCCN should be added to the copyright page before first printing. For more information about this process, Old Mate Media’s written a great article titled How to Get A Library of Congress Control Number.
Here are some helpful links for setting up your own copyright page:
How to Create a Copyright Page—DiggyPOD
Register Your Literary Works—U.S. Copyright Office
Authors Guide to ISBNs—BookLife
About the PCN Program—Library of Congress
And if you still have any unanswered questions, you may find what you’re looking for on the Library of Congress’ FAQ page.
Dedication
The dedication page is placed next to the copyright and it’s an optional segment where the author can write a few short lines dedicating the book to someone or a group of people they know.
Main Content
The main subject matter of the book is the next, largest and most important part of the book.
Elements and sections that can be stylized in the main body of a book include, chapter opener pages, the folios (or page numbers), and running heads. Additional designed elements like callouts, lists, section breaks, and sidebars are also common in nonfiction books.
Chapter Opener
The first chapter opener kicks off the main segment of the book. The components are mainly the chapter title and/or the chapter number and the text. Some can also have additional pieces, like an epigraph or spot art.
Chapter openers can be very simple or intricately designed with special formatting given to the chapter title, chapter number, first line of text, and the first letter of the first sentence (also known as a drop cap).
Here are examples of chapter openers for three different middle-grade nonfiction titles. Notice how the design choices for simple elements like the folios, chapter name and even first lines of text really enhance the reading experience?
Interior spread from Dream Big! by Abigail Harrison; published by Philomel Books
Interior spread from Attucks! by Phillip Hoose; published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR
Interior spread from Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter by Veronica Chambers; published by Versify
Backmatter
Directly following the end of the main content is the backmatter portion. In most books, the backmatter is normally comprised of the acknowledgements and an author bio (for paperback or paper-over-board books). But in my other instances or nonfiction titles, the backmatter can also include an author’s note, index, endnotes, photo credits, an appendix, glossary, resources, bibliography or afterword.
Content that lives within sections like the frontmatter and backmatter are much more critical to authors, publishers and various contributors to the book. But for curious readers who’re interested in the little details, it’s worth taking a second or deeper look next time you crack open a new book.
And if you’re a writer preparing to publish your first book, be sure to plan ahead and submit the proper applications to make sure no necessary information is missing and your work is protected.
For more info on common book terms, anatomy, and formats, check out The Book Design Process portion of the website.