What is the word for the sections in a book

Even if you’ve already polished your chapters to perfection, you still need to prepare various other parts of your book before publishing — namely, the front matter and back matter.

If you haven’t come across these terms before, don’t be intimidated! They simply refer to the first and last sections of a book: the bits that make it look put-together and “official,” rather than like randomly bound pages.

In this guide, we’ll dissect the anatomy of a book, covering which components a publisher can (and should) include in their final product.

In subsequent sections, we’ll burrow deeper into the most common and important sections of a book’s front, body, and back matter. But first, let’s start with a wide-angle view, beginning with…

The front matter of a book consists of its very first pages: the title page, copyright page, table of contents, etc. There may also be a preface by the author, or a foreword by someone familiar with their work.

Though many readers skip right over it, the front matter contains some pretty important information about the book’s author and publisher. And for those who DO read it, the front matter forms their first impression, so make sure you get it right!

Title page

The full title and author’s name — as they appear on the cover.

Frontispiece

A decorative illustration or photo on the page next to the title page. Typically goes on the left.

Accolades

Quotes from esteemed reviewers and publications in praise of the book. This praise often appears on the back cover as well.

Copyright page

Also called a “colophon,” the copyright page includes technical information about copyrights, edition dates, typefaces, ISBN, as well as your publisher and printer. Usually appears on the reverse of the title page.

Dedication page

A page where the author names the person or people to whom they dedicate their book, and why. This typically comes after the copyright page.

Table of contents

A list of chapter headings and the page numbers where they begin. The table of contents (abbreviated ToC) should list all major sections that follow it, both body and back matter.

Epigraph

A quote or excerpt that indicates the book’s subject matter, the epigraph can be taken from another book, a poem, a song, or almost any source. It usually comes immediately before the first chapter.

Preface

An introduction written by the author, a preface relates how the book came into being, or provides context for the current edition.

Foreword

An introduction written by another person, usually a friend, family member, or scholar of the author’s work.

The body

The body of a book is pretty self-explanatory: the main text that goes between the front matter and back matter. For readers and writers alike, this is where the magic happens — but it’s not just the content that’s crucial, but also how you arrange it. Don’t worry, we’ll show you how!

Prologue (for fiction)

A section just before the main story begins, a prologue aims to set the stage and intrigue the reader. Indeed, many prologues contain intriguing events that only become contextualized later in the story.

Introduction (for nonfiction)

A few pages that usher the reader into the subject matter. The intro goes over early events or information related to the main narrative, so the reader has a solid footing before they begin.

“What’s the difference between a preface and an introduction? A preface is personal to the author, discussing why they wrote the book and what their process was. An introduction relates directly to the subject matter and really kicks things off — which is why it’s part of the body, not the front matter.”

Chapters

Every single book has chapters, or at least sections, into which the narrative is divided. These chapters may not be designated by a chapter heading, or appear in a ToC; some authors start new chapters just by using page breaks. But if you don’t use anything to break up your content, your readers will not be happy. (Also, if you’re unsure how long your chapters should be, check out this post on the subject!)

Epilogue (for fiction)

A scene that wraps up the story in a satisfying manner, an epilogue often takes place some time in the future. Alternatively, if there are more books to come in the series, the epilogue may raise new questions or hint at what will happen in the next book.

Conclusion (for nonfiction)

A section that sums up the core ideas and concepts of the text. Explicitly labeled conclusions are becoming less common in nonfiction books, which commonly offer final thoughts in the last chapter, but academic theses may still be formatted this way.

Afterword

Any other final notes on the book; can be written by the author or by someone they know.

Postscript

A brief final comment after the narrative comes to an end, usually just a sentence or two (e.g. “Matthew died at sea in 1807, but his memory lives on”).

The back matter

The back matter (also known as the “end matter”) is — you guessed it — material found at the back of a book. Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story, though back matter can also be extremely simple: sometimes just a quick mention of the author’s website or a note from the publisher.

Acknowledgments

A section to acknowledge and thank all those who contributed to the book’s creation. This may be the author’s agent and editor(s), their close friends and family, and other sources of inspiration. The acknowledgments typically appear right after the last chapter.

This is where the author gives a brief summary of their previous work, education, and personal life (e.g. “She lives in New York with her husband and two Great Danes”). For more on this topic, read through our guide to writing an author bio or check out some stellar About the Author examples.

Copyright permissions

If the author has sought permission to reproduce song lyrics, artwork, or extended excerpts from other books, they should be attributed here (may also appear in the front matter).

Discussion questions

Thought-provoking questions and prompts about the book, intended for use in an academic context or for book clubs.

Appendix or addendum (nonfiction)

Additional details or updated information relevant to the book, especially if it’s a newer edition.

Chronology or timeline (nonfiction)

List of events in sequential order, which may be helpful for the reader, especially if the narrative is presented out of order. A chronology is sometimes part of the appendix.

Endnotes

Supplementary notes that relate to specific passages of the text, and denoted within the body by superscripts. Almost always used in nonfiction, but occasionally found in experimental/comedic fiction as well, such as Infinite Jest.

Glossary

Definitions of words or other elements that appear in the text. In works of fiction, the glossary may contain entries about individual characters or settings. The glossary usually appears in alphabetical order.

Index

A list of specialty terms or phrases used in the book, along with the pages on which they appear, so the reader can find them easily. The index is also usually in alphabetical order.

Bibliography/reference list

A comprehensive breakdown of sources cited in the work. Your bibliography should follow a manual of style — luckily, it’s easy to create one using free tools like Easybib. Note that this is a formal list of citations, not a bonus reading list on your subject; that would go in the afterword or appendix.

---

If you’re ready to go a little deeper, head to the next part of this guide and prepare to get up close and personal with copyright pages!

For all the books we may have read during our lifetime, we probably haven’t paid much attention to the actual parts that, collectively, comprise the interior content of books. From the title page that launches the front matter to the index or bibliography that completes the back matter, the sections of a book all serve a particular role in its cohesion.

When self-publishing your first book, it pays to know how the parts of a book function as integral parts of the larger whole. Understanding not only each component’s purpose but also the exact placement of each within the body of the manuscript will keep you on track to align with the publishing industry standards.

Basic Parts of a Book to Know Before Publishing

The anatomy of a book is divided into two primary sections, the front matter and the back matter.

As you can surmise, the front matter precedes the body of work or the story. And, accordingly, the back matter follows the work or story. Not every manuscript will include all of these parts. The author selects the parts of the book that best fit his or her genre or story.

For example, a nonfiction book may require some additional back matter elements, such as an appendix or addendum. It may even need a timeline or chronology, elements not required in a work of fiction. The author will pick and choose the elements that are appropriate for their specific book.

So, what are the parts of a book?

Front Matter

The front matter is the first section of the book that the reader encounters. These pages outline the various technical details as well as some input from the author about what inspired or drove the project. The front matter includes:

1. Title page

The title page contains the title of the book, the subtitle, the author or authors, and the publisher.

2. Copyright page

The copyright page, or edition notice, contains the copyright notice, the Library of Congress catalog identification, the ISBN, the edition, any legal notices, and credits for book design, illustration, photography credits, or to note production entities. The copyright page may contain contact information for individuals seeking to use any portions of the work to request permission.

3. Dedication

The dedication page allows the author to honor an individual or individuals. The dedication is usually a short sentence or two.

4. Table of contents

The table of contents outlines the book’s body of work by dividing it into chapters, and sometimes sections or parts. Much thought goes into the titles of the chapters, as the chapter titles can set the tone for the book. When someone quickly glances through the table of contents, they should be able to discern the scope and basic theme of the book.

5. Foreword

The foreword is a short section written by someone other than the author that summarizes or sets up the theme of the book. The person who writes the foreword is often an eminent colleague or associate, a professional who has had personal interaction with the author.

6. Acknowledgments

This page allows the author to express thanks to individuals who may have inspired them, contributed research or data, or helped them during the writing process. Acknowledgments are a public thank you for the support and contributions of individuals who were involved in the project.

7. Preface or Introduction

The author explains the purpose behind writing the book, personal experiences that are pertinent to the book, and describes the scope of the book. An introduction can be deeply personal, seeking to draw the reader into the book on an emotional level, and usually explains why the book was written. For scholarly works, the preface or introduction helps erect a framework for the content that follows, as well as to explain the author’s point of view or thesis.

8. Prologue

With works of fiction, the prologue is written in the voice of a character from the story and sets the scene prior to the first chapter. This section may describe the setting of the story or the background details and helps launch the story.

Body Matter

The core content of the book is referred to as the body matter. This is a collection of chapters, sometimes divided up into sections, in which the body of work is organized. In works of fiction, chapters drive the narrative, events, and locations in the story. In nonfiction, chapters might each consist of a singular area of study.

Back Matter

Once the story is completed, it is followed by back matter or end material, those pages that include references pertaining to the core content, as well as an author biography in some cases. Back matter includes:

1. Afterword or Epilogue

These are author comments that follow the end of the body matter. These thoughts may summarize the project or the experience of writing it that helps bring closure to the book. The epilogue can help soothe the reader after a particularly harrowing story. Or even serve as a final chapter that helps to wrap up the loose ends of a story.

2. Appendix or Addendum

The addendum refers to documents that were added after the body of work that may not have fit in with the narrative or is simply additional information that fortifies the work.

3. Glossary

The glossary is an alphabetical list of terms and definitions found within the body matter. These terms may be common terms or specialized terms that refer to a particular field of study.

4. Bibliography or Endnotes

The bibliography is the listing of books or literary sources that were cited within the body matter. These sources may be books, magazines, or online sources that were accessed during the research phase. Endnotes resemble footnotes that are found in the back matter instead of at the footer of a page.

5. Index

A guide that offers an alphabetical list of terms, people, concepts, or events with the associated page number. The index provides an easy manner to locate key items within the body matter.

6. Author biography

The biography page summarizes the author’s professional background. The biography should be relevant to the publication and also include a few personal facts about the author. Instead of a page at the end, the author’s biography may be on the dust jacket, or on the back cover.

Need Help Formatting Your Book?

Once you have written a bestseller, there are important next steps to undertake. The next stage of publishing is ordering the various front matter and back matter elements according to standard publishing guidelines for the genre. Trying to sort out the basic parts of a book can become a quagmire for the novice who desires a professional final project, but who might benefit from a guiding hand.

The pros at Gatekeeper Press can assist the self-publishing author in assembling the various sections of a book in the correct order. In addition, our team can guide authors through all the formatting and design steps to create a first-class publication. Check out Gatekeeper Press today!

For start, we should define the paragraph. There are many definitions of it. Let’s take, that it is a non-named, but maybe numbered sequence of sentences, visible as one text block.

Second, I won’t speak on sub- and super- terms. Obviously, we could add them at wish. Let’s search for the «naked» terms.

I thought, the most elaborated documents makes the Catholic Church.

They use Part, Section, Chapter, Article, Paragraph.

Also they have about 4-5 levels under their paragraph. Names of them are unknown for me. But it is obvious that their paragraph is something else, and much greater than usual one — about 8 A4 pages.

Lawyers love complicated documents, too. According to this law site, Clauses could be equivalent to Articles. They also add Items. Their sections are below paragraphs and divided in Phrases — obviously, equivalent to our paragraph.

A West African lawyer site «Akoma Ntoso» gives us even more structural terms. It adds to already mentioned:

tome, list, statement, point, indent, alinea.

The title can appear not only as a name of some element, but as that very element. On the contrary the article can mean the title of something (explained here)

With list we are coming to structural elements, that are on the same level with usual ones, but have special name due to their special use.

Also, there are names for special kinds of texts. They can have special names for structural elements. Hunting with Thesaurus in the Free Dictionary, I have found:

• canto — a major division of a long poem
• episode — a brief section of a literary or dramatic work that forms part of a connected series
• passage — a section of text; particularly a section of medium length
• sura — one of the sections (or chapters) in the Koran; «the Quran is divided in 114 suras»
• mezuza, mezuzah — religious texts from Deuteronomy inscribed on parchment and rolled up in a case that is attached to the doorframe of many Jewish households in accordance with Jewish law

Feel free to use >-)

Putting together a book willy nilly won’t get you the book sales you’re looking for. If you lack the right parts of a book, yours will look low quality, and it won’t sell (or get good reviews).

You know what you want to write about…

What you don’t know is which parts of a book are actually necessary in your book.

Getting this wrong can make you look like a real amateur instead of a credible professional—which is what you actually want.

Right?

Knowing which parts of a book to include in yours and which don’t make any sense starts with knowing what they are to begin with.

These are the parts of a book you need & what we’ll cover in detail for you:

1. Book Cover
2. Title Page
3. Copyright
4. Table of Contents
5. Dedication
6. Foreword
7. Prologue
8. Epilogue
9. Epigraph
10. Book introduction
11. Inciting incident
12. Sections of a book
13. Act structure
14. First slap
15. Second slap
16. Climax
17. Acknowledgements
18. Author bio
19. Coming soon / Read more
20. Synopsis

Click to jump to that section.

What are the parts of a book?

Design and content make up the entirety of the book, including the title, introduction, body, conclusion, and back cover.

In order to write a book in full, you need to have all the moving parts to make it not only good but also effective.

Without essential pieces, your book will appear unprofessional and worse: you’ll lose the credibility and authority writing a book is so useful for.

Parts of a Book You Need for Success

It’s not enough to just write and self-publish a book by throwing it up on Amazon or any other publishing site.

You have to get the parts of your book right if you want it to sell more, get those 5-star reviews, and place you as an authority figure in your field.

Here’s how to do that.

#1 – Book Cover

Every book needs a great book cover. As much as we’d love to think people don’t just a book by its cover…they do.

Having a quality book cover is among one of the best ways you can ensure your book sells well, especially as a self-published author. It’s the first thing they see, and a potential buyer can form an opinion in seconds.

Here’s an example of a full, front-to-back strong book cover that fits the tone, style, and contents of a book titled The Politically Homeless Christian by Aaron Schafer.

#2 – Title Page

For obvious reasons, your title is important…

But that’s not all that’s important to your book. The title page is also necessary and without it, your book will be missing something crucial.

Your title page serves as a means of not only declaring your title clearly, but also ensuring your name, subtitle, endorsement, and any other crucial information is present for your readers to view clearly.

Here’s an example of a great title page and what you can use to replicate your own from I Wish Everyone Was an Immigrant by Pedro Mattos:

As you can see, the title page is really just the main title, any subtitle you may have, and the author’s name as the bottom.

Other than this being an industry standard for books, it helps to keep everything clear without the obstruction of any title images.

#3 – Copyright

Your book needs to be copyrighted. Unless you’re okay with others stealing its content and reaping the rewards for themselves, that is.

We have a great guide on what it takes to copyright a book right here for you to view, but here are some of the basics.

• Technically a book is copyrighted as you write it. But if you want it to be fully legal, you do have to pay to have it copyrighted.
• Your copyright content will change depending on the type of book you’re writing.
• There are certain copyrights you cannot have exclusive rights to depending on what you cover in your book, which is usually impacted the most by what you write in a memoir and its legality

Here’s an example of what a copyright section of a book may look like:

#4 – Table of Contents

There are a lot of reasons to have a table of contents in your book. For one, it helps readers know where to find the information they’re really looking for.

Secondly, this is highly useful in kindle or ebook versions of your book in order to help readers click and navigate without having to actually arrow over through the pages in order to get there.

The happier the reader, the better the reviews they leave.

What is a table of contents?

A table of contents is a list of a book’s chapters or sections with the heading name and often the page number if there are no links inside.

Here’s an example of this part of a book:

#5 – Dedication

This is the part of a book that most of us write long before the actual book is finished…we just tend to jot it down in our minds instead of on paper.

Your book dedication is like your acceptance speech when given an award. Except your book is the award and therefore, you get to write this “speech” and place it where everyone can read it before even starting the book.

This dedicated often comes after the title page and before the table of contents.

It’s a short few sentences thanking whomever helped you get to the point of writing the book or just people you want to acknowledge as thanks.

This is an example what a dedication of your book may look like from our own Student Success Strategist Pedro Mattos’s debut book I Wish Everyone Was an Immigrant:

#6 – Foreword

If you’re looking to increase your credibility, get a book endorsement by someone who knows you and your story well, then a foreword is what you want.

What is a foreword?

A foreword is an introduction to a book written by someone other than the author that lends credibility to the author’s status to write the book.

Think of a foreword as a sort of endorsement of the book. The person who writes it is usually an author themselves, though they can also just be a person of authority in the same or similar field.

Above is an example of a foreword from The Go-Giver by Bob Burg.

Forewords typically come after the table of contents and before the introduction or first chapter of the book.

#7 – Prologue

Fiction is where prologues live. Oftentimes, stories may need additional context before the actual story begins in order for the reader to make sense of it and elements within the book itself.

What is a prologue?

A prologue is a short chapter that usually takes place before the main story begins as a means of granting understanding to the reader. It’s also used to increase intrigue and captivate readers.

Not all books require prologues and in fact, if you can write your novel without it, that’s actually preferred as many readers skip the prologue altogether.

Below is an example of a prologue from the very popular Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

#8 – Epilogue

Not all book series get happily-ever-after endings. When your book series ends but you want a way to let the readers know what’s in store for the characters’ futures, an epilogue is a strong way to do that.

What is an epilogue?

An epilogue is a short chapter that comes after the last chapter of a book as a way to tie the story together in a conclusion.

Essentially, the epilogue is the answer to the question, “what happens to them next?” This serves as a more satisfying way to let readers know that characters live “happily ever after.”

Sometimes the ending of the story isn’t satisfying enough for readers.

That part of their story may end, but if your readers want a more in-depth look at their life “after” the story, that’s when an epilogue would come into play to tie everything together.

#9 – Epigraph

Epigraphs aren’t necessarily important, nor are they required. Oftentimes, these short snippets serve as a way to let readers know what lesson or subject will be covered in the chapter.

What is an epigraph?

An epigraph is a short question, quote, or even a poem at the beginning of a chapter meant to indicate the chapter’s theme or focus. This often ties the current work to predecessors with similar ideas and learnings.

For example, below is an epigraph from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.

#10 – Book introduction

Most nonfiction books include an introduction to the book—a chapter before your first chapter as a means to introduce yourself and your credibility or author on the subject matter to your readers.

Your book introduction is extremely important for showing your readers why they should read the book and how you’re the person to help them with whatever problem your book solves.

One of the best ways to do this is to first establish the pain points your book helps to solve, and then make it clear how you, someone they don’t know, can help with this issue. This is the typical strategy for writing a self-help book that really impacts readers.

This usually involves some of your own backstory, but keep it specific to the problem at hand. Your readers don’t need an entire rundown of your personal history.

#11 – Inciting incident

If you’re writing fiction, you may have come across the term “inciting incident” before.

What is an inciting incident?

This is an early part of a book that’s the point of no return for your characters. The inciting incident is what kicks your plot into full drive.

Here are a couple examples of inciting incidents:

• Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Tobias enters the Tournament and gets accepted in The Savior’s Champion by Jenna Moreci
• Bella moves to Forks, where she meets Edward in biology class in Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
• Bran gets pushed off the wall in Winterfell when he catches Jaime and Cersei Lannister together in Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

These are all points in the novel that the characters cannot come back from. In this instance, their lives are changed forever, which drive the plot forward.

#12 – Sections of a book

This will mostly pertain to nonfiction authors, we we’ll cover the fiction equivalent in the next section.

Some nonfiction books are written with different parts. These are usually separated into 3 parts that make up a greater whole in the book.

For example, in the book I’m currently writing, I break it up into 3 separate sections. Each part has its own focus and theme but they all work with one another to achieve a greater purpose.

Here’s an example of how the sections of my book work:

• Part 1 – This part focuses on how your childhood impacts your adult behaviors
• Part 2 – This part aims to show readers how to move past their childhood and get control of their “now”
• Part 3 – This section moves beyond getting control and focuses on how readers can work toward building the future they both want and deserve despite their childhood traumas

Each part of this book has a main focus and theme but when utilized together, they form a solution to a larger problem.

#13 – Act structure

In fiction, instead of creating separate sections like in the example above, you may split your work into different acts.

Most commonly used is the three act structure.

Although this isn’t required of novels, it’s still quite popular to write a book with this structure, as it forms a cohesive order of events that’s proven to be intriguing to readers.

A popular example of this 3 act structure is in Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes, featured below.

#14 – First slap

If you’re familiar with our lingo around how to write a novel, or you’re a student already, you may have heard of the first and second slap.

These are pivotal points in your character’s journey that further the plot and often make their efforts more difficult.

The first slap is often the biggest setback for your character following the inciting incident.

Here are some examples of what a “first slap” is in popular stories:

• Katniss entering the hunger games after trials and tests
• Bella finding out Edward is a vampire in Twilight
• Tobias’s first challenge in the tournament in The Savior’s Champion by Jenna Moreci

All of these have one thing in common: they make the lives harder for the characters.

#15 – Second slap

Like the first slap, the second slap is a pivotal point in the novel where your character faces a downfall, most often after having a win or two under their belt since the first slap.

The second slap needs to be placed shortly after your readers have gained hope in your character’s ability to succeed in whatever their goal is.

The idea behind this is to hook your readers again and let them know that it is not all smooth sailing for your characters throughout the rest of the book.

Oftentimes, the second slap is worse than the first, where 90% of your character’s hope in succeeding is lost and therefore, your readers will lose hope too. This makes them root for your character even more, increasing the amount they care for your character.

#16 – Climax

We all know the climax of the book is the most important part. It’s where your character faces the biggest obstacle in achieving their goal in the book.

Here are a few examples of climaxes in popular books:

• Whenever Harry Potter comes face-to-face with Voldemort in the books
• Katniss and Peeta are up against one more foe before “winning” the games in the first book
• Bella gets taken by James and Edward has to fight to save her

The climax is the last challenge before the ending, or resolution, of your book. It is the point of the highest tension and it’s where your character faces the worst odds—worse than the first and second slaps.

#17 – Acknowledgements

We all have people in our lives to acknowledge for our success in writing a book.

Much like the dedication, the acknowledgments are meant to recognize impactful people in our lives. These, unlike the dedication, typically come at the end of the book and can be written in longer, paragraph form as a pose to a short sentence for each.

#18 – Author bio

Not all books contain an author bio in it, specifically fiction (unless it’s a hardback copy).

If you’re writing a nonfiction book, however, is a type where the author bio can be at the bottom of the back page of your book, beneath the back cover synopsis.

Your author bio doesn’t have to be very long. Keep it short and simple while still showing your readers your credibility in what your book covers.

#19 – Coming soon / Read more

This part of a book might not matter to you unless you have a book series or multiple books to your name.

The coming soon and read more pages are used to help your readers purchase and read more of your books.

This section of a book often comes at the very end, after your epilogue and acknowledgments. It’s a single page with the cover images of your other book/s, their titles, and links for your ebook copy.

This not only makes it easier for your readers to buy the next book, but it’s also a great way to sell more books overall.

#20 – Back cover or synopsis of a book

I saved the best (and most important) for last. The back cover, also known as the synopsis of your book, is by far the most critical for getting people to buy.

Without a good synopsis to hook readers and buy them into your book, you won’t sell.

These are crucial for both fiction and nonfiction.

With your fiction synopsis, you want to create intrigue and show your readers that they’ll get a good story. The trick is doing this with a few short paragraphs.

Here’s an example of a fiction synopsis that works, from Fundamentals of Fiction student Leigh Robert’s Endings and Beginnings: Wrak-Ayya: The Age of Shadows Book 10.

Here’s a nonfiction example of the back cover from Lisa Zelenak’s Find Your Thing:

Parts of a Book in Summary

As you can see, these look very different, though they serve the same purpose. The back of your book is the first thing someone reads in order to decide if they want to buy your book.

Make it concise, convincing, and show them the value they’ll get from reading it—be that an entertaining read or a solution to their problem.

Ready To Become a Published Author?

Grab your copy of the #1 Bestselling Book on How to Become A Published Author…

Does the foreword belong before the preface? When do the page numbers start? What’s the difference between a preface and an introduction? If you need answers to demystify the front matter of your book, read on.

Books are generally divided into three sections: front matter, principal text, and back matter. Front matter is the material at the front of a book that usually offers information about the book. The principal text is the meat of a book. Back matter is the final pages of a book, where endnotes, the appendix, the bibliography, the index, and related elements reside. Though the front matter may not be as sexy as the main text or as information packed as the back matter, it’s an opportunity for authors to set the tone for their readers’ experience.

Barebones front matter may consist of only a half-title page, full-title page, and copyright page in a work of fiction, and these elements plus a table of contents in a work of nonfiction. A really extensive front matter section might contain the following components (listed in the order preferred by The Chicago Manual of Style): half title, series title or frontispiece, title page, copyright page, dedication, epigraph, table of contents, list of illustrations, list of tables, foreword, preface, acknowledgements (if not part of the preface or in the back matter), introduction (if not part of the principal text), list of abbreviations (if not in the back matter), chronology (if not in the back matter), and second half title.

The name of each component is generally descriptive of the information it provides. For example, a table of contents is a list of the contents in a book, and the half title page consists only of the main title (sans subtitle). The kind of information that goes into a foreword, an introduction, or a preface, however, is less obvious. As a result, many authors choose not to include these elements in their books, which is unfortunate because each of these components could enhance a reader’s experience with a book.

The front matter is the only section where a page can be easily added once the book is in page proofs (printed typeset pages that show all elements as they will appear in a printed book). Because of this, the front matter has a separate page numbering sequence from the rest of the book. All pages in the principle text have arabic numbers, and the first page of actual content is page 1 (this may be chapter 1 or an introduction or prologue). Front matter pages are numbered from 1 through whatever page is necessary, but the page numbers appear as lowercase roman numerals. Some front matter pages do not include page numbers—blanks, half title, title, copyright, dedication, and epigraph—although they are counted as numbered pages.

Be Foreword

A foreword is a substantial introduction or statement about a book by someone other than the author of the book. Since someone else is giving your book props just by agreeing to write a foreword and sign his name to it, it’s almost like a very long endorsement of the work minus the gushiness about how great you are. The better the author of the foreword is known, the more helpful the foreword will be in generating interest in your book and increasing sales. Imagine the readers a foreword by Jack Welch or Steve Jobs would attract compared to a foreword written by your neighbor (unless your neighbor happens to be Jack Welch or Steve Jobs, of course). But don’t sweat it if you don’t have access to the big names; it’s unlikely that a foreword by Author’s Neighbor will hinder your sales.

Tell ’Em All About It

A preface could be described as a book’s profile. It includes material about the book that is separate from the book’s subject matter, such as why the author decided to begin the work, the scope of the work, and the work’s intended audience. Sometimes authors use the preface as a place to discuss research methods and to acknowledge assistance, though the latter is usually included in a separate front matter element, the acknowledgments.

Introduce Yourself

Though introductions vary in the type of content they present, they generally should identify the book’s audience, establish a clear sense of the topic and angle the author will develop, tell the reader why the topic has value, and set the stage for the rest of the book by establishing the necessary context and language. Some introductions will describe the function of each chapter in a book, which could help readers decide if they want to read the entire book or only parts of it.

The introduction should be more closely connected to the book than any other component in the front matter. Ideally, an introduction functions as the first couple of paragraphs in a chapter should, by drawing in readers and making them want to keep reading.

Either the author or someone the author deems appropriate and capable to write about the subject can write an introduction. Keep in mind that though introductions can be written by the author or a contributor, someone other than the book’s author must write the foreword.

A big bad review of the order in which the top 10 most common front matter elements should be presented:

1. Half-title page
2. Title page
3. Copyright page
4. Dedication
5. Epigraph
6. Table of Contents
7. Foreword
8. Preface
9. Acknowledgements
10. Introduction

In this tutorial we will look at the different parts of a book (the anatomy of the book); understanding the individual parts of a book will make it easier for you when following the rest of our tutorials and will prove to be invaluable in your bookbinding journey.

If you have ever been confused by the jargon used to describe the physical parts of a book, then this video will help. We explain and demystify a series of terms including spine, boards, hinge and joint, leaf, endpapers, book block and plates. Discover the meanings of more book terms at the AbeBooks’ glossary of book terminology: http://bit.ly/nO8hcA.

My Bible: ABC for Book Collectors by John Carter & Nicholas Barker

Probably the most well known of all reference materials on the subject of book anatomy and book collecting terminology, known by many as THE table of contents or the ‘how-to bible’. It contains a complete A-Z of in-depth descriptions on every aspect of antique and modern book collecting including many descriptive texts on book manufacture and the jargon that goes along with it. A must for any book collector, book enthusiast or anyone interested in bookbinding or book related arts, a fantastic read and one that I always keep next to me when teaching — a timeless classic.

Check out reviews, prices and further information here on Amazon.com.

UPDATE: Now in it’s 9th edition, it’s been updated with the latest web-based terminology which I’ve found very useful in this modern world.

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Oak Knoll Pr; 9 edition (July 31, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584563524
• ISBN-13: 978-1584563525
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 5.2 x 8.2 inches

A short, random selection of topics discussed within this book that might be of use to budding bookbinders:

• How to tell japon vellum from India proof paper
• How to take care of pigskin, morocco, or Russian leather
• Library bindings
• Plate-numbers
• Fly-sheet / fly leaf
• Blank verso

Other notable books you might want to check out:

• Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books
• Modern Book Collecting: A Basic Guide to All Aspects of Book Collecting
• A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions
• The Care of Fine Books
• The home-based bookstore

Photos by Binding Obsession — http://bindingobsession.com/parts-of-a-book/

 A few more diagrams outlining the parts of a book

External Parts of a Book

Dust Jacket or Dust Wrapper – First used during the 19th century, the original purpose of the dust jacket was to protect the cover of books from scratches and dust which could have been made from fine leather, linen cloth, silk or other expensive materials.

It wasn’t until after World War I when booksellers and publishers realised the correlation between well designed book cover jackets and book sales, during this time an explosion of book cover designs hit the market; it was around the same time that The British Library Started its Dust Jacket Collection (early 1920’s) which now contains over 11,000 items.

In today’s modern world, dust jackets serve the same purpose but are generally used to host eye-catching artwork designed to lure the reader in and increase sales.

Found only on hardcover books, the dust jacket will normally be made from paper or plastic (or plastic covered paper) with the ends of which wrapped inside the book cover.

• History and further information on dust jackets on Wikipedia
• History of the Dust Jacket
• 75 Vintage Dust Jackets of Classic Books
• The importance of Dust Jackets
• Against Dust Jackets
• No Dust Jackets Required

Book Cover or Book Board – The front and back covers of books are often referred to as book covers or book boards as they are often made of bookbinding board and cover the book.

Joint – The Joint of a book is the small groove which runs vertically down the book itself between the book boards (book cover) and the spine. It bends when the book is opened and is only seen on hardcover books. Also called a French joint or French groove, groove, gully, channel, and outer joint.

Raised Bands – Raised Bands were originally the result of cords (or thongs) used during the sewing process which were affixed to the signatures and used to hold the book covers on. Later on in the binding process the spine or backbone would be covered and the bands would be raised above the rest of the spine. This method of binding is less common today, as a result faux bands are used purely for decorative purposes (see video below).

Tail – The Tail is the bottom part of the book.

Hinge – The Hinge of a book is the section between the cover boards and the spine. It’s the part that bends when the book is opened.

Headband & Tailbands– Headbands are coloured threads (normally mercerized cotton or silk) which are wrapped around a core of some sort (normally vellum backed with leather) and are then sewn through the signatures, filling space left between the spine and the book block. Their original purpose is to help lessen damage to the book when it is removed from a shelf by it’s headcap. It also helps to some degree in keeping the sections upright. Headbands (and tailbands) are often referred to as endbands.

Modern headbands are used for decorative purposes only and are normally glued to the top of the book block.

In the 12th and early 13th centuries, headbands were combined with a leather tab. Conventional cloth or silk headbands came later in the 16th century

• Our Headband Gallery
• Making Bookbinding Headbands Tutorial
• Making and sewing headbands Video Tutorials

Book Block or Text block – The block of internal pages that make up the book.

Spine (textblock spine) – The spine is where the signatures and textblock are bound. Usually the spine will contain important book information so it can be easily found when up on the shelf in book stores or libraries, information might include the book’s title, name of author and publishers name or logo. Also known as the back, and backbone.

A traditional sewn spine will usually be backed, glued and lined with cloth or paper.

Signatures – Signatures are stacks of two or more pieces of paper which are folded and grouped together ready for sewing. Each of the signatures are bound together individually and later bound together as a whole forming the textblock.

You will only find signatures in hard cover books. Also sometimes referred to as gatherings.

End Paper (End Sheets) – Endpapers are the first and last pages of the book which which glued to the cover boards (front and back). Often these end papers will be of heavier weight and decoratively patterned often marbled with a cloth hinge for reinforcement. Often referred to as a pastedown or end sheets; paste-down is the page which has been glued to the board and the other side is known as a free endpaper

Other than providing improved aesthetics to the internals of the book, end papers or pastedowns also help to counteract the warp of the bookbinding board which happens during the drying stage of apply the cover material.

You will often only find end papers in hard-backed books.

Internal

Leaves – Two pages of a book (1 sheet) is referred to as a leaf, front (‘recto’) and back (‘verso’).

Edges / Fore Edge – The edges of the leaves and the textblock as a whole. On more expensive books you will likely find the fore edge has been painted with a hidden painting (known as foredge painting or art) or has gilt edges (smoothed and painted, normally with gold leaf or gold paint).

• Fore-edge Painting Examples
• More Fore Edge Paining examples
• Fore-Edge Paintings: Beauty on the Edge
• Fore-edge Painting Process
• Fore-edge painting on Wikipedia
• Fore-edge painting history

Wire Lines and Chain Lines – In the early days of paper making wet pulp was laid in a kind of wire mesh frame and the water was shaken out of it, the paper made using this process was called Laid Paper. The wide-spaced lines on the frame were known as chain lines and were typically spaced about 1 inch apart; the closer spaced lines perpendicular to the chainlines were called the wirelines and were typically about 1mm apart.

On older books which used paper made via this technique you can visibly see the marks left by the wire and chain lines (see image to the right).

Today it is only very expensive paper which is made in this way, usually by hand.

• Chain and Wire Lines Info
• More info on Chain and Wire Lines
• Laid Paper Chain and Wire Line Photos
• Laid Paper on Wikipedia

Manuscript – A manuscript is generally referred to as a book that was written by hand.

To better understand the anatomy of a book you can have a look at the following book cutaways which help to further depict the internals of different types of bound books.

Photos Courtesy of Book Arts Web – http://www.philobiblon.com/bindorama13/

Photos Courtesy of Book Arts Web – http://www.philobiblon.com/bindorama13/

How to Understand Book Sizes (video)

Books come in different shapes and sizes. They can be tiny….. or massive. To make a book, the printer takes a sheet of paper and folds and cuts it a number of times to produce different sized leaves. A folio is folded once creating two leaves, while a Quarto is folded twice making four leaves. Each leaf size, and hence book size, is given a different name based on the number of folds required.

Today publishers can create a book in any size they wish but terms like Folio and Quarto are still widely used. There are dozens of formal names for book sizes but here are a few of the most commonly used ones.

• Miniature — the smallest books measuring less than 2″ in height. Often bibles were printed as miniatures so they could be easily carried, children’s books too so they could fit into small hands.
• Sexagesimo-quarto (64mo) — a book size approximately 2″ x 3″.
• Quadragesimo-octavo (48mo) — a book size approximately 2 ½” x 4″.
• Tricesimo-secondo (32mo) — a book size approximately 3 ½” x 5 ½”.
• Octodecimo (18mo) — a book size approximately 4″ x 6 ½”.
• Duodecimo (12mo) — these books measure approximately 5 ½” x 7 ½” and require four folds of a paper sheet. You will recognize this size as your typical paperback.
• Crown Octavo (8vo) — a book that is approximately 6” x 9”
• Octavo (8vo) — at roughly 6″ x 9″ tall and requiring three folds, the Octavo is a fairly standard size for small hardcover books.
• Medium Octavo (8vo) — a book that is approximately 6″ x 9 ¼”.
• Royal Octavo (8vo) — a book that is approximately 6 1/2″ x 10″.
• Imperial Octavo (8vo) — a book that is approximately 8 ¼” x 11 ½”.
• Quarto — folded twice and having a maximum size of about 9 ½” x 12″, you can tell a Quarto by its mostly squarish shape.
• Folio (Fo) — at an upward height of 12″ x 19″ the folio is a large upright-shaped book. This format often contain photos, or illustrations
• Elephant Folio (Fo) — an oversized folio book 23″ to 25″ high. Often these will be art books, or atlases, or like this one designed for teachers to read to a large group of children.
• Atlas Folio (Fo) — a book that is approximately 25” to 50” tall.
• Double Elephant Folio (Fo) – a book that is approximately 50” tall or more.

Learn more about book sizes at AbeBooks: http://bit.ly/xY96c7
– Source: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=P66e-6XoM0k

Please Support us on Patreon!

The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast!

Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us!

These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you!

1. Home
2. Resources
3. Publishing
4. Parts of Your Book

What is the beginning of a book called? What about the back of a book? Can you name at least six parts of a book?

As an author, you should have a firm grasp of what comprises a professionally made book. Including all the necessary parts of a book and putting them in the right order is the first step to making your book credible. The inside of your book, which we call the book block, is divided into three main sections: the front matter, book block text, and back matter.

You must make sure that the manuscript you submit to us includes all three sections combined into a single document and in the correct format. To give you some help, we’ve broken down all the parts of your book.

CONTENTS

Front matter

Front matter introduces your book to your readers. Appearing before the main text, it usually contains just a few pages that include the book’s title, the author’s name, the copyright information, and perhaps even a preface or a foreword. You don’t have to include all of them, though! It’s up to you to determine what’s suitable to your book.

Half Title Page

The half title page is the first page of your book and contains your title only. This page does not include a byline or subtitle. The designer will add this to your book layout.

Series Title Page

Use the second page of your book to list any of your previously published books by title. It is customary to list the books chronologically from first to most recently published. Listing the title only is standard, but in nonfiction works, you may also list the subtitle if you feel it is essential. A common way to begin this page is, «Also by [author’s name] …»

Title Page

The title page is the part of your book that shows your full book title and subtitle, your name, and any co-writer or translator. iUniverse will add its logo and locations at the bottom of the page. The designer will add this to your book layout, although if you have a specific idea of how you want this to look, you may include it.

Copyright Page

The copyright page contains the copyright notice, which consists of the year of publication and the name of the copyright owner. The copyright owner is usually the author but may be an organization or corporation. This page may also list the book’s publishing history, permissions, acknowledgments, and disclaimers.

Copyright Page

The copyright page contains the copyright notice, which consists of the year of publication and the name of the copyright owner. The copyright owner is usually the author but may be an organization or corporation. This page may also list the book’s publishing history, permissions, acknowledgments, and disclaimers.

Please note: iUniverse provides you with a standard copyright page that incorporates your individual information and the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).

(Table of) Contents

A table of contents, or simply “Contents,” is the part of a book that is usually used only in nonfiction works that have parts and chapters. A contents page is less common in fiction works but may be used if your work includes unique chapter titles. A table of contents is never used if your chapters are numbered only (e.g., Chapter One, Chapter Two). If your book requires a contents page, please make sure it lists all the chapters or other divisions (such as poems or short stories) in your manuscript. Chapter listings must be worded exactly as they are in the book itself.

Please do not include page numbers in your contents page—iUniverse will add page numbers during the formatting stage.

List of Illustrations

If your book includes several key illustrations that provide information or enhance the text in some way, consider creating a page that lists them. If this material is included simply for comic relief or as a visual aid, a page listing may not be necessary. Just as with the table of contents, you won’t need to list the page numbers.

List of Tables

If your book includes several key tables that provide information or enhance the text in some way, consider creating a page that lists them. If this material is included simply as a visual aid, a page listing may not be necessary. Just as with the table of contents, you won’t need to list the page numbers.

Foreword

The foreword contains a statement about the book and is usually written by someone other than the author who is an expert or is widely known in the field of the book’s topic. A foreword lends authority to your book and may increase its potential for sales. If you plan to include a foreword, please arrange to have it written and included in your submitted manuscript. A foreword is most commonly found in nonfiction works.

Preface

The preface usually describes why you wrote the book, what your research methods are, and perhaps some acknowledgments if they have not been included in a separate section. It may also establish your qualifications and expertise as an authority in the field in which you’re writing. Again, a preface is far more common in nonfiction titles and should be used only if necessary in fiction works.

Acknowledgments

An acknowledgments page includes your notes of appreciation to people who provided support or help during the writing process or in your writing career in general. This section may also include any credits for illustrations or excerpts if not included on the copyright page. If the information is lengthy, you may choose to put the section in the back matter, before or after the bibliography.

Introduction

The introduction describes something about the main text that your reader should know before proceeding to read the book. Unlike a preface, which usually addresses the qualifications of the author, an introduction refers to the main body of the work itself. For example, if there are questions at the conclusion of each chapter, here is where you might prepare the reader and give tips on how best to use them. The introduction may also describe, in more detail than a preface, the research, methods, and overall concept of the book.

List of Abbreviations or Chronology

If many abbreviations are used or if a few are used frequently, a list is useful. Its location should always be given in the table of contents. Alphabetize terms by the abbreviation, not by the spelled-out form.

Back matter

Your book submission is not complete unless it includes the information that goes into the back of your book, or back matter. Does your book require notes? An index? A resource list? To help you decide, we’ve provided the following descriptions for each of the common back matter sections.

Appendix

An appendix includes any data that might help clarify the text for the reader but would have disrupted the flow of the main text had it been included in an earlier part of the book. Some items included here might be a list of references, tables, reports, background research, and sources, if not extensive enough to be included in a separate section.

Notes

If your main text requires notes to amplify or document certain passages throughout the text, please arrange the notes by chapter in a notes section. Footnotes would more likely be included in the references section.

Glossary

A glossary comprises alphabetically arranged words and their definitions. Be sure to include one if you use terminology that is not generally known to the average reader or if you coin new words or phrases to explain your ideas.

Bibliography or References

Both the bibliography and reference sections list the sources for works used in your book. Be sure to arrange the sources alphabetically by the author’s last name. For samples and guidelines on proper layout, refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, or consult the notes provided by the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

List of Contributors

A list of contributors is useful for a multi-author work where only the volume editor’s name appears on the title page. You should arrange entries alphabetically by last name, but do not invert them (“John H. Doe,” not “Doe, John H.”). If it’s necessary, you may also add brief biographical notes and academic affiliations for each entry.

Index

The index is an alphabetically ordered list of words and terms used for referencing your text. Please keep in mind that the computer-generated keyword index that lists a page number for a key term every time it occurs in your book tends to be overly long and has no logical organization other than alphabetization.

On the other hand, a professional indexer analyzes your entire book, anticipates subject items your reader will most likely want to find, and lists them in an intuitively accessible manner. For applicable titles, iUniverse offers for purchase the optional editorial service of a professional indexer who considers the focus, purpose, audience, and organization of your book to create an industry-standard, two-level index that is fully copy edited and proofread.

Resources

Often, readers want to buy products or join organizations in the field in which you’ve written. A list of organizations and associations, manufacturers and distributors, websites, and other sources are invaluable to your readers.

Checklist

Use this checklist to keep track of the sections that you think are necessary for your book. You can refer to it while you arrange the parts of your book and during your publishing consultation.

Half Title Page

Series Title Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

(Table of) Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Tables

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

List of Abbreviations or Chronology

Appendix

Notes

Glossary

Bibliography/References

List of Contributors

Index

Resources

By clicking “Request My Free Consultation”, you are providing your electronic signature, voluntarily authorizing iUniverse and its affiliates to contact you using a manual or automated telephone dialing system and send you advertisement or telemarketing messages by email or text/SMS/MMS message to the address and phone number you have provided above. You are not required to agree to this in order to buy products or services from iUniverse. You certify that you are over the age of eighteen (18). You’ll get up to ten (10) messages per month. Standard message and data rates may apply. Click here to view our privacy policy.