Front Matter and Back Matter: What Every Book Needs (and What It Doesn't)

Front matter and back matter are the pages that come before and after the main content of a book. Getting them right makes your book look professionally produced; getting them wrong is one of the more common markers that distinguish a carefully prepared indie book from a hasty one.

This guide covers which elements belong in the front and back of your book, which are required vs. optional, how print and ebook versions differ, and what fiction and nonfiction books conventionally include.

What is front matter?

Front matter is everything that appears before Chapter 1 (or the equivalent opening of the main content). In print books, front matter pages are traditionally numbered with Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) and page numbers typically don't begin appearing until the main text. In ebooks, the front matter appears in reading order but the navigable table of contents can let readers skip it.

Half-title page

What it is: a page with only the book's title, no author name or subtitle.

Who uses it: common in traditionally published books; less common but acceptable in self-published books. It traditionally separates the outer cover from the book's interior in printed format.

Required? No. Many indie authors skip it. Including it adds a page to your page count, which can marginally increase print cost; omitting it is not noticeable to most readers.

Title page

What it is: the main title page, which includes the full title, subtitle (if any), author name, and publisher name or imprint.

Required? Yes, for both ebook and print. Every book should have a title page. It's the first interior page most readers expect, and many readers glance at it for the author name and publisher information.

What to include: title, any subtitle, author name (the name appearing on the cover), and your publisher name or imprint (this can be your own name if you haven't established an imprint).

Copyright page

What it is: the page that establishes copyright ownership, year, and rights. Typically on the verso (left- hand, reverse) side of the title page in print.

Required? Technically no (copyright exists without a notice), but functionally yes. Every professionally published book includes a copyright page. Omitting it makes the book look incomplete.

What to include: © [Year] [Author Name] or [Imprint Name], "All rights reserved," a note that reproduction without permission is prohibited, your ISBN (if you have one), a work-of-fiction disclaimer (for fiction), and optionally cover designer credits, country of printing, and edition information.

Dedication page

What it is: one page with a short dedication to a specific person or group.

Required? No. Optional. Many authors include one; many don't. If you include a dedication, keep it brief. A single sentence or short paragraph is standard; an extensive multi-paragraph dedication is unusual.

Ebook consideration: dedications read identically in ebooks but consider that ebook readers may be more likely to skip front matter quickly to reach the story. A short dedication is fine; a long one may be skipped.

Epigraph

What it is: a quotation at the beginning of the book (before Chapter 1) that sets tone, theme, or context.

Required? No. Optional, and more common in certain literary and nonfiction genres than others.

Copyright note: if your epigraph is from a copyrighted work (a song, a contemporary poem, a modern novel), technically you should have permission to reproduce it. See our copyright basics guide for context on fair use.

Table of contents

What it is: a list of chapters (and any other major sections) with page numbers (print) or live links (ebook).

Required? For nonfiction print books: yes. For fiction print books: generally yes, though short novels sometimes omit it. For ebooks: required by Amazon KDP's guidelines; the navigable TOC is part of the file structure.

Print vs. ebook difference: in print, the TOC must be generated after the final layout is complete, since it contains accurate page numbers. In ebooks, the TOC is navigation-based (readers tap to jump to a chapter), and the formatting tool generates it automatically from heading structure.

Preface, foreword, and introduction

These three are related but distinct:

Foreword: written by someone other than the author, typically a notable person in the book's field or a fellow author. The foreword introduces the book and the author's credibility from an external perspective. Used more often in nonfiction than fiction.

Preface: written by the author, explaining how and why the book came to be. Often used in nonfiction, occasionally in literary fiction for memoir-adjacent books.

Introduction: also written by the author, but focused on the book's content and how to use it rather than its backstory. Common in practical nonfiction.

All three are optional, but can add credibility, context, or editorial authority depending on the book.

What is back matter?

Back matter is everything after the last chapter. Like front matter, it has conventions, and like front matter, self-published authors have flexibility in what to include.

Afterword / author's note

What it is: a note from the author following the main content. May address research, inspiration behind the story, historical context (for historical fiction), or topics raised in a nonfiction book.

Required? No. But reader surveys consistently show that readers of certain genres (historical fiction, thrillers based on real events, nonfiction) appreciate an author's note explaining what's real, what's fiction, and what the author's intent was. It builds a reader relationship.

Also by (other books)

What it is: a list of the author's other titles, often linked in ebooks to the Amazon or other retail pages.

Required? No. Highly recommended. An "Also by" page in your back matter catches readers at peak interest (immediately after finishing your book) and directs them to more of your work. Update this page in all your books when you publish a new title.

Acknowledgments

What it is: a note thanking people who contributed to the book: editor, cover designer, beta readers, research sources, family, and others.

Required? No. Optional. Many authors include acknowledgments; some don't. In fiction, acknowledgments typically run one to two pages. In nonfiction (especially academic or research-heavy books), acknowledgments may be more extensive.

Placement note: acknowledgments in self-published ebooks are often placed at the end, not the beginning, to avoid occupying the "Look Inside" sample (which Amazon shows prospective buyers) with front matter rather than story content. Moving acknowledgments to the back keeps the sample focused on content.

About the author

What it is: a brief third-person biography of the author. Usually 100-200 words. Should mention your other books (or that you're a debut author) and any relevant credentials.

Required? No, but standard in most traditionally and independently published books. Readers like to know who wrote the book they just read.

Ebook-specific recommendation: include a link to your website or email signup from the About the Author section. Readers who enjoyed the book are in a high-engagement moment; a link to join your mailing list or follow you elsewhere turns a one-time reader into a connected audience member.

Email list invitation / reader magnet

What it is: an invitation to join your reader newsletter, usually offering a free short story, novella, bonus content, or other reader magnet in exchange for signing up.

Required? No. One of the most strategically valuable back matter elements for indie authors. Email list subscribers are your direct connection to readers; they hear about your next book before anyone else. A reader finishing a book they loved and finding a direct path to your list is a high-conversion moment.

What works: be specific about what the reader gets for signing up. "Join my mailing list" converts less well than "Get [Title], an exclusive prequel story, free when you join my reader newsletter."

Excerpt from the next book

What it is: the first chapter (or first scene) of the next book in a series.

Required? No. One of the most effective back matter tactics for series read-through. Catches the reader at peak investment in your characters and story and gives them an immediate sample of the next book.

Note: if the next book isn't yet published, a coming-soon excerpt with a pre-order link works similarly.

Glossary

What it is: a list of terms with definitions. Common in nonfiction, technical, academic, and some fantasy/science fiction genres.

Required for nonfiction with technical vocabulary that readers may not know. Optional for fiction; some epic fantasy and science fiction authors include them for invented languages, species, or world-specific terms.

Bibliography / references

What it is: a list of source materials consulted during research.

Required for academic nonfiction. Common in research-heavy popular nonfiction. Optional but shows thoroughness in narrative nonfiction. Rarely appears in fiction (unless you have a strong research component the reader might want to explore).

Index

What it is: an alphabetical listing of key terms and the pages where they appear.

Required for academic and reference nonfiction where readers need to look up specific topics. Rarely used in popular nonfiction and almost never in fiction. For ebooks, the search function partially substitutes for an index.

Comparing ebook vs. print front/back matter

Element	Print	Ebook	Notes
Half-title page	Optional	Skip	Unnecessary in ebook
Title page	Yes	Yes	Both need it
Copyright page	Yes	Yes	Both need it
Dedication	Optional	Optional	Keep short
Epigraph	Optional	Optional	Same in both
Table of contents	Yes	Yes (navigable)	Auto-generated in most tools
Acknowledgments	Optional	Optional (back is better)	Move to back in ebooks
Also by	Optional	Strongly recommended	Link to retail pages in ebooks
About the author	Recommended	Recommended	Add links/CTA in ebooks
Email signup	Rare	Strongly recommended	High-value ebook back matter
Next book excerpt	Optional	Strongly recommended	Best series read-through tactic

Fiction vs. nonfiction conventions

Fiction front matter (minimal): title page, copyright page, optional dedication. Acknowledgments in back. The story should start as quickly as possible; readers want to get into the narrative.

Fiction back matter (strategic): acknowledgments, "Also by," about the author with a link, email signup invitation, excerpt from next book. Each element in fiction back matter should either build the reader relationship or direct the reader to more content.

Nonfiction front matter (fuller): title page, copyright page, optional dedication, table of contents, optional foreword (if applicable), optional preface or introduction. Nonfiction readers often use front matter to orient themselves before the main content.

Nonfiction back matter (comprehensive): acknowledgments, about the author, bibliography or notes, optional glossary, optional index for reference books. Nonfiction readers frequently refer back to a book and need these navigation and reference tools.

What to avoid

Front-loading your ebook with too much: Amazon's "Look Inside" shows potential buyers a sample of your book's content. If your front matter is long (extended acknowledgments, multiple pages of praise quotes, long preface), the sample may be consumed entirely by front matter with little or no story content shown. Move inessential elements to the back or keep front matter minimal.

Including unnecessary pages for padding: adding a half-title page, blank decorative pages, or other filler to increase page count adds print cost without adding reader value.

Stale back matter: if your "Also by" list doesn't include your latest book, or your author bio references a book that's 5 years old without noting your newer work, the back matter dates the book. Update back matter in all your titles when you publish something new.

Making your back matter work harder

Most back matter in indie books is underutilized. Authors who treat their back matter as part of their business strategy rather than a publishing formality get meaningfully more out of it.

Every book is an ad for your next book: a reader who just finished your story is at the point of maximum engagement with your writing. Back matter gives you two to three pages of their attention to turn that engagement into a concrete next step: buying another book, joining your list, or following you somewhere.

The sequence matters: place the most conversion-focused elements first in your back matter (the excerpt from the next book, then the email signup, then the "also by" list) so readers who only skim the back matter see the highest-value content. Acknowledgments and author bio, which are less likely to drive immediate action, come after.

Update back matter across your catalog: every time you publish a new book, update the "Also by" list in every previously published book. This is easy to do in ebooks (upload a revised file) and worth the effort because it turns your back catalog into a permanent funnel for your newest releases.

Specific CTAs convert better than general ones: "Sign up for my newsletter" is weaker than "Download [Book Title], an exclusive short story available only to newsletter subscribers, free at [your link]." The specificity of the offer makes the value clear.

Front matter length and the Look Inside

Amazon shows a "Look Inside" preview of the first 10% of a book to potential buyers. For most full-length novels, 10% is roughly 30-50 pages or 8,000-15,000 words, which includes front matter and the opening chapters.

For an ebook, the 10% sample is calculated from the file's total size; heavy formatting, images, or a long back matter section can affect how much story content appears in the sample.

Practical implication: keep your ebook front matter short. A reader browsing your Look Inside sample wants to see the story, not five pages of acknowledgments, a dedication, a two-page foreword, and then a table of contents. The faster your sample gets to the story content, the more effectively it sells the book.

Frequently asked questions

Does order matter within front matter?

Yes, there's a conventional order: half-title (if used), title page, copyright page, dedication, epigraph, table of contents, foreword/preface/introduction. Most readers and publishing conventions expect this sequence.

Where should I put acknowledgments in an ebook?

At the back. Acknowledgments in the front of an ebook take up valuable "Look Inside" sample real estate and are not essential reading for someone deciding whether to buy the book.

Do I need a table of contents for a fiction ebook?

Amazon KDP requires a navigable table of contents in the ebook's file structure (the NCX/NAV file). This doesn't necessarily mean you need a visible HTML TOC page within the book. Most formatting tools generate the required navigation file automatically.

The bottom line

Front matter and back matter follow conventions that readers recognize even if they couldn't name them. A clean, properly ordered front matter says "this book was prepared by someone who knows what they're doing." Well-constructed back matter directs readers to more of your work and builds the author-reader relationship.

For guidance on formatting your entire manuscript, from front matter through body to back matter, see our indie publishing 101 guide or our detailed KDP front and back matter guide for the platform-specific requirements.

Ready to format your manuscript including front and back matter? Get started in LiberScript or see pricing.