Understanding Books 
Parts of a Book
Including all of the necessary parts of a
book and putting them in the right order
is the first step to making a book
credible and professional. The inside of
the book is referred to as the book
block and can be divided in to three
main sections: the front matter, book
block text and back matter. All three
sections are not absolutely necessary,
but if used they should be combined
into a single document with any
manuscript submission.
Front Matter
Front matter introduces the book to the
readers. The front matter section, which
appears before the main text, can
include any of the following:
Half Title Page
The half title page is the first
page of the book and contains
the title only. This page does not
include a byline or subtitle.
Card or Series Title Page
Use the second page of the book
to list any of previously
published works. It is customary
to list the books chronologically
from first to the most recently
published. Listing the title only
is standard, but in nonfiction
works the subtitle can be
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included especially if it is considered
essential to the recognition of the work.
A common way to begin this page is,
"Also by [author's name] ..."
Title Page
The title page shows the full book title
and subtitle, the author and any co-
writers or translators. The publisher
will add its logo and locations at the
bottom of the page.
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 and
acknowledgments, disclaimers, ISBN
number and the Library of Congress
number.
Dedication
Books can be dedicated to someone
special. Dedications are usually short
and simple and are generally directed at
one person or family member. The
heading could begin, “Dedicated to"
without additional headlines.
Dedications can be as simple as, “To
my dad.”
 Epigraph
Epigraphs should be short and can include a
simple quote or phrase that is significant to
the book. Always print the source of the
epigraph on the line under the quote or
phrase. Any quote or phase used must abide
by the fair-use guidelines with all
permissions acquired prior to use. If an
extended credit line is required, use a credit
line on the copyright page or in the
acknowledgments section of the book.
Table of Contents
A content page is not common in works of
fiction and should never be used if the book
contains numbered chapters (e.g. Chapter
One, Chapter Two). The table of contents is
more common in nonfiction works that
have parts and chapters. Chapter listing
must be worded exactly as they are in the
book itself and should include all the
A foreword Preface
has the The preface is not common in
potential to works of fiction. It is usually
increase
used to describe why the book
book sales
and lends was written, the method of
credibility to research and perhaps some
the book.   acknowledgments if they have
not been included in a separate
section. The preface can also
establish the author’s
qualifications and expertise.
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chapters or divisions. Page numbers
should not be included in contents page.
These will be added by the publisher.
List of Illustrations or Tables
A list of illustrations or tables is used if
the book includes many key illustrations
or tables and listing them will provide
clarity to the reader or enhance the text.
Foreword
The foreword is a statement about the
book and is usually written by an expert
in the field or someone widely known in
the field. It is not written by the author.
A foreword has the potential to increase
book sales and lends credibility to the
book. The foreword is most commonly
found in nonfiction works.
Acknowledgments
The acknowledgments page
includes notes of appreciation to
people who provided the author
with support or help during the
writing process or in the author’s
writing career in general. This
section can also include any
credits for illustrations or
excerpts if not included on the
copyright page. A long
acknowledgment can be added to
the back matter before or after the
bibliography.
Body of Book
The body of the book or the book block text
is the main text of the manuscript. It can
include any of the following:
Introduction
The introduction describes
something about the main text that
the reader should know before
proceeding to read the book. Unlike
Main Text
Sections, parts, chapters, subtitles,
text breaks, and tables and diagrams
are good ways to organize and
visually break up the monotony of
the main text. The organization of
the book should follow the logical
progression of ideas from the
introduction to the conclusion. In
nonfiction titles, the contents page
should reflect the organization of
the book and a brief outline of its
content.
If the book includes chapter titles,
versus just chapter numbers, they
should be listed in the table of
contents exactly as they are in the
text. Chapters and other divisions
should be similar in tone, length,
capitalization, and punctuation, and
should be equally placed throughout
the manuscript. Some books are
divided in larger sections called
parts. Chapters can be grouped in
parts with each part numbered and
given a title—for example, Part
One.
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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 the author 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.
Epilogue
An epilogue is a brief concluding section.
Often the epilogue will speak directly to the
reader or update the reader on how the story
continues perhaps months or years later.
Afterword
The afterword is also a brief concluding
section, often used in nonfiction works. It
may contain reviews or help strategies based
on what was covered in the text. The
afterword could also be used to as a
guideline to give advice, encouragement or
to help the reader follow with a plan or
action or career path.
Conclusion
The conclusion is generally more extensive
than an epilogue or afterword. It can be
numbered as the final chapter and will
provide a summary of the entire content of
the book. Often the conclusion can be used
to highlight specific ideas, concepts or
advice.
 About the Author(s)
DLite Press This section will contain a short biography about the author. It
P.O. Box 1644 can be used to summarize the author’s expertise, document
New York, N.Y. 10150 previously published books and give a brief personal history.
Tel: 646-280-8662 An author’s photo can also be included in the About the
http://www.dlitepress.com
E-mail: info@dlitepress.com Author(s) section.

Back Matter
The back matter can include any of the items listed below:

Appendix
The appendix includes any data that might help clarify the text
for the reader but that would have disrupted the flow of the
main text had it been included earlier. 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.
Full Self Publishing Service
Notes
Notes can amplify or explain certain passages of text. They
should be arranged by chapter or section.

Glossary
A glossary comprises alphabetically arranged words and their definitions. The glossary
should include unusual terminology, phrases, words or even made-up words that would
not be familiar to the reader.

Resources
Resources can list Web sites, organizations and associations, manufacturers and
distributors relevant to the book’s content.

Bibliography or References
The bibliography and reference sections list the sources for works used in the book.
These should be arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. Samples and
guidelines can be found in the Chicago Manual of Style.

Index
The index is an alphabetically ordered list of words and terms used for referencing the
text. The best option is a professional indexer who analyzes the entire book, anticipates
subject items the reader will most likely want to find, and lists them in a logical,
accessible manner. The indexer has to consider the focus, purpose, audience and
organization of a book.