This page details paperback interior design elements. Many of the elements described below are optional. If you're unsure which to include, find books with content similar to yours to get an idea of what readers expect.

If you need a template, visit Paperback Manuscript Templates.

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Contents

• Front Matter
  • Half-title page
  • Title page
  • Copyright page
  • Dedication page
  • Table of Contents
• Body Matter
  • Chapter title page
  • Headings
  • Body text
  • Page numbers
• Back Matter
  • Bibliography
  • Author bio
  • Index

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For information about including images in your manuscript, visit Format Images in Your Paperback.

For information about selecting and using fonts, visit Paperback Fonts.

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Front Matter

Front matter includes all content that appears prior to chapter one or the main body text.

Front matter elements usually appear in this order:

1. Half title 2. Title 3. Copyright 4. Reviews and praise 5. Dedication 6. Table of contents 7. Preface 8. Acknowledgments 9. Prologue 10. Introduction

Half-title page

Always falls on a right-facing page Doesn't contain page numbers or page headers Contains the book title

Title page

Always falls on a right-facing page directly after the half title page Doesn't contain page numbers or page headers Typically contains the book title, subtitle, and author name Doesn't include "by" before author name, even if contained in manuscript

Copyright page

Always falls on the first left-facing page after the title page Doesn't contain page numbers or page headers

Dedication page

Always falls on a right-facing page, usually after the copyright page Only contains page numbers and page headers if it extends beyond one page

Table of Contents (TOC)

Always falls on a right-facing page Doesn't contain page numbers or page headers TOC may spread over more than one page Includes chapters and section names as they appear in the body of the manuscript. For example, if the manuscript TOC reads, "Chapter 1: The Big Dog," but the body of the book reads, "Chapter 1: The Large Dog," the TOC in the formatted interior should read, "The Large Dog."

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Body Matter

Body matter includes all content between the front and back matter. Body matter typically contains all part pages and chapters.

Learn more about these common body matter elements:

Chapter title page

Chapter one starts on a right-facing page All subsequent chapters start on the next available page Doesn't contain page headers Page number formatting follow the selected design styles Capitalization and casing of the title, subtitle, and chapter numbers follow the selected design styles, not how it appears in the manuscript Starting paragraph doesn't have a first-line indent

Headings

• Left-page headers always show the author name; right-page headers always show the book title.

Body text

• Fully justified to create a smoother reading experience
• Sequential paragraphs are always indented with no spaces between paragraphs
• Spacing between paragraphs/sections should be uniform

Page numbers

• These appear as Arabic numerals (for example, 1, 2, 3).

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Back Matter

Back matter includes all content that appears after the last chapter or end of the body matter. Back matter sections typically include references and the author bio. The first section of back matter starts on a right-facing page.

Learn more about these common back matter elements:

Bibliography and reference pages

These fall on a right-facing page.

Author bio page

This falls on a right-facing page.

Index

Always falls on a right-facing page Only contains page numbers or page headers if it extends beyond one page, and this is to create consistent page numbering throughout the entire back matter section Flush-and-hang style In printed works, all indexes are set in flush-and-hang (or hanging) indentation style The first line of each entry—the main heading—is set flush left, and any following lines are indented

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