LifeStories Books

The Writers of Southern Nevada organization is sponsoring a one-day workshop on the craft and business of writing memoirs. There’s a stellar faculty line-up. For out-of-towners,  this would make a great excuse to attend the workshop one day and party in Las Vegas another day or two. For locals, the conference features some top talent including a literary agent specializing in the memoir genre. Details here.

Front Matter and Back Matter

Every page that appears before the first page of the first chapter is known as “front matter” in publisher’s lingo. Likewise, every page that appears following the last page of the last chapter is known as “back matter”. New authors are often a bit bewildered as to the order of these pages and if they should include them in their manuscripts. Your publisher will decide the sequence and content of your book’s front and back matter, but it is helpful to receive a manuscript that has taken these elements into consideration.  Listed below are the typical front and back matter items we use at Stephens Press and the order in which they appear.

FRONT MATTER ELEMENTS

Half Title Page

1. Page one of your manuscript
2. Main title of book only
3. Sub-title does not appear
4. Graphically coordinates with jacket design
5. Can be eliminated to save space
6. Blind folio (page is numbered but not printed)
7. Always a recto (right) page
8. For manuscript, put your contact information on the upper left and the total word count on the upper right

Blank

1. Normally blank (type “blank” at the top of the page)
2. Can also be used to create a two-page spread title page
3. Can also list information about series or a list of other books by the author
4. Blind folio
5. Always a verso (left) page

Title Page

1. Full title of book
2. Full sub-title of book
3. If sub-title is in a different typeface or size, no colon or other punctuation is needed
4. Name of author (or editor if no author)
5. Name and location of publisher
6. Logo of publisher is optional
7. Graphically match jacket or book’s theme
8. Blind folio

Copyright Page

1. Always a verso (left) page
2. Content varies depending on requirements for specific titles
3. Copyright year and name of copyright holder(s)
4. Books being released in the 4^th quarter of the year often bear a copyright date for the following year
5. Country of printing
6. ISBNs for all editions (hardcover, trade paper, ebook, audio)
7. Credits (editor, designer, illustrator, photographer etc.)
8. Grants (optionally can appear on separate page)
9. LOC (Library of Congress) number

10. CIP (Cataloging-in-Publication) data block

11. Paper durability or environmental friendly statement

12. Reference the Chicago Manual of Style for all other copyright page issues

13. Blind folio

14. The publisher will determine copyright page content, and the author is advised to just type “copyright” on the top of that page to reserve it

Dedication

1. Optional
2. Phrasing to be determined by author
3. Blind folio

Epigraph

1. Optional
2. Quotation that is pertinent to text
3. Occasionally used on chapter openers throughout book
4. Attribute to source
5. Blind folio

Contents

1. Optional but usually helpful to reader
2. Never include “Table of”
3. List everything that follows the TOC, but nothing that precedes it
4. Depending on structure of book, list each chapter (and sections within chapter)
5. Do not insert page numbers — these will be added at the conclusion of the layout
6. Blind folios — folios appear on all pages following

Illustrations and Tables

1. Lists of illustrations, photos and/or tables
2. Generally optional unless there are a large number
3. Used by reader in order to find specific illustration or table
4. See the Chicago Manual of Style for detailed information

Foreword

1. SPELL correctly — the words beFORE the WORDs — never forward
2. Always a statement by someone other than the author
3. Same size and style as text typography
4. Name, title and affiliation of author of foreword appear on a new line, flush right, at the end

Preface

1. Author’s reasons for undertaking work
2. Any other information from the author useful to the reader
3. Optional
4. Books can have a preface, an introduction or both or neither

Acknowledgments

1. Use in front matter only if short
2. If lengthy, place in back matter
3. Some authors incorporate their acknowledgments into dedication or preface or introduction — editor should guide author in this

Introduction

1. The introduction may be written by author or another qualified person
2. The introduction provides needed information or “sets the stage” for the text
3. Appears immediately before text
4. Editor should guide author on these issues

BACK MATTER ELEMENTS

Epilogue

1. Optional
2. Same style as text chapters

Acknowledgments

1. Optional
2. In back matter only if quite lengthy — otherwise in front matter

End Notes

1. Optional
2. If they don’t appear at the end of each chapter

Bibliography

1. Optional
2. Follow Chicago carefully for style and formatting

Index

1. Optional
2. Author should create initial list of index words
3. Professional indexer cannot index until layout is completely finished
4. Any changes to text after indexing can necessitate re-indexing
5. Can be a pricey element

Appendices

1. Optional

Photo/Illustration Credits

1. Optional
2. Discuss with your publisher their requirements for permission documentation

About the Author

1. Optional
2. If the book doesn’t have jacket flaps or room on the back cover, the author’s bio often appears as the last page of the book

Notes

Some publishers use Roman numerals for the front matter pages. Others (including Stephens Press) number all pages, but the front matter numbers on page numbers before the Contents page are suppressed (not printed). Elements following the Contents page have printed page numbers. Regardless, you should just turn on page numbering in your manuscript, which will help keep the pages in order. The page numbers in the manuscript will have no bearing on the final page numbers in the book.

If a book has a large number of meaningful blurbs (testimonials), the publisher may elect to put them on pages one and two, shifting the half title to page three.

Be sure to use a page break at the end of each front/back matter element, and at the end of each chapter.

All these front and back matter items may look overwhelming, but in actuality, most books only use the essential front matter elements.

Stephens Press (Las Vegas) has announced the launch of a new imprint, LifeStories Books. The new imprint offers writers a unique opportunity to share their memoirs and personal histories. Books will be available directly to readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, select  bookstores, and online retailers such as Amazon.com.

Stephens Press is a division of Stephens Media LLC. Stephens Media LLC is a nationwide media company that publishes 11 daily newspapers from Hawaii to North Carolina. Its flagship newspaper is the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The company also publishes 50 weekly newspapers and eight magazines.

Stephens Press publishes primarily regional nonfiction, including genres such as biographies, history, current affairs, travel, nature and outdoors, sports, business, food, and children’s books. CityLife Books, a second imprint, publishes both fiction and non-fiction with an edgy Las Vegas vibe designed to appeal to the readers of CityLife, the Stephens Media alternative newspaper. (www.lvcitylifebooks.com).