Using back matter in your ebooks correctly by adam on 10302012 in blog, self publishing today id like to talk about something that i dont see talked about in too much detail on the web. This coupon is good for the forseeable future but may expire at some point. It will require you to do all of your own marketing and editing, as well as deal with. Back matter can include an about the author page or bibliography. You can also add other front matter as well as back matter. The horrible hidden truth about selfpublishing nobody wants you to know. Not all books will include each of these back matter elements, and since you are self publishing, you get to decide what you want to include. What is most important is that what you do include looks professional and is well formatted. Not all books will include each of these back matter elements, and since you are self. Using back matter in your ebooks correctly by adam on 10302012 in blog, selfpublishing today id like to talk about something that i dont see talked about in too much detail on the web. A lot of these selfpublishing books are lengthened with filler and little.
How you should be using back matter in your ebooks adam geen. And the highest paid authors on amazon kdp tend to be fiction writers, too. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter another task that usually falls just when youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. How to use your books back matter to massively boost your fanbase, get more shares, and explode your platform. Rightfacing pages are odd numbered pages in printed books because the. Aug 08, 2011 book deals are hard to come by, but with the advent of electronic booksand with the availability of simple, affordable self publishing optionsanyone can be an author. You can also add other front matter as well as back matter pages, but these arent required. How to organize your books front matter by joel friedlander on february 8, 2012 50 comments many writers who think about self publishing are taken aback when they start to put their book together for publication. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and. Fiction and nonfiction writers alike can create, print, and sell their books through all major retail channels. Mar 20, 2017 i will usually list my books in the front matter, but in the back, i include a paragraph about each of the books to entice readers to go deeper. And whether you are a seasoned selfpublisher, or brand new, i can advise you on ways to attract the reader to buy more of your books through use of back matter, links, call to action, etc. So let me help you on this exciting journey of self publishing.
Now these are merely suggestions for what you can choose to include in the front and back matter of your book. How to selfpublish and market your book books for writers 1 kindle edition by penn, joanna. In my ebooks, i will absolutely put a link from the book title to its page on amazon. How to selfpublish your book through amazon forbes. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading successful self publishing.
The following steps will make your back matter work better for you. How to selfpublish a book on amazon step by step guide. A quick and easy guide to writing the best front and back matter for your self published book, both print and ebook editions, by jessica bell. What is most important is that what you do include looks professional and is well. Apr 25, 2014 various tools for selfpublishing have taken down these barriers for authors who prefer to go it alone. And whether you are a seasoned self publisher, or brand new, i can advise you on ways to attract the reader to buy more of your books through use of back matter, links, call to action, etc. How to publish your own amazon kindle ebook pcworld. Book back matter what to include in the back of your book. The great thing about self publishing is that you can update your back matter whenever you want, so you can build upon your marketing efforts. Some elements are expected and others are optional, but there is a standard order. A while back i wrote a column titled selfpublishing. Sell your work on or buy the books you need immediately. For instance, whenever i launch a new book, i typically update my back matter on the previous book to include an excerpt for the new book. Its tempting to think of your book as being a big deal.
Whats more, self published authors can experiment with price, offering. You can also follow me on amazon and get notified when i publish. So im glad i did this, but dont expect a followup book anytime soon. If you published under your own imprint, you can add about the publisher page as well. Jul 05, 2017 one of these components that often causes self published authors pause is the front matter and back matter. One of these components that often causes selfpublished authors pause is the front matter and back matter.
Part two probably instead of asking them to share inside the ebooks, ill just say. Today id like to talk about something that i dont see talked about. While these components are in two separate locations in the book the front and the back, they serve essentially the same purpose. This excerpt from book design made simple offers insights into the best way to present this material. If you want to maximize your cut of sales, maintain absolute creative control, or participate in nontraditional structures, self publishing an ebook might be right for you.
Dont forget to mention your website or blog, and give a. Jan 03, 2018 the order of the back matter in a book. Im one of them see my post, how my book became a selfpublished best seller. Front matter is the stuff in your book from the page after the cover till the page before chapter one. Its all about the reader skilled workman posted on march 1, 2016 by david bergsland march 1, 2018 today, in this third post on formatting, i want to talk. How to organize your books front matter by joel friedlander on february 8, 2012 50 comments many writers who think about selfpublishing are taken aback when they start to put their book together for publication. Front matter and back mattermore competitive editorial strategies for making your book stand out donna barker october 26, 2015 at 1. Your ebook should include a title page with your book title and author name. This is especially important when self publishing on a deadline, self imposed or not. Jan 18, 2018 front matter is the stuff in your book from the page after the cover till the page before chapter one. But self publishing a book on amazon is not a home run play by any means. Jun 01, 2012 a while back i wrote a column titled self publishing. How to use your books back matter to massively boost your. Every time i put out a new book in a series, i want to update the back matter of.
In this article, ill go through why selfpublishing an ebook is a good idea, how to. Most fiction books have a minimum of back matter, while. Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story, though back matter can also be extremely simple. I will usually list my books in the front matter, but in the back, i include a paragraph about each of the books to entice readers to go deeper. Listed below is the typical order of the back matter in a book. If present, amazon recommends that the table of contents.
Kindle allows this, obviously, but other ebook publishers like smashwords will not allow links to amazon. Gain comprehension of how more complicated back matter like an index and notes section can function in an ebook utilize vendorspecific buy links to boost your sales and author brand pick up a. In my ebooks, i will absolutely put a link from the. Back matter in your book celebrating independent authors. If you want to maximize your cut of sales, maintain absolute creative control, or participate in nontraditional structures, selfpublishing an ebook might. Use back matter to introduce yourself and tell the readers who you are and what you stand for in a short bio about the author. How to use your books back matter to massively boost your fanbase, get more shares. After the last page of the manuscripts text, pagination continues in numerical sequence into the back matter. Your book back matter might be the most valuable section of the book. Whats more, selfpublished authors can experiment with price. Selfpublishing mastery covers absolutely everything involved in becoming a successful selfpublished author. Were used to hearing about books taking years to publish. All lessons are taught by multitime bestselling author, iain rob wright, who is widely respected in the world of self publishing and dedicated to sharing knowledge amongst authors. After this comes the body of the book and after that, what is called the back matter.
Most fiction books have a minimum of back matter, while nonfiction can include a number of items. Besides the main items in a nonfiction, other items can be included. If youve been part of any self publishing groups on fb, you can try any self published authors there. Easily publish textbooks, course materials, and research. Last week here, i presented the parts of a book which appear in the front of the book. How to self publish an ebook in this article, ill go through why self publishing an ebook is a good idea, how to format an ebook for publication, exclusivity vs going wide on multiple platforms, the specific sites available for self publishing ebooks and what information you need, thoughts on pricing, and piracy. If present, amazon recommends that the table of contents be placed in the front matter, stating that incorrect placement of the toc affects the accuracy of the last page read feature. Pick up multiple books from your shelf and take a look at the front and back matter for a point of reference. Whats it matter the front and back matter of a book the. While these components are in two separate locations in the book the front.
Various tools for selfpublishing have taken down these barriers for authors who prefer to go it alone. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Its all about the reader skilled workman posted on march 1, 2016 by david bergsland march 1, 2018 today, in this third post on formatting, i want to talk about many things which have been lost in the rush toward ebooks. They mostly apply to ebooks because youll be including direct links but. How to write the front and back matter of your kindle ebook.
Heres what ive learned publishing three books in six months. Self publishing mastery covers absolutely everything involved in becoming a successful self published author. Exclusivity vs publishing wide for ebooks, print books, and audiobooks. The highest paid authors on amazon have a series of books and have spent years building that up. All lessons are taught by multitime bestselling author, iain rob wright, who is widely respected. May 27, 2015 book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter another task that usually falls just when youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your books final edit. We tend to spend all of our time writing the main content of the book and fail to factor in the extra time required to write and organize the front and back matter.
Learn how you can add front and back matter with just a few clicks using kindle create. How to organize your books front matter by joel friedlander on february 8, 2012 50 comments many writers who think about selfpublishing are taken aback when they start to put. Front and back matter in books selfpublishing advice. Rightfacing pages are odd numbered pages in printed books because the first piece of paper is on the right side, facing up from the open, printed book. This guide for selfpublished authors explains how to optimize frontback matter to sell more ebooks. Authors use their back matter to offer readers further context or information about the story. Building your backmatter is really important to sell more ebooks on amazon. A table of contents is strongly recommended, but not a rigid requirement. Gain comprehension of how more complicated back matter like an index and notes section can function in an ebook utilize vendorspecific buy links to boost your sales and author brand pick up a copy of front matter, back matter, and metadata and improve your publishing level of knowledge to give you a professional edge. Jun 05, 2018 heres what ive learned publishing three books in six months. The back matter also known as the end matter is you guessed it material found at the back of a book. Your ultimate guide to front matter and back matter.
790 634 836 961 1174 1653 61 899 1528 214 1275 1112 816 465 1502 964 1232 1420 755 100 1375 841 550 507 1080 253 1324 952 411 371 830 1238 752 1523 551 485 1183 955 418 1414 691 1446 227 235 788