Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! Self-publishing offers writers another choice on the road to publication, whether they’re already traditionally published and/or e-press published, or unpublished. Although the author maintains control of the process, she also has a lot of hard work ahead of her. Education about self-publishing and the publishing industry is vital to a good product and creating a professional image.
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. It’s a big one too. Write the book, send the polished manuscript to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, write the tagline and blurbs, sign a contract for cover art, and purchase ISBNs. Front and Back Matter come next.
What is front and back matter?
Front and back matter are the pages before and after body of the book (the actual content or story).
Front matter consists of the title page, copyright page, dedication page, preface, and table of contents—the pages before the story. Not all items will be in all books. Inclusion of a table of contents will depend on the format (e-book or print), nonfiction or fiction, and author preference. Many print fiction books don’t include a TOC. E-books usually have bookmarked/hyperlinked TOCs so the reader can click on a chapter on the TOC page, and the link will take her directly to the first page of the corresponding chapter.
The title page is the first page of the book after the cover for both e-book and print formats. The title of the book and the author’s name should be large and easy to read. Depending on the length of the title, the lettering can be from 24- to 48-size text. Choose a font that matches the tone of the book and is readable. It can be the same as the cover font, but it doesn’t have to be. The author’s name should also be included on the title page. It can be larger, smaller, or the same size as the title. Center the title and author name on the page. Lots of white space ensures the reader isn’t distracted from the purpose of this page. The publisher’s logo is sometimes at the bottom of the title page.
The copyright page is next. Besides the title, author’s name with copyright year, publisher’s name, ISBN(s), and cover art designer copyright information, this page should also include reproduction and sharing statements.
**Here’s an example of copyright page content for an e-book:
Loved Served Hot
Copyright © 2013 Mellanie Szereto
Published by Amatoria Press
Cover art by Dragonfly Press Design
Word Count: 95,221
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author. To request permission to excerpt portions of this book, please contact the author at mellanieszereto@hotmail.com.
This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real persons and/or events is coincidental.
This e-book is licensed for your personal use only and may not be re-sold or given away to people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please visit the e-book store of your choice and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
ISBN: 978-0-9911473-0-4
**Here’s an example for a print book:
Loved Served Hot
Copyright © 2013 Mellanie Szereto
Published by Amatoria Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-9911473-1-1
ISBN-10: 0991147316
Cover art by Dragonfly Press Design
Cover art and logos Copyright © 2013 Dragonfly Press Design
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author. To request permission to excerpt portions of this book, please contact the author at mellanieszereto@hotmail.com.
This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real persons and/or events is coincidental.
**Note the addition of an e-book licensing and sharing statement in the first example. The print version doesn’t have digital content and doesn’t need this additional statement. Review several e-book and print book copyright pages for possible wording options. The order of content and the information contained in the examples isn’t required. Adjust to personal preference, making sure the page has a professional look. Use Insert->Symbol to add the copyright symbol.
The dedication page is optional, but it allows the author to recognize anyone who may have influenced her or the story. This is a great place to thank readers!
A preface is also optional and is often found in nonfiction books. It offers the author a place to tell how the project came about, the research methods used, specific ways to use and interpret the information in the book, etc.
The table of contents is useful in e-books, titled-rather-than-numbered-chapters print books, and in non-fiction print books. Print-book TOCs list the chapters and their corresponding page numbers. The TOC in an e-book should be bookmarked and hyperlinked so the reader can click on a chapter to go directly to its first page since page numbers can vary between devices and settings.
What is bookmarking and hyperlinking?
Bookmarks define a specific location within the document. Hyperlinks allow the author to link the bookmark to another location in the document—like the TOC—or a website. To create a bookmark, highlight the location where the bookmark is to be inserted, such as the heading Chapter 1 in the story. Use the Insert command to choose Bookmark. Give the bookmark a name like chapter1. Word for Mac 2011 doesn’t allow spaces and has a limited length for the bookmark name. Other versions of Word may differ. Click Add.
To create a hyperlink to the TOC, highlight the source (Chapter 1 in the TOC). Use the Insert command to choose Hyperlink. Choose Document, click inside the Anchor textbox, type in the bookmark name, and click Locate. A “Select Place in Document” pop-up box will appear. Be sure the correct bookmark is chosen and click OK. Chapter 1 in the TOC is now linked to the text Chapter 1 in the story. Again, these instructions are for Word for Mac 2011 and may differ slightly in other versions.
Repeat the bookmark and hyperlink process for all chapters. All bookmarks can be created before the hyperlinks are added, or complete one at a time. Be sure to Save after each addition and test the links! Links can be removed by highlighting the existing hyperlink source and selecting Insert->Hyperlink. Click the Remove Hyperlink button.
Don’t check off item #6 on the to-do list yet! Back Matter is on the agenda for next time!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
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