FRONT, BACK, AND CENTER - The Anatomy of a Book

The Bookstore Moment

Every time you walk into a Books-A-Million, Barnes and Noble, or another bookstore, you might be greeted by a table displaying the hottest books on the market.

Maybe they are romance novels, and romance is not your preferred genre, but you are still somehow attracted to the table. The colors on the front of the books, the fonts, the graphics of two lovebirds in view. You walk over and pick up the book on top of the display. You look closer at the cover elements, and somehow you find yourself drawn in, despite not caring about romance at all. But this book caught your eye.

You read the title, the author's name, and you feel the smooth book cover jacket. Maybe it has some special foil-edged pages, or an embossed emblem on the front cover.

You turn the book over and read the blurb on the back. That blurb is the book's premise in a nutshell, the shorter version of the story that invites a reader inside. And just like that, you are already considering it.

Physical Attraction: The Front Cover

I like to think of a book cover as what you see on the outside of a person. Their physical appearance. An appeal that makes you want to know more about this person, or in this case, this book.

And it is a little sad, if you think about it, that what matters least at first glance is what is on the inside. The cover is that first attraction point, the thing that pulls someone in before they ever read a single word.

The same goes for a person you are attracted to. You may see someone and feel that pull, that need to learn more about who they are on the inside. And that is the thing: people are attracted to different physical appearances, and people connect with different inner qualities. Part of the trick is knowing what your genre readers love and expect.

That is why your cover should be as visually appealing to your audience as possible. It is what draws readers to pick up your book, to hold it in their hands in the first place.

Inviting Them Inside: The Back Cover

Once they are holding it, they may decide to read the book blurb on the back to learn what is at the core of the book.

That is why it is so important to have a great cover and a strong back blurb. Together, they are what invite a reader to decide to purchase your book.

Many book covers also include a brief author introduction. It tells the reader a little about who the author is and why they wrote the book, giving the reader that first personal connection before they ever turn to page one.

Ready to build your book from the ground up? Keep reading to learn exactly what belongsinside, and why it matters

What Is on the Inside?

So now you may be wondering, what exactly belongs on the inside of the book?

There are three main sections to the interior of a book: Front Matter, Body Matter, and Back Matter. Think of it as The Beginning, The Middle, and The End, not of your story, but of your book itself.

Let your cover do its job first, especially if you are trying to attract new readers. Then let them discover your characters, their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the main body content.

When you walk into a bookstore, what is the first thing you notice? Do you notice the line for the cashier? How many people are there making purchases? Or do you notice what the customers are already holding in their hands, claiming possession of their soon-to-be purchases?

Do you want people to claim possession of your book and be proud to carry it out of that store?

Then let's talk about what makes all of that possible.

Front Matter

(Front Cover + Front Matter of the Book)

Front matter is everything that comes before your story or main content begins. These are the pages that a reader sees before they ever get to Chapter One. They are your first opportunity to say something, to introduce who you are, what this book is, and whether or not you are someone worth reading. Do not overlook them.

Resource Note: Jerry Jenkins lists 12 parts of a book and emphasizes that not every book requires every element. Reedsy's guide similarly breaks the interior into front matter, body matter, and back matter, and notes that nonfiction and fiction books differ significantly in which elements they typically include.

Title Page

Book Title, Subtitle, Author Name, Publisher

Nonfiction: Title, Subtitle, Author Name

Fiction: Title, A Novel, Author Name

Tip: Do not put By in front of your author name on the title page. It is considered outdated in traditional publishing and is simply not needed.

Copyright Page

Legal information, publishing data, ISBN.

Tip: This page is required for all published books. If you are self-publishing, register your copyright and obtain an ISBN through your country's official registry. Place this on the verso page, which is the reverse side of the title page. You may also hear it called the copyright verso, the back of the title page, or simply the title page reverse. No matter what you call it, the placement is the same.

Dedication Page

A short and personal message to someone special.

Tip: Keep it short. Your readers want to get to your content. A dedication that runs several paragraphs starts to feel less personal and more like a speech. One to three sentences is the sweet spot.

Table of Contents

A list of the book's chapters, sections, and page numbers. Required for nonfiction. For fiction, only include one if your chapters have titles.

Tip: Label this page Contents, not Table of Contents. This is a standard publishing convention that many newer writers overlook.

Foreword

An introduction to the book, often written by someone other than the author.

Tip: A foreword is written by someone else, not you. It is a credibility builder. If you can get a respected voice in your field or genre to write your foreword, it adds real weight to your book before the reader even reaches your content.

Resource Note: Both Jerry Jenkins and Reedsy agree on placing the foreword in front matter. Jenkins also points out that many authors confuse foreword with forward, which is one of the most common and surprisingly costly typos in publishing. Here is the quick breakdown: a foreword is a section of a book, written by someone who is vouching for the author or the work. It literally means "before the word" or before the writing. A forward is a direction of movement, the opposite of backward. They sound identical when spoken, but they mean completely different things. If your book section is spelled forward instead of foreword, readers and industry professionals will notice.

Preface / Introduction

The author explains how this book came into existence and what readers can expect.

Tip: A preface is about your journey as the author. An introduction is about the reader's journey. Know which one you are writing. For nonfiction especially, make sure your introduction makes a clear case for why the reader needs this book.

Acknowledgments

Recognition of the people who helped create the book.

Tip: Placement of acknowledgments is a topic with differing opinions in the publishing world. Some authors and publishers place acknowledgments in the front matter, others in the back. If yours are long, consider moving them to the back so readers can reach your content sooner.

Resource Note: Jerry Jenkins typically places acknowledgments toward the back. Reedsy notes that both placements are acceptable, and it often comes down to author preference and genre norms. Fiction authors tend to put acknowledgments in the back, while nonfiction authors often place them in the front.

Body Matter

(Center: The Interior of the Book)

This is the heart of your book. It is what readers are there for. The body matter is where your story lives, your argument is made, and your reader is transformed.

Prologue / Epigraph

For fiction: a scene that sets up the story before Chapter One. For nonfiction: a quote or passage related to the theme of the book.

Tip: Not every book needs a prologue. If you are writing fiction, your prologue should be so compelling that skipping it would cost a reader something important. If it is just backstory, consider weaving that information into the main narrative instead.

Chapters

The main content of the book, organized into sections. This is where everything comes together.

Tip: Consistency matters here. Your chapter formatting, length, and overall style should remain relatively even throughout. Readers notice when things feel uneven, even if they just have a feeling that something is off and cannot quite put their finger on it.

Epilogue

Commonly used in fiction, offering a story conclusion or a bonus scene after the main narrative ends.

Tip: An epilogue should feel earned. It is not a place to dump information that did not fit into your story. Think of it as a gift to your reader, a glimpse of what life looks like after the main events have unfolded.

Back Matter

(Back Cover + Back Matter of the Book)

Back matter is everything that comes after your main content ends. It is often underestimated, but it is an important part of a complete and professional-looking book.

Appendix / Addendum

Extra information, data, or resources that support the main content.

Tip: If information is important enough to include but would slow down the main narrative or argument, put it in the appendix. This is especially common in nonfiction.

Bibliography / Index

Where sources are listed, or where readers can locate specific topics within the book.

Tip: Nonfiction books almost always need at least one of these. For academic or research-based writing, both may be necessary. An index is particularly valuable in reference books where readers will not always read cover to cover.

Author Bio

A brief professional biography of the author.

Tip: Write your author bio in third person. Keep it relevant to the book. Highlight credentials, relevant experience, and one or two personal details that help readers connect with you. End with a direction to your website or social media if possible.

Glossary

Definitions of specialized or unfamiliar terms used throughout the book.

Tip: If your book uses specialized terminology, a glossary is your reader's best friend. This is especially true for nonfiction, genre fiction with complex world-building, or academic writing.

Endnotes

Citations or additional context placed at the end of the book rather than at the bottom of each page.

Tip: Endnotes are used when you want to cite sources or add extra context without interrupting the flow of your content. They are most common in nonfiction, academic writing, and heavily researched narratives.

Now that you know the anatomy of a book from cover to cover, are you ready to start building yours? Download the free Book Structure Checklist below and make sure your manuscript has everything it needs before you submit or self-publish.

Get your checklist here!

CONCLUSION

To wrap up, I want to reiterate that you should follow the standards of the genre you have chosen.

If you are not sure what those standards look like, pick up your favorite nonfiction and fiction books and compare them side by side. Look at the layout. Notice what is in the front matter, what is in the back, and how the body is organized.

If you are writing a romance novel, you would not want to use visuals that relate to epic fantasy, unless of course, your book blends both genres.

If you are writing a nonfiction book like a memoir, your readers would wonder why the front cover features elements of a magical world. It just would not make much sense, and it would confuse your readers instead of drawing them in.

Try to match your content and your visuals to what readers in your genre would expect. That is how you get your book off the back shelf and centered on the front display table, right where it belongs.

Found this helpful? Share this post with a writer friend who is working on their first book, and subscribe so you never miss a post from Jacquelyn Lee.

RESOURCES

The following resources were used in the research of this blog. Each author takes a slightly different approach to the parts of a book, and those differences are noted throughout the body of this post.

Jerry Jenkins: Parts of a Book

Jerry Jenkins identifies 12 parts of a book with a focus on clarity and practical application for new writers. He emphasizes that not all books need all parts, and he takes a conservative, traditional approach to structure. He places acknowledgments toward the back and stresses that the foreword should always be written by someone other than the author.

Reedsy: A Guide to the Parts of a Book

Reedsy's guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of all book parts with a more flexible, reader-friendly approach. Their guide acknowledges that placement of certain elements, such as acknowledgments, can vary by tradition, genre, and author preference. They also do a strong job of distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction conventions throughout their guide.

Key Differences Between Sources:

Acknowledgments: Jenkins leans toward back matter placement; Reedsy says front or back are both acceptable depending on genre.

Prologue: Jenkins cautions writers to use prologues sparingly in fiction; Reedsy treats the prologue and epigraph as distinct elements with separate purposes.

Introduction vs. Preface: Both agree these serve different functions, but Reedsy goes further in explaining when to use one over the other, especially for nonfiction authors.