Book Front Matter and Back Matter — Order, Elements, and KDP Requirements

The book title alone, no subtitle or author name. A vestige of hand-bound book construction. Rarely used in self-published ebooks — omit unless you want the traditional feel.

Full title, subtitle (if any), author name, and publisher or imprint name. The first thing Amazon shows in the "Look Inside" preview. Required.

© year, author/rights holder name, "All rights reserved" statement, publisher name, edition, and ISBN if applicable. Directly after the title page. See the copyright page template for full content requirements. See the copyright page template for full details.

One to three lines honoring a specific person or idea. Not acknowledgements — those are longer and list contributors. The dedication is personal and brief. See dedication page examples for samples by type. See the dedication page examples for full details.

A quoted passage — from a poem, another book, a song, a historical source — that sets the thematic tone. Attributed beneath the quote. Used more in literary fiction and essay collections than in commercial genre fiction or nonfiction.

A linked list of chapters and major sections. KDP requires a functional table of contents with working NCX/NAV links for EPUB submissions — a missing or broken TOC is flagged as a quality issue. In fiction, chapter titles or numbers are listed. In nonfiction, section and chapter headings.

Only relevant for heavily illustrated or data-heavy nonfiction. Rarely used in self-published ebooks. Omit unless your book is a technical manual or academic text.

Written by someone other than the author — typically a recognized expert, peer, or notable figure who endorses the book's value. A foreword lends credibility when the person writing it carries relevant authority. If no one of that standing offered to write one, skip it.

Written by the author. Explains why the book was written, its scope, limitations, and the author's approach. More common in nonfiction. Not required — if the book's introduction covers this ground, a separate preface duplicates it.

A scene or passage that precedes chapter one — typically showing an event outside the main timeline, establishing atmosphere, or raising a question the narrative answers. Only include a prologue if it serves the story. Many readers skip prologues; the content should be gripping enough to earn the page.

Generate your full front matter block — title page, copyright page, dedication, and disclaimer.

Formatted for KDP. Handles pen names and optional ISBNs. Output ready to paste into your manuscript.

A professional author bio — typically short (one paragraph) and long (two to three paragraphs) versions. Readers who finish a book and like it will read the author bio. This is where you build audience for your next title.

A list of your other published titles, typically formatted as: [Series Name] / Title (year). Include links to the book's product page if the ebook platform allows it. Effective cross-promotion for authors with multiple titles.

An invitation for readers to join your mailing list, usually with a free offer (a bonus story, a prequel, exclusive content). The back of a finished book is the highest-converting place to grow a reader list — the reader just spent several hours with you and enjoyed it.

Thanks to editors, beta readers, critique partners, research sources, writing communities, and anyone who contributed to making the book. Can appear in front matter (before chapter one) or back matter (after the final chapter). Back matter placement is more common in commercial fiction. For examples by tone and what to include, see the acknowledgments page guide.

A brief personal message to the reader — about the research behind a historical novel, the inspiration for a memoir, a disclosure about creative liberties taken with real events. Conversational tone. One to three paragraphs.

Definitions of specialized terms used in the book. Essential for technical nonfiction, useful for SFF with invented terminology.

Source citations for research-based nonfiction. Endnotes (numbered in text, listed here) or a bibliography. Academic and serious nonfiction readers expect it; popular nonfiction often uses a selected reading list instead.

A searchable index of key terms, names, and concepts. Valuable for print reference books. In ebooks, readers use the device's built-in search function — a formal index is rarely worth the effort for ebook-first publishing.

Generate your back matter — author bio, Also By section, reader list CTA, and more.

Handles tone selection (professional, warm, conversational). Generates short and long bio variants. Formatted for KDP.

What is front matter in a book?

Front matter is everything that appears before the first chapter of a book: the title page, copyright page, dedication, epigraph, table of contents, foreword, preface, and prologue. Not every book has all of these — most self-published ebooks include title page, copyright page, and table of contents at minimum.

What is the correct order for book front matter?

Standard front matter order: (1) half title page, (2) title page, (3) copyright page, (4) dedication, (5) epigraph, (6) table of contents, (7) list of figures/tables if applicable, (8) foreword, (9) preface, (10) acknowledgements (can also go in back matter), (11) prologue. The copyright page must immediately follow the title page. Everything else is optional.

What is the difference between a foreword and a preface?

A foreword is written by someone other than the author — typically an expert or notable figure who endorses the book. A preface is written by the author, explaining why the book was written and how to use it. Both are optional. A foreword appears before a preface in standard front matter order.

What is back matter in a book?

Back matter is everything after the final chapter: about the author, also by the author, reader list CTA, acknowledgements, bibliography, glossary, and index. For self-published ebooks, the about the author section and a mailing list CTA are the most valuable back matter elements to include.

What does KDP require for front matter?

KDP does not mandate specific front matter elements beyond the book content itself. However, Amazon's content quality guidelines require a copyright page with a valid copyright notice. A title page is expected. Including a table of contents with functioning NCX/NAV links is required for EPUBs with chapters — KDP flags EPUBs without navigable TOCs as quality issues.