What Is Front Matter in a Book? — Self-Publishing Glossary

Front matter is your book’s professional handshake — the signal to every reader and retailer that this is a properly-produced book. Readers may not consciously analyze front matter, but they register its presence (or absence) instantly.

Standard Front Matter Order

The conventional order for book front matter:

1. Title page — Title, subtitle (if any), author name
2. Copyright page — Copyright notice, rights reserved, ISBN, disclaimers
3. Dedication — Short, personal (optional)
4. Epigraph — Quotation that sets tone (optional)
5. Table of Contents — Required for ebooks; must be functional (clickable)
6. Foreword — Written by someone else, usually a notable figure (optional)
7. Preface — Author’s own introduction to the work (optional, common in non-fiction)

For most fiction ebooks: title page → copyright → dedication (optional) → table of contents → Chapter 1.

The Copyright Page: What to Include

Copyright © [Year] [Author Name/Pen Name]

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the
prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief
quotations for review purposes.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
are either the product of the author's imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

[Publisher Name]
[Website or contact]

ISBN: [Your ISBN, if applicable]

First published [Year]

Adjust as needed — non-fiction drops the fiction disclaimer and may add data sources or permissions statements.

Front Matter in Ebooks vs. Print

Ebook front matter and print front matter follow the same conventions with one critical difference: the Table of Contents must be functional in ebooks.

Print TOCs are visual reference pages. Ebook TOCs must link directly to each chapter — readers tap a chapter title and jump directly there. Vellum generates these links automatically. Word exports often break them.

Keeping Front Matter Short

A common mistake: extensive front matter that delays Chapter 1. On Amazon, your “Look Inside” sample gives readers roughly the first 10% of the book. If that 10% is mostly front matter and acknowledgments, readers don’t get to your actual story — and don’t buy.

Keep fiction front matter to: title page, copyright, dedication (1 page max), TOC. Get to Chapter 1 as fast as possible.