If you’re looking for the exact parts of a book to start your next work of art…

I got you covered!

This blog post will highlight them all for you and tell you how to write each. 

If you want to skip all that hard work, grab your free template here. 

Book Skeleton 3.25.24

I’ve loaded all of these pages, in order, into a ready-to-write book file. 

Enjoy!

Here is the list of all pages in a book that you’ll learn about in this post. Be forewarned that you don’t want ALL of these pages in your book unless you want it to become a bloated swamp monster. 

You do NOT need a foreword, a preface, a note from the author AND an introduction. Pick 2 of the 4. 

For back matter, you don’t need a gazillion pages in the back of your book, pick only the pages you NEED to include. 

Pages in a book Included in the Front Matter:

1. Title Page 
2. Copyright Page 
3. Dedication Page
4. Table of Contents
5. A Note from the Author
6. Foreword
7. Preface

The Body of the Book:

1. Introduction
2. Front Call to Action
3. Chapters
4. Conclusion

Pages in a Book Included in the Back Matter:

1. Thanks for Reading
2. Final CTA
3. Call to Review
4. Acknowledgments
5. Notes (Research Citations)
6. Discussion Questions
7. About the Author
8. Index
9. Glossary
10. List of Previous Works
11. Discussion Questions
12. Preview of Your Next Book
13. Bonuses

Pages in a Book Included in the Front Matter

Be selective with your front matter. Don’t give your reader a reason to leave or they will. The real estate in the front of your book is precious, treat it as such.  

Title Page in Book

The title page gives you all the information you need before reading. Sometimes it’s a direct copy from the book cover with the book cover image intact. 

It typically includes the book’s title, subtitle, author’s name, the publisher’s logo or name. 

Copyright Page in Book

The copyright page is sometimes a short blurb on the title page or a page on its own. 

This section includes the copyright date, edition information, and sometimes a disclaimer. 

For hardcover and paperback editions, it’s also where you’ll find the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), a unique identifier that makes it easier for readers to find and purchase the book.

Dedication Page

This is the space to make a short and sweet dedication to 1 or 2 special people that helped make the book a reality. This is not the place for a bazillion acknowledgements, save that for later in the book. 

Table of Contents

The table of contents is an essential navigational tool, especially for nonfiction books. Don’t miss this one. 

It outlines the book’s structure, listing chapters, sections, and sometimes sub-sections, with corresponding page numbers. 

This overview allows readers to quickly find information or gauge the book’s scope and focus areas.

A Note from the Author

This section is used as a chance to convey relevant information that doesn’t fit elsewhere in the front matter. 

If you have a note on the new edition, need to give a content warning or trigger warning, or share notes on translation. 

Here is more on why you should include an author’s note. 

Foreword

A foreword is a short introductory section written by someone other than the author, usually an expert or well-respected figure in the book’s subject area. 

I prefer a different approach to the foreword, in that I don’t want an expert that doesn’t know me. Nope! My forewords are written by people close to me with an interest in the subject matter. 

Case in point, my wife wrote the foreword for Volcanic Momentum. It was weird and different, but better!

The foreword serves to endorse the book and provide readers with additional context or perspective on its significance beyond what the author can share. 

Preface

The preface, written by the author, offers insights into the book’s genesis, purpose, and sometimes the research or writing process. 

It’s a space to share their personal journey, challenges, and what they hope readers will gain from the book.

It’s a page extremely similar to the introduction. However, the primary difference between a preface and an introduction is that the introduction is about the reader, and the preface is more about the author’s journey in creating the book. 

For nonfiction, skip the preface and focus on writing a great introduction. 

The Body of the Book

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for the main content, providing readers with a preview of what’s to come. It might outline the book’s objectives, themes, or key arguments, preparing readers for the detailed exploration ahead.

These are the seven parts of a great intro:

1. Hook: Start with an attention-grabbing statement or anecdote that relates to the topic. In the introduction, if your hook can be referenced later in the book as a callback, it will add strength to your writing. 
2. Background Information: Provide some background information on the topic to give context and set the stage for the discussion.
3. Thesis Statement: Clearly state your current version of your thesis. 
4. Scope and Limitations: Define the scope of the book, including what will be covered and what won’t be covered. Discuss any limitations or constraints that may affect the research or analysis.
5. Significance: Discuss why the topic is significant, and why it’s important to research or analyze it. Highlight any potential implications or applications of the research or analysis.
6. What the Reader Can Expect: Summarize the book’s structure, including a summary of each chapter.
7. Call to Read: Inspire them to read by giving an example of what their life might look like when they implement your suggestions. 

Check out this article on creating a book outline for more on crafting the perfect introduction. 

Front Call to Action

This is a page you won’t see on too many lists. This is a mistake.

The front call to action is the place to send people to your website to sign up for bonus material, connect/follow you, or otherwise interact. 

It’s important to put a page like this early on in the book because not everyone will read every page, even if your book is dynamite. 

Position this page in an authentic manner that puts the reader first. Give them a good reason to connect with you or to sign up for your bonus material.

Chapters

Do what you promised to do in the introduction. 

Good questions to consider for each chapter and content idea:

• What did I learn about this topic in my own lived experience? (And want to share)
• Why should the reader care?
• What impedes implementation?
• How does the reader need to be convinced (and how do I help them believe?)
• If they follow the advice in the chapter, what will improve in their lives?
• What language can I create/change in order to better get my point across in each section? (Volcanic Momentum, Category Design, The Tipping Point).

Conclusion

By the end of the book your reader is fatigued. Wrap is up so they can move on to other books. 

Here’s how:

1. Reiterate the purpose of the book
2. List a few major takeaways
3. Conclude with an inspiring hope of what you want the reader’s life to look like now that they’ve read your words. 
4. Include CTA and thanks for reading

Pages in a Book Included in the Back Matter

Thanks for Reading

Genuinely and authentically thank the reader for spending time with you. 

Final CTA

You can sometimes merge this page with the thanks for reading page, but that is up to you. 

Use this page to reiterate your offer from the front call to action page. If they’ve read this far, they like you! Now don’t lose them. Capture their information. 

Call to Review

Ask the reader to review your book wherever they may have purchased it. 

Acknowledgments

Extend your gratitude to those who contributed to the book’s completion. This may include mentors, family members, research assistants, or even readers who have supported the author’s journey. 

The acknowledgments section personalizes the book, making readers feel like part of a broader community involved in the book’s creation.

Don’t make it too long. No one is going to read a seven-page stuffy flurry of half-hearted acknowledgements. 

Notes (Research Citations)

If you added footnotes into the book this is the section to share all of these in one place. 

Discussion Questions

This is the section to add questions on your topic, especially if you plan to offer the book to groups who will read it together and discuss. 

About the Author

Add a headshot and tell the reader about yourself with your author bio. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it and to stand out a bit!

Index

The index is an alphabetical list of names, places, subjects, and concepts mentioned, along with page numbers. 

Glossary

A glossary contains definitions of terms used in the book.

List of Previous Works

If you have previous titles, this is where you will list them. 

Preview of Your Next Book

If you’re a prolific author or this is the first book in your series, this is where you can add a chapter from your next book to keep the reader invested in your material. 

This section is more often for fiction books in a series, but you can do this if you have your next titles up and ready to go in any case. 

Bonuses

This section is largely for the print version of the book so you can offer bonuses that don’t make sense to have within the text.

For example, in my book Catalyze Your Destiny, I had an entire bonus section where readers could take action and write down their answers to various personality and life questions. 

Add some of these pages, not all, into your book!

Reach out if you need help,

-Jordan