Anatomy of a Book
When writing your book, keep in mind the proper format in which books commonly appear. Readers are used to seeing parts of a book in a certain order, as outlined below.
Unless you are publishing an exceptionally long book that has a high page count, typically important parts of the book will begin on the right-hand page, leaving the left-hand page blank if need be. Following this protocol makes finding a specific section while flipping through the book easier for the reader.
The standard layout for the interior of a book is:
Frontmatter in this order:
- Half-Title Page (can be eliminated for space issues)
- Complex Title Page (includes subtitles; author’s, illustrator’s, and developmental editor’s names if applicable; publisher’s logo and/or imprint; often mirrors the book’s cover in style and layout)
- Copyright Page, including the following items:
- Publisher Contact Information
- Copyright Year and Author’s Name
- Cover Design Copyright (Depending on your contract with a cover designer, or if you design the cover yourself, this copyright may be different than the book’s text copyright.)
- Cover Designer’s Information
- Standard “All Rights Reserved” Clause (See the copyright page in this book.)
- Photography, Illustration, and/or Graphics Credits (for both interior and exterior graphics)
- Credit for Scripture Quotation
- ISBN and LCCN
- Date of First Printing
- Dedication and/or Acknowledgements Page
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Foreword (usually written by someone else)
- Preface (optional)
Chapters or Sections
Backmatter in this order:
- Conclusion
- Appendix including:
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- About the Author
- How to Order Page
Publishing a book is a detailed process. If you find you’d like to have someone take care of these details for you and retain all of your rights and royalties, contact us at IAmPublished.com. We offer a wide range of services and several affordable packages depending on your needs.
An overview and cost comparison of the ways to publish your book
If you’ve written a manuscript or if you’re in the process of writing one, there are many things you have already learned. In addition, there are even more things you may need to know. If you’re a first time author, there are details that may not have even occurred to you that will definitely make or break the success of your hard work.
In the history of writing, people who write have never had the benefit of the opportunities that are now available to help them see their dream come true.
In the past, it didn’t matter how passionate a writer was about the story they had to tell, the question of whether their book would become published was a matter that was mostly beyond their control.
In truth, less than 1% of authors who hope to be accepted through traditional publishing methods will actually reach the contract stage with their manuscript. At the end of only one day, thousands of potential authors have been rejected and may be left wondering if there is any hope of ever seeing their words in print.
If traditional publishing has been your dream, don’t be discouraged by the facts. Let’s take a moment to define the principal ways books can now be published.
Traditional Publishing – The business of producing books to sell to the public. A book publisher buys the rights to an author’s manuscript. The publisher then has control the writer’s work and makes all of the final decisions about the content and how it will be presented. Often, the writer is expected to share costs of promoting the book and may receive very little financial return, if any.
Subsidy Publishing – A partnership between a publisher and an author. Both parties provide an investment in moving a manuscript through the stages of development all the way to becoming a book in print. The profits are shared.
Self-publishing – To publish a book using the author’s own resources and finances without the help of an established publisher. The author has complete control over every aspect of the process and retains 100% of the rights and profits.
Assisted self-publishing – To publish a book using the author’s own resources and finances and the services of an experienced professional. Some authors may pick and choose which parts of the publishing process they will pay to have help with. Others may agree to contract the services of a company or an individual who will basically do everything for them, yet the author will retain 100% of their own rights and profits.
If you’re writing a book and need help with the publishing process, please let I Am Published! know how we can help you. We offer a wide range of services and several affordable packages depending on your needs.
Ten Ways to Write a Book
1. Make a resolution
Determine a number of days that you will set aside time to write in order to complete your manuscript. Spend a reasonable amount of time each day developing the material that you write. Write “on assignment” each and every day until your resolution has been completed and you have a manuscript.
2. Questions and answers
Create a list of ten or twelve questions about a topic you are passionate about, then set about systematically answering the questions and writing ten or twelve pages about each question. Each “answer” becomes a chapter in your book.
3. Chapter of the month
Make a list of twelve topics that relate to a subject you want to write about, then make the time to write a chapter each month of one year to complete your book.
4. Interview style
It’s easier for some people to talk to someone about their passion than it is to write about it. Get a good friend to agree to spend ten to twelve sessions with you as you record what you have to say about one topic for each session. Transcribe what you said and then fine tune.
5. Go on your own writer’s retreat
Book a stay at a place where you will not be distracted, hold yourself hostage, and then write your brains out until your manuscript is completed.
6. Write another person’s story
Meet with a person whose story you want to write about and record what they have to say regarding ten or twelve topics that are pre-determined. Transcribe and develop the material later.
7. By an outline
Sit down and name your book, based on the subject. Break what you want to communicate about your subject into ten or twelve topics. Spend some time creating ten or twelve focus sentences that are all related to each topic. Develop more material about each of the focus sentences until you have said all you want to say.
8. Collaborate
Get a writing partner and set aside time to meet. Create a basic outline for your book and then take turns writing paragraphs.
9. Blog
Set up a blog site and write three posts a week about a topic or random subjects until you have compiled enough of your thoughts to publish a book. Categorize your posts as you write and organize the material into chapters later.
10. Let others inspire you
If you know of published books on a topic you are passionate about, have a look at some of them—don’t read them—just look at them. Without copying their words or the details of their material, use their table of contents as a model to gain your own inspiration. Re-name the chapters your own way and then put the book away and write your own thoughts and do your own research.
Contact I Am Published! so we can help you achieve the professional publication of your book.
In the comment section below, tell us why you want to write a book!
Teach Like a PIRATE
I Am Published! worked with author Dave Burgess to publish his phenomenally successful book, Teach Like a PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator.
We were able to provide Dave with a custom, professional, and eye-catching design for both the cover and the interior of the book that helped it garner widespread attention in education circles. We also took care of certain details, allowing him to stay focused on other parts of his career.
The work we did on Teach Like a PIRATE allowed it to be marketed effectively and successfully, so much so that it has repeatedly made the New York Times Best Seller List in Education books. Additionally, it has been reviewed by and featured in many educational publications.
As an award-winning U.S. History teacher at West Hills High School in San Diego, California, for more than sixteen years, Dave Burgess specializes in teaching hard-to-reach, hard-to-motivate students with techniques that incorporate showmanship and creativity.
Based on Dave’s popular seminars, Teach Like a PIRATE, his book by the same title offers inspiration, practical techniques, and innovative ideas designed to help teachers boost their creativity, transform their life as an educator, and increase student engagement.
Contact I Am Published! so we can help you achieve the professional publication of your book.
For more on Dave Burgess, visit his website at DaveBurgess.com.