Strange questions are the best kind to ask. Ideally, they are open-ended so that the receiver must THINK and respond with creativity as opposed to one-word answer. Let's try this.
How many adults live in Jody's household? Answer: Two
Better question: What are the domestic chores that Jody handles on a day-to-day basis (some simple, some miserably complex or stressful) while Mr. Jody (eleven years her senior) eats popcorn and watches zombie movies, and why does Jody do significantly more "home and family stuff" than Mr. Jody?
Hmmmmmmm, think of the themes and conflict right there in one question: Gender equality, age gap issues, generational differences, men vs. women, domestic bliss/ignorance, parenting, marriage, movie genres, control freak or anxious entrepreneur, husband or therapy dog, popcorn lung or healthy snack, .... That list could go on for days. You know how I LOVE brainstorming. Okay, out of my house and back to business we go.
Have you ever looked at a book while you read it?
Better: When you read, what elements, besides the story itself, of a book do you examine in detail, and why do you look at those particular elements?
Remember, I teach from my mistakes. For a LONG time, I called epigraphs epitaphs. How embarrassing! I certainly don't want anyone writing R.I.P. in the front matter of his or her book, right? From thoughtco.com:
Definitions
- An epigram is a brief, witty statement in prose or verse--similar to an aphorism.
- An epigraph is a brief quotation set at the beginning of a text (a book, a chapter of a book, an essay, a poem) to suggest its theme.
- An epitaph is a brief inscription in prose or verse on a tombstone or monument.
I've noticed a trend with first-time authors, starting with yours truly many years ago. (Please forgive my East Tennessee-style wording). They don't understand book parts, so they put ALL of the parts in their books. I worked with a teacher years ago who taught students, well, book parts. The fancy terms are front matter and back matter. I thought you all might enjoy a cheat sheet.
FRONT MATTER concerns the section of pages at, well, the front of the book. These can be the following and should appear in the following order:
- advance reviews page
- half title page
- title page
- copyright page
- dedication
- epigraph
- table of contents
- acknowledgements
- foreword
- preface
- introduction (optional - depends on genre, book design, and other factors)
- prologue (optional - depends on genre, book design, and other factors)
- list of abbreviations, chronology, family tree, map, or other asset that is helpful to readers
BACK MATTER --- you guessed it! --- lands in the back in the following order:
- epilogue
- acknowledgments
- about the author
- discussion questions
- appendices
- glossary
- bibliography
- index
- colophon
Certain front matter and back matter pieces depend on genre, book design, content, audience, use, and other factors. The only non-negotiable items are the title page and copyright page. I hope this quick list is helpful to you. We didn't even talk about the cover. Whew, so much to see here:) Do not get stressed. Instead, do some research or ask me for help.
The next time you read a book, I challenge you to look at it!
xoxoxo
Jody
P.S. Thank you for inspiring me every day to create tools for authors:) These three are available now. Click the titles to learn more about each tool.
365 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK FOR FREE IN UNDER TEN MINUTES
