Free KDP manuscript template
Publishing glossary
Front matter: the pages before chapter one.
Front matter is the standard set of preliminary pages that open a published book.
Checked:
✓Order: half title, title, copyright, contents✓Copyright page carries the ISBN✓Missing front matter looks unfinished
The standard front matter order
A professional paperback opens with the half title, title page, copyright page, dedication, and table of contents. Consistency here is the first signal a book was formatted properly.
- Half title protects the title page
- Copyright page holds ISBN and year
- Contents links work in reflowable ebooks
Building front matter quickly
The manuscript template includes a pre-formatted front matter block you can fill in, keeping every page in the conventional order.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which page holds the ISBN?
The copyright page, usually the verso of the title page, carries the ISBN, copyright year, and publisher name.
Is front matter required on KDP?
Not strictly, but reviewers and readers expect it, and its absence reads as unfinished.
Put the definition to work for free.
Run your manuscript through the matching free check and see how the term applies to your own book.