Back Matter: Why It Matters as Much as the Front Pages of Your Book

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When you read, chances are you skip the first front and end pages. You want to immediately dive into the story and there’s no shame in that.

But have you ever wondered what these pages are used for? You’ll be more familiar with the front pages, containing the title page, table of contents, and more. Those at the back of the book though, are a lot less known. Probably because you close the book before you even reach them.

What is Back Matter?

Back matter (also called end matter) is all of the materials at the back of the book that appear after the last chapter of a story. If the first pages (the front matter) introduce a book, then the back matter wraps things up.

Back matter can range from complicated to simple. Sometimes there is an about the author page, glossary, appendix, endnotes, previews, and epilogue. Other times it’s only a thank-you page, with quick mentions of the author and publisher’s website.

Elements of the Back Matter

Here are the different elements that you might see in a book’s back matter.

1. Appendices

Appendices are where you put the extra information that won’t fit in the main text. They are not necessary to understand the story but provide more context about it. Maps, charts, lists, and full versions of documents being referenced in the story are added here.

2. Acknowledgments

The acknowledgments is a section where the author thanks every person who contributed to the book’s creation. These people range from friends, family, agents, editors, and beta readers. This is usually the first thing you see after the last chapter.

3. Endnotes

Endnotes are references or explanations that are placed at the end of a book, as opposed to footnotes, which are added at the bottom of the page. These are mostly seen in non-fiction books but are occasionally found in fiction as well.

4. Bibliography

A bibliography is a list of all the sources that were used to create the book. It also follows a system such as the APA, Chicago, and MLA manuals of style. Unlike an endnote that provides more context about a specific passage, a bibliography simply lists the reference material.

5. Glossary

A glossary is a list of terms and definitions that may be too complex or unfamiliar to the reader. In nonfiction, it usually contains complex or industry terms used in the book.

In fiction, it lists down the special words used to refer to certain elements of the story. Often, it will also have entries on characters and settings.

6. Author profile

An author profile is a short entry (often only 1-2 paragraphs) about the author’s background. It’s usually a combination of selected information about the writer’s personal life, education, previous works, and website.

7. Index

An index is an alphabetized list of important words and terms along with the pages on which they appear. Readers use them to quickly locate the relevant passages they need.

8. Errata

Usually seen in nonfiction and scholarly work, an errata is a list of corrected errors that are added at the end of a book. This is done when it is already too late to correct information in the main text or in subsequent versions of the book.

9. Afterword

An afterword either explains how a book came to be, comments on its contents, or provides an alternative perspective to the readers. It is usually written by the author and can be as long or short as they want it to be.

10. Back of Book Ad

Publishers also sometimes use the back of the book to include advertisements on other books, series, or services they provide. It makes sense on the business end, but a lot of people also think that advertisements don’t belong to books.

11. Colophon

A colophon provides information about the printing and publishing process of the book. This is mostly on the technical side of the process, touching on materials and equipment that were used.

12. Suggested Reading

Suggested reading is the section where books with similar premises, themes, concepts, and feel are recommended to readers. This is usually written by the author, who provides some context to the books they’re recommending.

13. Discussions

Sometimes the author or publisher may decide to add a section that introduces questions about the body of the text. These questions facilitate healthy, book-club-style discussions about the book’s many elements, themes, characters, and meaning.

14. Extra Scenes

Some writers like adding additional scenes at the back of their books. These range from “extra” scenes that didn’t make it to the final version of the book or “blooper” style scenes that aren’t meant to be taken seriously.

15. Previews

Previews are sneak peeks of either the next installment of a series or of the author’s other works. They can be full chapters or snippets meant to draw the reader’s interest.

Marketing Through the Back Matter

There’s a lot of marketing potential in your back matter. It’s not just a place to lay down additional information but also acts as a funnel that leads readers further into your works.

Below are a few tips on how you take full advantage of your back matter to grow your audience, sell more books, and introduce them to other works.

Include a preview.

Immediately after the last chapter, add a sneak peek of the next book in the series or the first chapter of one of your other works.

Take advantage of the momentum you’ve built up with your story. Direct that flow into something that will interest them enough to search for it actively.

When you give a preview, you’re basically answering two questions. When is the next book available? What other works does this writer have that I might like?

Make sure to add where they can get the full version. If it’s an e-book, add a link directly to your website or the publisher.

If you don’t have any other works to promote, tell the readers what is coming soon. Include a working title, a summary, and a tentative date of release.

Choose the correct information to include in your bio.

An author profile gives readers background information about a writer. Definitely add simple facts like your education, writing journey, interests, and hobbies.

Pick the information that most aligns with your target audience. Chances are you have a personal interest in the topic or genre you’re writing in which makes it easy to find points of similarities between you and your readers.

This is an opportunity to cement that author-reader relationship. Knowing the book they’re reading is written by someone who enjoys the same things they do makes a reader appreciate the book more.

But don’t stop there. This information may be interesting to the reader but leads them nowhere. Instead, add information that will make them act.

Include your or your publisher’s website, a list of your works and where they can be purchased, and a link to your mailing list for further updates. Each one of these ensures that they check out your work more and, hopefully, become more invested in you.

Have you ever read the back matters of the books you love? Share them in the comments below!

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