Ever wonder what to include on all those extra pages in the beginning and end of your book? First-time authors and self publishers often miss the mark on these important pages. This 5-part series will show you how to use these pages to elevate your book to the level of a pro publisher.
Part ๐ฏ of 5: ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐
When you open a non-fiction book, the first thing you usually do is go to the Table of Contents to see if youโre interested in what it has to offer. As an author, you donโt want to miss this opportunity to entice readers.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ.
Make your section and chapter titles count. Plain titles like Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc. tell the reader nothing. Give them names that both catch their attention and encapsulate the information in just a few words.
Chapter numbers are often used along with chapter titles, but repeating the word โChapterโ each time isnโt necessary in the Table of Contents.
Consider including subheadings. If your chapters are divided into topics as subheadings, it can be helpful to list them and their page numbers. However, if you have a lot of them, it may be too cumbersome to list them in the contents, especially if there is a new subheading on every page or two.
The Table of Contents is an important navigational tool for readers to find specific information in the book. Make it clear and readable.
Use a consistent style in terms of fonts, size, margins, etc. as the rest of the book. It can be both attractive and helpful, but donโt let style get in the way of functionality.
A well organized professional Table of Contents goes a long way in ensuring that your book creates a professional impression and helps readers find all that good stuff you took the time to write for them.
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