If you’re preparing a self-published book back matter section, you’re doing the part of the manuscript many authors leave until the end—and then rush. That’s a mistake. Back matter is where you can thank readers, point them to your next book, explain your author bio, and quietly improve sales without making the book feel like an ad.
Done well, the self-published book back matter looks intentional and professional. Done poorly, it can feel cluttered, repetitive, or badly placed. The good news is that you don’t need a complicated layout to get it right. You just need a few formatting rules, a clear order, and a sense of what belongs in print versus what belongs on your website.
This guide walks through what to include, how to order it, and how to format it for a print interior that looks clean in Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, or any other paperback or hardcover printer.
What is back matter in a self-published book?
Back matter is the material that appears after your main story or main content ends. It’s separate from the chapter text and usually starts on a new page. In fiction, it often includes an author bio, acknowledgments, discussion questions, and links to other books. In nonfiction, it may include notes, a resources page, an about-the-author section, and a call to action for your newsletter or website.
The goal is simple: give readers something useful after the main reading experience ends. It’s also your chance to guide them to the next step without disrupting the book itself.
Common back matter elements
- About the Author
- Acknowledgments
- Also by the Author
- Discussion Questions
- Reading Group Guide
- Appendix
- Resources
- Notes or References
- Newsletter sign-up
How to format a self-published book back matter section
The cleanest way to format a self-published book back matter section is to treat each item as its own section, just like a chapter. Most printers and formatting tools work best when every major piece starts on a new page with a consistent heading style.
Here’s the basic structure:
- End the main content with a final line or closing scene.
- Insert a page break before the back matter begins.
- Use a clear heading such as “About the Author” or “Acknowledgments.”
- Keep spacing, font, and indentation consistent with the rest of the book.
- Separate distinct items with page breaks if needed.
For example, in a novel you might end the story, then insert:
- About the Author
- Also by the Author
- Discussion Questions
In a nonfiction book, you might use:
- Notes
- Resources
- About the Author
- Next Steps / Newsletter
That order isn’t mandatory, but it’s usually more reader-friendly to put the most helpful or trust-building content near the end.
What belongs in back matter—and what doesn’t
Not everything that feels “extra” belongs at the end of a print book. The trick is to keep the back matter useful and restrained.
Good things to include
- Author bio: Short, relevant, and written in third person
- Thanks or acknowledgments: Brief and sincere
- Other books: Helpful for readers who liked the current book
- Newsletter invitation: One simple call to action
- Website or social links: Only if they add value
- Reading guide: Especially useful for book clubs
- Sources and notes: Important for nonfiction credibility
Things to avoid
- Long marketing copy that feels like a sales page
- Repeated links on every page
- Too many fonts or decorative elements
- Big blocks of tiny text
- Callouts that interrupt the tone of the book
As a rule, if a reader would feel like you’re shouting at them, simplify it.
How to format an author bio for print
The author bio is one of the most common pieces of back matter, and it’s worth getting right. It should be short—usually 50 to 100 words for fiction, maybe a little longer for nonfiction if your credentials matter.
Format tips:
- Use the same body font as the rest of the book, or a slightly smaller but readable size.
- Keep the bio text left-aligned or justified, depending on your book style.
- Use a heading like “About the Author” centered or styled consistently with chapter headings.
- If you include a website or email address, keep it on one clean line if possible.
Example:
About the Author
Jane Harper writes historical fiction set in the American South. Her work has appeared in regional magazines and online literary journals. She lives in North Carolina with her family and a very patient rescue dog. Visit Jane at janeharperwrites.com.
That’s short, specific, and easy to scan. It also works in print without taking over the page.
How to format acknowledgments without making them feel crowded
Acknowledgments can be warm and personal, but they should still be formatted with restraint. A few paragraphs are usually enough. If you’ve got a long list of people to thank, consider grouping them by category instead of listing everyone line by line.
For print, the most important formatting rule is to keep the page visually calm:
- Use one heading at the top
- Keep paragraph spacing consistent
- Avoid odd line breaks in the middle of sentences
- Start the section on a new page
If your acknowledgments run long, that’s fine—just make sure the page breaks land in sensible places. Avoid leaving a single orphaned line at the top or bottom of a page.
Where to place “Also by the Author”
For fiction and series-based nonfiction, “Also by the Author” is one of the most practical pieces of back matter. It helps readers discover your other books while they’re still engaged.
The best practice is to keep this section simple and consistent. List titles in publication order, and include only the information readers actually need:
- Book title
- Series name, if relevant
- One-line description if space allows
Example:
Also by Maya Ellis
- The Quiet Harbor
- Before the Storm
- Every Second Chance
If you want a more polished look, use the same styling for every title—italicized titles, aligned spacing, and a heading that matches the rest of the back matter. Keep it readable and don’t overcrowd it with cover thumbnails unless you’re sure your print layout can handle them cleanly.
How to format nonfiction back matter like notes and resources
Nonfiction books often need more than author info and marketing copy. Readers may expect notes, references, an appendix, or a resource list. This is where clean organization matters more than decoration.
If you’re formatting notes or references in a self-published book back matter section, use one of these approaches:
- Endnotes: Numbered notes at the end of the book
- Reference list: Alphabetical entries by author or source
- Resource page: Short list of websites, books, or organizations
- Appendix: Supplementary material that supports the main text
For print, consistency matters more than flair. Use the same indentation, hanging indent, and spacing style throughout. If you have URLs, check line breaks carefully so they don’t split awkwardly across pages.
Quick formatting checklist for nonfiction back matter
- Start each major section on a new page
- Use one consistent heading style
- Keep citations or notes in a uniform format
- Make URLs and resource names easy to read
- Double-check page numbering if your notes are long
Should back matter have page numbers?
Usually, yes. If your book uses page numbers throughout the interior, the back matter should continue that pattern unless there’s a specific reason not to. Readers expect the numbering to remain consistent.
The only exception is when a section is treated like a separate insert or promotional page, but that’s less common in standard print interiors. For most self-published books, keep page numbers running naturally from the front matter through the main text and into the back matter.
If your printer requires a certain layout, make sure your interior file reflects that. A tool like DocToPrint can help convert a Word manuscript into a print-ready PDF while keeping section breaks, page numbering, and layout choices consistent.
How long should back matter be?
There’s no perfect length, but shorter is often better. Readers who reach the end of your book want closure, not a second manuscript.
A practical range looks like this:
- Fiction: 1 to 4 pages, sometimes more for series books
- Nonfiction: 2 to 8 pages depending on notes, resources, and references
- Children’s books: Usually very short, unless there’s a learning guide or parent note
If the book is part of a series, you can stretch a little farther because readers are already primed for the next title. If it’s a standalone literary novel, keep the promotional material quieter.
Step-by-step: formatting back matter in Word
If you’re building the book in Word, back matter is easiest to manage when you treat it as a sequence of separate sections.
A simple workflow
- Finish the main content and save a clean version of the manuscript.
- Insert a page break after the final chapter.
- Add the first back matter heading.
- Format the text using the same body font and paragraph settings as the rest of the book.
- Insert page breaks between back matter sections if needed.
- Check for orphaned lines, awkward spacing, and repeated headings.
- Export or convert to PDF for final review.
If you’re reviewing a manuscript in sections, DocToPrint’s preview workflow can be useful for checking how back matter starts on the page before you generate the final print PDF.
Common back matter mistakes to avoid
Even experienced authors make the same formatting errors when they rush the end of a book.
- Starting back matter too early: Don’t interrupt the story or main content
- Using inconsistent heading styles: Keep the section visually unified
- Overloading the pages: Too much text makes the book feel crowded
- Forgetting page breaks: Each major section should start cleanly
- Mixing sales copy with content: Keep calls to action subtle and useful
- Leaving stale links: Check websites, email addresses, and QR codes before printing
A quick proofread of the final pages can prevent the kind of errors that show up only after the book is printed.
Conclusion: make back matter useful, simple, and consistent
A strong self-published book back matter section doesn’t need to be elaborate. It just needs to be organized, readable, and relevant to the reader. Whether you’re adding an author bio, acknowledgments, references, or a short “Also by the Author” page, the key is to format each piece with the same care you gave the main manuscript.
Think of back matter as the closing section of your print book, not an afterthought. Keep it clean, start each major part on a new page, and avoid clutter. If you’re converting a Word manuscript to a print-ready interior, that extra attention will help the final PDF look professional from first page to last.
And if you want a quicker way to check the finished interior before sending it to KDP or IngramSpark, a tool like DocToPrint can help turn your Word file into a properly formatted print PDF without fighting the layout at the end.
