Front matter in a book: what it is and what changes in translation
Front matter in a book is everything that comes before the story starts: the title page, the copyright page, the dedication and the table of contents. Back matter is what comes after it: acknowledgments, a bio, and pointers to more books. Most readers skip these pages, but stores, libraries and anyone looking for your book don't. When a book comes out in a new language, some of these pages need to change, and some need to be rewritten.
What's in the front matter in a book
Most books open in roughly the same order, even if not every book needs every part.
The title page. The book's title, the author's name, and sometimes the publisher's name. This isn't the cover. It's the first page inside the book, and it's usually free of design.
The copyright page. Usually on the back of the title page, in small print. The year of publication, who holds the rights, the publisher's name if there is one, and sometimes an identifying number for the book. No reader reads it, but anyone who needs official information about the book looks for it there.
Dedication and epigraph. Optional. One line for the person the book is dedicated to, or a short quote that opens the book.
Table of contents. Close to mandatory in nonfiction. In a novel it's a matter of taste, but in an ebook a table of contents with links helps the reader get around.
Preface or introduction. Mostly in nonfiction, or when someone else writes a few words about the book.
What's in the pages after the story
Acknowledgments. For the people who helped the book come into the world.
About the author. A paragraph or two about you.
More books. A list of other books you've written, or a pointer to your website or mailing list.
In an ebook the last page is worth more than it seems. A reader who got there finished the book, and if they loved it, that's the moment they're most ready to look for more.
What changes when the book is translated
Most of these pages aren't translated word for word. Each one needs a little thought of its own.
The title page gets the book's new title. And the new title usually isn't a direct translation of the old one. We wrote about this in the title and back-cover copy get rewritten, not translated.
The copyright page needs an addition. It's standard to list the book's title in the original language, the original language itself, and who translated it. That helps libraries and stores link the versions, and it's also simply fair to whoever did the work. We wrote about the translator credit question in who gets credit for the translation.
The dedication usually stays as it is, translated. It's personal, and there's no reason to change it.
The acknowledgments can get shorter. Thanking the neighborhood bookstore that supported you, the writing group in Haifa or your high school teacher is moving in Hebrew, but to a reader in another language those are names without context. You don't have to cut them, but you're allowed to.
The bio should be rewritten. An Israeli literary prize, a column in a local paper or a radio interview says a lot to a Hebrew reader and little to anyone else. Write for the new reader: who you are, where you live, and what's worth knowing about you to read the book.
More books should point only to what exists in the new language. A list of books in a language the reader doesn't read just confuses them. If there are no other books in their language yet, point to your website or mailing list.
What to check before you upload
Three small things that are easy to miss.
First, the title on the title page matches the title on the cover and on the book's store page. Stores compare them, and a mismatch can hold up approval.
Second, there's no leftover from the original version anywhere in the front matter: an old year, the name of a publisher that has nothing to do with this version, or a sentence left in the original language.
Third, links. If there's a link to your website on the last page, check that it leads to a page in the right language.
In short
The front and back matter are the least exciting part of the book, and the easiest to neglect in translation. But they're where the book introduces itself to the store, to the library, and to the reader who finished and wants more. It's worth giving them an hour. More questions are collected in our FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as front matter in a book?
Everything that comes before the story starts: the title page, the copyright page, a dedication, a table of contents, and sometimes an introduction or preface. Many books also have a short page with a quote or epigraph.
What should appear on the copyright page of a translated book?
On top of what appears in any book, it's worth listing the book's title in the original language, the original language, and who translated it. That way a reader, a librarian or a store knows it's a translation, and of which book.
Do the acknowledgments and bio need to be translated?
Yes, but not word for word. Thanks to people and places the new reader doesn't know can be shortened. The bio should be rewritten for the reader in the new language, because what impresses people in one country doesn't necessarily mean anything in another.
What goes at the end of the book?
Usually acknowledgments, a short author bio, and sometimes a pointer to your other books or your website. In an ebook these pages matter even more, because they're where a reader who finished and loved the book finds out what to read next.