I am deeply interested in the design part of making a book. I’ve finally got the writing part to an acceptable level (never done improving there!), but now, as I’m embarking on self-publishing, the way the thing is put together is a new mystery. Not so much “what” as “how”. And a little bit of “what”, too, to be honest. This was helpful. Thank you!
Lovely round up and thanks for including The Midnight Vault. But credit for the cover (and layout) should go to the designer Shane Bzdok: https://substack.com/@shanebzdok
How could I neglect the colophon? A poor book designer I am. Maybe because they are increasingly less a thing. If they’re on they’re own, I think they would go in the back, but I think these days the info that would have gone on a colophon page goes on the copyright now.
Now what did I do?! I promise to try harder to not do any of that 😀
I’ll be clinging to my half title page like a grammar geek hugs an Oxford comma, a Boomer hugs a cover page, an AI chatbot embraces an emdash. It’s a nonnegotiable front matter element for me, set in the same type as the cover and the full title page, even though it technically doesn’t have to be but why not go the extra mile? It’s one of those things I look for on any indie-published book that acknowledges the publishing standards; the craftsmanship and experience of the designers that turns a manuscript into a book. It signals to the other people who do this stuff for a living that you know what hell you are doing. That and ligatures, but that is a whole other boiling pot of crazy.
The half title page is the pause before the commit for the reader. Do I really want to turn that page and dive in?! Last chance to turn around… next rest stop, page 264. Read the index; someone put a lot of thought into that thing.
Haha a while back I asked what book interior topics people might want to read about and you suggested front and back matter!
I also love a half title, and I think you articulated why wonderfully. It’s a nod to tradition and a little resistance against constant optimization and efficiency.
I am deeply interested in the design part of making a book. I’ve finally got the writing part to an acceptable level (never done improving there!), but now, as I’m embarking on self-publishing, the way the thing is put together is a new mystery. Not so much “what” as “how”. And a little bit of “what”, too, to be honest. This was helpful. Thank you!
Lovely round up and thanks for including The Midnight Vault. But credit for the cover (and layout) should go to the designer Shane Bzdok: https://substack.com/@shanebzdok
Thank you! Sorry Shane! I didn’t dig enough in my initial look.
Thanks for including my book! My design team at Leafwood did a great job on it!
A solid, practical guide, my friend. Thank you for sharing! Are colophons still a thing? If so, where do you see that living? Up front or in the back?
Also, massive thanks for featuring The Midnight Vault.
How could I neglect the colophon? A poor book designer I am. Maybe because they are increasingly less a thing. If they’re on they’re own, I think they would go in the back, but I think these days the info that would have gone on a colophon page goes on the copyright now.
My pleasure!
Now what did I do?! I promise to try harder to not do any of that 😀
I’ll be clinging to my half title page like a grammar geek hugs an Oxford comma, a Boomer hugs a cover page, an AI chatbot embraces an emdash. It’s a nonnegotiable front matter element for me, set in the same type as the cover and the full title page, even though it technically doesn’t have to be but why not go the extra mile? It’s one of those things I look for on any indie-published book that acknowledges the publishing standards; the craftsmanship and experience of the designers that turns a manuscript into a book. It signals to the other people who do this stuff for a living that you know what hell you are doing. That and ligatures, but that is a whole other boiling pot of crazy.
The half title page is the pause before the commit for the reader. Do I really want to turn that page and dive in?! Last chance to turn around… next rest stop, page 264. Read the index; someone put a lot of thought into that thing.
Haha a while back I asked what book interior topics people might want to read about and you suggested front and back matter!
I also love a half title, and I think you articulated why wonderfully. It’s a nod to tradition and a little resistance against constant optimization and efficiency.