Interior Formatting

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using inconsistent fonts or a decorative body font that makes a whole book tiring to read.
• Page numbers appearing on pages that are traditionally left unnumbered, such as the title or copyright page.
• Chapter titles that don't match the actual header text, usually left over from an earlier draft with different chapter names.
• Forgetting to insert a page break (or section break) after front matter, so your first chapter starts partway down a page instead of at the top.

Completion checklist

0 of 5 checked

• I chose readable, consistent body text and chapter-heading styles.
  What does this mean? Fonts, body text, and styles

  Fonts, body text, and styles

  A font family is a typeface such as Georgia. Body text is the main reading text. A paragraph style is a saved set of formatting rules you can apply consistently.

  Try this: Use a body style for ordinary paragraphs and a heading style for chapter titles. Change the style once to update matching paragraphs. Two font families is a useful design guideline, not a publishing rule; readability and consistency come first.

• Page numbers follow a consistent sequence and are hidden where my design requires.
  What does this mean? How should page numbers work?

  How should page numbers work?

  Page numbers should update automatically rather than being typed onto each page. A page can count in the sequence even when its number is hidden.

  Try this: Title pages commonly hide their numbers. Choose a consistent treatment for other opening and image pages. Front matter may use a different numbering system. Check the exported PDF for missing, duplicated, or restarted numbers. This is for print; reflowable ebooks behave differently.

• Headers or footers are set up correctly for left and right pages.
  What does this mean? What are headers and footers?

  What are headers and footers?

  A header repeats in the top margin, and a footer repeats in the bottom margin. They can contain a book title, author name, or page number. You do not have to use all of them.

  Try this: A printed book might show the author on left pages and the title on right pages, while hiding the header on chapter openings. Section settings can control these differences; dedicated book tools may handle them automatically.

• Every chapter starts on its intended page using the program’s chapter or page-break controls.
  What does this mean? Page breaks versus section breaks

  Page breaks versus section breaks

  A page break starts the next content on a new page. A section break can also let one part of a document use different page numbers, headers, or layout settings. They serve different purposes.

  Try this: Use a real page or chapter break rather than repeated Enter presses. If chapter openings need different headers or numbering, a section setting may also be needed. The right method depends on your software. Check the final PDF for unwanted blank pages.

• Front matter and back matter are placed in the correct order.
  What does this mean? What are front and back matter?

  What are front and back matter?

  Front matter is material before the main text, such as a title page, copyright page, dedication, or contents. Back matter follows the main text, such as acknowledgments, an author biography, or a glossary.

  Try this: A simple novel might use title page → copyright → optional dedication → story → acknowledgments → about the author. This is an example, not a compulsory list. Include only the sections your book needs and check their order in the exported file.

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