Trying to write a great book title page? As readers open up a book, they flip page after page of front matter before reaching the magical page one, where the story finally begins. But just before the first words of a story is the book title page.
Often overlooked and potentially a missed opportunity for authors who don’t take the time to create a memorable one, the book title page is the first in-book opportunity for authors to bring their book’s vibe to life with inspiring graphics, thoughtful fonts, and a layout to draw the reader into the story, beckoning them to turn the page.
The Charm of a Smartly Crafted Book Title Page
Even though a reader should be familiar with a book’s title presented on an eye-catching, genre-familiar cover, authors can present it once more on a book title page along with a few other elemental details that will help nurture the book’s theme, key characters, or another visual element connected to the heart of the story.
The main inclusions on a book title page are the complete title including subtitles, the author’s full name, the publisher (if any), as well as a graphic element. Each of these is arranged in a familiar pattern and as a whole, the page acts as an introduction to the story itself. Carefully chosen fonts and surprising or quirky graphics contribute to a nod to the book’s feel, helping authors set the stage for the story about to unfold on the coming pages.
To craft your book title page, follow our five simple steps so that your book’s introductory pages will enhance your reader’s experience through carefully designed formatting, font, and graphic elements.
1. Select Style and Verify Book Title Page Direction
To get started in a solid word processing program like Microsoft Word, first open either your manuscript document or a new file to create a fresh page for the book title page content. Then, on the top left-hand side of the document, select Insert and Cover Page to start the process of making your title page.
2 Location: If you are creating a book title page in the final draft of your manuscript, ensure that your page is located on the right-facing side so it will be in the correct spot when the book is printed. The easiest way to check this location is to select View and Multiple Pages to see the whole document. Right-facing pages have odd numbers. If your page is not on an odd-numbered page, add a blank page before the book title page in the document so the title page will be printed on a right-facing page.
3. Insert an Image
Once you know the font you want to use, the next step is to insert the graphic element for your book title page. Play with the size and exact placement of the illustration, as well as consider simplifying the graphic element to see if a more complex or less detailed image works best. Remember that you are presenting an image that will be the last – and possibly the only – visual element the reader encounters in your book. Ensuring that it is clear, understandable, and contributes to the experience of your book’s reader, so the book title page is a memorable and meaningful part of your book.
4. Work on the Details
When the image has been placed, you can now insert the critical details that make the title page unique before reviewing the layout of the page.
Paste in the key elements like your book’s title, your full name and the name of the publisher, if any. The font for the non-title content should match the font used in the rest of the book.
Check to make sure that your title page’s margins are correct. The top and bottom of the page margins should match your manuscript’s margins exactly to create consistency throughout your book.
Pay attention to trim size, too, since any text or graphic element that lands too close to the margin could be in danger of being cut off during the process of trimming and binding your book.
5. Review and Save File
After looking over every element of your title page content, be sure to save it as a PDF so you can be sure that the carefully designed formatting does not change. However, be sure to save the original Word file in case any changes need to be made before printing your manuscript.
Programs That Can Help
Because a title page often includes a visual element combined with a precise format and style, using a user-friendly word processing or graphic design program to complete this page can be a help to most self-publishing authors.
Three of the most popular ones, Canva, Microsoft Word, and Unsplash, all include easy-to-use features that can help you draw out just the right look and feel for your title page without having to engage a graphic designer to create one that will pique your readers’ interest.
Canva: This versatile program offers both a free and paid version to help you create and integrate beautiful graphic elements into projects like title pages as well as offering a template to utilize for this and other book-related content. One of the free features that can help you create a beautiful title page is the custom sizing option, which allows you to perfectly craft a title page layout for any size book. After logging in, choose the Custom Size option on the upper right side of the content creation page to get started using this helpful feature.
Microsoft Word: A basic word processing program that many writers start out using is Microsoft Word, and its easy interface and plethora of templates make it a great starting point for writers new to self-publishing. Book formatting template options make creating a clean title page easy for everyone and the ability to import your pre-designed graphic elements quickly makes Word a good choice for those writers who need to work with a simple but reliable program.
Unsplash: One of the hurdles self-published authors discover in the creation of a unique and meaningful title page is the acquisition of the right graphic element to use. Unsplash can help you find just the right sketch, graphic design, or other type of illustration to use, free of charge. A huge selection of searchable options makes Unsplash a popular place for authors to source graphic elements that add the perfect element to their title page.
What is the Best Way to Make a Book Title Page?
Before the convenience of templates and word processing programs that help guide writers into crafting an almost fool-proof title page for their manuscripts, authors used to create these pages freehand by learning the correct spacing, margins, and font sizes to use. And we imagine that a few authors still choose to create theirs without the modern assistance tools we suggest now, too, but why would you want to?
Templates and integrated technology in programs like Microsoft Word make this process seamless and all but guarantee that your book’s title page will appear professionally crafted if you pair the simple steps with the design and graphic elements you are already employing in your book. The best way to make your title page is simply to use the helpful tools you have access to, integrate the correct fonts and graphic elements for your story, and ensure that you review and double check your final draft so that no errors or missteps show up on this small but important page of your book.
Finalizing Your Manuscript
When the final edits and revisions of your book are complete and your title page looks ready to present to your readers, partner with a printing company that can bring your book’s manuscript to life in a gorgeous, printed book.
Dazzle Printing can help you take your hard work and turn it into a book you are proud to get into the hands of your readers, ensuring that every font choice you pored over, illustration in the book title page you chose so intentionally, each margin of the manuscript, and all of the word choices and story lines you have worked so hard to make perfect will end up in a book your readers will love.
