If you’ve written a photography book, please use the following guidelines to apply the final formatting touches to your book. Please read each guideline carefully to be sure your book complies.

Table of Contents: A table of contents is necessary. Each photo collection should be considered a separate “chapter.” *If the photos belong to a section or category, please list each photo accordingly. Chapters should not be numbered. Please do not include page numbers (since these will change) or Xs to hold the place of future page numbers. This will be taken care of at a later stage in production.

*Please refer to the “Begin here” page for how to format chapter titles.

Incorrect:

Table of Contents

Landscapes….……………………………XX

Portraits………………………………..….XX

Abstract..…………………………….…….XX

Still Lifes…………………………………..XX

Correct:

Table of Contents

Landscapes

Portraits

Abstract

Still Lifes

Captions: If your photos have descriptions or captions please add, brackets included: [Note to Layout: Caption 1] to designate that you would like the caption to be placed in the margin. For example:

Photo 1

[Note to Layout: Caption 1]

BACKMATTER

The term backmatter refers to the text that will appear on the back cover of your book. This always includes a short teaser about the book and an author bio about yourself. Sometimes this can include endorsements, but endorsements are never necessary. Please be aware that because of limited space available on the back cover, backmatter must adhere to specific word count limits depending on the length of the manuscript. Typically, these are what those limits are:

Manuscript length: 0–20,000 words → Backmatter length: 200-250 words

Manuscript length: 20,001–80,000 words → Backmatter length: 225–275 words

Manuscript length: 80,001–up → Backmatter length: 300–325 words

Teaser: Your teaser should be a short paragraph that immediately hooks the reader by providing a small amount of information about what can be found in the book. A teaser should include the name of the book at least once and may or may not include the author’s name. In the editing phase of production, your editor will work with you, using the teaser you provide, to revise and refine it. Your editor may only use elements of the teaser you submit to make the back cover as marketable and intriguing as possible while adhering to the word count limit.

Sample Teaser:

Photography is an art form that can open our senses to see and experience, from a new perspective, what we would not usually perceive in the course of ordinary life. In Photos from the Heart, readers will view the world through author Joe Speck’s eyes and come to understand just how touching, personal, and intimate photography can really be.

Author Bio: Your author bio should be a short paragraph that provides information about yourself as the author. This can include but is not limited to: work experience, field experience that pertains to the subject matter of the book, education experience and achievements, current place of residence, and family information. Your editor may also work with you to revise the author bio to make it relevant and interesting and, again, adhere to the backmatter word count limits.

Sample Bio:

Author Joe Speck was born and raised in Alaska and has traveled the world following his dream of photography. He loves finding the photographic elements in even the most mundane aspects of life. He has a bachelor’s degree in photography from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Chickasha. When he is not shooting pictures, Joe likes to spend time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he also enjoys gardening and landscaping.

ENDORSEMENTS

Endorsements are never necessary, but if you have one or two to include, please click the Endorsements link and follow the guidelines provided there. If your endorsement(s) cannot meet the criteria set forth in the guidelines, please revise it or omit it.

Congratulations! You’ve finished the last formatting step! Please proceed by clicking the Submit Your Manuscript link at the top of the page.