Once you finish writing your book, you can feel as though the hard work is over. But taking your book from manuscript to published book can be a frustrating and baffling process.
One question I get asked a lot is whether a book needs a table of contents (TOC), and the answer is: it depends.
As a general rule, non-fiction books, magazines, and reports require a table of contents, as do digitised fiction books. However, paperback and hardback fiction rarely need a table of contents.
I know that formatting and typesetting can be tricky, and with so many other things to worry about, you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time stressing over these details.
So I’m going to go through this topic, answer all your questions and help you decide about what is best for the book you want to publish.
So in this article, I’m going to explore:
- Is a table of contents necessary?
- Do fiction books have a table of contents
- Why do some books not have a table of contents?
- How many pages require a table of contents?
- What should be included in the table of contents?
- Where does the table of contents go in a book?
Is A Table Of Contents Necessary?
In general, a table of contents is only necessary for non-fiction books, magazines, reports, or digital novels. If you are writing any other type of book, such as a comic, then it is unlikely that you will need to include a table of contents.
Ultimately, whether to include a table of contents in your book is up to you. If you think it will be helpful to your readers, by all means, include one! If you’re not sure, try it out and see how it goes. Worst-case scenario, you can always take it out later.
Do Fiction Books Have A Table Of Contents?
In most cases, printed fiction books do not require a table of contents. However, the table of contents can be useful in digital novels and in some printed books.
The main reason for this is that fiction books tend to be linear – the reader reads from start to finish without going back and forth between different sections. Therefore, there is no need for a table of contents, as the reader will already know what comes next.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if your book has multiple timelines or story arcs that intertwine, then a table of contents can be helpful in keeping track of where the reader is in the story.
Also, the ‘look inside’ function available in online stores allows a reader to see the chapters in the story via the table of contents. So, I have found in my own novels that enticing chapter headings encourage the reader to buy the book.
Why Do Some Books Not Have A Table Of Contents?
There are a few reasons some books don’t have a table of contents. The first reason is that the book is too short. The second reason is that the book is too linear, such as fiction books. In this case, a printed table of contents would be a waste of time and paper.
Also, some authors believe that a table of contents can give too much away and ruin the element of surprise for the reader. For example, if a book is full of twists and turns, then knowing what happens in each chapter could spoil the story.
I get around this by creating chapter titles which are intriguing without being spoilers, and in some cases, I create ambiguous chapter titles which deliberately mislead the audience! Cheeky!
How Many Pages Require A Table Of Contents?
The number of pages that require a table of contents varies depending on the book’s genre, length, and complexity. A ten-page story will not need a table of contents, but a ten-page report will.
As a general rule, non-fiction books often have longer and more detailed tables of contents than fiction books. This is because non-fiction books are usually divided into sections, subsections, and chapters, whereas fiction books are usually only divided into chapters.
My second novel was divided into four parts and had chapter titles and section headers. I felt it was important to include these as a TOC in the printed version of my book. However, it added pages to the book unnecessarily (adding cost) but gave no extra value to the reader. In my second print run, I deleted the table of contents from the printed books but kept it in the ebook.
As mentioned above, ebooks can benefit from a table of contents because the ‘look inside’ function in online stores allows potential readers to see the chapter headings before they decide whether to buy the book.
What Should Be Included In The Table Of Contents?
A table of contents should include the introduction, the main contents of the book (i.e. chapter headings and subheadings), and the back matter (appendices, glossary, about the author etc), as well as the corresponding page numbers.
The level of detail in a table of contents will depend on the type of book you are writing, with a non-fiction book containing more detail and information than a novel.
However, there are some elements that should NOT be included in the tables of contents, regardless of the book’s genre or length.
These elements are:
- The title of the book
- The author’s name
- The date of publication
- Copyright information
- Dedication (if applicable)
- Epigraph (if applicable)
- Acknowledgements (if applicable)
- Preface (if applicable)
- Foreword (if applicable)
- Table of contents (Yes, I have seen people include the TOC in the TOC!)
With all of this being said, ultimately it is up to the author to decide whether to include a table of contents in their book.
If you are unsure, it is always best to err on the side of caution and include a TOC. That way, you can be sure that your readers will be able to navigate their way through your book with ease. You can always remove it later!
Example Of Table Of Contents
It’s often easier to see whether you should include a TOC, and how it should look by examining examples of books similar to yours. So, I have provided you with a couple of examples to examine:
Below is an example of a table of contents from a non-fiction book.
Table of Contents
How to Use This Book ……………………………. 1
Part I: The Basics …………………………………. 5
Chapter 1: What Is Social Media Marketing? …. 7
Chapter 2: Setting Your Goals ……………… 15
Chapter 3: Creating Your Strategy ………….. 23
Part II: Getting Started ………………………… 31
Chapter 4: Getting to Know the Big Players … 33
Chapter 5: Creating Your Accounts …………. 41
Chapter 6: Optimizing Your Profiles ………. 49
Part III: Content ………………………………… 55
Chapter 7: Planning and Creating Content … 5
Chapter 8: Images, Videos, and infographics ……………………………………..67
Chapter 9: Blogging ………………………….. 77
Part IV: Engagement …………………………… 85
Chapter 10: Twitter ………………………….. 87
Chapter 11: Facebook ……………………….. 95
Chapter 12: LinkedIn ………………………. 103
Chapter 13: Instagram …………………….. 111
Part V: Advertising and Measuring Results ………………………………….119
Chapter 14: Advertising on Social Media 121
Chapter 15: Measuring Your Results …….. 129
Part VI: The Part of Tens …………………….. 135
Ten Tactics for Dealing with Haters … 137
Ten Ways to Create Better Content …… 145
Ten Tips for Boosting Engagement …. 153
Index …………………………………………….. 161
As you can see, this table of contents is very specific, including not only chapter titles and page numbers but also subheadings. This level of detail is appropriate for a non-fiction book and will be used as a reference by the reader.
For a novel, the table of contents would be much simpler, listing only chapter titles and page numbers.
Here is an example of a table of contents for a short fantasy ebook:
Table of Contents
Map of Thanaria
Prologue
Chapter One: The Dark King
Chapter Two: Old Fool
Chapter Three: The Brittle Crown
Epilogue
About the Author
As you can see, there are no subheadings or page numbers. But I have given the chapters intriguing headings so the reader can get a peek at the story with nothing being given away.
In this example, I have also included a map, prologue and epilogue so you can see where they would fit in the TOC.
Where Should The Table Of Contents Go In A Book?
The table of contents is found at the beginning of a book, before the introduction and the main content, but after the front matter.
- The Title Page
- The Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Preface
- Table of Contents
The table of contents should not include the front matter (copyright page, title page, dedication, acknowledgements etc), and should only list the main content and the back matter with the corresponding page numbers (not required in a digital book).
Should The Table Of Contents Be Numbered?
In most printed books, the page numbering begins at the main content. This is the first chapter or the introduction. Front matter preceding this, including the table of contents, is not usually numbered, or is numbered using roman numerals: i, ii, iii, iv, etc.
Remember: ebooks don’t have numbered pages. This is because e-readers vary, as do readers’ preferences for font and page scrolling options. This means that the table of contents in an ebook should not have page numbers.
The table of contents in an ebook should instead be hyperlinks which take the reader to the corresponding point within the book. Most typesetting and formatting software will create your hyperlinks for you, and if you are concerned about this, I suggest you use one of the free or paid-for tools I have examined in my article about all book formatting which you can read here.
Do I Include A Table Of Contents In The Manuscript?
The manuscript is the author’s text document which has not yet been published, while the word ‘book’ is the complete, formatted and typed version ready for publication.
If you are sending your novel manuscript to a publisher, you do not need a table of contents. If you are uploading your novel to a typesetting software, such as Vellum, the software will create the TOC for you.
However, always make sure you consult the submission guidelines before sending your manuscript anywhere, as different publishers will have different requirements, and submission guidelines for non-fiction may differ from fiction.
Although most formatting and typesetting software will prepare your table of contents for you, you will still have to make sure you correctly format your text document (manuscript) for the software to ‘read’.
I have gone into a lot more detail about this process in my article dedicated to formatting: How Do I Format A Self-Published Book? (A simple & complete guide)
What Comes First Acknowledgement Or Table Of Contents?
Acknowledgements and dedications always come before the table of contents and should not be included in the list of contents.
The dedication is usually short, just a few words or a sentence highlighting who the author has dedicated the book to, and is positioned after the copyright page. This is followed by the acknowledgements (if applicable) which are usually longer, up to a page and include a detailed list of contributed and supporters.
Does The Preface Come Before The Table Of Contents?
The foreword and the preface are positioned before the table of contents and should not be included within it. While the introduction is considered part of the main body of the text and should be placed after the TOC and included in it.
Someone other than the author writes the foreword and gives their opinion of the book. The author writes the preface and gives an overview of the book, their inspiration for writing it and any other relevant information. While the introduction is found within the main content and written by the author, providing an in-depth look at the subject matter.
As a general rule, the preface, foreword, and introduction appear only in non-fiction. While prologues and epilogues are more common in fiction books.
What is the difference between an index and a contents page?
An index is found in non-fiction books and is an alphabetical list of the topics covered within, with the corresponding page numbers. A contents page is found in both fiction and non-fiction books and lists all the chapters/sections within, with the corresponding page numbers.
An index is not essential in a work of fiction, but some authors do choose to include one. This is usually a list of characters with a brief description and the corresponding page number they first appear on.
In Summary
The table of contents is found at the beginning of a book, before the introduction and the main content, but after the front matter. The title page, copyright page, dedication, acknowledgements, foreword, preface and table of contents should not include the front matter.
The table of contents should only list the main content and the back matter with the corresponding page numbers (not required in a digital book).
In most books, the page numbering begins at the main content. The front matter preceding this, including the table of contents, is not usually numbered, or is numbered using roman numerals: i, ii, iii, iv, etc.
If you are sending your novel manuscript to a publisher, you do not need a table of contents. If you are uploading your novel to a typesetting software, such as Vellum, the software will create the TOC for you.
For more information about formatting your manuscript, take a look at my article: How Do I Format A Self-Published Book? (A simple & complete guide)
Good luck, and happy publishing”