Resources Formatting Guides
What Is a Half-Title Page?
What a half-title page is, what goes on it, and whether your book needs one in print and ebook.
If you have ever opened a printed book and found a page with just the title on it before the "real" title page, you have met the half-title page. It is one of those quiet conventions of book design that most readers never think about, but that makes a book feel properly made. Here is what it is, what goes on it, and whether your book needs one.
What goes on a half-title page
Almost nothing, and that is the point. A half-title page shows only the title of the book, usually set in the same style as the full title page but alone on the page. No subtitle, no author name, no publisher. It is the first printed page of the book proper, and it sits before the full title page.
Why it exists
The half-title is partly tradition and partly practical. Historically it protected the more detailed title page while books were bound and sold unbound. Today it survives because it gives a printed book a gentle, considered opening, a beat of quiet before the title page and the story. It is a small signal of care that readers associate with professionally published books.
Print and ebook are different
A half-title page suits print far more than ebook. In a paperback or hardcover it adds polish. In an ebook, where readers want to reach the story quickly and every opening screen counts, it is usually left out. This is a good example of why the same book often needs slightly different front matter in each format, rather than one set of pages forced into both.
Adding a half-title page in Koberger
Koberger includes a half-title as one of its section types, so you can add it to your book in a click and let the preset style it to match your title page. Because you can mark a section as print-only, you can include the half-title in your paperback and leave it out of the ebook, which is exactly how most books handle it. For the bigger picture, see our guide to front matter, and try building your book for free.
Frequently asked questions
What is a half-title page?
A half-title page is a page near the front of a book that shows only the book title, with nothing else. It comes before the full title page and acts as a quiet, traditional opening to the book.
Do you need a half-title page?
It is optional. Print books, especially paperbacks and hardcovers, often include one because it is a long-standing convention that makes a book feel finished. Ebooks usually leave it out to get the reader to the story quickly.
What is the difference between a half-title and a title page?
The half-title page shows only the book title. The full title page, which comes after it, shows the title, subtitle, author name, and often the publisher. The half-title is a minimal opening; the title page carries the full details.
Do ebooks need a half-title page?
Usually not. Because ebook readers value getting to the content quickly, most ebooks skip the half-title and open closer to the title page or the story. A good formatter lets you include a section in print but not in the ebook.