You open your manuscript, insert page numbers, and the title page says 1. The copyright page says 2. Chapter one starts on page 7, on the left. Nothing is broken, yet any reader who picks up a published book will feel that something is off. Book page numbering follows a handful of conventions that a word processor doesn't know about, and they're quick to learn.
Where does page 1 start in a book?
Page 1 is the first page of the main text: usually the opening of chapter one, or of the introduction or prologue when that is part of the story or argument. Everything before it is front matter and is counted on its own.
Two rules follow from that:
- Page 1 is a right-hand page (recto). Open any printed book and the right-hand pages carry odd numbers, the left-hand pages (verso) even ones. If chapter one would land on a left-hand page, a blank page goes before it.
- The cover is never a page. Covers are printed separately and aren't part of the count at all.
Do you use roman numerals for the front matter?
Traditionally, yes. Front matter is numbered in lowercase roman numerals (i, ii, iii), and arabic numbering restarts at 1 with the main text. The reason is practical: the front matter was often set last, after the index, and roman numerals let the printer add a foreword or extra contents page without renumbering the whole book.
For a short self-published book the split is optional. Leaving the front matter unnumbered and starting at 1 with chapter one is a common and perfectly readable choice. Front matter and back matter lists which pages belong where.
Which pages don't show a number?
Many pages are counted but don't print a number. These are called blind folios.
| Page | Counted? | Number printed? |
|---|---|---|
| Half-title | Yes (i) | No |
| Title page | Yes | No |
| Copyright page | Yes | No |
| Dedication, epigraph | Yes | No |
| Contents | Yes | Usually yes (roman) |
| Foreword, preface | Yes | Yes (roman) |
| Blank pages | Yes | No |
| Part opener pages | Yes | No |
| Chapter opening page | Yes | Dropped to the footer, or none |
| Body pages | Yes | Yes (arabic) |
| Back matter (notes, index) | Yes, continuing arabic | Yes |
The idea behind every row: a number goes where it helps a reader find their place, and comes off pages that are designed to stand on their own.
Where should the page number go?
Two placements are standard:
- Footer, centred or outer corner. The simplest choice, and the usual one for non-fiction and self-published books.
- Header, outer corner, next to the running head (book title on the left page, chapter title on the right). Common in trade fiction. Running heads in books covers that layout.
Use the body typeface, at or slightly below body size. "Outer corner" means the left edge on left-hand pages and the right edge on right-hand ones, so the number is never lost in the gutter. Keep the position the same on every numbered page.
How do you number pages in Word for a book?
Word can do all of this, but it needs section breaks, because each change of numbering style belongs to a new section.
- Put a Section Break (Next Page) after the front matter (Layout › Breaks). Use Odd Page instead if chapter one must start on a right-hand page.
- Double-click the footer of the first page of chapter one and turn off Link to Previous, so the two sections number independently.
- Insert › Page Number, choose a position, then Format Page Numbers and set Start at 1.
- Click into the front-matter footer, choose Format Page Numbers again and pick i, ii, iii.
- For pages that shouldn't show a number, use Different First Page in each section, or remove the number in that section's footer.
- If you use outer-corner numbers, tick Different Odd & Even Pages and set left and right footers separately.
Google Docs handles simple numbering (Insert › Page numbers, with an option to skip the first page) but is limited with mixed roman and arabic sections. Formatting a book in Google Docs covers what it can and can't do.
Do ebooks have page numbers?
Ebooks don't print page numbers. An EPUB or Kindle file reflows to the reader's screen and font size, so a "page" changes from device to device, and the reading app shows its own position or percentage. Don't type page numbers into an ebook, and turn any "see page 47" cross-references into links. Some EPUBs carry a hidden page list that maps locations back to the print edition, which matters for citations but isn't something readers see on the page.
How do you get page numbers right without fighting the software?
Most numbering mistakes come from the same source: the number is treated as text you place by hand, so every edit that moves a page breaks it. The fix is a tool that knows which pages are covers and which are body pages.
In bukpress you write the book in Markdown and the preview paginates as you type. Page numbers are one toggle. When it's on, they sit centred in the footer at 9pt in the body typeface. The front and back covers never pick up a number, because covers are a different kind of page from the body. Numbering starts at 1 and doesn't split into roman and arabic, which is the simpler treatment most self-published PDFs and ebooks need. The same manuscript exports to an A4 PDF and an EPUB, and the EPUB carries no printed numbers, as it should.
It's one payment of $27 for books up to 500 pages, with a 7-day refund. See the sample book to check the footer in a finished export, then start your book in bukpress.
Common questions
Is the title page page 1?
The title page is not page 1. It's counted in the front matter (often as page iii) but doesn't print a number. Page 1 is the first page of the main text.
Should chapters start on odd pages?
In traditional print layouts, yes: each chapter opens on a right-hand (odd) page, with a blank left page before it when needed. Many self-published books and most ebooks let chapters start on either side to save pages. Both are acceptable; pick one and keep it.
Does the dedication page get a number?
It's counted but usually shows no number, like the title and copyright pages.
Should the index and notes be numbered?
Yes. Back matter continues the arabic numbering from the main text, so readers can find the notes and index from the contents page.
What is a folio in a book?
In book design, a folio is the printed page number itself. A "blind folio" is a page that is counted but shows no number, and a "drop folio" is a number moved to the bottom of a chapter opening page.