Self-Publishing: Does Your Book Need a Foreword, Preface or Introduction?

                                              
Books have a basic structure that includes end papers (blank pages at the front), a title page, perhaps a dedication page,a foreword, preface, or introduction, a Table of Contents or list of chapters, an afterword or conclusion. If you've written a non-fiction book it also needs a bibliography, an index and, in some instances, footnotes.
The beginning of your book can be the difference between a sale or no sale. You only have a few seconds to get the reader's attention. Non-fiction books usually have a foreword, preface, or introduction. While these sections are similar, they are also different. Which one will you choose?
A foreword is written by someone else -- an expert in the field, another writer, a famous person, or official. It doesn't have to be long, but the foreword (often misspelled forward) does have to relate to the book and tell how it can help the reader.


The author writes the preface and it has to be a grabber. You may tell how the book came about, its purpose, and list some of the features. Bulleting the features will make them stand out from the text. Your preface should include a short description of the book, tell why you wrote it, your target audience and, most important of all, tell what makes your book different.

Though your preface isn't the same as the "sell copy" on the back cover, it has to sell your book to the reader. It doesn't have to be long and should read like a preface, not like a chapter. Acknowledgements may also be part of your preface. You also have the option of acknowledging people and thanking them on a separate page.

This leads to your third choice, an introduction, which is really an essay that states your views and experience. You may state a problem, describe a life-changing experience, or issue a call to action. Introductions are important because they can, and do, determine whether or not a person buys your book.

Logically, you might think you need to write your foreword, preface or introduction first. But years of writing have taught me to wait a bit and see how the chapters of my book come together. To ensure that it matches the content, I start this section and continue to work on it while I'm writing the manuscript. In fact, I revise this section again and again until it feels right and sounds right when read out loud.

Remember, you only have about 10 seconds to get a potential buyer's attention. That's why it is important to revise the beginning section of your book. Write a draft and put it away for a few weeks. Then take out your draft and see if you like it. Is the draft a good lead-in for your book? Test your preface on a few friends, or even a few strangers. Did this section make them want to read your book?

Whether you choose a foreword, preface or introduction, this section demands your writing best. So keep revising, keep polishing, keep reading this section out loud until it sounds right. Give it all you've got!