Xlibris presents a Guide to the Foreword, Preface, and Introduction

Guide to the Foreword, Preface, and Introduction

Xlibris knows you’ve asked the question, “When is this book actually going to begin?”

By Xlibris Publishing - September 26, 2013

Xlibris knows you’ve asked the question, “When is this book actually going to begin?” How many readers, turning the page in anticipation of seeing “Chapter One,” have been met instead by a preface? Or have read a few pages of introduction, only to realize at the end that it wasn’t even the book’s writer speaking to them?

What is a foreword? A preface? An introduction? Do you need all of them? In this article, Xlibris will clear up the matter for our authors, once and for all!

The Foreword (NOT the “forward!”)

This is probably the easiest part to identify because it’s usually written by someone other than the author. Basically, it’s someone else telling you why you should read it. “Who” writes it is just as important (and sometimes more important) as “What” that person writes.

If you’re self-publishing, find someone with authority on your book’s subject to write your foreword, because they’ll be lending you a bit of their credibility. While your mom would no doubt lavish praise on your latest whodunit, unless her name happens to be Cornwell, Gerritsen, or James, her stamp of approval is unlikely to increase your sales.

Remember, the foreword is a marketing tool. Whoever writes it will likely be mentioned on the book’s cover; after all, if one of a reader’s favorite authors likes this book, maybe the reader will too.

The Preface

Here things become a bit murkier, but not overwhelmingly so. Whereas the foreword was praise from someone other than the author, the preface gives the author a chance to toot her own horn. It’s a bit like a job interview; the author will talk about her own credentials, and why her book is worth your time. Like the foreword, a well-written preface will build credibility for the book. The author might also explain what led her to write the book in the first place.

Some authors will include acknowledgements in the preface, while others will give these their own section called, predictably enough, “Acknowledgements.”

The Introduction

The preface is where the author talks about themselves, but the introduction is where the book itself takes center stage. Usually (but not always) written by the author, the introduction is where she starts to whet your appetite for what follows. If the book has a central theme it will be likely be raised here, as well as a summary of the book’s contents. The goal here is to grab the reader’s interest, to make them continue turning the pages. If the preface answers the question “Why was this book written?” the introduction answers the question “What is it about?”

So that does it for the foreword, preface, and introduction. We hope our self-publishing writers have found this interesting and informative! Next time, we’ll flip to the rear of the book and see what lurks there. For now though, Xlibris hopes you’ve found this interesting, and looks forward to seeing you again!

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