How To Write A Great Foreword

What Is A Foreword

A foreword (not “forward” or “foreward”) is a short introduction to a book written by someone other than the author, usually an industry leader, expert, celebrity or a person of influence, to lend credibility and authority to the book.

A foreword doesn’t contribute any additional information about the subject matter but serves as a means of validating why the book was written and why you should read it. The main purpose of a foreword is to boost book sales. It’s a way to introduce someone who may not be well known.

Six Easy Steps To A Great Foreword

Length: Aim for the 1,000 word mark (one to three pages). A foreword does not have to be wordy.

Make the foreword all about the book and its relevance or benefit to the reader. Share your expertise as it relates to the book. Your job is to give the reader a glimpse into how the book can help them, and why reading it is vitally important.

Be As Specific As Possible.

 Why do you think they picked up the book?

 What problem will it solve for them?

 How will the book benefit them?

1. You could write about a chapter in the book, the book as a whole or the author’s work in general.

Get a copy of the manuscript. If you have the time and the interest, read it. If not, skim the table of contents and read a chapter that captures your attention.

2. Write a short anecdote about something that happened in your life that relates — even loosely — to the book. You can also write something that relates to the chapter you just read.

3. Don’t Be Modest. You are writing the foreword because of your credibility and expertise; now is the time to use it. Don’t hesitate to remind people why you are well known in the first place.

4. Say something about the author. Have you met? How long have you known each other (or known of each other)? Can you relate a personal anecdote about the author? You could discuss how the author’s work has affected your life or the importance of the work you’re introducing.

5. If you don’t know the author personally, devote more space to the book’s message. Talk about the relevance of the book or project and rave about how much you believe in its validity.

6. Wrap it up. If you really want to look like a pro, reference an idea from your opening paragraph again at the end and bring the foreword full circle.

The tone of a foreword should be friendly, chatty, personal, and relatable.

End the foreword with your name, title, title of a recent book you have written, and the city where you live.