How to Write a Book Foreword: 6 Steps Guide

While writing a book foreword is a difficult task, this article will walk you through how to get started and what to write. With this step-by-step guide, I will help show you everything you need to know about how to write a book foreword.

A foreword, which is frequently misspelt as “forward,” is a personal introduction to a book written directly to the readers. A foreword is usually written by someone other than the author of the story. You should probably delegate this task to a close friend or colleague. And if you’re chosen to write a foreword for someone else’s book, consider it a compliment!

This is where you should talk about the book, the author, and how you relate to it all. In a nutshell, you’re getting people excited about what’s to come.

If you’ve been chosen by a writer friend to write the foreword to a book, you should be prepared. Writing a book foreword is not as difficult as you may believe. And just because a foreword is one of the shortest sections of a book doesn’t mean it’s unimportant. This article will show you, in simple words, how to write a book foreword.

What Is a Book Foreword?

A book foreword is written by someone other than the author or editor to introduce the reader to the author of the book. This distinguishes it from a preface, which is written by the author to serve as an introduction to the book.

A preface usually tells the story of the book and how it came to be. A foreword, on the other hand, is written by someone else to lend credibility or validation to the author and their book.

A foreword comes first, followed by the preface and introduction. When people open a book, it’s the first thing they read.

That is why authors ask influential people they know to write forewords for their books. If the foreword is written by someone famous or influential, the title of the book will usually say “Foreword by [name].” Below are important things to consider on how to write a book foreword.

Important Considerations When Writing a Book Foreword

When you’re asked to compose a foreword, how should you write about?

Being requested to write a book foreword is a tremendous honour, and you should treat with seriousness. It can, however, be extremely daunting, so I’ll list a few important things to consider when writing a book foreword. These suggestions will make the writing process easier and more enjoyable. Follow these steps religiously, and you’d understand how to write a book foreword.

1. Discuss your personal connection to the author: Tell the reader how you encountered the writer and also how you got to know them. This might be a bigger priority than you think. This helps to portray the author as approachable and relatable.
2. Discuss how well the author has aided others, such as the readers (including you): This is incredibly beneficial if the author assisted with something that will be addressed in the book. These are ideal for self-help or non-fiction books, but they can also be used for fantasy.
3. Choose your main point: First, spend some time writing out what you want the central theme of your book foreword to be. Do you intend to start the discussion? Do you want to tell us about your personal experiences with the author? How do you want readers to feel after reading your foreword? This can assist you in deciding what stories to tell or what information to include.
4. Explain why you believe the author is competent to write the book: Given that the foreword is one of the first things in a book, you have the opportunity to introduce the author to potential readers. When writing your foreword, consider how you want people to feel about the author or the story. If the author is writing a book about child abuse, mentioning that they are a certified child advocate explains why the reader should read it. Readers will appreciate hearing that the author is well-versed in their field.
5. Discuss your active participation in the book: You might have contributed to the book. It would be a fantastic read to gain a deeper understanding of the author’s creative process.
6. Overall mood: When it is time to select the tone for the foreword, consider the overall tone of the book. If the manuscript is about a true comic story, for example, you don’t want an effervescent opening with funny, cute tales. Choose story lines and writing that suit the overall tone of the book. This isn’t to say you should abandon your writing voice tone  and style entirely, but you should keep it in alignment with the tone of the manuscript.

6 Steps Guide On How To Write a Book Foreword

Outline the main points to be covered

After you’ve answered those questions, create an outline before diving into the actual writing. This will stay you from becoming stressed out by gazing at a blank piece of paper and will stay you from experiencing the dreaded writers’ block.

Introduction

Begin your foreword by introducing yourself, the book, and the author. It doesn’t hurt to jump right into a story to pique the reader’s interest and explain why they should care about this book.

That story could be about your own experiences, a funny story about the author, as mentioned above, or the author’s process in writing this book. The introductory paragraphs should be one or two paragraphs long and should introduce both you and the author.

You’ll want to establish trust with the reader right away by highlighting your experience or qualifications for writing the introduction, even if it’s just based on your relationship with the author.

Establish your connection to the author

Then you should delve into your special relationship with the writer or their story. You may have collaborated together or met through a common experience. Perhaps you met in an unusual way, lending credibility or even pleasantness to the author. Keep this section to between three and four paragraphs.

Introduce the novel and the author’s qualifications

Once you’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to explain just what the novel entails and why the reader should actually give a damn.

This is where you’d discuss things like this book that explains latest findings, telling an intriguing tale, or any other information that will aid the reader in comprehending why it’s worthwhile to read. You should also explain why the writer is the best individual to pen this particular book.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to go overboard gushing about the writer as well as the story. You can leave it simple so that people understand your enthusiasm without feeling rushed. Keep this around two to three paragraphs.

Finish it up

After you’ve completed the preceding steps on how to write a book foreword, it’s time to finish up the foreword and make the readers enthusiastic to dig inside the book. You’ll want to highlight the voyage they are about to embark on by reading the book and get them enthused to turn to the following pages. Your summary should be around one paragraph long.

And, it’s a wrap! That’s how to write a book foreword in simple steps. Do you have a complete manuscript ready to be published? Click here to learn about Poemify Publishers affordable book publishing packages.

Books By Jaachi Anyatonwu