Forewords Don’t Have to Be Painful

Posted by Rick

July 24, 2008

Say a good friend has written a book and has asked if you would mind writing the foreword. After the initial honor has faded you are left with a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that promises to drag you down with it.

How do you start? What the heck is this thing called a foreword? When is it due? Next month! *Gasp*

Don’t panic. Look at this way. A foreword is simply a letter of introduction. The foreword welcomes the reader, places a reassuring hand on their shoulder, and prepares them for what is to come. Sound daunting? Not really. Here are some tips to get you started.

Make sure you’ve read the book. This one is a no brainer. “Oh - you mean the main character isn’t really running with scissors?”

Who are you? Start with telling the reader who you are. What are your qualifications? Why are you writing the foreword and not Aunt Nancy or Tom Brokaw?

How do you know the author? If they are a dear friend, tell the reader why they are a dear friend. Give them a funny story or anecdote. If you aren’t close friends, or the author is someone you’ve never met, tell the reader how they’ve touched you in some way. Why do you admire them? Why are they qualified to write what they are writing about and why should anyone care?

Relax. Pretend you are sitting with the reader in your favorite place. Be it in front of a warm fire, on the beach, or in a pub. Write as if you were having a conversation. It’s also ok to be witty.

Close with a smile . Wrap it up with a bow. Look back at what you’ve written and pull something from it to reference. Say the anecdote was about the time your friend fell off the dock in their tuxedo right before the wedding. They always swore they were pushed. You could close with “Oh - and Tom. I never pushed you on your wedding day, I was tying my shoes and your butt got in the way of my elbow….”

And the next time a good friend approaches you to write a foreword run to the hills.

Good luck!

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