Even among the many misunderstood aspects of publishing, the foreword—with its easily confused spelling and nuanced role—holds a special place. For publishing industry insiders, however, it’s clear that forewords can be a powerful tool for authors looking to boost their discoverability and emphasize their expertise.

If you’ve ever wondered if your book needs a foreword—or even what a foreword is—please read on to get answers to these queries and other commonly asked questions about book forewords.

What is a foreword?

A foreword tells readers why they should read the book, including descriptions of the purpose, creation, and/or importance of the book; a foreword is always written by someone other than you.

The purpose of a foreword is to both introduce the book’s contents and you to readers and establish your credibility. It does this by describing the main topic or pain points that the book addresses and highlights how the book covers them. The foreword writer should include information on their experience in dealing with the topics or themes in the book. Also, the foreword writer typically praises you and the book, communicating how you add value to the reader.

Most forewords include:

· A description of the main topic or pain points that the book addresses, highlighting how the book covers them

· A personal perspective on the topics and themes in the book from the foreword writer’s perspective

· Praise for the book and author, and how they add value to the reader

· Approximately 500-1,000 words

· An attribution for the foreword writer, including their credentials (if necessary), the date, and the location

How is a foreword different from a preface or an introduction?

These are three separate and distinct elements that appear in the front matter of some books and each has its own specific function. To learn more, read Greenleaf’s Learning Center article on the differences between a preface, introduction, and foreword.

Does my book need a foreword?

Generally speaking, forewords serve a more persuasive purpose in nonfiction than fiction books.

Think of it as an opportunity. A well-written foreword can function as the ultimate third-party recommendation or endorsement for your book, generating interest and helping when it’s time to market your book.

That said, if you don’t have the right person to write a foreword for your book, don’t worry. A foreword is not a required element in any book.

Who should I ask to write a foreword for my book?

The foreword writer should be from within your existing personal or professional network, and name recognition is key. A foreword writer should be a notable expert or a person of influence in the field or subject covered in the book; their experience can be related or simply complementary. They can also be anyone with a recognizable name who’s read and benefitted from your book.

Think about your network and try to identify the right person to share this message. Writing a foreword is a significant undertaking, so you should only consider asking friends or colleagues who you believe would feel confident and comfortable providing that level of endorsement.

When you reach out to your connection, share why you chose that person and how their own work has influenced you. Provide them with your manuscript and any other materials you think they’ll need to understand your messaging and goals. Let them know your timeframe and preferred length, and express appreciation for their time and efforts. (Tip: Someone who is strapped for time may be more compelled to write a foreword for you if they know they only need to provide 500 words.)

After someone writes you a foreword, make sure to show your gratitude by providing them with a personal note or small gift. You could perhaps even offer to mention them or their business in your social media channels. After your book comes out, send them a signed copy as a thank you.

When should I ask for a foreword?

Knowing the best time to have the complete foreword in-hand is key to keeping the editorial and production timeline for your book moving forward. Essentially, the earlier in the process you can have it completed, the less likely it is you’ll be confronted with production delays.

If you know the foreword writer well, you may want to start this process once you’ve completed your full content outline or your first draft of the manuscript, but most authors wait until after the first round of editorial work (developmental or substantive) has been completed. In the end, you want to make sure you have the foreword as part of the complete manuscript during the copyediting and proofreading stages. This ensures the foreword is cohesive with the rest of the content and all grammatical concerns are addressed.

What are the expectations around writing a foreword?

If you’re looking for guidance to provide to your foreword writer, consider this advice:

· Start the foreword with a “hook” that draws readers in. A brief story can provide a compelling hook.

· Establish your own credibility around the book’s particular subject area, including any leadership roles you’ve played. If you are a celebrity and your connection to the content is your own experience or that of a loved one, share that. Do this in a way that highlights the contents of the particular book and show how it can help readers.

· A conversational tone can help draw readers in.

· Likewise, personal details, such as applying an aspect of the book to your own life, make a foreword compelling.

· Share how you met the author or how you know them. Including this “social proof” clarifies the connection between you and the author and helps establish the author’s credibility.

· Give a sense of the scope of the problem this book helps to solve. You may use statistics and research to back this up or personal experience and anecdotes.

· When possible, share specific credentials—either your own or the author’s—to validate the expertise shared in the book.

· Share how the author has helped or impacted the lives of others.

· Give examples of what readers might find in the book and how it can transform their lives.

(Tip: If a new edition for your book is created, the foreword should be rewritten or extended to communicate the changes to the reader.)

Can I help someone write a foreword for my book?

As much as possible, give someone enough time to review your manuscript and craft a foreword for you on their own. If they express that they’d like to provide you with a foreword but aren’t able to commit to it, consider having them tell you their ideas for a foreword over the phone while you take notes. If the prospective foreword writer is willing, you can ask their permission to draft something and have them edit and approve it.

Ultimately, it’s best to have their words, given in their voice, and provided from their perspective; they’re the ones signing their names on it, so it should authentically represent them and their experience.

Can my foreword help me to get into retail channels?

Unfortunately, buyers for retailers and wholesalers do not look at forewords to determine if they want to bring a book into their store.

Buyers often look at other factors like publicity, marketing, price, the author’s platform, and whether or not the book is a fit for their demographic. The foreword does not carry enough weight to make a difference because at the end of the day forewords do not sell books.

While a foreword can have some influence over a particular consumer, the vast majority do not purchase books because of a foreword.

What can my book’s foreword do for me?

Think of a foreword as a seal of approval from someone in your space. While a customer won’t buy the book solely based on the foreword, it can further inform them about the value you deliver in your book, and educate their purchasing decision.

The best thing your foreword can do for you is help with search engine optimization (SEO)—both for internet search engines and online retailers. The more your keywords and main ideas are emphasized and repeated in the book, the higher your book will show up on search results when those keywords are searched. There is also a greater chance that your book will appear in search results for the foreword writer’s name.

To fully leverage your foreword, put the writer’s name on the front cover and pull snippets to include in your social media, blog, newsletter, and/or email signature (with their permission, of course). You should also consider thanking them in a public manner either on social media or in a blog post.

If you’re looking for further information regarding forewords and other aspects of book publishing, please visit our Learning Center and reach out with any questions on how Greenleaf can help you with your book.