How to Write a Foreword for a Book

As an up-and-coming writer who might have had a few good books under your belt, you might be surprised that a friend of yours has asked you to write a foreword for their book. That sounds sweet and all, except for the glaring fact that you might have no idea what a foreword is, much less how to write one!

Well, fret not, dear friend, as we are here to tell you what and how to write the foreword that your colleague has asked of you. You’ll also realize that it is quite the compliment to have the honor of writing the foreword for someone’s book.

What the Foreword is For

To put it out right off the bat, forewords are not necessary for a book. If you haven’t written one for your own books (or asked anyone else to write one), that goes to show that the foreword is not a required part of any book. However, if you opt to have a foreword on your book, then most of the time you will ask someone else to write it for you.

The foreword can be treated as the endorsement of the book and author. It introduces the author as a credible writer and their book a worthy read for anyone interested in the field. With such an introduction coming from someone else, readers are more likely to be interested in the book.

Of course, not just anyone can write a foreword for someone. Most authors call upon their acquaintance who is an expert on the topic of their book to write this part. By having an expert talk about your book with glowing praise, readers can take your book more seriously and nurture further interest to read the book.

With that said, being asked to write a foreword for someone’s book is a great honor! That means that they trust your expertise in the field and they believe that your recommendation would increase the credibility of their book.

How to Actually Write a Foreword

Now that you are actually being asked to write a foreword, you should understand what the contents of a foreword are. You should understand that since the foreword is part of the book, the tone of the foreword should also match that of the book: serious if the topic is serious, or light-hearted if the book is more on the chill side.

Generally speaking, there are four parts of a foreword:

Introduction

This is where you introduce yourself and your connection to the author. If you do not have a personal encounter with the author, then you can talk about your familiarity with the author and their works.

Personal anecdotes and experiences with the author establish an intimate relationship between you and the author, showing that you are closely linked together. This also establishes trust about you as the foreword writer: since you know the author personally, readers are more likely to trust what you may say about the author and their work.

Of course, don’t forget to introduce yourself and your own credentials. Mention accolades and titles you have earned which will signify yourself as a true and reliable expert on the topic. Whether you’re a New York Bestseller Author or a professor in a university whose research field is closely related to the topic, make sure that the readers also know who you are and your authority on the field.

Body

There are varying ways to write the foreword body. Subsequent editions of a reprinted book may talk about the impact of the earlier editions and how the current edition would be just as impactful, if not more impactful, than the original ones. Some may also get a bit more intimate and note that they were a part of the writing process of the book, and show a bit of the creative process that went into the creation of the manuscript.

Although there’s no one way to write this part, the body should fulfill its purpose: to show that the book is credible and a worthy read for the readers. You want to encourage the reader to read the book by outlining the various reasons why it is a great book. You can also emphasize the qualifications of the author in writing about this topic.

Of course, to know how good the book is, you will have to read the manuscript before it gets published. Luckily, if you and the author use LivingWriter, then it’s so easy to share your manuscript. By simply giving them a link to your story, they can have access to your entire manuscript anywhere they can be.

If the author also encourages you to write the foreword directly in their manuscript, then it’s also easy to do so in LivingWriter. Co-authoring in LivingWriter is as simple as putting their email address when you share the story, then they can now write their foreword right on your document. If the foreword manages to change something in the main manuscript, then you can easily recover them from Revision History.

Using LivingWriter for co-authoring is as seamless as it gets!

Conclusion

As with any typical essay, the foreword also ends with an impactful conclusion. Remind the reader of the significance of the book and the author, and why they should really read the book. If you can try to reference something you said from the introduction, bring it back in the end and make it come full circle.

Since your foreword is ending, you should also get the readers excited in reading the book proper.

Signed Name

To show the authenticity of the foreword, you should sign the end of the foreword, akin to a letter. Include your most major titles in your signature, emphasizing your own credentials. This will make sure that the foreword was indeed of your making, and the recommendation your own statement.

Write Every Part of the Book Seamlessly in LivingWriter

There are far many more parts in a book, such as the introduction or the preface. The foreword may be written by someone else, but that does not make it any less of a book part. Of course, with LivingWriter and its robust features on co-authoring, you don’t have to worry about a thing about your foreword at all.

Try LivingWriter now, and see how it is truly the world’s best writing companion, for lone writers, or duos or trios or groups of authors!