The Foreword in a Book: A Guide for Authors

When you open a book, you’ll often find yourself turning quite a few pages (or scrolling quite a bit) before you get to chapter 1.

You’ll encounter various elements in a book’s “front matter,” each intended to provide context and introduce the reader to the book.

Each of these elements serves a purpose.

One such element is the foreword in a book.

As a nonfiction editor and publishing coach who has worked with dozens of authors throughout the years, I often encounter a lot of questions about book forewords.

That’s why I’ve written this article for you.

In this article I’ll reveal what a foreword is and whether or not you need one; if you should have one or not: book foreword pros and cons and what readers really think of them; the difference between a foreword, a preface, and an introduction; tips on spelling, formatting, word count, where the foreword goes in the book and page numbering rules; whether or not you should write a book foreword for an author/what benefits that has to the foreword writer, and how to actually write a foreword/tips on what the best forewords do.

There’s also a TLDR summary at the end.

Let’s begin.

So, what is a foreword in a book?

According to The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed., §1.40, . . .

By definition, a foreword is a section of a book—fiction or nonfiction—that consists of “prefatory remarks by someone other than the author,” typically someone of stature.

Forewords are written by other authors, by subject matter experts and scholars, by celebrities, and by editors and compilers.

The purpose of a foreword is to frame the book—to introduce the book and its importance and lend it credibility.

Second or revised editions are more likely to have forewords than first editions.

Writes the late novelist, essayist, and critic William Gass in “Flattery and Whining”: “Sometimes a foreword is added to later editions in order to attack previous reviewers, and defend the text from their criticisms . . . , or to brag in a modest manner about why a new edition seemed necessary, and point to corrections and additions.”

As book coach Lisa Tener explains of a foreword, “it often tells of some interaction between the writer of the foreword and the book’s primary author or the story the book tells.”

A book can have more than one foreword. As I’m writing this, I can recall one recent book I edited, Future-ish (2nd edition) by Sean Schmidt, that has two forewords by professional acquaintances of the author, one of whom is an activist, the other of whom is a scholar.

Do you need a foreword in a book?

Authors often ask me, “Do I need a foreword in my book?”

The simple answer is no.

But it can be useful to have one.

“Should I have a foreword in my book?”: The Pros and Cons of Book Forewords

Reasons to include a foreword in your book

As book coach Lisa Tener explains, “A foreword by a well known person could lend credibility to the project/book. In addition, it can help get your book found on Amazon when people search for that author/expert.”

A foreword might come from the list of people who you might ask to provide an endorsement for your book—it might be the most prestigious or most recognizable of these people, or the one who is well respected and well known and is also a personal connection.

Being able to say that there will be a foreword can also be helpful to the author. “It can help the author tremendously to include in the proposal a high profile expert or celebrity has agreed to write the foreword”—even if the book is as of yet incomplete—especially if the book is a how-to, self-help, business book, memoir, etc. It can often “help clinch the book deal.”

And readers will see when browsing pre-orders that a foreword has been written and by whom.

If you can think of someone who’s fit for the task and willing to take it on, someone who can introduce and endorse your book as if introducing you and your talk for a keynote speech, then you might want a foreword.

Forewords can also be advantageous to those writing them, for reasons I’ll discuss later.

You might also want to consider what your readers might think.

What do readers think of forewords?

I looked at Reddit threads, and what I learned was insightful.

Redditor simsedotdk, like many, is “conflicted.”

“On one hand, it might be a great foreword giving some nice context that enhances the experience of reading the book. On the other, I often find myself wanting to just get into the book without any biases or presumptions.”

There are many readers who find, as BrupieD puts it, that “the information told by the author of the foreword usually is critical to fully appreciating at least some aspect of the work.”

Forewords can offer context and insight into the life of the author.

They can help introduce other authors (and other authors’ opinions) to readers. wormsandbees enjoys forewords because “forewords can introduce you to similar authors within the same genre or with the same writing standard as the author, which is nice.” “I enjoy knowing what other authors (especially ones I enjoy) think,” writes tysontysontyson1. NO

But not everyone likes forewords.

“I don't care what someone else thinks the book I'm about to read is about,” says SlimLovin. “I just want to read the book, not someone else’s thoughts on it,” Drag0nfly_Girl adds.

Some find them dull, unnecessary, or even pretentious. “I don't think I've ever read a foreword and not regretted it. It's usually someone with an inflated ego telling me what I should enjoy about the book. No thanks, I'd like to figure that out for myself,” says name_was_taken.

Some readers feel that a foreword is not for their benefit—it’s there only for marketing purposes to sell more books, or for students and scholars in the field.

Others say they are often full of spoilers that give away too much of a book. EleventhofAugust writes, “I for one have learned the hard way to skip them.”

“Basically a waste of good paper,” writes TheUnvanquishable.

Some people will read the foreword of a book only after reading the other parts of the book first.

“Personally, I prefer to read the text first and form my own ideas about it, and then read analyses of it to examine and expand upon what I’ve already processed,” explains ohcharmingostrichwhy.

Some readers will only read a foreword if it’s short, if they recognize the name of the foreword writer, or if they really liked the book.

If you’re an author trying to decide whether or not to include a foreword in your book, always consider your audience and what they’ll want, and consider what it adds to the overall reading experience.

Reasons not to include a foreword in your book

There are some reasons why you might not want a foreword.

Perhaps you agree with the readers who don’t like them; perhaps you dislike forewords in general.

Perhaps you can’t think of anyone to write it, or you’ve got no one you can ask that is a big enough name.

Perhaps you’re already under contract and you just don’t need it.

Perhaps you’ve run out of time and it would just hold up the publication process.

Perhaps the few extra pages just aren’t worth it. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, every additional page cuts into the profit margins. As copyediting expert Carol Saller notes, “Many editors don’t like the idea of printing a book with fifty pages of roman numerals at the front.” If it’s not essential, or bound to be super-impactful, it might be better left out.

Book foreword or forward? A (cautionary) note on spelling

You’ve no doubt seen some hapless self-published author get mixed up, like this:

Ugh! The foreword of a book is properly spelled foreword. F-o-r-e-w-o-r-d, meaning before the book itself.

A forward is a player on a sports team or a direction that an object moves.

And last I checked, foreward wasn’t in Merriam-Webster!

Foreword vs. preface vs. introduction: What is the difference?

Joel Friedlander of The Book Designer sums it up best:

The foreword, often penned by someone other than the author, lends credibility and context.

The preface, written by the author, shares the book’s backstory or the author’s journey in writing it.

The introduction, meanwhile, outlines the book’s aims, scope, and structure, preparing the reader for what lies ahead.

How to format a foreword

According to CMOS, A foreword “is set in the same size and style of type as the text” (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.40).

“The title or affiliation of the author of a foreword may be included along with the name, and a place and date may also be included.” (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.40)

[insert image: book-foreword-sign-off-run-to-daylight-2014.jpg]

“If a foreword runs to a substantial length, with or without a title of its own, its author’s name may be given at the beginning instead of at the end.” (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.40)

How long is a foreword in a book?

There’s no hard and fast rule but 1,000 words should be sufficient.

As The Chicago Manual says,

“A foreword . . . runs only a few pages” (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.40).

“If it is not more than three to five pages, it may be appropriately called a foreword” (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.43).

In my experience, anywhere from three to eight paragraphs is typical.

Where does a foreword go in a book?

Stay with me here.

After a book’s table of contents page comes the list of illustrations (optional), and the list of tables (optional). Then comes the foreword(s). Then comes the preface (optional) and the introduction (optional).

It’s also worth noting . . .

“The publisher may choose to mention the foreword on the title page (e.g., “With a Foreword by Conor Cruise O’Brien”). (CMOS, 17th ed., §1.40).

The name of the person who wrote the foreword sometimes appears on the front cover of a paperback book, along with the author’s or editor’s name, the title and (usually the subtitle), and possibly the edition number, if there is one (CMOS, 17th edition, §1.70).

In a hardcover edition, the name of the person who wrote the foreword may also appear in the dust jacket’s inside front cover flap.

The contributor of a foreword is also included in the book’s metadata, and as a result, will appear on the book’s library catalog entry and Amazon page, for example.

Foreword page number rules

The pages containing the foreword are numbered in lower case Roman numerals.

The page number for a foreword depends on what comes before it and how long that is. It might begin as early as page vii.

Writing a book foreword: Should you write the foreword for a book? What are the benefits of writing a foreword?

Tener suggests that if the book is “of high quality” and “you agree with it’s orientation or perspective,” then it can be a good idea to write a foreword.

It’s free exposure, free publicity.

Your name will be on the book and people will see the book “on Amazon and other websites or in bookstores.”

It reinforces your expertise and/or celebrity.

It might draw more readers to your books.

It’s a way to give back to other authors and do a good deed; you would appreciate it if someone would do the same for you.

If you’re wondering “should I charge to write the foreword in a book,” the answer is no. It’s a professional courtesy. It’s a favor that also benefits the person writing it.

How to write the foreword for a book: Template and tips for writing forewords

Remember, a foreword, by definition, is written by someone other than the author of the book.  These tips are for such people who are writing a foreword for an author.

Before you start writing, be sure you know the audience who will be reading it. Ask the author if there’s anything about the author or about the book that they want to see covered in the foreword.

Template for writing a foreword: What should a book foreword include?

I highly recommend the article “How to Write a Foreword” by Lisa Tener if you’re writing a foreword or if you want to know how to structure a foreword.

I’ll reformulate that information here, with some thoughts of my own sprinkled in (all quotes are from Tener):

The title of the foreword is simply “Foreword.”

“Start the foreword with a “hook” that draws readers in.” A hook might be a story, a quote, a joke, an observation. “Other hooks can include counterintuitive information or something that piques the reader’s curiosity.”

If you’re writing the foreword for a nonfiction self-help/self-improvement book . . .

Next, explain the essence of the book. (My suggestion.)

Next, “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.” Hint: This might closely resemble the highlights of the “Markets” or “Audience” section of a traditionally published author’s book proposal.

“Share how you met the [author] or how you know them. This “social proof” . . . helps establish the author’s credibility. Share what struck you about the person, and any particular skills, knowledge and wisdom they demonstrated over time.”

“Share some specific credentials of the author”; the author’s background and experience as it relates to this book goes next. 

“Share how the author has helped others” professionally.

“Give examples of what readers might find in this book and how it can transform their lives.” You can talk about the transformation that awaits readers who read the book and take action.

You can sign your name and the date or your name and your title/credentials (like you would when providing an endorsement for a book cover or Amazon sales page).

If you’re writing the foreword for a novel, memoir, or other narrative nonfiction (such as a biography) (or even a business/thought leadership book) . . .

Next, explain the essence of the book. (My suggestion.)

“Share how you met the [author] or how you know them. This “social proof” . . . helps establish the author’s credibility. Share what struck you about the person, and any particular skills, knowledge and wisdom they demonstrated over time.”

“Share some specific credentials of the author”; the author’s background and experience as it relates to this book goes next.

“Your comments,” in several paragraphs, “may focus more around such things as “the impact the book had on you”; what you like about the writing; how timely or relevant the author’s insights and perspective is; why the book is important today; “what it may inspire in the reader” or how it may influence the reader.

You can sign your name and the date or your name and your title/credentials (like you would when providing an endorsement for a book cover or Amazon sales page).

 
 
 

More tips for writing a foreword when you have no time or don’t really know how

If time or confidence is lacking, or if you’re being asked to write the foreword before the entire book is done (which IS a thing), Tener advises that “you can ask the author to provide a rough draft of the foreword, or perhaps a checklist or a bullet list of what they want you to include.”

Whatever you do, make sure it starts in a way that draws the reader in from the beginning, that it’s in a conversational tone, that it’s in your own voice/that it sounds like you, and that it reveals “your own unique perspective.” Make sure to add your own “reaction to the book or your personal experience on the subject.” The best book forewords do all of these things.

Remember, a foreword doesn’t have to be long—just a few pages—and this article has given you a template to follow.

As Tener advises, be sure to mention your own leadership roles and your own credentials if you’re a subject matter expert or fellow author, and your personal connection to the subject if you’re a celebrity or influencer. “Personal details, such as applying an aspect of the book to your own life, make a foreword compelling.”

The book foreword, in sum (the TLDR)

So what is a foreword? As wjbc puts it, “Strictly speaking, a foreword is written by someone other than the author as a kind of favorable book review meant to entice you to read the book.”

“A foreword is why you should read the book, written by someone other than the author, and is advertising,” says pineapplesf—both for the author/publisher and for the person who wrote it.

Sometimes it’s used to introduce a new edition of a book.

Do you need a foreword? No. But it can be helpful to authors because it lends credibility to the book, it offers often helpful context, and it can help to sell more books.

Should you have a foreword in your book? There are pros and cons of having them. But if you have someone who is willing and able, go for it.

Some readers love forewords; others hate them.

A foreword isn’t the same as a preface or an introduction.

Just remember: It’s spelled foreword, not forward or foreward.

How to format it: Like any other part of the text.

How long is a book foreword on average? A few pages, six or eight paragraphs, maybe 1,000 words.

Where does a foreword go in a book? It goes in the front matter, after the table of contents and before the preface or introduction.

Foreword page numbers: Lower case Roman numeral page numbers.

Writing a book foreword: Should you write the foreword for a book? Sure, if you like the book and what it offers. Forewords reassert the foreword-writer’s expertise or celerity and offer exposure.

Tips for writing a foreword: Make sure it’s in your own voice and provides your opinions and connection to the author or the subject. See the tips from Lisa Tener (link below).

If a foreword is something that makes sense for your book, you now have all the tips you need (and you even have a template of sorts that can be used to write it).

. . . Wishing you all the success in your publishing journey,

—Daniel

P.S.: You might also like:

Writing, AuthorsDaniel J. Tortoraauthor tips, book design, front matter, parts of a book, The Chicago Manual of Style, word count, writing