What is a Preface in a Book? And How to Write Your Own

When putting together a nonfiction book or article, you’ll find that there are a lot of moving parts to keep track of. Title page, introduction, conclusion, citations, abstract, foreword, afterword, footnotes, endnotes… compiling a book can start to feel like a science all by itself! But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you take it one step at a time.

In this article, we’re going to look at the preface of a book: what it is, what it does, and how to write one. Let’s get started!

Prefaces are always written by the author in the first-person point of view. They’re real, factual accounts from the author’s perspective (with the rare exception of some prefaces used fictitiously, such as the opening to Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels or Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi’s Spiderwick Chronicles series—in which case it’s not technically a preface, but a prologue; more on that below).

A preface is your opportunity to share your unique approach and experience with your topic, and build a human connection with the reader. While it’s not necessary for the book’s comprehension, it gives your potential reader a glimpse of what’s to come. We’ll look at how to get started later on in this article.

Let’s look at some other terms that are closely related to the premise.

Preface vs. foreword

The preface and foreword are very similar, but they serve different purposes—and, most importantly, have different authors. While a preface is written by the author of the book to explain the inception of the work, a foreword is written by someone else.

This will usually be an established expert in the field, who will discuss the significance of the book. The goal is to build the author’s credibility by having someone else talk about how good it is. This is why it’s so important to make the right connections! Name recognition can go a long way in generating book sales.

Forewords might also touch on how a rerelease has changed, or the public’s outlook on it has changed, since previous editions.

While it’s more common to see forewords in nonfiction, later editions of classic novels will often feature forewords by a prominent author explaining how they were influenced by the work. By inviting an author many readers are familiar with for the new edition, a book published decades ago can find a new audience.

Preface vs. prologue

The prologue is another part of a book’s front matter that’s often confused with the preface. Both are used to draw readers into the world of the book. But while the preface is a nonfictional account of the author’s writing process, the prologue is part of a fictional narrative. Prologues belong in novels (although you might rarely see them in memoirs as well).

You can think of a prologue as a Chapter 0, appearing right before Chapter 1. It can set up an event that comes later in the book, or establish the novel’s setting. If you’re writing a nonfiction book, you won’t need to include a prologue. If you’re writing a novel, the prologue is optional.

Preface vs. introduction

Finally, there’s the introduction. The term is a bit confusing, because… aren’t all of these sections a kind of introduction?! But when we talk about the introduction in writing, we’re talking about the specific section at the start of a book with “Introduction” at the top of it.

This is the very last section of a nonfiction book before the actual body of the text begins. It’s written by the book’s author and summarizes the key points of the text. The introduction works as a broad overview of the topic to tell the reader, “This is what you’re going to learn by the end.” So while a preface introduces the book as a whole, the introduction introduces the book’s subject.

What is the purpose of a preface?

A preface is the author’s opportunity to share some insight into their writing process, and explain why it was so important to write this book. In technical or academic writing, the preface creates a human element to an otherwise objective work.

The preface primes the reader for the story or information to come. It’s also a chance for you to show off your expertise, or the unique experiences that make you an authority on your topic. If you’re writing narrative nonfiction, the preface is like a face-to-face introduction with the reader. You’re opening a conversation and saying “I spent the last year writing this book because ______, and I hope that when you read it you _______.”

A well-written preface is also a useful tool in promotion. When your book is about to be published, you can use excerpts from the preface in your marketing arsenal.

Are prefaces used in fiction?

Prefaces are not generally used in fiction writing. They’re one of the front matter manuscript elements used in academic nonfiction (alongside others like the introduction, foreword, and abstract).

This isn’t to say they never appear. Mark Twain used them to introduce his characters to his reader, and they’ve also been used in a fictional context as we mentioned above. There’s rarely a rule in creative writing without an exception. But in most cases, a premise at the beginning of a novel would look a little out of place.

If you’re writing a novel and want to share important details like historical context or real-life inspiration, the best way to do this is with an “Author’s Note”. This is very similar to a preface, only it appears at the back of the book instead of the front. It’s much more common to see Author’s Notes in fiction than prefaces.

Does your book need a preface?

Using a preface is optional. If you’re a student writing a thesis or dissertation, you’ll likely be provided with some guidance on what parts are necessary to include.

If you’re writing independently or submitting a manuscript for publication, it’s up to you to choose which front matter material you feel is appropriate for your book. For instance, you might not need an introduction and a preface, or a preface and an author’s note. But a preface is useful if you have a particular story that inspired you to write this book, or a special connection with the material that may not be obvious elsewhere. Through the preface, your reader gets a unique glimpse of your book’s genesis.

How to write a preface for your book

So, you’ve decided to write a preface. We’ll guide you through writing a stellar preface that ensures your reader is already hooked before the story begins.

Start with an outline

An outline for a premise?! You heard right. Because a preface is similar to a personal essay in structure, it’s easy to fall into the trap of rambling without any clear destination. An outline helps ensure you stay on track.

Write down an overall arc of the premise, listing the key points you want to talk about. Some authors choose to work backwards—starting with your major discovery, then exploring the writing journey it took to get there. Others might want to open with a formative experience that inspired them to write about this.

The outline doesn’t need to be fancy or exhaustive. But carving out a loose roadmap of where you want the reader to end up will help you write a premise that’s cohesive and compelling. A preface should be brief, ideally one to two pages long, to keep readers engaged.

Establish your narrative voice

Once you begin writing, it’s important to establish your tone of voice. Remember, the premise is where you speak directly to the reader. Will you be approachable and colloquial, or academic and professional? The preface establishes the writer’s relationship with their readers.

In a way, you’re creating a character for the reader to follow. The premise is an opportunity to build this connection and shape the way they’ll experience your forthcoming book. You might find it helpful to try a few different voices to find the one that feels best for you.

Choose a specific moment

Now comes the actual content of the premise. Because this space is all about building connection, aim for specificity. This means using concrete, tactile language and imagery to bring a scene to life.

Instead of saying “I’ve always been interested in music,” tell the reader about a concert you went to that changed your life. Instead of saying “this medical study has the potential to overhaul the industry,” provide a specific example of what that might look like. This vignette acts as your “hook.” Once you’ve hooked the reader’s attention, you can broaden the scope of the premise.

Include important context

Every author’s premise will look different, but all of them will include historical, social, or cultural background information that explains why the book is important. You can use the premise to discuss interesting facts from your research or other additional information that you didn’t have space for in the main text.

Think about the major themes of your work (themes aren’t just for fiction books!). What are you trying to say, and why is it important to say it now, today? You can allude to current events, major conversations that are taking place, or anniversaries of historical events that are still reverberating in the modern day. You can also include personal accolades in relation to this topic or these events that give your book credibility.

This is an opportunity to say, “This is what’s happening, and this is what the future could be—for better or for worse.” And, why you’re the best person to write about it.

An author’s preface is the reader’s way in

When writing a nonfiction book, there’s a lot to keep track of before you even reach the first chapter! It’s important to note that you don’t have to write all these different parts in the order that they appear; although prefaces are typically written during the planning stage of a project, you can also write them at the very end, when you’ve learned a little bit more about what you’re trying to say and why.

A well written preface can build credibility, provide context and insight into the author’s process, and even spark curiosity about the broader conversations happening around these ideas. You never know what change your book might put out into the world.