How to Write a Preface for Your Book

Include a preface as part of your great American novel.

Not every book has to have a preface, but readers do enjoy learning more about how the book you wrote came together. The preface includes a brief description of the book and why you wrote it. It also can contain information on where and how you found your information and also any problems you encountered along the way.

Things You'll Need

• Your book
• List of people who helped you write
• Computer

Instructions

1. Write about why you wrote the book. If the book is a work of fiction, write about how you got the idea for the story.

2. Give a brief description of the book, but do not give substantial details. Give the reader a very brief preview of what she will find if she keeps turning the pages. Explain the topic's importance.

3. Tell your readers how you did your research for the book. For instance, your research may have involved countless hours at the library, interviews with professionals or a trip to another country. Briefly relate your research adventures.

4. List acknowledgments. Briefly take the time to thank those who helped you along your writing journey. Obviously, you'll never be able to include every person or institution, so try to keep this as brief as possible without hurting anyone's feelings.

5. Recount any troubles you encountered along the way. The journey to write a completed book is strewn with triumphs, failures and near misses. Tell about those adventures in your preface.

6. Acknowledge your intended audience and why you think the topic or story would be of interest to them.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep it brief. You don't want your preface to stretch more than a few pages. Ideally, the preface should be one page or less.

References

• Cengage Learning: The Nuts and Bolts of Your Book