In this blog, we will show you how to write a book introduction
Writing a book without a killer introduction means making your readers do the guesswork.
Put yourself in the shoes of a publisher or your intended audience. Would you read something with a frail or generic beginning?
Most likely, no.
Unless you’re an Elisabeth Badinter or J.K Rowling, who are forever attached to their genres, writing an introduction means everything for your book.
And the reason is that you want your readers to be hooked from the get-go.
This is especially true for non-fiction titles. Since you’re not a bestselling author or a renowned writer, you need to work hard on getting your audience to know and recognize you.
An effective introduction will reel in potential readers and intrigue them enough so that they’re committed through the whole thing until they eventually reach the end of your story.
1 – A book introduction always begins with a hook.
Whether it’s a fantasy novel, true crime, or self-help book, your introduction should grab readers’ attention immediately.
You may throw in a compelling question, a shocking statistic, or an intriguing quote. Whatever makes your readers want to know more.
2 – Detail the context and background.
This one’s a “must” for non-fiction books, where you’re bound to introduce your readers to the topic.
You can provide a brief description of what this subject entails or what it’s all about. Don’t be too wordy, though. Just get the main idea across in a few sentences or paragraphs.
3 – Reveal the problem.
If your book is a how-to guide, you’ll probably introduce the problem by providing an example.
Or, if it’s a memoir, you can explain what led to the turning point of your story.
The goal is to make readers see your problem as theirs and to get them intrigued enough to learn more.
But do so by being concise and straightforward. Remember, your introduction is never about making your readers guess.
4 – Hook your audience by providing a solution to the problem.
Contrary to what some people might tell you, the introduction is where you give a “preview” of your book.
It contains a summary of your book, including its main point and solution.
So, if you’re writing a self-help guide on overcoming an addiction problem, for example, then your introduction should reveal that by exposing the possible solutions to this issue.
5 – Emphasize your credibility.
Are you someone who knows what you’re talking about, or are you just another person trying to write something interesting and sell it? This is where you let readers know why they should trust what you’ve written.
Whether it’s your background as an author or how long you’ve been researching and studying this topic, it pays to let them know that you’re qualified for the job.
Remember, if your readers don’t think that they can trust you, then there’s no way they’ll stick around until the end.
Trust, at least from the readers’ perspective, is always about authority.
6 – Give proof.
While the previous tip emphasizes your authority, this one focuses on giving readers something concrete they can hold on to.
Whether it’s a personal story or relevant research, you should always provide proof of what you write about in your book.
Proof helps establish a more believable setting for your story, even if it’s fiction. This helps reassure your readers that the information you’re giving them is 100% reliable and credible.
7 – Showcase a sense of urgency.
As we’ve mentioned a few times in this article, your focus is to give your audience a compelling reason to proceed past the introduction and keep reading.
One way to do this is by conveying a sense of urgency, whether making readers aware of an impending deadline or convincing them that there’s a problem worth resolving. In other words, your introduction should make your readers feel like they need more information.
It’ll create an urge to keep going until they finish the book.
8 – Give a hint on what’s in store for the reader.
End your introduction by giving a small glimpse of what readers will find in the rest of the book. For instance, you can provide a summary or description of each chapter so that readers know what to expect from your content.
This is also helpful if you want to give readers a heads-up on what’s coming next, whether it’s a cliffhanger or a big reveal.
What Not to Do in a Book Introduction
While providing some context and background information is vital, you don’t want to go into too much detail about your personal journey or how the book was conceptualized. Your goal in the introduction is to hook readers, not bore them with details they aren’t supposed to know at this stage.
Also, stay away from clichés and generic introductions.
For example, don’t start by saying that your book is important or that it will change people’s lives.
While those statements may be true, they won’t make you stand out. Focus on being concise and straightforward in communicating the main message of your book to readers.
At the day’s end, treat the introduction as an extensive call-to-action, where you’re convincing your readers to respond to your message.
How you introduce your story to an audience must be just as captivating as the rest of your book.
A well-written introduction will do just that; obviously, the only response you want from them is to keep reading.
Further Reading
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Joel Mark Harris graduated from the Langara School of Journalism in 2007. Joel is an award-winning journalist, novelist, screenwriter and producer.
He has ghostwritten numerous books in all types of genres including true life crime, business, memoir, and self help. With over 1,000 blog posts to his name, he has helped hundreds of business owners scale their business and increase their visibility. You can email him at info@ghostwritersandco.com
