If you’re wondering how to write a preface, chances are you’ve already written a book or academic article . . . or you’re at least working on one!
A preface is a preview of your writing that introduces you as its author. It can explain why you’re qualified to write the piece, your experience with the writing process, your goals for your writing, or additional information readers need in order to engage with it the way you’d like them to.
What is a preface?
A preface is a short section of a book or other piece of (usually) nonfiction work that introduces the author and explains a bit about their background. The purpose of a preface is to establish the author’s credibility regarding the work’s subject and provide additional relevant information.
For example, in their book about setting up an organic garden, an author might include a preface that discusses their years working in agriculture and experience with organic gardening.
Preface vs. prologue vs. foreword
If you’re wondering how to write a preface, it’s important to keep in mind that a preface is not the same as a prologue or a foreword. While the three share similarities, such as being included at the beginning of a book and acting as a preview to its content, there are a few important differences between them.
A prologue is generally found in a work of fiction. The prologue provides important exposition and may immerse the reader in the story or its setting. It may be written from the point of view of a character in the story.
A foreword is similar to a preface, but it’s written by somebody other than the book’s author. These can be found in fiction and nonfiction books. Typically, the individual who writes a book’s foreword is a well-known author or an authority on the book’s subject. For example, the popular marketing book Breakthrough Copywriting, by David Garfinkel, contains a foreword by Bond Halbert, a successful author and marketer.
Often, later editions of classic and famous fiction books contain forewords by well-known authors. In a foreword, an author might discuss the impact the book had on readers or the literary world. In a translated novel, the translator might include a foreword that discusses their experience with translating the work or explains any liberties they took with the text.
What is the purpose of a preface?
A preface can serve a few different purposes. Beyond introducing the author and their qualification to write their book or article, a preface can:
- Provide key context for understanding the work’s subject
- Share the author’s process for writing the piece. This can include their research methods, challenges, pivots, and how it evolved from its initial conception to its final draft.
- Explain the author’s motivation for writing it
- Add relevant information or breakthroughs that developed after the book or article was published. This is often the case in prefaces found in reprints and later editions of books.
- Preemptively answer questions the reader is likely to have about the subject
- Provide a content warning regarding potentially triggering or disturbing content in the main text
When you have additional information you’d like to share with readers, but it doesn’t fit into your piece itself, you can include it in the preface. No matter what the preface contains, its overall goal is to give the reader information they may need to fully comprehend the text.
Types of preface
Not all prefaces are the same. While it’s fairly uncommon for a fiction book to start with a preface, this is sometimes the case. Often, later editions of classic and famous books contain prefaces by well-known authors. In the preface, an author might discuss the impact the book had on readers or the literary world. In a translated novel, the translator could analyze aspects of the text in its original language, bring up difficulties in rendering the text into English, address earlier versions (if there were any) and the reasons for a new translation, or matters of that kind.
Prefaces to nonfiction books may be similar in tone and format to those found in fiction books. They can also expand on the information presented in the book, which is especially common in later editions of books that cover historical or scientific topics.
You can also find prefaces attached to academic articles and dissertations. In these works, prefaces tend to provide context and/or introduce the author and their credentials. A preface could also discuss the author’s research goals and methods, if applicable. However, it’s important to note that a preface is not the same as an abstract, problem statement, or concept paper.
Generally, prefaces are written from the first-person point of view. After all, a preface is about your experience as the author of the piece that follows. In a book’s preface, the tone can match the book’s, or it can be a bit more personal. When you’re writing a preface to an academic article, maintain a detached, academic tone. Though you’re encouraged to write this in the first person as well, use the same tone you’d use in a professional letter or email.
3 tips for writing a preface
Before you get to work, here are a few preface tips to guide you through the writing process:
1 Be concise
A preface should be one to two pages long. (If you need to say more than that, you may be writing what would more properly be called an introduction.) Keep it concise and focused on a singular subject, such as how you conducted your research for the piece or your personal experience with the subject matter covered.
2 Be authentic
A preface is a piece of personal writing, even when it’s part of an academic article. Don’t be afraid to be honest about your experience writing the piece, especially if that experience included setbacks, difficulties, and mindset shifts for you. These experiences shaped you as the piece’s author, and in turn shaped your writing itself. Including them personalizes the piece and makes it easy for readers to connect with your work.
3 Keep it relevant
A preface is not the place for acknowledgments unless the people you’re thanking are part of the story your preface tells. Your preface should be clearly relevant to your work itself, illuminating some part of the writing that could be confusing or otherwise providing additional information about it. Think of it like a “making of” documentary but for your writing.
Preface examples
Before I began writing this article, I had a lot of strong opinions about artificial intelligence. As I conducted my research, I realized most of those opinions came from science fiction, and those that didn’t came from clickbait LinkedIn posts.
Now, after completing an intensive 24-week AI programming bootcamp, I can confidently say that my mind has changed about AI and its applications. It’s opened, in fact. As you read this piece, I hope you maintain an open mind about the ways AI will continue to change our everyday routines and our relationships with them.
Preface FAQs
What is a preface?
A preface is a short section of a book or other piece of (usually) nonfiction work that introduces the author and explains a bit about their background. The purpose of a preface is to establish the author’s credibility regarding the work’s subject and provide additional relevant information.
What is the purpose of a preface?
The purpose of a preface is to provide the reader with information that can help them engage with the book or article that follows. This could be an explanation of the author’s motivation for writing it, a walk-through of their writing process, or content notes about the subjects discussed in the text.
How is a preface different from a prologue or foreword?
A preface is a short piece of introductory writing by a work’s author that prepares the reader for the text that follows. A foreword is similar to a preface, except it’s written by somebody other than the work’s author and is often about the work’s impact on the foreword writer or the world at large. A prologue is generally found in fictional works and serves to bring the reader into the story’s world.
