If you are unsure whether your book needs a foreword, leave it out. Most books do not need one. Include a foreword when a guest writer can offer useful context or a perspective that helps readers understand why the book matters.

When to include a foreword

A foreword is written by someone other than the book’s author. It can help when that person has a relevant connection to the subject or can explain the book’s value to its intended audience.

Before asking someone to contribute, consider whether they can add something the book itself does not already provide. If their contribution would be only a general endorsement or a summary, it may not justify adding front matter.

What a foreword should do

A useful foreword can introduce the contributor’s relationship to the author or subject and explain why the book may matter to readers. Keep it focused on that perspective rather than recapping the chapters.

If you need to explain the book’s scope or discuss its limitations, do that in an author’s note or introduction instead.

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James Brown

James Brown

James focuses on Android gaming on PC, emulator setup, controls, performance tuning, and practical troubleshooting for longer play sessions.