How to Write (and Use) a Powerful Nonfiction Book Introduction
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“One April day, on a morning just like every other morning, I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life. As I stared out the rain-spattered window of a city bus, I saw that the years were slipping by. ‘What do I want from life, anyway?’ I asked myself. ‘Well … I want to be happy.’ But I had never thought about what made me happy or how I might be happier...”
Don’t you want to read more? The passage above opens Gretchen Rubin’s #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project, a nonfiction book with a particularly enticing introduction.
The benefits of a strong introduction are many:
It hooks your reader in so they can’t stop reading;
After your cover design has piqued their interest, a great introduction can sway readers to purchase a book by offering a tantalizing preview of the literary journey ahead;
It’s also an excellent promotional tool that can be used to establish a sales-boosting marketing relationship with media outlets.
And that’s just the beginning. If you’re wondering what it is that makes an introduction like Rubin’s work so well, you’re in the right place. Here’s how to create a powerful introduction for your nonfiction book.
How to write an effective book introduction
What’s your story? As a nonfiction writer, you're on a hero's journey to better the lives of your readers. And like all good stories, it should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. To overlook the beginnings of your book – or your backstory – is to overlook the purpose of your book.
Yet many authors do. One reason for this is because some of the most popular books about writing will tell you the key to creating a strong nonfiction book introduction is to focus on what’s in it for the reader and not talk about yourself. But omitting your story (or the book’s backstory) limits the potential effectiveness of your introduction. The best nonfiction introductions have a well-told concise story behind the “why” of the book. Over and over again, we see that it’s these “why stories” that win the hearts and minds of readers. One key reason is because we as humans are hardwired to relate to and enjoy stories. You should tell those stories and tell them well, because it’s stories that pull readers in, that connect people, and that humanize you as the author.
The most effective way to excite readers about why they should read your book is by properly telling the book’s backstory. Sharing your book’s backstory and telling the readers what's in it for them are not two competing approaches. In fact, they complement each other!
If you continue reading Gretchen Rubin’s introduction in The Happiness Project (using the ‘Look Inside’ feature on Amazon here), you can see how she employs this mindset in her writing. She speaks about why she started thinking about the topic in an interesting and eloquent way that feels almost like a novel. She details how she lived the life she’d always wanted but still felt dissatisfied, thus beginning her year-long journey sifting through the wisdom of the greatest minds of philosophy, art, and science to learn how to be happier.
When writing the ‘why” behind your own book, consider some of these questions that Gretchen answered herself:
Why does my experience make me the person to tackle this specific challenge or topic?
Why haven’t other books said everything that needs to be said on the subject?
Why should readers spend their time and money on this book?
Defining “why” of your book answers all such questions and addresses the needs of the reader in the process. In doing so, you can build your credibility as the author and start a bond with the readers to convince them to excitedly read on.
What’s the best use of your book introduction?
A great introduction is still one of the best sales tools your book can have, as growing numbers of readers will preview your book using Amazon's “Look Inside” feature. But the greatest use of your book introduction will be as part of your PR Kit sent out to various media members.
Those in the media are busy people, so you’ll need to get their attention quickly and without asking for too much time. This is a big reason why you want to keep your introduction short: they’ll not often give a 12-pager a chance, but a page and a half is a different story. You won’t need to send them an exhaustive press package, just something as simple as a copy of your book introduction and a short handwritten note asking whether they would be interested in interviewing the author. Concise and compelling is the ultimate combination.
While your book introduction can be a valuable sales and public relations tool, it can also benefit you from the outset of the writing process. When you’re working hard to write a concise and meaningful introduction that communicates the book’s backstory, you’ll find that it actually helps you to write a better book. By engaging in this process, you’ll not only be motivated to write, but also get a stronger feeling for the “why” of your book, and what’s truly important for the essence of your message. That will undoubtedly bring more clarity and better flow to the entire writing process. Not to mention, it will also help ensure you give more precise and eloquent answers during interviews.
The competitive world of bookstore shelf space (and even more so on the endless bookshelves of online retailers) means your book needs to be at its best at every possible moment. You might have an attractive cover and enticing back description to draw potential readers in, but it could be all for naught if they have a peek at the opening pages doesn’t live up to the hype. Make it easy for your target audience to close the deal on a book you know undoubtedly has value to them.
Your introduction is about making it easy for those who are interested to confirm that interest. Of course, it’s not just a pitch directly to readers themselves but to media outlets as well, who in turn can help you share your story with the masses.
When it comes down to it, your book introduction is just that: a pitch. A well-written, concise piece of writing that rewards readers for picking up your book in the first place.
