- If you google 'how to write a book introduction,'
you're gonna get advice on how to write
a boring introduction to your book.
And the problem is, this is the start of your book.
This is something a potential reader will look at
to decide if they even want to read your book.
So many books would be better off
with no introduction at all.
If you wanna make sure your book introduction
is the best it can be before you publish your book,
this video is for you.
(slow rock music)
Hey, I'm Julie the Book Broad, an award-winning author
and the founder of a fantastic company
called Book Launchers.
We are your fabulous professional self-publishing team,
helping you write, publish, and sell nonfiction books
that grow your business and make you money.
A quick google search for 'how to write a book introduction'
lands you some advice like, number one:
Summarize or outline the book.
Number two: Provide an overview of the book
with your reader hook. (clock ticking)
Number three: Share why you wrote the book.
Number four: Tell them who the ideal reader is
and what the intended use (yawning)
or outcome is for the book.
Are you still awake?
Probably not, because that is
a total snooze fest right there!
We're all about no boring books at Book Launchers,
and especially important
when it comes to the beginning stuff in your book!
If you did a great job of your title,
your cover, your book description,
and somebody actually flips open your book
or clicks that 'look inside' feature on Amazon,
those first pages better get that potential reader
pulling out their credit card or clicking that 'buy now.'
And the reality is, most introductions are so author-focused
they bore the reader right to sleep
and they don't get the sale.
So, what can you do so you don't join the ranks
of boring books out there?
Well, first of all, don't follow that advice you get
when you google 'how to write a book introduction.'
Here are my five tips
for writing a book-selling introduction.
Number one: You might not need one at all.
You heard me right, take it out
and let a few beta readers see what they think.
If you're following our advice
for creating awesome chapters,
you know, making that page-turning book,
then your first chapter
probably will knock a reader's socks off
and it will be a much stronger way to start your book
than a boring introduction.
Let's take an example from Rachel Hollis's book,
Girl, Stop Apologizing.
Now, if you're already a Rachel Hollis fan,
you're gonna love this.
But let's imagine
you've never heard of Rachel Hollis before.
The book starts out,
"When I originally started writing this book,
"I fully planned on calling it Sorry, Not Sorry.
"And, yes, I was basing that title on Demi Lovato's song.
"In fact, I'd go so far as to say
"the song was the impetus for the entire book."
I'm not gonna read the whole introduction to you.
It's well-written, but if I didn't know that Rachel Hollis
is a super hot bestselling author
and this is a followup book
to her crazy popular Girl, Wash Your Face,
I don't know if I would keep reading.
If this was a random book I was checking out,
I'd be bored and disinterested.
And let me tell you, that introduction is long! (laughing)
And that's why what I'm saying is so important.
There are far more people out there
that will have never heard of you than the people who have,
so you need to write your introduction
as though nobody knows who you are,
'cause in many cases that's true.
That introduction just kept going on and on and on.
Now, compare that to how Rachel Hollis
starts her Chapter One
of her number-one New York Times bestselling book,
Girl, Wash, Your Face.
I love how Chapter One starts.
It's everything that makes me
jump up with excitement about books.
Chapter title: The Lie: Something Else Will Make Me Happy.
The chapter starts, "I peed my pants last week.
"Not full-on peed my pants,
"like that one time at summer camp when I was 10 years old."
C'mon, you wanna keep reading, right?
You're thinking, "Julie, keep going,
"I wanna know what happens."
That's how you start a book.
Your book doesn't need an introduction
if you crush your first chapter
and have a great book cover and description.
But I get it.
I'm a traditionalist too.
I like a to-the-point intro.
So, here's tip number two:
Go straight to the promise of the book.
Hit them hard over the head with it.
Don't make them read all about
how you got to the idea for the book.
Just tell them, "It sucks when you feel angry all the time.
"You get mad at your kids for asking for dinner.
"You yell at your dog for whining to go out to pee.
"And when you stub your toe,
"you burst like a volcano erupting.
"That's not a fun way to live.
"I know, I've been there.
"Once I got so mad I yelled at a stop sign
"for telling me to stop.
"But you can get calm without going to anger management.
"You can find joy in little things.
"And you can do it with just a simple technique
"you're about to learn.
"In less than seven minutes a day,
"this is going to help you.
"It helped me.
"It's helped John.
"You'll meet him soon."
So, that's how you could start a book
about getting over anger. (laughing)
I don't have anger issues, I just made that up. (laughing)
I've never yelled at a stop sign, I swear.
But I want you to see a great intro
can be short and really pointed and benefit-driven.
Tell the reader why they need to read this book.
Number three: Make sure your intro is all about the reader,
even if you tell a story.
See, in my fake intro that I just told you
about yelling at a stop sign, that was a story about "me"
so the reader could relate to.
I wasn't rambling about a story
about how I found enlightenment or I got inspired.
It's one sentence that I tell you.
"I understand you're angry, reader." (laughing)
So, make sure it's about the reader.
Number four: Keep it short.
Remember, this book is for your reader.
It's intended to help them with a transformation,
solving a problem,
or giving them a way to achieve an important outcome
or an emotional experience.
Don't make them wait too long until you get to that.
Finally, number five:
Make sure there's a clear call to action.
A great intro covers the problem, offers the solution,
and makes the reader realize they shouldn't wait.
To make my fake intro better,
I could tell them the cost of waiting.
I could say, "Maybe you don't think
"you need to read this book today.
"But if you don't,
"you could be damaging your relationships beyond repair
"and you're certainly missing out on a lot of love and joy
"that you'll be open to
"once you know the tricks in this book.
"So, what are you waiting for?
"Calmer waters are ahead.
"Keep reading."
That's the key, "Keep reading,
"this is what you're gonna get."
If your intro is too long or too boring or all about you,
you may get book sales despite it,
but you'll never know the ones you miss out on.
So, take a look.
Can you cut it out completely or, even better,
make it no more than 500 words long
and all about the reader?
Now, I'm curious, do you even read introductions
from authors you don't know about?
Let's chat about it in the comments below.
And when you comment on the day a video is released,
you'll be entered to win some sweet Book Launchers swag,
like our #noboringbooks mug,
just like no boring introductions! (laughing)
Like this tip?
Go ahead and smash that thumbs-up button.
It feels so good!
And make sure you subscribe to the channel
and turn the notifications on
so we can hang out every Tuesday and Friday
when a new video comes out.
If you wanna learn about dedications and forwards as well,
also beginning book matter,
these two videos are exactly what you should watch.
And, really, I want you to click on them
'cause I'm having so much fun hanging out with you
and I just don't want it to end yet.
I'll see you on one of those videos.
(slow rock music)