Could your newest book benefit from a foreword?
You’ve seen them in other books, and you’ve thought, “How could I get someone famous to write a foreword for mine?”
Writing a foreword for a book is easy once you know what belongs in it.
And though you probably won’t be the one writing a foreword for your own book, you might one day write one for someone else’s.
It pays to think ahead.
Let’s start with what a foreword is — and what it can do for your book.
Do you know all the different parts of a book?
For instance, what do publishers mean when they refer to the “front matter” or “back matter” of a book?
Also, what is a preface, and how is it different from a prologue, an introduction, or a foreword?
Is that a trick question? And is possible for your book to have all four of these?
[Not really. And you’ll soon see why?]
Who doesn’t love well-crafted makeout scenes that leave you feeling warm, tingly… and maybe a bit jealous?
If you’ve ever read a kissing scene that made you forget everything else you had to do that day, then you get it.
As a writer, though, what comes to mind when you try to think of words to describe a kiss that will live in your reader’s memory for days?
And how do you create a kissing scene no one will want to forget.
Most stories tend to be predominantly either character-driven or plot-driven.
That’s not to say that plot-driven stories ignore character-building altogether or that character-driven stories have no plot, but you’ll usually find that most stories lean one way or the other.
When it comes to choosing to write a character-driven vs. plot-driven story or vice versa, you have some things to work out before you can make your decision and get writing.
In this article, we will talk about the differences between character-driven and plot-driven stories and give you our best tips on how to write both types of stories.
I don’t know about you, but I love going on road trips and listening to audiobooks.
A road trip feels like a true adventure — much more so than air travel, which involves so many tiresome steps before you even set foot on the plane.
There’s something about having the car packed, getting up early, and heading out on the open road that makes me feel giddy with excitement, just like I felt when I was a kid.
Behind the wheel, you’re in control of your destiny (and destination) in a way you can’t enjoy with other forms of travel.
A road trip is a great bonding experience for you and your significant other or family members.
You have time for deep talks, lots of laughter, and shared discovery.
For me, the smaller, off-the-beaten-path highways are preferable (rather than the interstate) even if it takes a bit longer. I’m drawn to the changing landscapes, the small towns, the farms, and quaint roadside stores.
Sometimes, though, there’s no escaping the interstate or long stretches on a lonely highway. You’re forced to take a route that offers little variety in scenery and nothing much to look at.
This is the time when you’ll be grateful you brought along an audiobook or two.
I love reading books on road trips, but reading a book is a solitary experience. You can’t share it with your fellow travelers. If you’re the driver, or if reading makes you car sick, audiobooks can make those long stretches of highway much more interesting.
Do you have a road trip planned for this year?
Why not take along some great audiobooks for your next excursion?
Every writer wants their books to be full of characters that leap off the page, the kind of characters that readers can’t resist. We want our books to be unputdownable, with readers waiting desperately for our next tale. One of the things we must have to make that happen is well-rounded, complex, and interesting characters. …
What is the purpose of a preface? And does your book even need one?
Not every book has a preface, after all.
And you’re more likely to see one in a nonfiction book than in a novel, as you’ll see in the preface examples further on.
But what goes in there, anyway?
What does it cover that you wouldn’t put in your book’s introduction?
And how do you write a preface that won’t sabotage your reader’s interest?