Lisa Tener

Book Writing Coach

Table of Contents

How to Write an Introduction: Think Like Your Readers

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Read Your Reader's Mind
Can You Read His Mind?

Many aspiring writers meet their first challenge when they face the writing of their introduction. If you think like your reader, you should find the job much easier.

In the introduction your reader is trying to find out:

1.  Will this book help me solve my particular problem, challenge or goal?

2.  What kind of results can I expect to get by reading this book (for a self-help or how-to book) or What kind of experience might I expect in reading this book?

3.  Does the author have some kind of system to help me and is it something I can easily learn, use and incorporate into my life? (for a self-help or how-to book)

4. Will this book be fun to read? Will I enjoy the time I spend reading it? Is it entertaining? Moving?

Your reader also wants to know about you:

1. Has this author helped many people? or What are the author’s credentials?

2. What kinds of results have other people gotten with the author’s system or work?

3. Do I trust this author?

4. Do I like this author? Do I relate to him or her?

This is clearly a sophisticated reader

Your introduction should:

1. Motivate your readers to read the book

2. Inspire your readers to envision what they might get out of the book

3. Begin to develop a relationship between you and your readers

4. Help readers understand how the book will help them

5. Tell readers how to get the most out of the book (for a how-to book)

You want your book to come alive for readers starting on page 1: show your readers by providing details and actions that help readers draw conclusions. When you tell (“He was angry.” “I hate politicians.”), you’re not making your story real for your reader. The book is two dimensional. When you use the five senses to show your reader, the book pops off the page.

Fill your introduction with plenty of stories that make your points and your readers will become engaged.

Let’s hear from you:

  • Have any questions on writing an engaging introduction?
  • Any tips you’d offer others on writing an introduction?
  • Want to share something you did with your book’s introduction?
  • Or a writing challenge you’re experiencing right now?

Comment on the blog and let’s hear from you.

How Do I Organize My Book and Reach My Audiences?

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I am writing in response to Mary O’Connor’s comment/ question for the writing coach:

“What advice would give to someone with a fully formed book about addicted mothers of young children? I don’t know how to frame the format and include my personal story, my professional story and the macro effects of current policy on our culture and future.

“Hint – I want to testify before congress, but am not sure of my audiance. Thank you for this resource. I love it. Floundering in upstate Michigan.”

Mary, you bring up a very important point. You can’t write for EVERYBODY. What you can do, though, is picture your audience like a dartboard. Who is the core audience you’re writing for? They’re your bulls eye. What other secondary audiences would be interested in your book? They would form outer rings on the board.

Before organizing your book, or writing a table of contents, I would clarify the core audience, then maybe have a chapter each to address the needs of any secondary markets or audiences (or you can use appendices). Another option is to use sidebars in each chapter.

Let’s say, for example, if you decide your core audience is family members of the addicted moms, for lawmakers/policy issues, have blue sidebars [sidebars are those boxes that contain relevant text that is either too technical for many readers or might appeal to a subset of readers or provides an example story to illustrate points in the text]; for addictions counselors and professionals, yellow sidebars, etc.

Once you’re clear who the core audience is, ask yourself what they are most looking for and what format would be most useful to them. If the core audience is families of addicts, you might write more of a how-to book with memoir elements. The last chapter or two could include more societal/global issues. Or you can include sidebars with those issues in each chapter.

Make sure your first chapter or introduction captures the reader’s interest. Let the reader know what they’ll get out of your book and provide inspiring and motivating examples of people you’ve helped. Good stories always captivate-use anecdotes.

Now, if you’re asking, how do you decide who the core audience is, let me know and please provide a little more information on all your goals, and I’ll write up another blog post!

Does that help?

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