Julie Broad says most nonfiction introductions are self-focused warm-ups that lose readers before they buy. She offers five fixes: skip the intro if your first chapter is strong, lead with how the reader's life improves, remind them they haven't committed yet, center everything on the reader not yourself, and end with an urgent call to action that quantifies what waiting costs.
Chapters
Most nonfiction introductions are a bit of a snoozefest because they prioritize author's ego over the reader's urgent problem. Authors sometimes treat the introduction like a warmup, and it is not. Every word in the beginning of the book— well, except the copyright page— needs to hook them in. And if we do get them to start reading, we want it to hook them. So here's 5 pieces of advice to consider if you're writing an introduction for your book and you want to make sure it is not boring. Number 1, let's ask if you even need one. That's right, you might not need it. If your first chapter knocks the socks off of your reader, you might not need that intro. Kinda leads into this. Go straight to the promise. Not rambling about your enlightenment or their enlightenment. Tell them exactly how their life is going to change. Introduce the problem so they know you get where they're at and have the solution. The third thing is to sell the why. Don't assume they've already committed to the book just because they're reading that part. And even if they purchase the book, they still aren't guaranteed to read it. Number 4, make this about them. Even if you're telling a story about yourself, use it only to illustrate that you understand their pain or their dreams. Number 5, use a clear call to action, basically telling them the cost of waiting. Make them realize that every minute they don't read this book, they're losing money, time, or joy. Your job is to engage your reader consistently throughout the book, and nowhere is that more important than in your introduction. So give them a clear call to action to get in and start reading.
