The foreword is a piece of writing set at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature and before the main text. We’ve discussed just what is contained in a foreword in section XXX. In this section we’ll look at how we approach revising our forward.
Like we did when we revised the prologue we have to ask ourselves a few questions.
Is it a foreword?
Forwards in fiction writing contain factual information necessary to the story or they act as an endorsement from another author for the book. If we’ve written part of the story, a previous event, a character’s commentary, or something that is part of the story, it is not a foreword. It is a chapter or a prologue.
Does it serve its function?
Does the foreword prepare the reader for what she is about to read. Is the information contained in it absolutely necessary to the reader’s understanding of the story? Or, does it introduce the reader to the author and how he came to write the book? If it does none of these, we must either rewrite it so that it does, or remove it.
Is it complete?
Does it have an beginning, middle, and ending? If not, we must rewrite to make sure that it does. For example, if the foreword is an endorsement, then it should include why its author has written the foreword. Why is the book unique? What about it makes it worth reading?
The foreword is a piece of writing set at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature and before the main text. We’ve discussed just what is contained in a foreword in section XXX. In this section we’ll look at how we approach revising our forward.