Write the introduction, the conclusion and the parts around your book
Write or rewrite the introduction last: its only job is to convince the reader to start chapter one. Keep the conclusion short and end with one clear next step. Then add only the extras that earn their place: a dedication and acknowledgments if you want them, a foreword only if it adds real credibility, and a short bio, description and blurbs that sell the book to its reader.
The introduction: get them to chapter one
The introduction is where readers decide whether the book is worth their time. They are not worried about the price of the book. They are worried about the hours. So the introduction is not a summary of the book; it is the case for reading it. The Scribe Method's chapter on outlining the introduction makes the same point and warns against summarizing the whole book up front.
A working order for the parts:
| Part | What it does | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | A first line or scene that makes the reader lean in. | Throat clearing. "In today's fast-paced world" has never hooked anyone. |
| The reader's problem | Shows the reader their own situation, ideally through a story. | Describing a problem your reader does not feel yet. |
| What is possible | Paints the result your book promises, concretely. | Overpromising. The reader will hold you to it. |
| Why you | A short account of how you came to know this. | Turning into an autobiography. Keep only what earns trust. |
| What is ahead | A brief preview of the book's path. | A chapter-by-chapter summary that makes reading feel unnecessary. |
| Who it is for (optional) | Says who will get the most from it, and who will not. | Hedging. Be clear. |
| Turn the page | A line that leads straight into chapter one. | Ending on a summary instead of momentum. |
An example opening
This is an example we wrote, for the fictional book on selling a family business used in earlier stages.
"I spent thirty years building my company and about thirty days preparing to sell it. The first offer I got was so low I laughed, then I went home and could not sleep. This book is about the two years I wish I had spent before that meeting, and how you can spend them instead."
It hooks with a contrast, puts a fear the reader shares on the page, shows the author has lived it, and promises a specific result in two sentences.
The conclusion: send them off with one step
Readers who reach the conclusion already trust you. Do not spend that trust on new material or a sales pitch. The Scribe Method's chapter on outlining the conclusion suggests keeping it one of the shortest chapters in the book. A simple shape:
- Close the loop. Return to the story or image from the introduction and show how it ends.
- Restate the promise. One or two sentences on what the reader now knows.
- Recap the path. The key idea of each part or chapter, in a line each.
- Give one next step. The single most useful thing to do this week. A free resource, a worksheet, or a way to reach you is fine, as long as it serves the reader.
The parts around the book
Here is where each extra usually goes, and whether you need it.
| Part | Where it goes | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
| Dedication | Front, before the contents | Optional. One or two lines. |
| Foreword | Front, before the introduction | Rarely. Only if it adds credibility or context you cannot. |
| Introduction | Start of the main text | Yes. |
| Conclusion | End of the main text | Yes. |
| Acknowledgments | Back (sometimes front) | Optional, but most books have one. |
| About the author | Back, and on the cover or retailer page | Yes. |
| Notes and sources | Back | Yes, if you cite outside facts (see Stage 4). |
| Book description | Back cover and retailer pages | Yes. |
| Blurbs | Cover, back cover, inside pages, retailer pages | Helpful, not required. |
Foreword
A foreword is written by someone else. It earns its place only if that person's name adds real standing or they can explain why the book matters in a way you cannot without sounding boastful. The Scribe Method's chapter on forewords offers a good rule: if you would not put "Foreword by" and their name on the cover, ask them for a blurb instead. It also suggests a foreword should rarely exceed 500 words. Ask early, ideally by phone or in person, and make it easy: offer to interview them and draft it for their approval.
Dedication
A line or two to the person or people the book is for. Remember every reader will see it. Simple and specific beats grand. An example we wrote: "For my father, who signed the front of the paychecks for forty years and never once complained about it."
Acknowledgments
Make a list before you write: family, colleagues, clients who let you tell their stories, early readers, editors and anyone who helped. Be specific about what each person did. "Thanks to Maria" is forgettable; "Thanks to Maria, who read three drafts of Chapter 4 and told me the truth about all of them" is a gift. Thank the people who gave permission in Stage 4.
About the author
Usually written in the third person and kept short. Include only what makes the reader trust you on this subject: role, relevant experience, a result or two you can stand behind, and where you live or work. Leave out the full résumé. The Scribe Method's chapter on author bios shows good and bad examples side by side. A pattern we suggest:
[Name] is [role] at [organization], where [what you do, for whom]. [One proof point.] [Book name] draws on [source of the book's knowledge]. [He/She/They] lives in [place].
Book description
The words on the back cover and the retailer page. A reliable shape is hook, problem, what the book does, and an invitation. The Scribe Method suggests 150 to 200 words, and Amazon's KDP help on book descriptions recommends aiming for a 150-word paragraph that is easy to scan, with a first sentence that draws readers in; KDP's limit is 4,000 characters. Write in the second person where you can, and reuse the reader's own words from your Stage 2 interviews.
Blurbs
Short endorsements from credible people. The name matters more than the words, and genuine praise beats over-the-top praise. Ask people who know your work and whose names your reader will recognize. Make it easy for them: send a one-paragraph summary, a sample chapter or the full draft, and a deadline at least a month out. If they are busy, offer a few sentences they can edit; never publish words they have not approved. A back cover can hold up to about three blurbs before it gets crowded, according to The Scribe Method; extras can go on an "advance praise" page inside.
Your Stage 9 checklist
- An introduction rewritten after revision, with every part in the table above.
- A short conclusion that ends with one next step.
- A decision on foreword, dedication and acknowledgments, and drafts of the ones you keep.
- A third-person bio, a description of about 150 to 200 words, and blurb requests sent.
Common questions
Should I write the introduction first or last?
Last, or at least rewrite it last. You cannot promise what the book delivers until you know what it delivers. A rough introduction early can help you start, but plan to rewrite it after revision.
How long should a book introduction be?
Long enough to hook the reader, name their problem, show what is possible and preview the book, and no longer. For most books that is shorter than a typical chapter. If yours runs longer, check whether it is summarizing the whole book.
Does my book need a foreword?
Most books do not. A foreword is worth it only if it comes from someone whose name adds real credibility or who can explain why the book matters in a way you cannot. If you would not put their name on the cover, ask for a blurb instead.
What is the difference between a foreword, a preface and an introduction?
A foreword is written by someone else, usually to vouch for you or the book. A preface is the author's short note on why or how the book came to be. The introduction is part of the book itself and sets up what the reader will learn.
How long should a book description be?
The Scribe Method suggests 150 to 200 words, and Amazon's KDP help recommends aiming for a 150-word paragraph. KDP allows up to 4,000 characters, but most readers decide long before that.
Sources: The Scribe Method, chapter 11 (Outline the Introduction), chapter 12 (Outline the Conclusion), chapter 20 (Write Your Book Dedication), chapter 21 (Write Your Book Acknowledgements), chapter 22 (Write Your Book Foreword), chapter 23 (How to Get Incredible Blurbs), chapter 25 (How to Write a Book Description That Sells) and chapter 26 (How to Write Your Author Bio); Amazon KDP, Write a Book Description. All read October 20, 2026. The example opening, dedication and bio pattern were written by Scribe Media for this guide.