Although not a requirement, forewords are often found in the front matter of nonfiction books. Some hurried readers might flip past those pages, but there’s actually a lot of value in a well-written foreword, especially for the author and their platform.

When written properly and by the person best suited for the job, a foreword can help your book can gain tremendous credibility in the eyes of readers. 

If you’re getting ready to publish a nonfiction book, you should consider including a foreword from a respected expert in your field. In this post, we’ll show you who to ask and how do it to get the right sponsors for your book.

How to Ask for a Foreword

If you’re the author of a book and would like to ask someone influential write your foreword, here are some tips to help you: 

1. List your potential endorsers. 

Make a list of the top 5–10 people you believe could write a great foreword for you. Look for one or both of these characteristics:

• Credibility: When an influencer with credibility endorses your book, some of that credibility rubs off on you. Readers can quickly associate you with that person and their expertise, which is an important asset in the publishing world. 
• Empathy: Another important trait for your foreword writer to have is the ability to win your readers’ empathy. The foreword author can also give your readers an idea what to expect when they take your advice. 

2. Categorize them according to Warm or Cold Contacts. 

Warm Contacts refer to those with whom you have a personal relationship. Cold Contacts are those you have never had a personal conversation with. 

Obviously, those you have a good relationship with will be easier to approach, and will have a bigger chance of saying yes to you.

But if you find that the ideal person you believe should write your foreword is in your cold contacts, look at the people in your warm contacts and see if any of them can give you a referral to your target person. This way, you can make an action plan how best to approach the said person.

3. Prepare your pitch. 

When you present your request to any potential endorser, include the following: 

• An outline of your book: What is the book about? What will the readers get from it? 
• Any benefits for them: One clear benefit of writing a foreword is getting the exposure that comes with the book. This may include a chance for the writer to promote their business. But if you’re approaching someone who already has greater exposure than you, look into what is important for them and consider offering benefits along that line. 
• What you need from them: Do you have specific guidelines for the foreword you’re asking, such as how long it has to be? Do they need to complete it by a certain date? Would you need them to read the whole book, or is an introduction enough? 
• Next steps: You might include an invitation to talk in more detail in person. Or, if they want to read the book first, this is where you send them the full manuscript. 

4. Approach them with clear intentions. 

Because it’s more difficult to approach someone you hardly know, start to build a relationship before you present your request. 

When you start to approach the people you’ve listed down, make your plans as clear as possible. This means being open with them as to what you need from them: for example, do you need a two-page foreword? Specify it in your letter. 

Also, give them the option of endorsing you with or without having read the whole book. Remember that influential people will likely have very busy schedules, so it’s good to give them this choice. 

Then, give them an outline of what they can write about. This is especially important if the person you’re approaching has never written a foreword before. Otherwise, you can skip the outline. 

5. Follow up. 

Only one person writes a foreword in a book, in contrast with testimonials where you can have several. Therefore, it’s important to start approaching people, one at a time, well in advance of your publishing date. 

This way, you can follow up on the first person you reached out to with ample time to find someone else in case it doesn’t work out. 

Be brief and professional when you follow up. If the person agrees to write you a foreword but does not get back to you by the agreed deadline, send an email reminding them of the deadline and asking if they need more time. 

If you are still flexible, you can give a new date. If not, let them know that they only have X amount of time left to be included in your book. 

Request Letter to Write a Foreword

Below is a template to help you write a request letter for a foreword. Remember, the tone of your letter may vary, depending on how close you are with the person you’re asking. As

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well! I’m writing because I recently finished a book about [subject], and I would be so honored if you would write the foreword for my book. I can’t think of anyone more qualified than you to discuss the importance of [subject].

[Briefly outline the key topics discussed, importance of the subject, and how readers will benefit from your book here.]

I know how much [subject] matters to you, and I think adding your voice here would be a great way to get more people to care about it too, given your influence in this area.

I would be more than happy to send you the full manuscript for your review. My publisher has asked for a [desired length] foreword. I know you’re very busy, but if you manage to find time for this, it would be very much appreciated! But if you won’t be able to, I understand. Please let me know by [date], as I have a deadline of [deadline date].

Thank you again, and I look forward to discussing this with you in more depth!

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Who Should Write a Foreword?

If you are looking for someone to write the foreword of your book, the following types of people are usually your best bets: 

• Highly paid speakers
• Bestselling authors
• People regularly shown or discussed in the media 

Other options, based on the your specific nonfiction category, might also be a good idea. For example:

Health and Wellness Books

• A medical practitioner
• A certified health coach or instructor
• A professional athlete or coach 

Business or Leadership Books

• A successful entrepreneur 
• A leadership trainer or speaker 

Education Books

• A school head or leader 
• A media personality connected with education 
• Politicians connected with educational concerns 

Marriage or Parenting Books

• A psychologist
• A marriage counsellor
• A talk show host known for championing marriage or family 
• A celebrity known for advocating strong families

Religious Books

• A known religious leader in your chosen sect or group
• A known religious leader in the overall scheme 

Biographies 

• A history expert or historian
• A writer who can attest to your storytelling skills 
• A relative or friend of the person whose biography you’re writing 

Travel Guides and Travelogues

• A well-known travel blogger or YouTuber 
• A celebrity known for traveling 

Finding Endorsements for Your Book

Getting a foreword written by a prominent expert is just one way to establish your credibility and bring more attention to your book.

Check out our other tips for getting book blurbs and endorsements, plus our guide to getting book reviews from everyday people on Amazon.

If you were to write a book, who would you ask to write the foreword? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

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