On the writing process: when to write the introduction of a book
I’ve come to see myself as a writer over the past several years, and I’m always trying to figure out how to be a more effective writer. “More effective” means doing a better job at getting my point across, doing a good job supporting my premises, and being consistent with my premises.
Here is one important thing I’ve learned (it just clicked) and I think the general principle will apply to the vast majority of people who are writing a book.
Write the introduction after you write the book.
I wish someone would have told me this before. Over the process of writing your book (or your thesis paper or whatever) your understanding will change and evolve. It may change or evolve so much that your main point is entirely different by the end of the process. Or maybe it is just somewhat different, but it will probably be different.
If your understanding doesn’t change, it’s still probably true that you will write a lot of stuff that you initially didn’t consider.
The introduction should essentially be a summary or overview of the book. How is it going to be a good summary, or overview, if the book has not yet been written? I don’t think an introduction can encapsulate what the book is going to be about — if the book isn’t written yet.
So, while I used to simply assume that the introduction is written first (hey, it is the first part of the book), now I maintain that it’s best (at least as a general rule) to write the introduction last.
Otherwise, I have found, the book will probably not be as clear and consistent as it could be.
Of course, before you write the book, you should have a good idea of what you’re writing about, and a strong thesis. But don’t write the intro until it’s all done — because then, you know exactly what you will be introducing.
