A preface is written by you, the author, speaking directly to the reader, usually explaining why you wrote the book, how it came to be, or what you hope readers take from it, and the best ones are short, honest, and genuinely useful, not a second introduction padded out to seem more substantial. If you're not sure whether your book needs one, see Foreword vs. Preface vs. Introduction and The Parts of a Book: A Complete Front Matter Guide first.
A preface exists to give readers context that helps them approach the book, not to summarize what's inside it (that's what a description or back cover does) or to explain the subject matter itself (that's the job of an introduction, if you have one). Common, legitimate reasons to write one include explaining your personal connection to the material, especially relevant for memoir or novels drawn from real experience, or sharing what prompted you to write the book, if that origin story genuinely adds something for the reader. A preface can also set expectations briefly, about what kind of book this is or how to approach it, if that's not already obvious from the title and description, or acknowledge the book's scope or limitations, common in nonfiction, where an author might note what the book does and doesn't attempt to cover.
Skip a full plot summary or subject overview, since that's redundant with your book's description and, in fiction, can spoil the reading experience. Extensive backstory about the writing process that isn't genuinely relevant to how a reader should approach the book doesn't belong here either, and anything that would work just as well, or better, as acknowledgments should move to the back of the book instead. Avoid apologies or hedging about the book's quality or scope too; a preface that undermines the book before it starts rarely serves the reader or the author well.
Not every preface needs all four elements. A short, focused preface that covers one or two of these well is stronger than one that tries to hit every possible note.
A preface that runs several pages risks feeling like a barrier between the reader and the actual book, especially in fiction, where readers are typically eager to reach the story itself. Most effective prefaces run well under a page or two. If you find yours growing longer, ask whether some of that material belongs in acknowledgments instead, or whether it's necessary at all.
Memoir: A brief note on why you're telling this particular story now, and what you hope readers take from your experience.
Nonfiction: A short explanation of what led you to write on this topic, and perhaps a note on your background or perspective that's relevant to the subject.
Fiction based on real events or personal history: A brief explanation of the real-world connection, without giving away plot details the story itself should reveal.
Most other fiction: Usually doesn't need one at all. If you're writing a preface mainly because you feel your novel should have one, that's worth reconsidering; most novels move straight from the title page to Chapter 1.
If, after drafting a preface, you're not confident it adds real value for the reader, it's completely reasonable to cut it. A preface is optional in nearly every book, and an unnecessary one adds a small but real barrier between the reader and your actual content.
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Typically why you wrote the book, what prompted it, and what you hope readers take from it, written briefly and in your own voice. It should not duplicate your book's description or your acknowledgments.
Short, generally well under a page or two. A preface that runs long risks feeling like a barrier between the reader and the book itself.
No. Most fiction doesn't need one at all. Prefaces are more common and more useful in memoir and nonfiction, where personal or contextual background genuinely helps orient the reader.
A preface explains your connection to the book and why you wrote it. Acknowledgments thank the specific people who helped you write and publish it. They serve different purposes and shouldn't be combined.