#28: How Long Should an Academic Book’s Introduction Be?

Your academic book’s introduction is your first opportunity to make an impression on your reader. It’s natural that you’d be worried about writing it well. One aspect of the introduction that authors tend to fixate on is length. How long should your introduction be? In today’s episode, which is the first of a series on book introductions, Jane will discuss length. If you’re worried that your introduction will be too long or too short, after this episode you’ll know how to make the length just right. Here’s what we’ll cover: Why asking how long your introduction should be isn’t the right question, and what you should be asking instead. The value of looking at other books as examples, and how to approach that process strategically. How to understand the length of your introduction in the context of the length of your entire book, rather than treating the introduction as its own project. Make sure to have a notebook handy, because you’re going to get a cheatsheet for thinking about how to approach your introduction. Books discussed: Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers, They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American SouthKellie Carter Jackson, We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black ResistanceAlexandra Freidus. Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York CityYuki Kato. Gardens of Hope: Cultivation Food and the Future in a Post-Disaster City📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favorite gem from this episode. I’d love to hear your thoughts!💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them!✉️ Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.