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The Best Introductions are Formulaic

This is the thing to know about introductions: there is a formula to effective ones, and you should follow it.

Even though it may not seem like there’s a formula, there is one, and if you don’t stick to it, then your readers will feel it, and be upset—even if they don’t know why.

You can be very creative within the boundaries of the formula, but follow the formula and your introduction will work well.

The Formula for an Introduction

A good introduction is like an interesting sales pitch, not a dry and boring informational piece. Introductions are built from these elements:

• H
• T
• T
• T
• D
• S

Part 1: Hook the reader

An introduction has to hook the reader fast. It should grab them by the lapels and force them to pay attention.

Here are examples of hooks. They start average and then get much better:

“Let’s start with a question: Why do certain groups perform better than other groups?”

“You’ve been told a lie. Everything you know about sugar is wrong.”

/em>

“We shot dogs. Not by accident. We did it on purpose, and we called it Operation Scooby. I’m a dog person, so I thought a lot about that.”

These all grab your attention. They make you sit up, take notice, and read the next line.

There is not a specific formula to figuring out your hook. These are the three questions we use to help determine what the hook is:

• W
• W
• What is the intended audience going to care about the most, or be most interested in or shocked by?

• A great hook is counterintuitive, and it violates expectations or reverses
• I
• I
• I

Often the hook is an anecdote. One powerful way to write an anecdotal hook well is to use the “cinematic” technique: tell it as if you are describing a scene in a movie. At its core, the hook makes the reader sit up and take notice.

Though the first sentence must be effective, the rest of the page and initial story must do the same thing.

An attention-grabbing sentence needs to lead into something that keeps them—a short story, example, statistic, or historical context that introduces the subject in a way that is interesting and exciting—and will engage the reader and compel them to read more, and lead them into the rest of the material.

Part 2: Tell stories about the reader’s current pain

Once you have the reader’s attention with the hook, the introduction next answers the implicit reader question: “Why do I care?”

Basically, what’s the reason the reader went to the bookstore? What problem were they looking to solve?

This is not about giving the reader simple information. It’s not enough to list nothing but boring facts and figures. No one pays attention to that.

People pay attention to stories, especially stories that resonate with their problems, pain, and conflicts. Once they are in touch with those pain points, then they want to hear about solutions that provide relief and pleasure, and maybe even take them somewhere new in their life.

This ties directly into the audience section you wrote in your positioning. You should know your reader’s pain precisely, because you’ve already told that story once, at least in the abstract. The story or stories in the introduction should dive deep and describe the massive pain the reader is suffering by not taking the advice or lessons in your book. Pain induces action.

Part 3: Tell stories about the reader’s potential pleasure

Once you’ve appealed to the reader’s pain point, then you should tell a story that describes the pleasure that comes from taking the action. Show them why the results are so amazing and that the goal is worth the pain.

Again, this ties into your audience positioning—you already have this story, you did it in your audience section. Dive deep into it and provide more specifics.

Part 4: Tell them what they’ll learn

Once you’ve laid out the pain and pleasure stories and the reader understands what’s at stake for them by reading this book, then you need to explain exactly how you are going to help them solve their pain and get to their pleasure.

Make sure this is so clear and simple that even a seventh grader could understand. It should be as basic as, “I am going to show you precisely how to do this. I’ll walk you through, step by step by step, until you have mastered everything necessary to get your results.”

Part 5: Describe your background/origin of book

Once you’ve hooked the reader, appealed to their pain, and shown them the benefit they can have if they overcome it, now it’s time to explain who you are, why you wrote the book, and why the reader should trust what you have to say.

Essentially, you’ll establish your authority to be their guide, and contextualize the book for them.

The best way to do this again, is to tell a story. Why did you write this book? Why does this subject matter to you? How did you learn enough to be in a position to teach what you know to people? Why are you qualified—even uniquely qualified—to write this book? Why should the reader credit what you have to say?

This is where you can talk about your hero’s journey story—what it took for you to get to this place—because this is where the reader is wondering why they should trust you. After all, if you are going to help them by teaching them so much, they need to know why they should listen to you.

But, and this is very important: r. They only care about you and your story insofar as it applies to the book and to your expertise. Do not give them an autobiography. Just enough about you to know that they should listen is all it takes.

Part 6: What the book is and is not

This is an optional part of the intro, but many authors like to put this in. By telling the reader what the book is and is not, it sets the right expectations in the beginning. You can do this very simply, mainly by stating what you will not be, and the things they will not get out of it.

Part 7: Segue to first chapter

Once you have done all of this, then all that is left is a simple transition to get the reader ready to dive in and start engaging the book.

I know this all seems like a lot, so here is an example intro to help you see how it ties together: