A foreword is a piece of writing that comes at the beginning of a book, typically written by someone other than the author and serving as an introduction to the work. Synonyms for this term include preface, introduction, opening remarks, prologue, preamble, front matter, and introductory note. A preface is similar to a foreword and is often written by the author of the book. An introduction can be written by the author or another individual and is usually more detailed than a foreword. A prologue is typically a short story or scene that sets the stage for the main story. Preamble and front matter are also used to describe the introductory section of a book.