{"id":773,"date":"2026-10-28T15:10:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T15:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nybookpublishers.com\/blogs\/?p=773"},"modified":"2026-10-28T15:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T15:10:11","slug":"how-to-write-book-acknowledgements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nybookpublishers.com\/blogs\/how-to-write-book-acknowledgements\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Acknowledgements: What They Are and How to Write Them Well!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/h2>\n

Most authors spend months or years writing their book, then spend about thirty minutes on their acknowledgements page and immediately regret it. Either they forget someone important, write something that sounds stiff and formal, or produce a rambling list that loses the personal touch they were going for. Book acknowledgements deserve more care than most authors give them. This page is one of the few places in a published book where you get to speak directly as yourself, stepping outside the story or argument to thank the real people who helped make the book exist.<\/p>\n

Done well, it is one of the most human and memorable parts of any book. Done poorly, it is a missed opportunity. This guide explains what book acknowledgements are, where they belong in your book, what to include, and how to write them in a way that is genuine and specific rather than generic and forgettable. If you are also thinking about how to find a publisher for my book<\/a><\/strong> or working through the wider publishing process, the acknowledgements page is one of several front matter elements worth getting right before your manuscript goes to print.<\/p>\n

What Are Acknowledgements in a Book?<\/h2>\n

Book acknowledgements are a section, usually one to two pages, where the author thanks the people and organizations who contributed to the creation of the book. This includes editors, agents, researchers, writing groups, funding bodies, experts who provided guidance, and personal supporters like family, friends, and partners.<\/p>\n

Acknowledgements are distinct from the dedication page, which is a brief and often poetic tribute to one or a small number of specific people. The acknowledgements section is broader and more comprehensive. It recognizes the wider community of support that made the book possible.<\/p>\n

Not every book includes acknowledgements, but most traditionally published books do, and many self-published authors<\/strong> <\/a>include them too. They are more common in nonfiction than in fiction, though plenty of novelists use them warmly and effectively.<\/p>\n

What acknowledgements are not: they are not a place for extended biographical notes, promotional material, or detailed explanations of your research methodology. That belongs in an author’s note, preface, or introduction. The acknowledgements page is specifically a space for gratitude.<\/p>\n

Where Do Acknowledgements Go in a Book?<\/h2>\n

The placement of acknowledgements in a book is a surprisingly common question, and the answer depends slightly on the book type and the publisher’s conventions.<\/p>\n

In most traditionally published books, acknowledgements appear in the front matter, after the copyright page and before the table of contents or the main text. This is the most common placement for nonfiction books<\/strong><\/a>, where the acknowledgements help frame the book’s origins before the reader enters the content.<\/p>\n

Some fiction publishers place acknowledgements at the back of the book, after the main text ends. This is particularly common in commercial fiction where the publisher wants nothing between the reader and the story’s opening pages. The argument is that placing acknowledgements at the front interrupts the reading experience before it has started.<\/p>\n

Both placements are acceptable and neither is incorrect. If you have a publisher, follow their house style. If you are self-publishing, either placement works, though front matter placement is more traditional for nonfiction and back matter placement is increasingly common for fiction.<\/p>\n

Here is a standard front matter sequence for reference:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Section<\/strong><\/td>\nPosition<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Half title page<\/td>\nFirst page<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Title page<\/td>\nRight-hand page<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Copyright page<\/td>\nVerso of title page<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dedication<\/td>\nRight-hand page<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/td>\nFront matter, before contents<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Table of contents<\/td>\nRight-hand page<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Preface or introduction<\/td>\nBefore Chapter 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For fiction with back matter placement, acknowledgements typically follow the final chapter and any author’s notes.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>What Are the Acknowledgements in a Book Typically Used For?<\/h2>\n

Beyond simple thanks, book acknowledgements serve several practical and professional purposes that authors sometimes overlook.<\/p>\n