Acknowledgements page examples
The acknowledgements page is where you thank everyone who helped the book happen, and the best ones say what each person did. Most run from half a page to two pages. Add the lines you like to the page, or build your own with the form.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Thanks for your agent and editor
Thank you to my agent, Priya Shah, who believed in this book when it was still a mess.
My editor, Tom Ellery, found the story hiding in my third draft, and I’m grateful every day that he did.
I owe more than I can say to my agent, Laura Kim, who answered every panicked email within the hour.
Thank you to the whole team at Fernhill Press for turning a manuscript into a book.
Thanks for beta readers and writing groups
Thank you to the Tuesday Night Writers, who read every chapter twice and argued about the ending.
My beta readers, Sam, Ivy, and Theo, told me the truth when it mattered most.
Thank you to everyone in my writing group for the honest notes and the better snacks.
Jess read the first draft in a single weekend and called me at midnight to talk about it. Thank you, Jess.
Thanks for experts and research help
Thank you to Dr. Anita Rao, who answered my questions about emergency medicine with endless patience.
The librarians at the Milwaukee Public Library found records I didn’t know existed. Any mistakes are mine.
I’m grateful to the three firefighters who let me shadow their shifts and asked only that I get the details right.
Thanks for family and partners
Daniel, you kept the coffee coming and the kids out of my office. None of this happens without you.
Thank you to my parents, who filled the house with books and never asked when I would get a real job.
Maya and Leo, thank you for understanding that a closed door meant I was writing, most of the time.
Thank you to my sister, Clara, my first and fiercest reader.
Closing lines for your readers
Finally, thank you to every reader who asked when the next book was coming. It’s here because of you.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Stories only work when someone reads them.
Thank you for reading. I hope this book kept you company.
What goes on an acknowledgements page?
Most acknowledgements thank people in rough order of how directly they shaped the book: your agent and editor, then early readers and anyone who helped with research, and then friends and family. Many end with a line for the reader. A specific detail reads as real gratitude, so say what each person did.
How do you keep acknowledgements from sounding like a list?
Vary how each thank-you opens, and give each person one specific detail. Group people by role so the page has a shape, and let a sentence or two of your own voice tie the groups together.
Acknowledgments or acknowledgements?
Both are correct. “Acknowledgments” is the usual American spelling, and “acknowledgements” is the usual British one. Pick the one that matches the rest of your book’s spelling, and use it in both the page heading and the table of contents.
How long should acknowledgements be?
Half a page to two pages is typical. If yours runs longer, group people by role so readers can follow it, and keep each paragraph to a few sentences.
Questions
Can I thank someone who has died?
Yes. A line such as “I wish my father had lived to see this book” is common, and it is often the most moving part of the page.
Should I thank my publisher?
If you worked with people there, such as your editor, copyeditor, and designer, thank them by name. A general line for the whole team covers everyone else.
Where does the acknowledgements page go?
Most novels put it at the back, after the last chapter. Many nonfiction books put it at the front instead, before the introduction.
Is it okay to thank people who didn’t help with the writing?
Yes. Thank anyone who made it possible for you to write, such as the friend who watched your kids or the boss who let you change your hours.
Give your thanks a page of its own
Proselis adds an Acknowledgments page to your back matter from one menu, so it lands in the right place in your EPUB and print PDF. Writing is free. Publishing a book as an EPUB and a print-ready PDF is a one-time $20.