Book dedication examples for your dad
A dedication to your father lands best when it names something small he did that turned out to matter, such as reading to you after work or fixing the same bike chain every summer. Below are examples sorted by tone. Choose one to see it on the page, or write your own.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Short dedications to your dad
For Dad.
For my father, my first storyteller.
To Dad, who said I should write it down.
For Pop. Here it is.
For Dad, the bravest person I know.
Heartfelt dedications to your dad
For my father, who read to me every night, even after a double shift.
To Dad, who didn’t understand why I wanted to write and drove me to every workshop anyway.
For my father, who left the porch light on until I got home. It stayed on for this book too.
For Dad, who taught me to finish what I start. I finished it.
To my father, whose stories at the kitchen table were my first library.
Funny dedications to your dad
For Dad, who will read the first page, fall asleep, and tell everyone it’s wonderful.
To my father, who asked to be in the book. You’re on page 212, Dad. You’re the mailman.
For Dad, who still thinks writing is a hobby. Look, a hobby with an ISBN.
For my father, who has told the story of my birth so often that I had to write something longer.
Dedications to a dad who taught you a craft
These suit books shaped by something he showed you how to do.
For Dad, who taught me to measure twice. I revised twice as often.
To my father, who showed me that good work is quiet work.
How do you write a dedication to your dad?
Pick one memory that only the two of you share, and let the dedication point at it. Many fathers are shy about praise, so a light touch often lands better than a long tribute. If he taught you something that shaped the book, name it.
Should you write “Dad” or “my father”?
Use the word you say out loud. “For Dad” sounds like you, and “To my father” reads more formally. If you call him Pop, Papa, or a name only your family uses, that word will mean the most to him.
Where does the dedication go?
In a printed book, the dedication gets its own right-hand page after the copyright page, usually centered about a third of the way down. Some books share that page with the epigraph. In an ebook, it comes right after the copyright page.
How long should a dedication be?
Most are one or two lines. Anything longer usually belongs in the acknowledgments at the back, where you can thank everyone by name.
Questions
Can I dedicate a book to my stepdad?
Yes. Write “For my stepfather” or simply his name, whichever he would like better. Many authors use just the name, which avoids explaining the family to strangers.
What if my dad and I aren’t close?
You don’t owe anyone a dedication. If you still want to name him, keep it simple, such as “For my father.” A plain line can be honest without saying more than you mean.
Can I dedicate a book to more than one person?
Yes. Name them together, as in “For Maya and Leo,” or give each person a line. If the list grows past three or four names, move your thanks to the acknowledgments.
Do I have to include a dedication?
No. Many books have none. Leave it out if nobody comes to mind, because a forced dedication shows.
Should the dedication be in italics?
It’s common but not required. Most dedications are centered and set in italic or small type so they stand apart from the text.
Give your dedication its own page
Proselis has a dedication page ready in its Front Matter menu, so your dedication 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.