Book dedication examples for a friend
A dedication to a friend works best when it names what the friendship gave you while you wrote, such as honest notes, long walks, or a voice on the phone at midnight. Below are examples for close friends and best friends, sorted by tone. Choose one to see it on the page, or write your own.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Short dedications to a friend
For Jess. You know why.
To my best friend, who read it first.
For Jess, my person.
To J., for every Tuesday.
Heartfelt dedications to a friend
For Jess, who answered every panicked text about chapter twelve.
To my best friend, who believed in this story when it was three pages and a coffee stain.
For Jess. Friends like you are the reason people write about friendship.
To my oldest friend, who has known every version of me and liked most of them.
For Jess, who walked with me every evening while I talked through the plot and never once asked me to change the subject.
Funny dedications to a friend
For Jess, who said this would be a bestseller before reading a word.
To my best friend, who demanded a character named after her. Chapter four. You’re welcome.
For Jess, who has heard this plot explained more times than any person should.
To my friend, who insisted the dog should live. The dog lives.
Dedications for a friend who writes too
These suit a critique partner or a friend from a writing group.
For Jess, my critique partner, who knows where all the bodies were buried in the first draft.
To my writing friends, who made the hard days lighter.
For Jess. Your turn next.
How do you write a dedication to a friend?
Name something the friendship did for the book, such as early reading, long walks, or the push you needed to finish. A dedication that points at a shared memory feels personal without explaining it to strangers. Your friend will know exactly what you mean.
Should you dedicate your first book to a friend instead of family?
You can dedicate it to whoever carried you through the writing. If a friend did the most, the dedication is the right place to say so, and family can appear in the acknowledgments.
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
How do I dedicate a book to a group of friends?
Use a name for the group if you have one, such as “For the Tuesday-night writers,” or list each first name. A group name keeps the line short and makes everyone feel included.
Can I dedicate a book to a friend I’ve lost touch with?
Yes, a dedication can thank someone for a part they played years ago. Keep it simple, and consider using only a first name or initials if you’re unsure how they’ll feel.
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.