Book dedication examples for your husband
A dedication to your husband works best when it names one thing only he did for this book. Below are examples sorted by tone, from a single line to a few. Choose one to see it on the page, or write your own.
By the Proselis team · Updated
Short dedications to your husband
For Daniel. Always.
To my husband, my first reader.
For D., who believed it first.
For Daniel, who never doubted.
Heartfelt dedications to your husband
For Daniel, who read every draft and loved the worst ones most.
To my husband, who made the coffee, kept the house quiet, and never once asked when it would be done.
For Daniel. You gave me the time, and the time became this book.
To my husband, who held everything else together while I wrote this.
For Daniel, who learned the names of people who don’t exist, because they mattered to me.
Funny dedications to your husband
For Daniel, who still hasn’t read it.
To my husband, who heard about these characters at every dinner for three years. They’ve moved out now.
For Daniel, who asked whether the villain was based on him. It was not. Mostly.
To my husband, who promised to read this one. I’ll be checking.
Dedications to your husband for a love story
These suit romance novels and books about marriage.
For Daniel, the reason I know how a love story ends.
To my husband, my favorite plot twist.
For Daniel. Every hero in this book borrowed something from you.
To my husband, who proved that the slow burn is worth it.
How do you write a dedication to your husband?
Name one thing he did for this book, such as reading drafts, taking the kids every Saturday, or listening to plot problems at dinner. A specific detail reads as love, and a general one reads like a greeting card. Keep it to a line or two, and save the longer thanks for the acknowledgments.
Should you use his name or “my husband”?
Either works. A first name feels personal and keeps the page short. “My husband” tells strangers who he is, which helps if you thank him again in the acknowledgments. Initials, such as “For D.,” keep it private.
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 husband and my kids together?
Yes. Name them in one line, such as “For Daniel, Maya, and Leo,” or give your husband the first line and the children the second.
Is it strange to dedicate every book to my husband?
No. Plenty of authors do, and readers enjoy spotting it. If you want variety, keep the name and change the line each time.
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.