Acknowledgments? Dedication? Reader Letter?
I’m in the middle of edits for Man Drought. At this stage I also get to write the acknowledgments and the dedication. I LOVE this part because I am a die-hard acknowledgement reader. Whenever I buy a book, I flick straight to the acknowledgments before reading. As a writer, I know that writing a book is not really a solitary thing – there are usually many people that help the book be born in some way or another.
In my acknowledgments, I thank:
- My hubby, Mum and sometimes extended family.
- My awesome writing friends. In Man Drought, I’ve added some specific detail of what these special people do for me during my writing process.
- People who’ve helped me with research aspects of the book.
- Friends who have gone that extra mile in some way during the writing of the novel (like my gorgeous friend Holly below)
- My editor – because really I sometimes think their name should be on the front of the book as well, they put so much hard work into making a manuscript sparkle.
- My publisher – for similar reasons as above and simply because I love them so much (sorry, fact, not sucking up).
- Diet Coke – okay, actually, I resisted the deep desire to do this even though I really really wanted to – but I seriously seem to write better with a can of DC at my side.
I like acknowledgments because they give a little bit of insight into the writer and his/her world and now that I know many writers, I often recognize the names in the acknowledgments of the books I read and this is always exciting!
Another thing I’ve noticed in more books lately (mostly romance ones) is a letter from the author to the reader. I LOVE this and have decided to do this for Man Drought. I’m so grateful to the readers who have bought my book, read it and loved it and I absolutely love hearing back from readers, so I wanted to have another opportunity to say hello to them!
Anyway, I’m curious… what’s your thoughts on acknowledgments and reader letters!? Do you always read them like me or do you flick past them, straight to the story?
I love reading them! You looks so young in that photo, Rach! Definitely not old enough to have three kidlets!
Aw shucks Lacey! I FEEL well and truly old enough to have a hundred children sometimes
Why am I imagining you writing in a Diet Coke induced frenzy now? Because it’s true. And I usually read the acknowledgements but Reader letters are variable. Six pages before I get to the story…meh.
It is most definitely true re the DC. I get where you are coming from re all the stuff before the story – I guess the good thing is you CAN skip if you wan to!
Nice pic, Rach!! I like the acknowledgements. It’s always really cool to know who was important to the author during the writing of the book. Plus I always imagine writing my own someday…;-)
Not long till you won’t be imagining but actually writing them Jackie. Can’t wait to read yours
Gorgeous photo! I love reading acknowledgements and reader letters. I love writing acknowledgements, too, but hate writing reader letters! It’s so hard (for me) not to sound totally lame
I know what you mean re the lameness Leah. I like the idea of a reader letter in theory but it’s hard to get them just right!
I always read the acknowledgments, Rach. Was very touched to find my name in one recently
It made my day! I love the tiny insight into the writer’s world.
Isn’t it just the best seeing your name in the acknowledgments? Such a warm fuzzy feeling!
Hi Rach – I also loooooove acknowledgments and author letters. I’m fascinated as to why an author wrote a book particuarly if they wrote it after receiving reader requests
Like Helene I was wrapt (in fact, I did the happy dance, to be acknowledged in …….Jilted
) it’s soooooooo exciting!
Not sure if it’s the reader or the writer in me but I’m always interested into the insight of a writer’s life.
Happy acknowledging
Oh Joanne – I wish someone would send me a request to write a book. LOL!!
I love reading all of them too (and I sometimes read the copyright page too – lol)!
Ooh now that’s a new one Kristy! I must check out the copyright page from now on too – lol!
You mean not everybody reads the acknowledgements, etc? … say it isn’t so!!!
I only read the acknowledgements if I want to know more about the author.
I love the acknowledgements page and any info that I can get about the author – a small insight into who the person is and what was going on for them when they wrote the book – was the story born from a personal experience, was it something they had thought about for a long time, or was it something that came to them as a light bulb moment? You know – just give me info – that’s all I’m after!!!!
Cheers to you Rachael – you are an inspriration!