Here is a guide to help get you started in building the acknowledgements page of your new book. Your acknowledgements page does not need to be an exhaustive listing of every last person that help you. But at the very least, you must include all the people that had an important impact on you and your book. And, of course, the bigger your book, the longer the acknowledgments page, or pages, will be. Explain to your readers, in a narrative form, exactly what each person did to help you complete your book.
And don’t forget that the acknowledgments page is showing your readers that many people were involved in helping your book come to life. This will make your acknowledgments page become a great way for you to not only thank those that helped you, but also show your readers that you had many people helping you build a credible book. And don’t forget, the acknowledgments page is not the same as the dedication page.
Family: Your parents, spouse, children, siblings, and relatives who supported your efforts while writing your book. In my case, my mother does errands for me so that I can stay in front of the computer writing. My kids are experts at finding information on the internet. My wife helps with editing and freely offers constructive criticism of my work. I generally find extra time to write by getting up in the morning before everyone else does, and staying up later at night after everyone else has gone to bed. The family plays a very big part in the success of my books.
Sources: Anyone, such as librarians, teachers, professors, or industry experts, that provided data or information that was used in your book. In addition, anyone that you interviewed that provided useful information and assistance. Be specific in what each source provided for your book.
Editors: Make sure that you list any editor that helped you complete your book. Be specific in describing what each editor helped you with.
Researchers: Anyone that took the time to assist you in finding data and information in the library or on the internet, etc. Don’t forget those college interns and librarian assistants. Again, mention what research was found and by whom.
Illustrators/Photographers: These are the people that helped bring your text to life. If you used illustrators and photographers, you will certainly have a lot to tell the reader about them.
Graphic Designers: You should also give the name of those that designed your book’s interior, as well as your book’s cover. Discuss some of the great designs that they gave you to choose from.
Mentors: These are all the people that taught you the ins-and-outs of your business and career. These are the people that you credit with helping you move up within in your industry.
Writing and Publishing Coaches: If you used a coach, mention in what ways they helped you. These people save you a lot of time and grief. These people have much more experience with writing and publishing, and help you in creating a professional looking book.
Writing Buddies: The one can cover people such as your co-author or even a co-worker that you bounce ideas off of. Don’t forget your professional acquaintances that you work with and share ideas with. Of course, if you had a co-author for your book, you should have a lot to tell your readers about how your writing relationship with this person greatly enhanced your book.
Publisher: If you used a publisher, mention each person at the publisher that actually helped you improve your book. Mention what each person at the publishing company did for you and your book.
Foreword Author: You will owe a great debt of gratitude to this person. A proper foreword will have a great impact on the financial and critical success of your book. In some cases, this person might also be one of your mentors.
All The Rest: Here you can give a blanket “thank you” to the countless others that assisted you in finishing your book. This includes those that helped with research, writing, and editing, and those that helped you to develop and understand the concepts that you write about in your book.
This article was written by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. and originally posted on KunzOnPublishing.com.