What is an acknowledgment in a book? An acknowledgment is a short section where an author publicly thanks the people and organizations who helped bring the book to life, such as editors, beta readers, family, researchers, and collaborators. It usually runs one to two pages and appears in the front matter or back matter.
By the editors at ebookwriting.co, a publishing house that has helped authors write, format, and publish books on Amazon KDP and Apple Books since 2015.
What Is the Purpose of an Acknowledgment?
- Credits contributors who shaped the book but aren’t on the cover.
- Builds goodwill with editors, mentors, and early readers, which helps with future reviews and referrals.
- Meets obligations such as thanking permission-granting sources, institutions, or funders.
Acknowledgment vs. Dedication
A dedication is one personal line honoring one person or group. An acknowledgment is a longer thank-you to everyone who contributed. See our full breakdown of the dedication page vs acknowledgment page.
Where Does an Acknowledgment Go in a Book?
| Book Type | Typical Placement |
|---|---|
| Fiction | Back matter, after the final chapter |
| Non-fiction, memoir, and business | Front matter (after the dedication) or back matter |
| Academic or research | Front matter, before the table of contents |
In an eBook, back matter keeps your story or hook visible in the Kindle “Look Inside” preview. If you use a Kindle KDP formatting service, make sure the page is tagged so it appears in the navigation menu. For the full running order, read our guide to preface vs foreword vs introduction.
What Should You Include?
- Professionals: editor, proofreader, cover designer, ghostwriter, or illustrator.
- Early support: beta readers, writing groups, mentors.
- Research help: interviewees, librarians, institutions, funders.
- Personal circle: family and friends who gave you time and encouragement.
- Readers: a brief thank-you to the people holding the book.
Tip: Be specific and keep it under 300 words. Name the person and the help (“thank you to Dana for three rounds of feedback”), not just a list of names. For wording ideas, see these book acknowledgment examples and our guide on how to write your book acknowledgments.
Example
Thank you to my editor for sharpening every chapter, to my beta readers for honest feedback, to my family for protecting my writing hours, and to you, the reader, for spending your time with this book.
FAQ
Is an acknowledgment required in a book?
No. It is optional, but it is standard in most published fiction and non-fiction.
Can I thank the team that helped publish my book?
Yes. Crediting your editor, designer, and publishing team is common and professional.
How long should an acknowledgment be?
Usually one page, or 150 to 300 words.
Is “acknowledgment” or “acknowledgement” correct?
Both are accepted. US publishers generally use “acknowledgment.”
Next Steps for Authors
Once your acknowledgment is written, finish the rest of your manuscript and get it live. Our guide on how to publish a book on Amazon walks through KDP step by step. If you’d rather hand off the heavy lifting, ebookwriting.co offers professional editing, cover design, and KDP publishing with a fixed-price proposal in 48 hours, and you keep 100% of the copyright. Book a free 15-minute call.
