Effective Tips for Writing a Book Dedication

If you are writing a book of your own, you should make sure that you take every part of it seriously. It could be very easy to overlook minor parts of the book though, one being the dedication page in a book.

If you are a newbie writer, it could be easy to overlook this part. Why is it so important? It’s technically just a shorter version of the acknowledgment.

However, the book dedication is important because it gives you a chance to mention the key people who helped you achieve your book. So if you are going to write a book dedication, you should make sure that you do it right.

Here are Effective tips on how to write a book dedication.

Choose who to dedicate your book to

Before you start writing your book dedication, you should choose the person to dedicate it to. There are many options for you to choose from.

If you have a spouse you could dedicate the book to him or her. You could also dedicate it to your mom/dad, child, or any family member.

You could also choose a family friend, a colleague at work, or someone deceased who had been closed to you. In truth, you could dedicate the book to anyone, just as long as this person truly inspired you to write your book.

Keep it short but sweet

When you do start writing your book dedication, you should remember not to make it too long. If you want to thank a lot of people, you can do it in your acknowledgment section.

So you should limit your dedication to a few sentences at best.

Specify the reason you’re writing the dedication

Writing a dedication could be a bit tricky because aside from limiting your dedication to a few sentences, you should give the readers a reason why you’re dedicating the book to this specific person.

This can be difficult to cram into just a few sentences. So you should make sure that you make each and every word count.

Take cues from other book dedications

If you’re having a bit of trouble coming up with your book dedication, you should not be too proud to take a look at other book dedications for inspiration.

By doing so, you’ll be able to find useful dedication writing cues for your work. Here are some great examples of book dedications by famous writers.

My Dear Lucy,

I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say, but I shall still be your affectionate Godfather,

-C.S. Lewis

In the vastness of space and immensity of time, it is my joy to spend a planet and an epoch with Annie.

-Carl Sagan

To all those who lead monotonous lives, in the hope that they may experience at second hand the delights and dangers of adventure.

-Agatha Christie

Dedicated to America, whatever that is.

-Jack Kerouack

By taking inspiration from these great dedications, you’ll be able to create one of your own.

Write it for your audience as well

When you are writing your book dedication, you should remember that you are writing for your audience as well. So the book dedication should not only mention the person you want to thank, but it should also be witty and enjoyable to read as well.

It should also be touching and relatable because you want your audience to like you and root for your writing career to succeed in the long run.

Although the dedication part of your book is relatively smaller compared to other sections, it is still very important. So you should make sure that you do it right. With these tips, you’ll be able to write a book dedication the right way.

Become a Self-Published Author in 3 Simple Steps

Powered by Experts, Published by You. Reach 40,000+ Retailers & Libraries Around the World. Concierge Service. Tailored Packages. BBB Accredited Business. 100% Royalty Program.

Get Started Now →

Become a Self-Published Author in 3 Simple Steps

Effective Tips for Writing a Book Dedication

Here are Effective tips on how to write a book dedication.

Become a Self-Published Author in 3 Simple Steps

Related Articles