CLC Kenya Writing

5a: How to Write a Book Dedication

A book dedication is a way for you, the author to bestow a high honour on a person (or a group of people) you wish to praise or otherwise spotlight. This dedication note is often short and usually focused on one person (or a specific group of people). It’s supposed to be personal, rather than professional. It goes on the dedication page, which is in the very front of the book. It would normally be placed as the third page of your book – coming after the title page and the verso (copyright) page. Note: Different publishing houses may have different flow of pages. What is highlighted here is what is common in most books.

So, Who Can You Dedicate Your Book To?

Anyone you like really. Below are the categories of people that are common focuses of a book dedication:

  1. Your family members (spouse, children, siblings, parents)
  2. Your close friends
  3. People impacted by the book or featured in it
  4. The readers of your book
  5. Inspirational or supportive figures in your life
  6. People you wish to highlight in some way

Is A Book Dedication Compulsory?

No. Most authors dedicate their books, but it’s not required or mandatory.

Tips on How to Dedicate Your Book

Filter Who The Focus Will Be

You can start by thinking about the people to whom you want to dedicate this work. Make a list of several people or groups of people.

The next step is to filter them on the basis of who is the most important person on that list? The seminal influence? The people you care about the?

Many authors dedicate their books to a spouse, or to a child or to a friend who’s impacted their creative process. There’s no specific formula. This should be short and sweet, and there are no wrong answers. You are expressing a personal sentiment, so only you can decide what that sentiment should be. Therefore, you should not worry too much about the dedication page. Anyone you leave out can be thanked in the Acknowledgments (which comes a few pages into the book).

Think About How Your Readers Will Be Impacted By These Few Lines

As the dedication is at the beginning of a book, many of the readers will read it and be influenced by it. Think not just about the person or people named in the book’s dedication, but also about all of the readers who will pass by this page and be impacted. Make a conscious choice about what you want that impact to be.

And yes, though everyone will see it, no one but the person you mention will remember it. Want proof? Name your favorite book dedication. Chances are you can’t name one.

Make It Short and Precise

This page should be short and to the point. You should not mention everyone who contributed to the book’s creation because that’s what the Acknowledgments section is for (if you want).

Dedication Examples

Look at Other Authors’ Examples

One of the easiest ways to understand how book dedications are written is to look through books you already own. Dedications may be simple, humorous, deeply personal, or written as a short letter. The best dedication reflects the relationship between the author, the book, and the person being honoured.

01 Simple and Direct

A Basic Family Dedication

To my husband Patrick, and children Makena, Amani and Imara.

Many book dedications are brief and straightforward. This style simply names the people the author wishes to honour without providing a detailed explanation. It works well when the relationship is already clear and the author wants the dedication to remain warm, personal, and concise.

02 Personal and Humorous

A Dedication with an Inside Story

To Patrick and Abiah – the persistent police force over my workaholism. And to the little ‘policelets’ you are raising, Ella and Ethan. What a nagging reminder of my imperfections!

This concise line carries considerable meaning for both the people named and the readers. In Too Busy for Worship, the author writes about recovering from workaholism and restoring worship to daily work. The dedication reveals that Patrick and Abiah played an important role in that journey, while the reference to the younger “policelets” adds a light family joke.

03 Dedication as a Letter

C. S. Lewis to His Goddaughter Lucy

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 someday 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.

This dedication from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is written as a personal letter (This book was listed as one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Novels ever written). It gives readers a glimpse into the relationship between the author and his goddaughter before the story begins. The dedication also connects naturally with the themes of childhood, growing older, imagination, and rediscovering wonder.

What You Can Learn

Your Dedication Does Not Have to Follow One Formula

It may be a single sentence, a family joke, a heartfelt acknowledgement, or a short letter. What matters is that it feels sincere and suits the people, experiences, or relationships connected to your book.

Just Write Your Book Dedication

The number one thing to keep in mind is that there is not a specific formula for this. The dedication is one of the most personal sections in the book, and it’s up to you to decide how you want to use it.

What’s inside your book is more important, and getting it out into the world is the MOST important thing.

Next we will look at how to write the Acknowledgement Section.

CLC
CLC Writing Academy Book Front Matter Resource
Interactive Worksheet
Interactive Author Worksheet

Write a Personal Book Dedication

A dedication is a brief and personal way to honour one person or a specific group whose influence, love, support or story is closely connected to the book.

Learning Objective

By the end of this activity, you will have selected the right person or group, chosen the most suitable tone and prepared a concise dedication for the front matter of your book.

01
Choose the Focus

Who Will You Honour?

You may dedicate your book to a family member, friend, reader, inspirational figure, supportive person or a group connected to the book. List several possibilities before choosing the strongest one.

02
Consider the Reader

What Should These Few Lines Communicate?

Although the dedication is personal, it appears at the beginning of the book and will be read by many people. Decide what feeling or impression you want it to create.

03
Select the Style

Choose a Tone That Fits

04
Final Draft

Write Your Dedication

Keep it short, precise and personal. One sentence or a brief paragraph is usually enough.

0 words
Final Check

Before You Submit the Dedication

Remember

A dedication is optional. There is no single formula. What matters is that it feels sincere, personal and appropriate for the person or group being honoured.

Worksheet Actions

Save Your Work

Copy the final dedication or download the completed worksheet.

Training by: Dr. Muthoni Mercy Omukhango

Dr. Muthoni Mercy Omukhango is a Christian publisher, author, trainer, and marketplace minister. She serves as National Director of CLC Kenya, Authors’ Manager at the African Christian Authors Book Award (ACABA), Convener of Mama Africa Book Box, and Patron of CLC Kids and Teens.

Through the Publishing in Africa Series, she equips authors, publishers, and literary entrepreneurs with practical strategies for developing, publishing, distributing, and growing African-authored literature.

Her ministry is centred on advancing God’s Kingdom through literature and helping more African voices to be written, published, distributed, and read.

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