I love reading the acknowledgements of a book. It’s a peak into all the people who helped the author through the ups and downs of writing and helped make the book actually happen. It’s a reminder that books aren’t written alone.

So one of the things I do whenever I finish a draft of a manuscript–whether it be the first or fifth–is write an acknowledgements for that draft. No one but me (and my family) will ever read those acknowledgements, but they’re a way for me to chronicle what my writing was like at that time. To silently thank and remember the authors, mentors, and friends who encouraged me, whether they knew it or not.

Sometimes they’re silly. Other times they’re more heartfelt and deep. Every draft is written in a different point of life, which means that every acknowledgements is different. And I love seeing how my journey has changed and grown when I look back at them.

Do you like book acknowledgements? Have you ever written one?