struggling with Acknowledgments!

Why is this so hard to do??

I've been struggling with writing the final, revised version of the Acknowledgments section to my music memoir.

It is my final step, before I send my revised manuscript back to the copyeditor on Monday. Maybe that's part of what's hard. It represents completion, letting it go. The last time it's easy to make changes.

I worry about saying too much, too little. Going on endlessly, or leaving people out. Sticking to who literally "helped with the book" vs who contributed more broadly, to the musical experiences I'm writing about.

I already showed a version to my editor (before some of the photo permissions were finalized) and he thought it looked good. I feel like running it by him again, but fear I'd look like a neurotic idiot!

Does anyone even read this part of a book? (Actually, I do, so maybe that's why I worry.)

Anyone else struggle with this?

Star said:

Hey Susan!

Congrats on getting this far.
Yes, I've struggled with this, so I decided to name the main players (editor, agent, mentor) who played a specific part in helping my book see the light.

Then I thanked my "closest friends and family" ending with, "you know who you are." I feel that the people who have beef with not being named weren't in it for the right reasons. The people who I appreciate for helping me will see the fruits of their labor in spa treatments, gifts and $$$.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I like your approach. Simple and elegant!

I think with certain kinds of nonfiction there is a potentially larger pool of people to acknowledge: the close friends and family, the people who helped with the book specifically, and this potentially enormous group of people who were part of the experiences you are writing about. At least that's what I'm finding.....