Jay Nichols's Blog - Posts Tagged "credits"
Novelists, Please Don't Do This!
If you write fiction, please refrain from tacking on an Acknowledgements section after the last chapter of your manuscript. Let the book end where the story ends. Your readers' last thoughts should be with the characters you created, not your Aunt Molly or your wife and kids--they weren't even in the story.
Your novel isn't a movie, so end credits are completely superfluous. I know many caring souls helped while you were writing your book--no man is an island and all of that--but, the truth is, none of your readers care. It comes across as an acceptance speech. You haven't won an award. You haven't even been nominated for anything. All you've done is written a book. And that is an awesome accomplishment in and of itself. Be proud of that.
Your novel isn't a movie, so end credits are completely superfluous. I know many caring souls helped while you were writing your book--no man is an island and all of that--but, the truth is, none of your readers care. It comes across as an acceptance speech. You haven't won an award. You haven't even been nominated for anything. All you've done is written a book. And that is an awesome accomplishment in and of itself. Be proud of that.
