This morning, I got to thinkin'. Does anyone read the Acknowledgements anymore? Did they ever?
I mean, I know sometimes other writers read that section, if they're looking for an agent or a cover artist or an editor. I know people close to the author read them to see if they're mentioned. Sometimes, I'll read the ones in my friend's books to see who they thanked. But, for the most part, as a general reader, I don't read them.
And I do it even less than I used to because with ebooks, the book opens up at the first line of the book (Chapter One or Prologue or whatever), and it takes actual forethought to scroll back and read them. I usually just dive right in. I'm more likely to read them in hardcopy. They're right there as I turn pages to get to the story, so why not glance at them? Right?
If you pick up a copy of Up Wish Creek and read the Acknowledgements, you might notice something. Well, you might notice if you've already read In Deep Wish's
Acknowledgements. They're almost identical. I read the previous
Acknowledgements and all of it was still true, so I left it. It's not that I'm not grateful to the people who help me, but since I'm a hermit, there aren't that many people to thank individually.
I've started putting a Special Note right after the Acknowledgements, pointing people to other books in the series, but that's something a reader would have to scroll back for, too. :shrug:
So, your turn to chime in. Do you read the Acknowledgements? Do you read the other front matter of a book? What about the back matter - About the Author, or Other Books By?
I put my acknowledgements in the back of the book, right after the end of the story. In the digital editions, anyway. And yeah. I'm one of those weird people. I always read dedications and acknowledgements because...well...just because. Off to snatch my copy now!
ReplyDeletePutting your acknowledgements in the back is a good idea. If you're weird, you're the good kind of weird. And thanks!
DeleteI rarely read acknowledgements, unless they're very short.
ReplyDeleteIf I like the book, I do read the back matter. I want to know if I can get more, and I'm curious about the author and her/his pen names.
That's two for not really reading them.
DeleteYeah, I'm more inclined to read the back matter if I enjoy the book, too.
I used to read the dedication/acknowledgements sometimes, until I got bored seeing certain names all the time but like you I don't bother any more because of digital books opening at the beginning of the story.
ReplyDeleteI'm more likely to read what comes after the end of the book. I remembered you posted once that Amazon paid per page, and if you finish turning the pages at The End, you've only read 96%ish. So these days I keep going until I hit 100% so the author gets the whole whack.
If it's a new to me author, or one I know has written other stuff, I like to see what's coming soon, what's been and if there's anything I think I might like to add to my TBR pile.
I've just finished my current book and have got Up Wish Creek cued up and ready to go. Now I just have to finish work ...!
That's two for not reading them. And two for the back matter being read. The 'per page' thing with Amazon is only when you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber. We get paid the same whether you read all the pages or not, otherwise. But thanks for thinking of us authors. :hugs:
DeleteYay! And thanks, Fran!