What an author's note is, whether your book needs one, and how to write it
An author's note is a short, first-person message at the front of a book that tells readers what they need to know before chapter one: that names were changed, how the research was done, what the book is not. Most books do not need one. Here is what it covers, where it goes, and a template with three short examples.
What an author's note is
Scribe's guide to author's notes defines one as a short message from the author to the reader that gives context or explains the author's choices. It advises keeping it short and writing in the first person, as a direct message from you to your readers.
It also says most books do not need one, just as most books do not need a foreword. Add one only when there is something the reader should know before they start.
What it usually covers
Scribe's guide lists the common contents. For nonfiction:
- Background the reader needs before the first chapter.
- How sources were chosen, or how the research was done.
- Warnings about controversial or graphic content.
- Disclaimers, such as that the book is not professional advice.
- Name changes, and thanks to people who made the book possible.
For memoir:
- How the information was gathered: memory, journals, interviews, records.
- Whether names were changed, and whether any people are composites.
- That events are true to the author's recollection.
Author's note, preface or introduction?
| Section | Who writes it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Author's note | The author | Short and practical: what the reader should know about how the book was written |
| Foreword | Someone else | Vouches for the author or explains why the book matters |
| Preface | The author | How and why the book came to be |
| Introduction | The author | Starts the book's argument: the reader's problem and what the book will do |
Scribe Media's summary. Scribe's author's note guide also notes that what goes in an author's note is similar to what some authors put in a "book origin" section of the introduction. See foreword vs preface vs introduction vs prologue for the others in detail.
Where it goes
Scribe's guide places the author's note at the front of the book, after the dedication and before the prologue or introduction. List it in your table of contents if it comes after the contents page.
How to write one
- Make a list of what the reader must know. Changed names, reconstructed dialogue, how you did the research, what the book is not. If the list is empty, you do not need a note.
- Write it as a direct message. First person, plain words, as if you were telling one reader before they started.
- Keep it short. A few paragraphs, often less than a page.
- Be specific and honest. Say exactly what you changed and why. Do not overstate what you checked.
- Do not start the book early. If you find yourself telling stories or making your argument, that material belongs in the introduction.
A template:
A Note from the Author [What this book is, in a sentence.] [How you gathered the material: memory, journals, interviews, records, research.] [What you changed: names, identifying details, composites, reconstructed dialogue, and why.] [What the book is not: professional advice, a complete history, an objective account.] [Optional: a line of thanks, or what you hope the reader takes from it.]
Three short examples
We wrote these to show the range. None is from a real book.
Memoir: "This is my story as I remember it. I have reconstructed conversations from memory and from the journals I kept at the time, and I have changed the names and some identifying details of everyone except my family, who gave me permission to use theirs."
Business book: "The stories in this book come from twenty years of work with clients. To protect their privacy, I have changed names and company details, and two of the people you will meet are composites of several clients facing the same problem."
Health or money book: "I am not a doctor, and this book is not medical advice. It is what I learned rebuilding my own health, and what I wish someone had told me sooner. Talk to your own doctor before you change anything."
A disclaimer like the last one often also appears on the copyright page. For dedications and epigraphs, which also come before the main text, see how to write a book dedication and what an epigraph is.
Start here: list what a reader must know before chapter one. If the list is empty, skip the note. If not, turn each item into one or two plain sentences.
Common questions
What is an author's note in a book?
A short message from the author to the reader that gives context or explains the author's choices: why names were changed, how sources were chosen, what the book is and is not. Scribe Media's guide to author's notes describes it that way, and says to keep it short and write it in the first person.
Where does an author's note go?
Scribe's guide places it at the front of the book, after the dedication and before the prologue or introduction.
Does every book need an author's note?
No. Scribe's guide says most books do not need one, just as they do not need a foreword. Add one when the reader needs to know something before chapter one, such as that names were changed or that the book is not professional advice.
What do you write in an author's note for a memoir?
How you gathered the story, whether names or identifying details were changed, whether any people are composites, whether dialogue is reconstructed, and that events are told as you remember them.
What is the difference between an author's note and a preface?
Both are written by the author and come before the main text. A preface usually tells how and why the book came to be. An author's note is usually shorter and practical: what the reader should know about how the book was written before reading it.
Sources: Scribe Media, What Is an Author's Note and Do You Need One? (definition; placement after the dedication and before the prologue or introduction; common contents for nonfiction and memoir; most books do not need one; keep it short, in the first person), read October 29, 2026. The comparison table, steps, template and examples were written by Scribe Media; the examples are invented. Published by Scribe Media.