What an epigraph is in a book, where it goes and how to choose one

What an epigraph is

An epigraph is a quotation, usually a sentence or two, set apart at the opening of a book or chapter and credited to its source. It is not part of your argument. It frames it: a line that hints at the theme, sets a mood, or raises the question the book answers.

Three things it is not:

• Not a dedication. A dedication is your own words, to someone. An epigraph is someone else's words, for the reader.
• Not an epitaph. An epitaph is an inscription on a gravestone or a short text in memory of someone who has died.
• Not a blurb. A blurb is praise for your book from another person, usually on the cover. An epigraph does not mention your book at all.

Where it goes

The Chicago Manual of Style, which most US book publishers follow, lists the front matter in its chapter on the parts of a book in this order: title pages, copyright page, dedication and epigraph, then the table of contents. So a book epigraph goes after the dedication and before the contents, usually alone on its own right-hand page. Chicago gives the epigraph and its source their own section (1.41).

Epigraphs can also open each chapter, under the chapter title and before the first paragraph. If you use chapter epigraphs, use them in every chapter, or the missing ones look like an oversight.

How to format and credit it

Keep the layout simple: the quotation, then the source on its own line beneath it, usually set right or indented, often after a dash. No quotation marks are needed around an epigraph that stands alone. Here is the layout, with placeholders:

[The quotation, one to three sentences.]

        [Name of the person], [Title of the work, in italics]

Credit it the same way every time:

• Name only for a person who is known for the line itself.
• Name and work when the quote comes from a book, speech or essay. Italicize book titles; put essay and speech titles in quotation marks.
• Name and role for a client or interviewee, for example "[First name], founder of a family business," with their permission.

Your designer will set the type. What you supply is the exact wording, checked against the original, and the credit line.

Permission, fair use and copyright

An epigraph is someone else's writing, so copyright applies. A few points from the US Copyright Office:

• Fair use can allow quoting limited portions of a work "for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports."
• There are no legal rules permitting the use of a specific number of words. Whether a use is fair depends on all the circumstances.
• Courts weigh four factors, set out on the Office's fair use page: the purpose of the use, the nature of the work, how much is used, and the effect on the market for the original.

What that means for an epigraph, in practice:

• Works whose copyright has expired, such as many older books, speeches and scripture, are the safest source.
• Song lyrics and short poems are the riskiest. A single line can be a large share of a short work, and "how much is used" is one of the four factors.
• Recent books and articles: an epigraph quotes without commenting on the work, which is a weaker fair use case than a quote you discuss. If you are not sure, ask the rights holder (usually the publisher's permissions department) or pick another line.
• Your own words or a client's avoid the question entirely, if you have the client's permission.

This is general information, not legal advice. If your publisher has a permissions process, follow it. Stage 4 covers quoting sources and getting permission in more detail.

How to choose a good epigraph

1. Start from the book's promise. Write down, in one sentence, what the reader will get. Look for a line that points at it from an unexpected angle.
2. Avoid the famous quotes. If a line shows up on posters and in many other business books, readers skim past it. A lesser-known line from the same person often lands harder.
3. Check the attribution. Many well-known quotes are misattributed. Find the line in the original book, speech or letter before you print it. If you cannot find the original, do not use it.
4. Keep it short. One to three sentences. If it takes a paragraph, it is doing the job of an introduction.
5. Look close to home. A line from a client interview, a mentor's letter or your own earlier talk can be more memorable than a famous name, and no one else has it.
6. Read it next to your first page. The epigraph and your opening line should feel like they belong together. If they pull in different directions, cut the epigraph.

Where good nonfiction epigraphs come from

• Older books, speeches and letters in your field, now out of copyright.
• Scripture, proverbs and classical texts, quoted from a named translation.
• Interviews you ran for the book. A client or expert's line, used with permission, previews the stories to come.
• Your own earlier work: a line from a talk, newsletter or first book.

For the other short pages at the front of a book, read how to write a dedication and foreword vs preface vs introduction.