How to Use Epigraphs in Your Book: Placement, Formatting and Permissions

A well-chosen epigraph does a lot in very few words. It can announce a theme, set a mood, add irony, or place your book in conversation with a writer the reader already knows. A poorly chosen one is skipped, or worse, raises a permissions problem after your book is on sale. This guide covers both the craft and the practical side.

What an Epigraph Does

An epigraph is a quotation, usually from another writer, placed before the main text or at the start of a section. It is not part of your narrative or argument; it frames it. Epigraphs typically:

• Signal a theme before the reader reaches the first page.
• Set tone, from solemn to playful.
• Create resonance or contrast with what follows, sometimes ironically.
• Suggest lineage, connecting your book to a tradition, a text or a thinker.

Epigraphs are common in literary fiction, memoir, poetry collections, thrillers (where a quotation can hint at what is coming) and many nonfiction books. They are optional in every genre.

Epigraph vs Dedication vs Foreword

Our guide to front matter and back matter shows how all of these fit together.

Where Epigraphs Go

Book epigraph

A single epigraph for the whole book usually sits on its own page in the front matter, after the dedication and before the table of contents or the first chapter. Conventions vary slightly between publishers; the common sequence is:

1. Title page
2. Copyright page
3. Dedication
4. Epigraph
5. Table of contents
6. Foreword, preface or introduction

Some books place the epigraph on the same page as the dedication if both are short, or immediately before Chapter 1.

Part and chapter epigraphs

Many books use an epigraph at the start of each part or chapter, placed close to the chapter heading, either just above it or between the heading and the first paragraph, depending on the design. This works well when each section has a distinct theme, but it is a commitment: if you use chapter epigraphs, readers expect them consistently, and every one needs to earn its place.

Choosing a Good Epigraph

• Keep it short. One to four lines is typical. A long epigraph is a reading obstacle.
• Make it resonate, not explain. The best epigraphs gain meaning once the reader has finished the book or chapter.
• Avoid the overused. A handful of quotations appear in thousands of books. A less familiar line from a well-known writer is often more striking.
• Check the attribution. Many famous quotations are misattributed online. Verify the source before you print a name under it.
• Match your audience. A business book might quote a historical leader; a thriller might quote scripture or a nursery rhyme to unsettling effect.

If you are looking for a starting point, curated collections that record each quotation's source can save time. Wisdom Passed On, for example, gathers quotations by author and topic with their attributions. Whatever source you use, apply the copyright checks below before you publish.

Copyright and Permissions: Can You Use That Quotation?

This is the part authors most often get wrong. An epigraph is a direct reproduction of someone else's words, and it is usually not commented on in your text, which matters for fair use. The safest options, in order:

Practical rule: for a book you are selling, prefer public domain quotations or obtain written permission. When in doubt, ask the rights holder or an intellectual property lawyer, not a forum.

Requesting permission

1. Identify the rights holder, usually the publisher's permissions department for books, or the music publisher for lyrics.
2. Send a request stating the exact text, your book's title, format(s), territory, print run or expected sales, and price.
3. Allow time. Responses can take weeks, and fees vary.
4. Keep the written permission with your publishing records, and include any credit line the rights holder requires on your copyright page.

For the broader picture, see our copyright basics for self-publishing guide.

Attribution

An epigraph is attributed on the line below the quotation, usually preceded by a dash, and aligned right or centered to match the quotation:

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
Zora Neale Hurston, Dust Tracks on a Road

• Give at least the author's name. Adding the work's title is common and helps readers.
• Do not add page numbers or full citations; epigraphs are not footnoted.
• For translations, you may name the translator if required by the permission or if it matters to the reader.

Note on the example: Dust Tracks on a Road was published in 1942, so it is not in the US public domain. It is shown here only to illustrate formatting, not as a quotation to reuse without permission.

Formatting Epigraphs in Print

• Set the quotation apart with generous space above and below.
• Use a different treatment from body text: italics, a smaller size, or narrower margins (indented on both sides).
• Align consistently: centered or right-aligned for a book epigraph; often indented or right-aligned for chapter epigraphs.
• Style the attribution slightly smaller, in roman or small caps, right-aligned below the quotation.
• Keep chapter epigraphs identical in style throughout the book.

A book epigraph usually appears on a right-hand (recto) page in print, with a blank left-hand page before it if needed, though many self-published books are less strict.

Formatting Epigraphs in Ebooks

Ebooks reflow, so the visual tricks of print do not always survive:

• Use paragraph styles (for example an "Epigraph" style and an "Epigraph Attribution" style) rather than manual spaces or tabs.
• Avoid large fixed indents that become awkward on small screens.
• Do not use images of text for epigraphs; they cannot be resized, searched or read aloud by accessibility tools.
• Place a book epigraph on its own page using a page break before and after.

In LiberScript, click "+ Opening quote" above a chapter's title (or select a line and choose "Set as Opening Quote"), then add the attribution and pick a presentation style. The epigraph is stored as structured content rather than manual formatting, so it carries through to both your print PDF and EPUB exports. For more on reflowable layout, see EPUB formatting best practices.

Common Mistakes

• Using song lyrics without permission
• Printing a misattributed quotation (a frequent problem with quotes found on social media)
• Assuming a translation is public domain because the original is
• An epigraph so long it reads like a chapter
• Inconsistent formatting between chapter epigraphs
• Epigraphs that explain the chapter rather than resonate with it
• Rendering epigraphs as images in an ebook

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need permission to use a quote as an epigraph?

Not for public domain works, as long as you are quoting the original or a public domain translation. For copyrighted works, it depends on fair use, which is uncertain for epigraphs because they are not discussed in your text. Song lyrics and poetry almost always need permission. When in doubt, request permission or choose a public domain quotation.

Where does the epigraph go in a book?

A book epigraph usually goes in the front matter after the dedication and before the table of contents. Chapter epigraphs sit at the start of the chapter, next to the chapter heading.

Should an epigraph be in italics?

Italics are common but not required. What matters is that the epigraph is visually distinct from the body text and styled consistently.

Can I write my own epigraph?

Yes. Many novels use invented quotations from fictional books, songs or characters, especially in fantasy and science fiction. Some authors also quote their own earlier work.

Ready to format your book, epigraphs included? Get started in LiberScript or see pricing.