How would you feel if you did something for someone and they weren’t even kind enough to state a simple ‘thank you for your services’? It may seem a bit surprising but this particular aspect of writing is one of the most basic and fundamental concepts to adhere to. Another way to put it is ‘give credit where credit is due’.

For example: If you didn’t write the entire story, maybe a friend or co-worker filled in the missing gaps and it all came together like a sweet dream, then the person who helped you would be a co-author which means you should assign credit. There are times when some people are uncomfortable with their name being placed on the front cover but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve credit for the role they played in the writing process. If so, the author should at least make sure the co-author’s name goes in the credits and/or copyright page.

If you use images, drawings or illustrations that are not created by your own hand, the same rule of credit applies. Somewhere on the copyright page or a credit page, you should always add their name with the ‘cover art by’ or ‘illustrated by’ tag so that anyone reading the story will know who did what.

This may not seem to be a particularly worrisome topic but it really can be. Not giving credit where credit is due is plagiarism on some level or another. This can also constitute copyright infringement.

Aside from the obvious plagiarism or copyright laws, giving credit where credit is due is, simply put, the right thing to do. When you add the name of the person or people who helped you in some way with your manuscript, you are simply acknowledging their work. The acknowledgment is a thank you to whoever cared enough about what you were writing to contribute ideas or work of their own.

With all the things we see as writers today about plagiarism and copyright infringement, it may seem that nothing more needs to be said about the subject. However, there are still numerous books out there that still have only the author’s name with no credit for whoever edited, illustrated or co-wrote the story.

Not giving credit to those that assist you is the equivalent of stealing another person’s work and it saddens me to say that I have personally seen this happen too many times. I have even had this very conversation with a couple of other authors who didn’t feel using photos that didn’t belong to them constituted plagiarism or copyright infringement.

In all honesty, it is simply bad business practice if we do not acknowledge those who are kind enough to help us. It may not seem like a big deal but in the world of writing, crediting and acknowledging others is the foundation of our business. Simply put, there is nothing wrong with getting input or help from other sources. Just remember, ‘outside sources’ translates into others deserving credit for their work so credit them accordingly so our writing can continue to hold true and accurate information, especially on the cover and copyright page.