Dear Geist,

Is it bad manners for a writer to include no acknowledgements in a novel, even though he spent hours picking the brains of five young men for shared memories, to be used in his book?

The book is presented as fiction, but some of these men put in a lot of time and effort, and not a thank-you to be seen.

—Jake, outside

Dear Jake,

First, a disclaimer: We are not lawyers and this communication is not legal advice. It is a summary of our knowledge and experience on the subject.

The omission could be poor manners, or ignorance of industry practice, or something else entirely. The Oxford Style Manual describes two main types of acknowledgements: “those recognizing ideas, assistance, support or inspiration,” and those “requiring a writer to give credit for another’s aid or thoughts—whether or not in the same words.” These are principles of academic work, not laws, but the gist of them is widespread, and some parts are enshrined in publishing law.

We wish you well in resolving these questions. Let us know how it turns out!

—The Editors