Publishing Terms Every Author Should Know

A Comprehensive Guide from TEN G Publishing

Understanding publishing terminology is essential for authors navigating the publishing process. Whether you're working with TEN G Publishing or exploring your options, this guide will help you understand the language of the industry.

A

Advance

A sum of money a publisher pays a writer prior to publication, usually paid in installments (such as one-half on signing the contract and one-half on delivery of a complete manuscript). The advance is recouped from future royalties.

Agent

A liaison between a writer and editor or publisher who advocates for their client. Agents typically take a 10-15% commission from advances and royalties.

All Rights

When an author sells all rights to a work. Not recommended for writing that could have reprint potential.

ARC (Advance Reader Copy)

An early version of a book sent to media outlets, reviewers, and influencers for possible reviews and interviews before the official publication date.

Assignment

When an editor asks a writer to produce a specific article for an agreed-upon fee.

Auction

When publishers bid for the acquisition of a book manuscript with excellent sales prospects. Bids include advance amounts, advertising expenses, royalty percentages, and more. Conducted by agents.

B

Backlist

A publisher's list of books that were not published during the current season but are still in print and generating sales.

Bio

A sentence or brief paragraph about the writer, often including education, work experience, and relevant credentials.

Blurb

The promotional copy on book covers or dust jackets featuring testimonials from reviewers or well-known figures in the book's field. Also called flap copy or jacket copy.

Boilerplate

A standardized contract template.

Bound Galleys

Prepublication edition of a book using final galley proofs. Also known as bound proofs.

Byline

The author's name appearing with the published work.

C

Category Fiction

A term used to include all genres of fiction (romance, mystery, thriller, science fiction, etc.).

Chapbook

A small print or digital book of poetry or fiction, usually fewer than 40 pages.

Circulation

The number of subscribers to a magazine or publication.

Clips

Samples of a writer's published work, used to demonstrate experience and writing quality.

Comp Titles (Comparable/Competitive Titles)

Similar books already in the marketplace, usually included in a book proposal to show market demand and positioning.

Contributor Copies

Copies of the magazine or book sent to the author in which their work appears.

Co-Publishing

Arrangement where author and publisher share publication costs and profits. Also known as cooperative publishing.

Copyediting

Editing a manuscript for grammar, punctuation, printing style, and factual accuracy.

Copyright

Legal protection for an author's original work, preventing unauthorized reproduction or distribution.

Cover Letter

A brief letter accompanying a manuscript sent to an agent or editor, introducing the work and the author.

Critiquing Service

An editing service where writers pay a fee for professional feedback on their manuscript's quality and marketability.

CV (Curriculum Vitae)

A brief listing of qualifications and career accomplishments.

E

Electronic Rights

Secondary or subsidiary rights related to electronic or multimedia formats (ebooks, audiobooks, apps, etc.).

Elevator Pitch

A concise pitch for a book that can be delivered in 30-60 seconds—the time it takes to ride an elevator.

Endcap

Special retail display at the end of an aisle in bookstores and retail stores, often used for featured titles.

Evaluation Fees

Fees an agent may charge to evaluate material (note: reputable agents typically do not charge reading fees).

Exclusive

When an author gives an agent or publisher the sole ability to consider a submission without competition. Authors should always cap the exclusive time period (e.g., 30-60 days).

F

Fair Use

A provision of copyright law allowing short passages from copyrighted material to be used without infringing on the owner's rights, typically for purposes like criticism, commentary, or education.

Feature

An article providing information of human interest rather than hard news.

Filler

A short item used to fill out a newspaper column or magazine page.

Film Rights

Rights sold or optioned to enable a book to be adapted into a movie or television show.

Foreign Rights

Translation or reprint rights to be sold in other countries and territories.

Frontlist

A publisher's list of new books for the current season.

G

Galleys

First typeset version of a manuscript that has not yet been divided into pages.

Genre

General classification of writing, such as novel, poetry, memoir, or categories within those classifications (horror novel, sonnet, literary memoir).

Ghostwriter

A writer who creates content based on another person's ideas or knowledge, with the credited author receiving byline attribution.

Graphic Novel

A story in graphic form—a long comic strip or heavily illustrated narrative of 40+ pages.

H

Hi-Lo

Fiction that offers a high level of interest for readers at a low reading level, often used in educational settings.

High Concept

A story that can be easily expressed in a quick, one-line description with broad commercial appeal.

Hook

The aspect of a work that sets it apart from others and draws in the reader or viewer.

Honorarium

A token payment for services rendered.

I

Imprint

Name applied to a publisher's specific line of books (e.g., Penguin Random House has multiple imprints like Viking, Dutton, Riverhead).

ISBN (International Standard Book Number)

A unique numeric identifier for books, essential for distribution and sales tracking.

J

Joint Contract

A legal agreement between a publisher and two or more authors, establishing provisions for dividing royalties.

K

Kill Fee

Fee paid for a complete article that was assigned but then cancelled before publication.

L

Lead Time

The time between acquisition of a manuscript and its actual publication—typically 6-18 months for traditional publishers.

Log Line

Brief summary of a story that captures the main conflict with an emotional hook to generate interest.

M

Marketing Fee

Fee charged by some agents to cover marketing expenses like postage and photocopying (note: reputable agents typically do not charge these fees separately).

Mass Market

Non-specialized books with wide appeal directed toward a large general audience.

Masthead

Page in a magazine listing contact information, editors and their titles, and submission guidelines.

Memoir

A narrative recounting a writer's personal or family history. Considered nonfiction even if some specifics are altered for narrative flow.

MG (Middle Grade)

Books written for readers aged 9-11. Also called middle readers.

Midlist

Titles on a publisher's list that are expected to have modest but not blockbuster sales.

Model Release

Paper signed by the subject of a photograph giving permission to use the image for publication.

Multiple Contract

Book contract with an agreement for future book(s).

Multiple Submissions

Sending more than one work to a publisher at the same time.

N

Narrative Nonfiction

A narrative presentation of actual events using storytelling techniques. Also called creative nonfiction.

Net Royalty

Royalty payment based on the money a publisher receives after booksellers' discounts, special sales, and returns.

Novella

A short novel or long short story, approximately 20,000 to 50,000 words.

O

On Spec (On Speculation)

When a writer submits a completed manuscript with no obligation from the editor to purchase it.

One-Time Rights

Rights allowing a work to be published once, after which the writer can sell it again.

Option Clause

Contract clause giving a publisher the right to publish an author's next book, often under similar terms.

P

Payment on Acceptance

Payment received when an editor decides to publish the work, before actual publication.

Payment on Publication

Payment received when the work is actually published.

Pen Name (Pseudonym)

Use of a name other than your legal name on published work.

Photo Feature

Feature where photographs are the primary focus rather than text.

Picture Book

Book for pre-schoolers to 8-year-olds that tells a story through text and illustrations, or artwork alone.

Platform

A writer's quantifiable reach within their target audience, including speaking experience, publishing history, social media following, email list, and professional network.

POD (Print on Demand)

Printing technology that allows books to be printed as orders are received rather than in large print runs.

Proofreading

Close reading and correction of typographical errors in a manuscript.

Proposal

Summary of a proposed book submitted to a publisher, typically used for nonfiction. Commonly includes cover letter, book overview, marketing analysis, competitive titles, author information, chapter outline, and sample chapters.

Q

Query (Query Letter)

A letter that pitches an idea to an editor or agent, designed to generate interest in a manuscript.

R

Remainders

Copies of a book that are slow to sell and purchased from the publisher at a heavily reduced rate for discount resale.

Reporting Time

Time it takes for an editor or agent to respond to a query or manuscript submission.

Reprint Rights

Rights to republish a book after its initial printing.

Royalties

Percentage of book sales revenue that an author receives from a publisher, as stipulated in the contract.

S

SASE (Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope)

Envelope provided by the writer for return correspondence (less common in the digital age).

Self-Publishing

Publishing model where the author pays for manufacturing, production, and marketing and keeps all income from sales.

Serial

Published periodically, such as a newspaper or magazine.

Serial Fiction

Fiction published in installments, often ending each section at a suspenseful moment.

Serial Rights

Right for a publication to publish sections of a manuscript in periodic installments.

Short-Short (Flash Fiction)

A complete short story of 1,500 words or fewer.

Sidebar

Feature presented as a companion to a main article, highlighting one specific aspect.

Simultaneous Submissions

Sending the same work to several publishers at the same time (standard practice for queries, less common for full manuscripts).

Slush Pile

Unsolicited manuscripts and pitches received by an editor, publisher, or agent.

Subagent

An agent handling certain subsidiary rights (foreign rights, film rights) in conjunction with the primary literary agent.

Subsidiary Rights

All rights other than primary book publishing rights, including paperback, book club, movie, foreign translation, and audio rights.

Subsidy Publisher

Publisher who charges authors for production costs (also called vanity press). Different from traditional publishers who pay authors.

Synopsis

Brief summary of a story, novel, or play. In book proposals, typically a comprehensive summary condensed to 1-2 pages.

T

Tearsheet

Page from a magazine or newspaper containing a writer's published work, used as a writing sample.

TOC (Table of Contents)

Listing of chapters or sections in a book with corresponding page numbers.

Trade Book

Book on a specialized topic aimed at a general audience (as opposed to academic or textbook publishing).

Translation Rights

Subsidiary rights for a book to be translated and sold in another language.

U

Unsolicited Manuscript

A work that an editor did not request or assign.

USP (Unique Selling Position)

What makes your book unique in the marketplace and distinguishes it from competitive titles.

W

Work for Hire

Situation where a writer creates material for a set fee, with the publisher or company owning all rights including reprints and adaptations.

Y

YA (Young Adult)

Books written for readers aged 12-18.

Understanding these terms is the first step in navigating the publishing process.