The publishing industry has its own unique vocabulary, from editorial jargon to technical terms across sales, marketing, and production. This page provides a comprehensive glossary of commonly used terms to help you navigate industry conversations and job postings with confidence.

Term Categories

Editorial

Legal, Finance, Rights & Permissions

Marketing & Publicity

Parts & Kinds of Books

Production & Design

Publishers

Sales

Types of Children's Books

Editorial

Agent: A professional whose role it is to represent authors and illustrators, getting their manuscripts to publishers, receiving their payments, and other responsibilities on the author's behalf.

Acquiring Editor: An editor whose job is to buy specific manuscripts to pass on to the development editor. However, the two can be the same person.

Book Proposal: The description of a book/novel that an author presents to a publisher that includes writing samples or an outline.

Critique: The evaluation of a manuscript resolving issues like structure, content, or character development.

Development Editor: The editor who works closely with the author to focus on the bulk of the editing in a book, mostly considering style, pacing, plot, and structure.

Draft: The book's manuscript that has yet to be published. There are multiple drafts during this process. The first draft is the rough draft of the manuscript without revisions/edits which turns into a final draft sent to prepress.

Editorial Board/ Publishing Committee: A group in a publishing house that approves the purchase of a manuscript. Typically made up of an acquisitions editor and representatives from sales, marketing, and finance.

Errata: A paper describing errors found in a printed book.

Line-Editing/ Copy Editing: Line-by-line editing of a manuscript that focuses on errors such as grammar, spelling, flow, clarity, consistency, punctuation, and content.

Manuscript: The draft of a book before it is processed and printed. MS an MSS are the abbreviations for "manuscript" and "manuscripts."

Proofreading: The going over of a manuscript to remedy any errors before the manuscript is processed.

Query Letter: A letter from a writer or agent to an editor that describes the manuscript to learn if the editor is interested.

Reading Fees: Agents charge fees for clients' manuscripts to be evaluated.

Revisions: Changes to an original manuscript, sometimes they are major.

Slush Pile: Manuscripts sent to a publisher that was unsolicited or did not come through an agent.

Submissions: Manuscripts authors or agents send to a publisher to be considered for publication.

Legal, Finance, Rights & Permissions

Advance: Payment made to authors and/or illustrators when the publisher purchases their book. The advance is split into two parts: half is given when the contract is first signed the other half is given when the publisher formally accepts the manuscript. The advance must be equal to the amount of royalties before additional royalties are to be paid.

Boilerplate: The standard contract that the publisher offers to the author. This contract is a starting point for further discussion of the final terms.

Contract/Publishing Agreement: A legal document describing an author or illustrator's agreement to sell to a publisher a portion or all rights to an original work. Contracts specify which rights are given, the author's and publisher's responsibilities, the author's payment, and other clauses/agreements.

Copyright: A legally-secured right to use an original work including reproducing or distributing it. Copyright law begins as soon as the author begins their work. Once the copyright law expires (in 70 years or after the passing of the creator) it becomes public domain.

Kill Fee: Payment an author or illustrator receives when the publishing company cancels their manuscript.

Option Clause: A clause in a contract giving the publisher a right to purchase the author's next book before other publishers can.

Permissions: Agreements between copyright holders allowing others to reproduce their work. Writers who wish to use a portion of someone else's work in theirs would have to gain permission.

Public Domain: Intellectual property such as books, inventions, computer programs, songs, movies, and other works owned by the creator. The creator has complete control over their property and is protected by copyright an d other laws. Once the laws expire, the work become s public domain and permission for use is no longer required.

Rights/Subsidiary Rights: The rights to distribute a work in other forms (such as translations, audio books, through book clubs, etc.) are "subsidiary rights." There are a few ways which these rights can be used. Publishers can give permission to another company to use the works, the proceed are shared amongst the author and publisher.

Royalties: A percentage of the revenue given to the author for every copy of their book sold.

Marketing & Publicity

Book Signing: Often held at bookstores or book fairs in which an author will read and discuss their work and autograph a page for the customers.

Direct Mail: Advertising a book by sending printed material (flyer, pamphlet, postcard, etc.) directly to a group of potential customers.

Fantasy: A subcategory of fiction that bends the rules of the world including magic, superpowers, talking animals, time travel, etc.

Fiction: A type of story that is not based on true events or facts.

Genre: A type of book determined by specific characteristics.

Historical Fiction: Fiction which is based in history such as the setting or events are true, but the characters are not.

Marketing: When the publisher advertises a book to increase sales.

Media Kit/ Press Kit: A collection of promotional materials This collection includes excerpts, reviews, quotes from individuals, and a press release.

Monograph: An (often book length) scholarly piece of writing that describes a subject.

Niche Marketing: Advertising a book to a specific demographic such as those in a certain region or those with a specific interest. Niche books are mostly sold in specialized retail outlets.

Nonfiction: A genre of book that is completely based on true events and facts.

Press Release: A written announcement for the purpose of media attention to a particular event and/or product.

Target Audience: A certain group of readers the author is trying to reach because they would be more likely to read a specific book/story.

Parts of Books

Afterword: The last remarks of the topics discussed in the book or about the making of the book. This is written by someone else other than the author.

Appendix: Extra information at the end of the text like graphics or statistics.

Author/Illustrator Biography: Information about lives and accomplishments of the author/ illustrator.

Back Matter: All printed material after the main text such as the bibliography, an appendix, the glossary, an index, an afterword, or a colophon.

Bibliography: A list of resources the author used to gain information for their own work.

Binding: The front and back covers as well as the spine of a book that holds the book together. There are different kinds of bindings such as case binding, comb binding, perfect binding, saddle stitching, spiral binding, and velo binding.

Board Books: Small, hard square-shaped books intend ed for infants and toddlers.

Body Copy: The main text of the book.

Colophon: A brief list of production information including publisher and book's information such as the publisher's name and location or the book's copyright details.

Copyright Page: A page toward the front of the book that includes information about the book's copyright ownership. The Copyright Page can also include limited copyright protections and required permissions to reproduce the work. This page also includes cataloguing information for libraries.

Dedication: An author's statement of appreciation to a specific person or group of people.

EAN Bar code: The ISBN number but in a machine -readable format. The scanner reads the lines printed on the back cover or book cover. The barcode contains all information about the book such as the publisher, title, and price.

Foreword: The introduction of a book containing thoughts about the subject or an anecdote related to the book. Usually written by someone else, not the author.

Front Matter: The pages before the main text of the book.

Frontispiece: An illustration appearing before the first page of the book.

Glossary: A list of terms and definitions from word stated in the body text.

Hardcover: Bound cardboard covers that are sewn and glued and covered in a stiff cloth, completed with a book jacket.

Index: A list organized in alphabetical order that contains topics and words discussed in the book as well as what pages they are on. Placed toward the back of the book.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number): A worldwide numbering system that  allows for publishers to number their products without worry of duplication . "ISBN" also refers to the numbers themselves. The first part of the ISBN identifies the language and the second part identifies the publisher. The third part identifies the book product and is finished with one last number to ensure the number's integrity.

ISSN (International Standard Serial Number): Nearly the same as an ISBN, however this numbering system is for periodicals and other serially based products.

Library Binding: A stronger hardcover binding reinforced with cloth and a different sewing method.

Mass Market Paperback: A smaller paperback printed on low quality paper and released in high- quantities at a lower price. These books are made based on the current market needs. Often distributed in other stores in addition to a bookstore such as grocery stores, drugstores, and airports.

Preface: A section that introduces the book that discusses the making of the book and how the reader should use it.

Table of Contents: A listing of the subjects in the book. It is organized by chapter or section corresponding with the exact page numbers each section is on.

Title Page: The page before all frontmatter that include the title and the subtitle of the book, the author/illustrator, publisher, and city where the book was published.

Trade Paperback: These paperbacks are larger than mass market paperbacks. They are bound with a heavy paper cover. They are produced in the same size with the same cover as the hard cover edition or a book. They are usually bound by glue.

Publishers

Advance Copies: Finished and printed books that are set aside to fulfill orders made before the book is widely distributed.

Backlist: Books from a previous season that are not yet discontinued. The backlist is a great source of revenue because sales of the backlist books tend to be more stable than frontlist sales.

Division: A department of the publishing company.

Dummy: A rough draft of a book that shows where the front matter, text, illustrations, and back matter will be. Sometimes dummies have actual images.

Educational Publisher: Publishers that market books and instructional materials to school districts and higher education institutions.

Frontlist: Books that are released within the current season in the publisher's newest catalog.

Galley or Advanced Reader's Edition / Copy (ARE or ARC): The copy of a book before it has been proofread. The copies are then sent to book reviewers, distributors, and book clubs before t h e publication date. Galleys are books with regular cardstock, whereas AREs/ARCs are those with full covers.

Imprint: The specific name given to a line of particular books available from the publisher.

In-Store or On-Sale Date: The date a product arrives in stores and goes on sale for customers.

List: Books set aside for a specific sales season (Fall season, Winter season, Spring/Summer season).

Midlist: Books that are not best sellers, or expected to be best sellers but are intellectually stimulating

OP/ Out of Print: When a book is no longer in stock or printed and does not intend to be reprinted.

OSI/ Out of Stock Indefinitely: When a book is no longer in stock or printed but may be printed again in the future.

Pre-Publication: Usually used with other terms like "pre-pub costs" or "pre-pub offers." Pre-pub offers are sale or any publicity offers made before the book is published.

Publication Date ("Pub Date"): The date the publisher announces a product will be available, usually a couple days after the book's arrival in stores. This is to ensure that marketing and publicity will be on schedule.

Sales

Chains: Businesses with multiple stores under the same name. For example, the biggest retail bookstore is Barnes & Noble.

Co-op Money: Spending made by the bookseller to advertise an upcoming book. Co-op spending is reimbursed by the publisher.

Distributor: A company that gets the books to the bookstores. Companies have warehouses, catalogs, markets, sells, and transports books to retailers, libraries, and wholesalers on some small publishers' behalf, lowering the costs.

Independent Booksellers: Smaller shops, not owned by big chains that sell books to the general public.

Institutional Sales: Books sales for school and libraries, particularly children's book publisher.

List Price: The retail price of a book.

Remainder Copies: Heavily discounted books sold to make a fast turnover , mostly because of overstock or slow-moving sales.

Returns: Unsold copies of a book that are given back to publishers from booksellers, most times the bookseller gets a full refund.

Sales Call: Publisher's sales representatives and potential buyers meet to discuss purchases from a catalog of frontlist titles. After the meeting a Purchase order or PO is issued.

SAN (Standard Account Number): A number assigned to institutions (schools, libraries, etc.) and organizations that buy, sell, and lend books.

Special Sales: Book sales made in untraditional stores such as gift shops or pet shops.

Trade Bookseller: A bookseller that distributes books to the general public such as superstores, independent booksellers, and online retailers.

Wholesaler: Companies that buy books from publishers in large quantities at a heavily discounted price. The company then sells them to retailers and libraries at a smaller discount.

Types of Children's Books

Chapter Books: Typically aimed for readers aged 9+, chapter books use primarily text to tell a story, although some books can have a picture every few pages.

Concept Book: A picture book for young readers that teaches basic concepts such as the alphabet, shapes, numbers, animals, etc.

Early readers/ Easy Readers/ Beginning Chapter Books: These chapter books are intended for young readers to transition from picture books. These kinds of books have illustrations, but also a slightly more challenging text to develop vocabulary.

Hi-Lo Books: To encourage reading, hi-lo books combine a high-interest level with a lower reading level. This book is meant to help reluctant readers in middle school discover the joys of reading.

Middle Reader: Books mostly aimed for readers 9-11 years of age.

Novelty Book: Special books with interesting features like pop-up, music/sound, foldout pages, or liftable flaps.

Picture Book: Books whose audience is typically of infant/toddler age to age eight. These types of books are mostly made up of pictures (illustrations on every page) with a few lines on each page to tell a complete story and are typically 24 to 32 pages.

YA Books: Mostly aimed toward readers that are 12- 18 years of age.

Back to Top