Glossary of 50 Common Book Publishing Terms
Here is a glossary with definitions of 50 most common book publishing terms for authors and writers self-publishing or submitting to an agent or publisher.
For self-publishing/indie authors, the publishing terms used by professionals in the industry can be vast and unfamiliar. There are many factors to consider from how a book is constructed, including the layout and book cover design, to producing electronic and hard copies, and the costs and payments of royalties.
For self-publishing/indie authors, the publishing terms used by professionals in the industry can be vast and unfamiliar. There are many factors to consider from how a book is constructed, including the layout and book cover design, to producing electronic and hard copies, and the costs and payments of royalties.
The following definitions clarify and explain the terms you may come across when traditionally publishing or self-publishing your book.
Advance
Payments made in advance of publication, sometimes given to the author at various stages throughout the book development. Normally, half is paid when the contract is signed and half when the book is printed.
Appendix
This appears at the back of a book and provides additional information that doesn’t fit in the front matter (front pages). An appendix can include recommended reading; citing sources if the book is produced from research; and original materials such as letters/emails, copies of family trees or maps. Not every book has an appendix page, it is mainly used in medical/science textbooks and biographies/memoirs, for example.
Backlist
A list of books older than 12 months which are still available from a publisher.
Back Matter
The most common pages at the back that can be included as appropriate are epilogue, afterword, postscript, appendix/addendum, glossary, index and bibliography.
Beta Reader
If you would like objective feedback and constructive criticism on your manuscript, a beta reader can be relatively inexpensive or free. They will provide suggestions and pointers regarding the plot, scene setting, dialogue, characterisation, style of writing and sentence/paragraph construction. If you would like to find willing readers as well as/instead of family or friends, you can find these via online reading and writing forums and communities, such as Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. Check out my 60+ Resources for Writers page for links to provide more information on beta readers and groups.
Blurb
The book blurb is the short promotional text usually on the back of the book or inside cover. An extended version is included in the NBA (see below). The blurb may also form the basis of marketing or promotional material.
Binding
Binding is the process of securing and fastening printed sheets to produce a paperback or hardback. There are many common forms of binding: Perfect binding, which is used on the paperbacks found in bookstores and supermarkets. Hardback books are produced using hardcover which is mainly cardboard or can be material and are protected in a dust jacket with the cover design and book blurb on the back. Spiral binding, using wire or plastic coil, like you find on notepads, is another type which is mainly found on handbooks/workbooks/guidebooks/some textbooks, for example.
Copy
This refers to the text, from the marketing and promotional material to the entire manuscript. It applies to documents as hard copies or in electronic form.
Copy-editing
Copy-editing, which is more in-depth than proofreading, involves amending sentence structure, flow and clarity, and also improving quality of wording, and removing repetition and redundant phrasing.
Sometimes the terms used to describe different levels of editing can be used interchangeably and the factors associated with each can become muddled. So always double-check the breakdown of checks carried out when researching editors or publishing companies to see what is covered in their levels of editing.
Sometimes the terms used to describe different levels of editing can be used interchangeably and the factors associated with each can become muddled. So always double-check the breakdown of checks carried out when researching editors or publishing companies to see what is covered in their levels of editing.
Co-publishing
Also know as cooperative publishing, this is where the author pays for their book to be published and works with the publisher throughout the whole publishing process. But as well as sharing costs to publish the book, the author receives a higher percentage of the profits from the book sales.
Copyright
The control and rights of an author for the use of their original work. Copyright regulations differ between countries and international agreements are applicable.
Copyright Page
Contains British Library cataloguing in Publication Data/the ISBN. At the foot of this page is ‘printed and bound by…’ or ‘typeset by…' as examples.
Costing
For every book published there is the cost of production. This covers everything from the paper to the resources for design, typesetting, artwork and images. Also, obtaining permissions for content and editorial services such as copy-editing and proofreading.
Draft
This is a work in progress version; therefore, not the final version of a book. Drafts will go through many rounds of editing and revisions by the author and editor before it is classed as final.
Ebook
This is short for ‘electronic book’. Ebooks are now a popular alternative by indie/self-publishing authors instead of submitting to traditional publishers, as the book is available to buyers without needing to be accepted by a publishing house. These electronic versions are read on e-readers and tablets, or on laptops/PCs via apps. These are also less expensive to produce than paperbacks.
Edition
A number of identical copies printed at the same time. The initial printing is the first edition; when changes are made, it becomes the second edition or revised edition.
Extent
The number of pages in a printed book.
Foreword
This appears at the front of the book and is a short introduction either by the author or another established author or industry expert to provide a brief outline or overview of the book's content or background of the book’s author.
Frontlist
A list of new titles available from a publisher which are in their first year of publication.
Front Matter
Front pages of book which include the title page, copyright, dedication, about the author, also by author and table of contents.
Galley
This is a sample of a book that’s been through the design and layout process. The galley proof can be used by publishers/authors to receive feedback from experts in the industry, reviewers, bloggers and booksellers. This version also provides a final opportunity to review or make changes before the book is printed.
Gutter
When you look at a paperback or hardback, the blank space (margin) closest to the spine is known as the gutter. This space provides the allowance needed to bind the book or publication so readers can read the text without it disappearing into the hinge (the part that bends when you open the book).
ISBN
ISBN – International Standard Book Number is the 13-digit unique number that identifies aspects of the publication of a book, including the language, the title and publisher, plus a check digit which is often used in combination with the barcode.
Half-title Page
Title of the book only.
ISSN – International Standard Serial Number
An eight-digit serial number that identifies the country of publication of a magazine or journals and its title. It refers to the complete run of a publication, not an individual issue, and is used in combination with a barcode.
Line Drawing or Line Artwork
A drawing in black ink producing a single tone.
NBA
Short for New Book Announcement. NBA is a tool used by sales and marketing teams during the promotion of a book. This carries all the essential information about a book.
Net Receipts
The revenue the publisher receives from the sales of a book, minus any deductions for customer discounts. Net receipts form the most common basis of royalty payments to authors.
Origination
The stages to prepare the book for printing, which can include typesetting, redrawing artwork and colour reproduction of photographs.
Page Heads (or Running Heads)
Text at the top of the page which usually details the chapter title and/or book title.
Pagination
The sequence of numbering pages in a sequential order in a book or publication.
PDF – Portable Document Format
PDFs are electronic files created using Adobe Acrobat. These images can be amended, viewed, printed or forwarded. PDF files are especially useful for preserving the original appearance and are often used for ebooks and also uploading sample chapters or pages online.
Permissions
If any material includes previously published text or images, permission needs to be granted from the person who originally produced it — the copyright holder — in order to reuse the original or an amended version. There is often a cost called a permission fee attached to the use of such material.
Prelims
These are the introductory pages at the beginning of a book before the actual text. The prelims will contain a title page, half title page, the copyright page, preface, acknowledgements, forewords and any other material not forming the main part of the book. They can be numbered with Roman numerals.
Print-on-Demand
Print on demand (POD) is an option to print physical versions of a book to a set amount at the point of ordering. Whereas, in traditional publishing a book is usually printed in bulk quantities. This service is based on customer needs – again, ideal for self-publishers who only want to produce a small quantity for family, friends, local bookstore, etc.
Prologue
A prologue is an introduction written by the author which appears in the front matter. For both non-fiction and fiction books, it can provide a background/context or ‘setting the scene’ or a mini chapter as a hook for the main content.
Proofreading
Proofreading takes place on the final manuscript prior to publication. This detects any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and formatting.
Proofs
The proofs are the output from the typesetting process. These are sent to the author and proofreader to check there are no new errors from the typesetters. At this stage corrections can still be made to a manuscript, but it can be very costly especially if it leads to pagination corrections.
Reissue
A reissue is the result of a book being reprinted due to changes to the text or cover. Usually a reissue generates more attention from booksellers and reviewers than a reprint.
Reprint
Any printing of a book, subsequent to the first edition, that involves little or no change to that edition. If small changes are required, this is called a revised reprint; the changes are not significant enough for a new edition.
Review
Books are reviewed by a peer group as part of the commissioning process. These are specialists in the area who ensure the material is suitable for its target market.
Revises
The printer will make corrections to the proofs and supply a set of revised proofs or revises. The publisher uses these to check the corrections have been carried out accurately.
Royalties
Royalties are the percentage of revenue the author receives from the publisher for each copy of their book sold. The level of payment differs for hardbacks and paperbacks.
Runnings Heads
Text at top of each page (also called ‘page heads’). The normal style is chapter title on the left-hand side and book title on the right-hand side.
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is a great option for authors to retain control of the creative and publishing process. This also enables the author to publish a book so it is available to potential readers within a relatively short amount of time. The main downside is that all the promotion and distribution is down to the author, whether that be on social media, through local outlets or using self-publishing companies who offer this service.
It is the author’s responsibility to create a final copy, with the help of an editor and book cover designer, and then self-publish on a platform such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Blurb, Smashwords, Lulu and Barnes & Noble to name a few.
There are many resources online to help a first-time author though the self-publishing process, including the pros and cons. Many authors think that finishing and uploading their book onto Amazon, for example, is the end of the matter. But, as there is so much competition, a lot of promotion and self-marketing is required so that would-be buyers can find you in an overcrowded market.
To self-publish will require an investment, but you earn a relatively high percentage of royalties (around 70% depending on which retailer you sell through). See Self-Publishing Resources if you would like more information.
It is the author’s responsibility to create a final copy, with the help of an editor and book cover designer, and then self-publish on a platform such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Blurb, Smashwords, Lulu and Barnes & Noble to name a few.
There are many resources online to help a first-time author though the self-publishing process, including the pros and cons. Many authors think that finishing and uploading their book onto Amazon, for example, is the end of the matter. But, as there is so much competition, a lot of promotion and self-marketing is required so that would-be buyers can find you in an overcrowded market.
To self-publish will require an investment, but you earn a relatively high percentage of royalties (around 70% depending on which retailer you sell through). See Self-Publishing Resources if you would like more information.
Table of Contents
A table of contents in the front pages to provide a chapter list.
Title Page
Includes name of book, name of author and publisher.
Trade
Shorthand name for 'the book trade', meaning booksellers and wholesalers.
Typesetting
The process of converting the copy-edited text files supplied by the author into the final style, layout and design of the printed book. The typesetter will often follow a house style for the material.
Typography
The font or typeface style on the jacket cover and material text.
Book Editing Services is here to help you every step of the way. Whether you need a Proofreading Service, Copy-editing Service or an Ebook Formatting Service, my professional editorial services can help to ensure your finalised and published book becomes a reality. Please contact me using the link below to discuss your project, request a no-obligation quote or to check availability.
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