A
abstract: A brief sequential
profile of chapters in a nonfiction
book proposal (also called a synopsis);
a point-by-point summary of an article
or essay. In academic and technical
journals abstracts often appear with
(and may serve to preface) the articles
themselves.
adaptation: A rewrite or reworking
of a piece for another medium, such
as the adaptation of a novel for the
screen. (see: screenplay)
advance: Money paid (usually
in installments) to an author by a
publisher prior to publication. The
advance is paid against royalties:
If an author is given a $5,000 advance,
for instance, the author will collect
royalties only after the royalty moneys
due exceed $5,000. A good contract
protects the advance if it should
exceed the royalties ultimately due
from sales.
advance orders: Orders received
before a book's official publication
date, and sometimes before actual
completion of the book's production
and manufacture.
agent: The person who acts
on behalf of the author to handle
the sale of the author's literary
properties. Good literary agents are
as valuable to publishers as they
are to writers; they select and present
manuscripts appropriate for particular
houses or of interest to particular
acquisitions editors. Agents are paid
on a percentage basis from the moneys
due their author clients.
American Booksellers Association
(ABA): The major trade organization
for retail booksellers, chain and
independent. The annual ABA convention
and trade show offers a chance for
publishers and distributors to display
their wares to the industry at large,
and provides an incomparable networking
forum for booksellers, editors, agents,
publicists, and authors.
American Society of Journalists
and Authors (ASJA): A membership
organization for professional writers.
ASJA provides a forum for information
exchange among writers and others
in the publishing community, as well
as networking opportunities. (see:
Dial-a-Writer)
anthology: A collection of
stories, poems, essays, and/or selections
from larger works (and so forth),
usually carrying a unifying theme
or concept. These selections may be
written by different authors or by
a single author. Anthologies are compiled
as opposed to written; their editors
(as opposed to authors) are responsible
for securing the needed reprint rights
for the material used, as well as
supplying (or providing authors for)
pertinent introductory or supplementary
material and/or commentary.
auction: Manuscripts a literary
agent believes to be hot properties
(such as possible bestsellers with
strong subsidiary rights potential)
will be offered for confidential bidding
from multiple publishing houses. Likewise,
the reprint, film, and other rights
to a successful book may be auctioned
off by the original publisher's subsidiary
rights department or by the author's
agent.
audio books: Works produced
for distribution on audio media, typically
audiotape cassette or audio compact
disk (CD). Audio books are usually
spoken-word adaptations of works originally
created and produced in print. These
works sometimes feature the author's
own voice although many are given
dramatic readings by one or more actors
and/or at times embellished with sound
effects.
author's bio (or bio):
An author's biography (or bio for
short) is the brief discription of
the writer noting small tidbits of
information (where they were born,
their education, hobbies and interests,
etc.) found often just behind the
back cover of a paperback or on the
inside dust jacket of a hardbound
book.
authorized biography: A history
of a person' s life written with the
authorization, cooperation, and, at
times, participation of the subject
or the subject's heirs.
author's copies/author's discount:
Author's copies are the free copies
of their books the authors receive
from the publisher; the exact number
is stipulated in the contract, but
it is usually at least 10 hardcovers.
The author will be able to purchase
additional copies of the book (usually
at 40% discount from the retail price)
and resell them at readings, lectures,
and other public engagements. In cases
where large quantities of books are
bought, author discounts can go as
high as 70%.
author tour: A series of travel
and promotional appearances by an
author on behalf of the author's book.
autobiography: A history of
a person's life written by that same
person, or, as is typical, composed
conjointly with a collaborative writer
(''as told to" or "with"; see
coauthor, collaboration)
or ghostwriter. Autobiographies by
definition entail the authorization,
cooperation, participation, and ultimate
approval of the subject.
B
backlist: The backlist comprises
books published prior to the current
season and still in print. Traditionally,
at some publishing houses, such backlist
titles represent the publisher's cash
flow mainstays. Some backlist books
continue to sell briskly; some remain
bestsellers over several successive
seasons; others sell slowly but surely
through the years. Although many backlist
titles may be difficult to find in
bookstores that stock primarily current
lists, they can be ordered either
through a local bookseller or directly
from the publisher.
backmatter: Elements of a
book that follow the text proper.
Backmatter may include the appendix,
notes, glossary, bibliography and
other references, list of resources,
index, author biography, offerings
of the author's and/or publisher's
additional books and other related
merchandise, and colophon.
bestseller: Based on sales
or orders by bookstores, wholesalers,
and distributors, bestsellers are
those titles that move in the largest
quantities. Lists of bestselling books
can be local (as in metropolitan newspapers),
regional (typically in geographically
keyed trade or consumer periodicals),
or national (as in USA Today,
Publishers Weekly, or the New
York Times), as well as international.
Fiction and nonfiction are usually
listed separately, as are hardcover
and paperback classifications. Depending
on the list's purview, additional
industry-sector designations are used
(such as how-to/self-improvement,
religion and spirituality, business
and finance); in addition, bestseller
lists can be keyed to particular genre
or specialty fields (such as bestseller
lists for mysteries, science fiction,
or romance novels, and for historical
works, biography, or popular science
titles) - and virtually any other
marketing category at the discretion
of whoever issues the bestseller list
(for instance African-American interest,
lesbian and gay topics, youth market).
bibliography: A list of books,
articles, and other sources that have
been used in the writing of the text
in which the bibliography appears.
Complex works may break the bibliography
down into discrete subject areas or
source categories, such as General
History, Military History, War in
the Twentieth Century, or Unionism
and Pacifism.
binding: The materials that
hold a book together (including the
cover). Bindings are generally denoted
as hardcover (featuring heavy cardboard
covered with durable cloth and/or
paper, and occasionally other materials)
or paperback (using a pliable, resilient
grade of paper, sometimes infused
or laminated with other substances
such as plastic). In the days when
cloth was used lavishly, hardcover
volumes were conventionally known
as clothbound; and in the very old
days, hardcover bindings sometimes
featured tooled leather, silk, precious
stones, and gold and silver leaf ornamentation.
biography: A history of a
person's life. (see: authorized
biography, autobiography, unauthorized
biography)
blues (or bluelines):
Photographic proofs of the printing
plates for a book. Blues are reviewed
as a means to inspect the set type,
layout, and design of the book's pages
before it goes to press.
blurb: A piece of written
copy or extracted quotation used for
publicity and promotional purposes,
as on a flyer, in a catalog, or in
an advertisement. (see: cover blurbs)
book club: A book club is
a book-marketing operation that ships
selected titles to subscribing members
on a regular basis, sometimes at greatly
reduced prices. Sales of a work to
book clubs are negotiated through
the publisher's subsidiary rights
department (in the case of a bestseller
or other work that has gained acclaim,
these rights can be auctioned off).
Terms vary, but the split of royalties
between author and publisher is often
50%/50%. Book club sales are seen
as blessed events by author, agent,
and publisher alike.
book contract: A legally binding
document between author and publisher
that sets the terms for the advance,
royalties, subsidiary rights, advertising,
promotion, publicity - plus a host
of other contingencies and responsibilities.
Writers should therefore be thoroughly
familiar with the concepts and terminology
of the standard book-publishing contract.
book distribution: The method
of getting books from the publisher's
warehouse into the reader's hands.
Distribution is traditionally through
bookstores, but can include such means
as telemarketing and mail-order sales,
as well as sales through a variety
of special-interest outlets such as
health-food or New Age venues, sports
and fitness emporiums, or sex shops.
Publishers use their own sales forces
as well as independent salespeople,
wholesalers, and distributors. Many
large and some small publishers distribute
for other publishers, which can be
a good source of income. A publisher's
distribution network is extremely
important, because it not only makes
possible the vast sales of a bestseller
but also affects the visibility of
the publisher's entire list of books.
book jacket: (see: dust
jacket)
book producer or book
packager:
An individual or company that can
assume many of the roles in the
publishing
process. A book packager or producer
may conceive the idea for a book
(most
often nonfiction) or series, bring
together the professionals (including
the writer) needed to produce the
book(s), sell the individual manuscript
or series project to a publisher,
take the project through to manufactured
product - or perform any selection
of those functions, as commissioned
by the publisher or other client
(such as a corporation producing
a corporate
history as a premium or giveaway
for employees and customers).
The book
producer may negotiate separate contracts
with the publisher and with the
writers,
editors, and illustrators who contribute
to the book.
book review: A critical appraisal
of a book (often reflecting a reviewer's
personal opinion or recommendation)
that evaluates such aspects as organization
and writing style, possible market
appeal, and cultural, political, or
literary significance. Before the
public reads book reviews in the local
and national print media, important
reviews have been published in such
respected book-trade journals as Publishers
Weekly, Kirkus Reviews,
Library Journal, and Booklist.
A gushing review from one of these
journals will encourage booksellers
to order the book; copies of these
raves will be used for promotion and
publicity purposes by the publisher
and will encourage other book reviewers
nationwide to review the book.
Books in Print: Listings,
published by R. R. Bowker, of books
currently in print; these yearly volumes
(along with periodic supplements such
as Forthcoming Books in Print)
provide ordering information including
titles, authors, ISBN numbers, prices,
whether the book is available in hardcover
or paperback, and publisher names.
Intended for use by the book trade,
Books in Print is also of great
value to writers who are researching
and market-researching their projects.
Listings are provided alphabetically
by author, title, and subject area.
bound galleys: Copies of uncorrected
typesetters page proofs or printouts
of electronically produced mechanicals
that are bound together as advance
copies of the book (compare to:
galleys). Bound galleys are sent
to trade journals (see: book review)
as well as to a limited number of
reviewers who work under long lead
times.
bulk sales: The sale at a
set discount of many copies of a single
title (the greater the number of books,
the larger the discount).
byline: The name of the author
of a given piece, indicating credit
for having written a book or article.
Ghostwriters, by definition, do not
receive bylines.
C
casing: Alternate term for
binding (see: binding)
category fiction: Also known
as genre fiction. Category fiction
falls into an established (or newly
originated) marketing category (which
can then be subdivided for more precise
target marketing). Fiction categories
include action-adventure (with such
further designations as military,
paramilitary, law enforcement, romantic,
and martial arts); crime novels (with
points of view that range from deadpan
cool to visionary, including humorous
capers as well as gritty urban sagas);
mysteries or detective fiction (hard-boiled,
soft-boiled, procedurals, cozies);
romances (including historicals as
well as contemporaries); horror (supernatural,
psychological, or technological);
thrillers (tales of espionage, crisis,
and the chase), westerns, science
fiction, and fantasy. (see: fantasy
fiction, horror, romance fiction,
science fiction, suspense fiction,
and thriller)
CD or CD-ROM: High-capacity
compact disks for use by readers via
computer technology. CD-ROM is a particular
variety; the term is somewhere between
an acronym and an abbreviation - CD-ROMs
are compact computer disks with read-only
memory, meaning the reader is not
able to modify or duplicate the contents.
Many CDs are issued with a variety
of audiovisual as well as textual
components. When produced by publishers,
these are sometimes characterized
as books in electronic format. (see:
multimedia)
chapter by chapter breakdown:
A chapter by chapter breakdown is
the longest and most detailed of all
synopses. The breakdown consists of
writing a single paragraph up to a
page summary of each and every chapter
in the book. It should introduction
of any important characters, significant
events in the plot, and how each particular
chapter helps to move the story along.
(compare with: log-line, synopsis,
outline)
children's books: Books for
children. As defined by the book-publishing
industry, children are generally readers
aged 17 and younger; many houses adhere
to a fine but firm editorial distinction
between titles intended for younger
readers (under 12) and young adults
(generally aged 12 to 17). Children's
books (also called juveniles) are
produced according to a number of
categories (often typified by age
ranges), each with particular requisites
regarding such elements as readability
ratings, length, and inclusion of
graphic elements. Picture books are
often for very young readers, with
such designations as toddlers (who
do not themselves read) and preschoolers
(who may have some reading ability).
Other classifications include easy
storybooks (for younger school children);
middle-grade books (for elementary
to junior high school students); and
young adult (abbreviated YA, for readers
through age 17).
coauthor: One who shares authorship
of a work. Coauthors all have bylines.
Coauthors share royalties based on
their contributions to the book. (compare
to: ghostwriter)
collaboration: Writers can
collaborate with professionals in
any number of fields. Often a writer
can collaborate in order to produce
books outside the writer's own areas
of formally credentialed expertise
(for example, a writer with an interest
in exercise and nutrition may collaborate
with a sports doctor on a health book).
Though the writer may be billed as
a coauthor (see: coauthor),
the writer does not necessarily receive
a byline which case the writer is
a ghostwriter). Royalties are shared,
based on respective contributions
to the book (including expertise or
promotional abilities as well as the
actual writing).
colophon: Strictly speaking,
a colophon is a publisher's logo.
In bookmaking, the term may also refer
to a listing of the materials used,
as well as credits for the design,
composition, and production of the
book. Such colophons are sometimes
included in the backmatter or as part
of the copyright page.
commercial fiction: Fiction
written to appeal to as broad-based
a readership as possible.
concept: A general statement
of the idea behind a book.
cooperative advertising (or
co-op): An agreement between
a publisher and a bookstore. The publisher's
book is featured in an ad for the
bookstore (sometimes in conjunction
with an author appearance or other
special book promotion); the publisher
contributes to the cost of the ad,
which is billed at a lower (retail
advertising) rate.
copublishing: Joint publishing
of a book, usually by a publisher
and another corporat entity such as
a foundation, a museum, or a smaller
publisher. An author can copublish
with the publisher by sharing the
costs and decision making and, ultimately,
the profits.
copyeditor: An editor, responsible
for the final polishing of a manuscript,
who reads primarily in terms of appropriate
word usage and grammatical expression,
with an eye toward clarity and coherence
of the material as presented, factual
errors and inconsistencies, spelling,
and punctuation. (see: editor)
copyright: The legal proprietary
right to reproduce, have reproduced,
publish, and sell copies of literary,
musical, and other artistic works.
The rights to literary properties
reside in the author from the time
the work is produced - regardless
of whether a formal copyright registration
is obtained. However, for legal recourse
in the event of plagiarism or other
infringement, the work must be registered
with the U.S. Copyright Office, and
all copies of the work must bear the
copyright notice. (see: work-for-hire)
cover blurbs: Favorable quotes
from other writers, celebrities, or
experts in a book's subject area,
which appear on the dust jacket and
are used to enhance the book's point-of-
purchase appeal to the potential book-buying
public.
crash: Coarse gauze fabric
used in bookbinding to strengthen
the spine and joints of a book.
curriculum vitae (abbreviated
c.v.): Latin expression meaning
"course of life" in other words, a
resume.
D
deadline: In book publishing,
this not-so-subtle synonym is used
for the author's due date for delivery
of the completed manuscript to the
publisher. The deadline can be as
much as a full year before official
publication date, unless the book
is being produced quickly to coincide
with or follow up a particular event.
delivery: Submission of the
completed manuscript to the editor
or publisher.
Dial-a-Writer: Members of
the American Society of Journalists
and Authors may be listed with the
organization's project-referral service,
Dial-a-Writer, which can provide accomplished
writers in most specialty fields and
subjects.
direct marketing: Advertising
that involves a "direct response"
(which is an equivalent term) from
a consumer - for instance an order
form or coupon in a book-review section
or in the back of a book, or mailings
(direct-mail advertising) to a group
presumed to hold a special interest
in a particular book.
display titles: Books that
are produced to be eye-catching to
the casual shopper in a bookstore
setting are termed display titles.
Often rich with flamboyant cover art,
these publications are intended to
pique book buyer excitement about
the store's stock in general. Many
display titles are stacked on their
own freestanding racks; sometimes
broad tables are laden with these
items. A book shelved with its front
cover showing on racks along with
diverse other titles is technically
a display title. Promotional or premium
titles are likely to be display items,
as are mass-market paperbacks and
hardbacks with enormous bestseller
potential.
distributor: An agent or business
that buys books from a publisher to
resell, at a higher cost, to wholesalers,
retailers, or individuals. Distribution
houses are often excellent marketing
enterprises, with their own roster
of sales representatives, publicity
and promotion personnel, and house
catalogs. Skillful use of distribution
networks can give a small publisher
considerable national visibility.
dramatic rights: Legal permission
to adapt a work for the stage. These
rights initially belong to the author
but can be sold or assigned to another
party by the author.
dust jacket (also dustcover
or book jacket): The wrapper
that covers the binding of hardcover
books, designed especially for the
book by either the publisher's art
department or a freelance artist.
Dust jackets were originally conceived
to protect the book during shipping,
but now their function is primarily
promotional - to entice the browser
to actually reach out and pick up
the volume (and maybe even open it
up for a taste before buying) - by
means of attractive graphics and sizzling
promotional copy.
dust-jacket copy: Descriptions
of books printed on the dust-jacket
flaps. Dust-jacket copy may be written
by the book's editor, but is often
either recast or written by in-house
copywriters or freelance specialists.
Editors send advance copies (see:
bound galleys) to other writers,
experts, and celebrities to solicit
quotable praise that will also appear
on the jacket. (see also: blurb)
E
editor: Editorial responsibilities
and titles vary from house to house
(often being less strictly defined
in smaller houses). In general, the
duties of the editor-in-chief or executive
editor are primarily administrative:
managing personnel, scheduling, budgeting,
and defining the editorial personality
of the firm or imprint. Senior editors
and acquisitions editors acquire manuscripts
(and authors), conceive project ideas
and find writers to carry them out,
and may oversee the writing and rewriting
of manuscripts. Managing editors have
editorial and production responsibilities,
coordinating and scheduling the book
through the various phases of production.
Associate and assistant editors edit;
they are involved in much of the rewriting
and reshaping of the manuscript, and
may also have acquisitions duties.
Copyeditors read the manuscript and
style its punctuation, grammar, spelling,
headings and subheadings, and so forth.
Editorial assistants, laden with extensive
clerical duties and general office
work, perform some editorial duties
as well-often as springboards to senior
editorial positions.
Editorial Freelancers Association
(EFA): This organization of independent
professionals offers a referral service,
through both its annotated membership
directory and its job phone line,
as a means for authors and publishers
to connect with writers, collaborators,
researchers, and a wide range of editorial
experts covering virtually all general
and specialist fields.
el-hi: Books for elementary
and/or high schools.
endnotes: Explanatory notes
and/or source citations that appear
either at the end of individual chapters
or at the end of a book's text; used
primarily in scholarly or academically
oriented works.
epilogue: The final segment
of a book, which comes "after the
end." In both fiction and nonfiction,
an epilogue offers commentary or further
information, but does not bear directly
on the book's central design.
F
fantasy: Fantasy is fiction
that features elements of magic, wizardry,
supernatural feats, and entities that
suspend conventions of realism in
the literary arts. Fantasy can resemble
prose versions of epics and rhymes,
may be informed by mythic cycles or
folkloric material derived from cultures
worldwide. Fantasy fiction may be
guided primarily by the author's own
distinctive imagery and personalized
archetypes. Fantasies that involve
heroic-erotic roundelays of the death-dance
are often referred to as the sword-and-sorcery
subgenre.
film rights: Like dramatic
rights, these belong to the author,
who may sell or option them to someone
in the film industry - a producer
or director, for example (or sometimes
a specialist broker of such properties)
- who will then try to gather the
other professionals and secure the
financial backing needed to convert
the book into a film. (see: screenplay)
footbands: (see: headbands)
footnotes: Explanatory notes
and/or source citations that appear
at the bottom of a page. Footnotes
are rare in general-interest books,
the preferred style being either to
work such information into the text
or to list informational sources in
the bibliography.
foreign agents: Persons who
work with their United States counterparts
to acquire rights for books from the
U.S. for publication abroad. They
can also represent U.S. publishers
directly.
foreign market: Any foreign
entity - a publisher, broadcast medium,
etc. - in a position to buy rights.
Authors share royalties with whoever
negotiates the deal, or keep 100%
if they do their own negotiating.
foreign rights: Translation
or reprint rights that can be sold
abroad. Foreign rights belong to the
author but can be sold either country-by-country
or en masse as world rights. Often
the U.S. publisher will own world
rights, and the author will be entitled
to anywhere from 50% to 85% of these
revenues.
foreword: An introductory
piece written by the author or by
an expert in the given field (see:
introduction). A foreword by a
celebrity or well-respected authority
is a strong selling point for a prospective
author or, after publication, for
the book itself.
Frankfurt Book Fair: The largest
international publishing exhibition
- with five hundred years of tradition
behind it. The fair takes place every
October in Frankfurt, Germany. Thousands
of publishers, agents, and writers
from allover the world negotiate,
network, and buy and sell rights.
Freedom of Information Act:
Ensures the protection of the public's
right to access public records - except
in cases violating the right to privacy,
national security, or certain other
instances. A related law, the Government
in the Sunshine Act, stipulates
that certain government agencies announce
and open their meetings to the public.
freight passthrough: The bookseller's
freight cost (the cost of getting
the book from the publisher to the
bookseller). It is added to the basic
invoice price charged the bookseller
by the publisher.
frontlist: New titles published
in a given season by a publisher.
Frontlist titles customarily receive
priority exposure in the front of
the sales catalog - as opposed to
backlist titles (usually found at
the back of the catalog), which are
previously published titles still
in print.
frontmatter: The frontmatter
of a book includes the elements that
precede the text of the work, such
as the title page, copyright page,
dedication, epigraph, table of contents,
foreword, preface, acknowledgments,
and introduction.
fulfillment house: A firm
commissioned to fulfill orders for
a publisher - services may include
warehousing, shipping, receiving returns,
and mail-order and direct-marketing
functions. Although more common for
magazine publishers, fulfillment houses
also serve book publishers.
G
galleys: Printer's proofs
(or copies of proofs) on sheets of
paper, or printouts of the electronically
produced setup of the book's interior
- the author's last chance to check
for typos and make (usually minimal)
revisions or additions to the copy.
(see: bound galleys)
genre fiction: (see: category
fiction)
ghostwriter: A writer without
a byline, often without the remuneration
and recognition that credited authors
receive. Ghostwriters often get flat
fees for their work, but even without
royalties, experienced ghosts can
receive quite respectable sums.
glossary: An alphabetical
listing of special terms as they are
used in a particular subject area,
often with more in-depth explanations
than would customarily be provided
by dictionary definitions.
H
hardcover: Books bound in
a format that uses thick, sturdy,
relatively stiff binding boards and
a cover composed (usually) of cloth
spine and finished binding paper.
Hardcover books are conventionally
wrapped in a dust jacket. (see:
binding, dust jacket)
headbands: Thin strips of
cloth (often colored or patterned)
that adorn the top of a book's spine
where the signatures are held together.
The headbands conceal the glue or
other binding materials and are said
to offer some protection against accumulation
of dust (when properly attached).
Such pands, placed at the bottom of
the spine, are known as footbands.
head shot: A head shot is
just that.a photo shot of an author's
head accompanied by the author's bio
most often found back or the inside
cover of a dust jacket.
hook: A term denoting the
distinctive concept or theme of a
work that sets it apart - as being
fresh, new, or different from others
in its field. A hook can be an author's
special point of view, often encapsulated
in a catchy or provocative phrase
intended to attract or pique the interest
of a reader, editor, or agent. One
specialized function of a hook is
to articulate what might otherwise
be seen as dry albeit significant
subject matter (i.e. academic or scientific
topics; number-crunching drudgery
such as home bookkeeping) into an
exciting, commercially attractive
package.
horror: The horror classification
denotes works that traffic in the
bizarre, awful, and scary in order
to entertain as well as explicate
the darkness at the heart of the reader's
soul. Horror subgenres may be typified
according to the appearance of were-creatures,
vampires, human-induced monsters,
or naturally occurring life forms
and spirit entities - or absence thereof.
Horror fiction traditionally makes
imaginative literary use of paranormal
phenomena, occult elements, and psychological
motifs. (see: category fiction,
suspense fiction)
how-to books: An immensely
popular category of books ranging
from purely instructional (arts and
crafts, for example) to motivational
(popular psychology, self-awareness,
self-improvement, inspirational) to
get-rich-quick (such as in real estate
or personal investment).
hypertext: Works in hypertext
are meant to be more than words and
other images. These productions (ingrained
magnetically on computer diskette
or CD) are conceived to take advantage
of readers' and writers' propensities
to seek out twists in narrative trajectories
and to bushwhack from the main path
of multifaceted reference topics.
Hypertext books incorporate documents,
graphics, sounds, and even blank slates
upon which readers may compose their
own variations on the authored components.
The computer's capacities to afford
such diversions can bring reader and
hypertext literature so close as to
gain entry to each other's mind-sets
- which is what good books have always
done.
I
imprint: A separate line of
product within a publishing house.
Imprints run the gamut of complexity,
from those composed of one or two
series to those offering full-fledged
and diversified lists. Imprints as
well enjoy different gradations of
autonomy from the parent company.
An imprint may have its own editorial
department (perhaps consisting of
as few as one editor), or house acquisitions
editors may assign particular titles
for release on appropriate specialized
imprints. An imprint may publish a
certain kind of book juvenile or paperback
or travel books), or have its own
personality (such as a literary or
contemporary tone). An individual
imprint's categories often overlap
with other imprints or with the publisher's
core list, but some imprints maintain
a small-house feel within an otherwise
enormous conglomerate. The imprint
can offer the distinct advantages
of a personalized editorial approach,
while availing itself of the larger
company's production, publicity, marketing,
sales, and advertising resources.
index: An alphabetical directory
at the end of a book that references
names and subjects discussed in the
book and the pages where such mentions
can be found.
instant book: A book produced
quickly to appear in bookstores as
soon as possible after (for instance)
a newsworthy event to which it is
relevant.
international copyright: Rights
secured for countries that are members
of the International Copyright Convention
(see: International Copyright Convention)
and respect the authority of the international
copyright symbol, ©.
International Copyright Convention:
Countries that are signatories to
the various international copyright
treaties. Some treaties are contingent
upon certain conditions being met
at the time of publication, so an
author should inquire before publication
into a particular country's laws.
introduction: Preliminary
remarks pertaining to a piece. Like
a foreword, an introduction can be
written by the author or an appropriate
authority on the subject. If a book
has both a foreword and an introduction,
the foreword will be written by someone
other than the author; the introduction
will be more closely tied to the text
and will be written by the book's
author. (see: foreword)
ISBN (International Standard Book
Number): A 10-digit number that
is keyed to and identifies the title
and publisher of a book. It is used
for ordering and cataloging books
and appears on all dust jackets, on
the back cover of the book, and on
the copyright page.
ISSN (International Standard Serial
Number): An 8-digit cataloging
and ordering number that identifies
all U.S. and foreign periodicals.
J
juvenile: (see: children's
books)
K
kill fee: A fee paid by a
magazine when it cancels a commissioned
article. The fee is only a certain
percentage of the agreed-on payment
for the assignment (no more than 50%
). Not all publishers pay kill fees;
a writer should make sure to formalize
such an arrangement in advance. Kill
fees are sometimes involved in work-for-hire
projects in book publishing.
L
lead: The crucial first few
sentences, phrases, or words or anything
- be it a query letter, book proposal,
novel, news release, advertisement,
or sales tip sheet. A successful lead
immediately hooks the reader, consumer,
editor, or agent.
lead title: A frontlist book
featured by the publisher during a
given season - one the publisher believes
should. do extremely well commercially.
Lead titles are usually those I gIven
the publisher's maximum promotional
push.
letterhead: Business stationery
and envelopes imprinted with the company's
(or, in such a case, the writer's)
name, address, and logo - a convenience
as well as an impressive asset for
a freelance writer.
letterpress: A form of printing
in which set type is inked, then impressed
directly onto the printing surface.
Now used primarily for limited-run
books-as-fine-art projects. (see:
offset)
libel: Defamation of an individual
or individuals in a published work,
with malice aforethought. In litigation,
the falsity of the libelous statements
or representations, as well the intention
of malice, has to be proved for there
to be libel. In addition, financial
damages to the parties so libeled
must be incurred as a result of the
material in question for there to
be an assessment of the amount of
damages to be awarded to a claimant.
This is contrasted to slander, which
is defamation through the spoken word.
Library of Congress: The largest
library in the world is in Washington,
D.C. As part of its many services,
the LOC will supply a writer with
up-to-date sources and bibliographies
in all fields, from arts and humanities
to science and technology. For details,
write to the Library of Congress,
Central Services Division, Washington,
DC 20540.
Library of Congress Catalog Card
Number: An identifying number
issued by the Library of Congress
to books it has accepted for its collection.
The publication of those books, which
are submitted by the publisher, are
announced by the Library of Congress
to libraries, which use Library of
Congress numbers for their own ordering
and cataloging purposes.
Literary Market Place (LMP):
An annual directory of the publishing
industry that contains a comprehensive
list of publishers, alphabetically
and by category, with their addresses,
phone numbers, some personnel, and
the types of books they publish. Also
included are various publishing-allied
listings, such as literary agencies,
writer's conferences and competitions,
and editorial and distribution services.
LMP is published by R. R. Bowker and
is available in most public libraries.
literature: Written works
of fiction and nonfiction in which
compositional excellence and advancement
in the art of writing are higher priorities
than are considerations of profit
or commercial appeal.
line editor: The editor responsible
for all textual issues not in the
purview of the copy editor. The line
editor reads the text for sense, clarity,
tone, flow, logic, quality of expression,
redundancy, good order, conciseness,
and consistency, covering some of
the same ground as the copy editor
but with a view to the text as a whole
(as opposed to the copy editor, whose
focus tends to be on individual words
and sentences). The line editor should
spot missing elements of the text
that need to be there for reader comprehension,
a statement made on page 196 that
seems to contradict one made on page
17, reasoning that doesn't quite convince,
and scenes that don't work-making
fixes, suggesting fixes, or referring
problems to the author for fixes.
The copy editor needs to know house
style and the rules of grammar, spelling,
and punctuation, but the line editor
needs to understand what the author
is trying to accomplish and be able
to recognize when he or she fails
to accomplish it.**
log-line: A log-line is the
shortest of all the synopses that
discribe a manuscript being a single
sentence that briefly answers the
question, "So, what is this book about?"
While a log-line may be as long as
250 words, it is usually much shorter
reading like the lines found on the
back or inside jacket of most any
book sold today. It is intended to
give the reader (an agent or editor)
a tantalizing taste of what is inside.
(compare to: chapter by chapter
breakdown, synopsis)
logo: A company or product
identifier - for example, a representation
of a company's initials or a drawing
that is the exclusive property of
that company. In publishing usage,
a virtual equivalent to the trademark.
(see: colophon)
M
mainstream fiction: Nongenre
fiction, excluding literary or avant-garde
fiction, that appeals to a general
readership.
marketing plan: The entire
strategy for selling a book: its publicity,
promotion, sales, and advertising.
mass-market paperback: Less-expensive
smaller-format paperbacks that are
sold from racks (in such venues as
supermarkets, variety stores, drugstores,
and specialty shops) as well as in
bookstores. Also referred to as rack
(or rack-sized) editions.
mechanicals: Typeset copy
and art mounted on boards to be photocopied
and printed. Also referred to as pasteups.
midlist books: Generally mainstream
fiction and nonfiction books that
traditionally formed the bulk of a
publisher's list (nowadays often by
default rather than intent). Midlist
books are expected to be commercially
viable but not explosive bestsellers
- nor are they viewed as distinguished,
critically respected books that can
be scheduled for small print runs
and aimed at select readerships. Agents
may view such projects as a poor return
for the effort, since they generally
garner a low-end advance; editors
and publishers (especially the sales
force) may decry midlist works as
being hard to market; prospective
readers often find midlist books hard
to buy in bookstores (they have short
shelf lives). Hint for writers: Don't
present your work as a midlist item.
multimedia: Presentations
of sound and light, words in magnetically
graven image - and any known combination
thereof as well as nuances yet to
come. Though computer CD is the dominant
wrapper for these works, technological
innovation is the hallmark of the
electronic-publishing arena, and new
formats will expand the creative and
market potential. Multimedia books
are publishing events; their advent
suggests alternative avenues for authors
as well as adaptational tie-ins with
the world of print. Meanwhile, please
stay tuned for virtual reality, artificial
intelligence, and electronic end-user
distribution of product.
multiple contract: A book
contract that includes a provisional
agreement for a future book or books.
(see: option clause)
mystery stories or mysteries:
(see: suspense fiction)
N
net receipts: The amount of
money a publisher actually receives
for sales of a book: the retail price
minus the bookseller's discount and/or
other discounts. The number of returned
copies is factored in, bringing down
even further the net amount received
per book. Royalties are sometimes
figured on these lower amounts rather
than on the retail price of the book.
New Age: An eclectic category
that encompasses health, medicine,
philosophy, religion, and the occult
- presented from an alternative or
multicultural perspective. Although
the term has achieved currency relatively
recently, some publishers have been
producing serious books in these categories
for decades.
novella: A work of fiction
falling in length between a short
story and a novel.
O
offset (or offset lithography):
A printing process that involves the
transfer of wet ink from a (usually
photosensitized) printing plate onto
an intermediate surface (such as a
rubber-coated cylinder) and then onto
the paper. For commercial purposes,
this method has replaced letterpress,
whereby books were printed via direct
impression of inked type on paper.
option clause/right of first refusal:
In a book contract, a clause that
stipulates that the publisher will
have the exclusive right to consider
and make an offer for the author's
next book. However, the publisher
is under no obligation to publish
the book, and in most variations of
the clause the author may, under certain
circumstances, opt for publication
elsewhere. (see: multiple contract)
outline: Used for both a book
proposal and the actual writing and
structuring of a book, an outline
is a hierarchical listing of topics
that provides the writer (and the
proposal reader) with an overview
of the ideas in a book in the order
in which they are to be presented.
out-of-print books: Books
no longer available from the publisher;
rights usually revert to the author.
P
package: The package is the
actual book; the physical product.
packager: (see: book producer)
page proof: The final typeset
copy of the book, in page-layout form,
before printing.
paperback: Books bound with
a flexible, stress-resistant, paper
covering material. (see: binding)
paperback originals: Books
published, generally, in paperback
editions only; sometimes the term
refers to those books published simultaneously
in hardcover and paperback. These
books are often mass-market genre
fiction (romances, westerns, gothics,
mysteries, horror, and so forth) as
well as contemporary literary fiction,
cookbooks, humor, career books, self-improvement,
and how-to books - the categories
continue to expand.
pasteups: (see: mechanicals)
permissions: The right to
quote or reprint published material,
obtained by the author from the copyright
holder.
picture book: A copiously
illustrated book, often with very
simple, limited text, intended for
preschoolers and very young children.
plagiarism: The false presentation
of someone else's writing as one's
own. In the case of copyrighted work,
plagiarism is illegal.
preface: An element of a book's
frontmatter. In the preface, the author
may discuss the purpose behind the
format of the book, the type of research
upon which it is based, its genesis,
or underlying philosophy.
premium: Books sold at a reduced
price as part of a special promotion.
Premiums can thus be sold to a bookseller,
who in turn sells them to the bookbuyer
(as with a line of modestly priced
art books). Alternately, such books
may be produced as part of a broader
marketing package. For instance, an
organization may acquire a number
of books (such as its own corporate
history or biography of its founder)
for use in personnel training and
as giveaways to clients; or a nutrition/recipe
book may be displayed along with a
company's diet foods in non-bookstore
outlets. (see: special sales)
press agent: (see: publicist)
press kit: A promotional package
that includes a press release, tip
sheet, author biography and photograph,
reviews, and other pertinent information.
The press kit can be put together
by the publisher's publicity department
or an independent publicist and sent
with a review copy of the book to
potential reviewers and to media professionals
responsible for booking author appearances.
price: There are several prices
pertaining to a single book. The invoice
price is the amount the publisher
charges the bookseller. The retail,
cover, or list price is what the consumer
pays.
printer's error (PE): A typographical
error made by the printer or typesetting
facility not by the publisher's staff.
PEs are corrected at the printer's
expense.
printing plate: A surface
that bears a reproduction of the set
type and artwork of a book, from which
the pages are printed.
producer: (see: book producer)
proposal: A detailed presentation
of the book's concept, used to gain
the interest and services of an agent
and to sell the project to a publisher.
public domain: Material that
is uncopyrighted, whose copyright
has expired, or is uncopyrightable.
The last includes government publications,
jokes, titles - and, it should be
remembered, ideas.
publication date (or pub
date): A book's official date
of publication, customarily set by
the publisher to fall 6 weeks after
completed bound books are delivered
to the warehouse. The publication
date is used to focus the promotional
activities on behalf of the title
- in order that books will have had
time to be ordered, shipped, and be
available in the stores to coincide
with the appearance of advertising
and publicity.
publicist (or press agent):
The publicity professional who handles
the press releases for new books and
arranges the author's publicity tours
and other promotional venues (such
as interviews, speaking engagements,
and book signings).
publisher's catalog: A seasonal
sales catalog that lists and describes
a publisher's new books. It is sent
to all potential buyers, including
individuals who request one. Catalogs
range from the basic to the glitzy,
and often include information on the
author, on print quantity, and the
amount of money slated to be spent
on publicity and promotion.
publisher's discount: The
percentage by which a publisher discounts
the retail price of a book to a bookseller,
often based in part on the number
of copies purchased.
Publishers' Trade List Annual:
A collection of current and backlist
catalogs arranged alphabetically by
publisher, available in many libraries.
Publishers Weekly (PW):
The publishing industry's chief trade
journal. PW carries announcements
of upcoming books, respected book
reviews, interviews with authors and
publishing-industry professionals,
special reports on various book categories,
and trade news (such as mergers, rights
sales, and personnel changes).
Q
quality: In publishing parlance,
the word quality in reference to a
book category (such as quality fiction)
or format (quality paperback) is a
term of art - individual works or
lines so described are presented as
outstanding products.
query letter: A brief written
presentation to an agent or editor
designed to pitch both the writer
and the book idea.
R
remainders: Unsold book stock.
Remainders can include titles that
have not sold as well as anticipated,
in addition to unsold copies of later
printings of bestsellers. These volumes
are often remaindered - that is, remaining
stock is purchased from the publisher
at a huge discount and resold to the
public.
reprint: A subsequent edition
of material that is already in print,
especially publication in a different
format - the paperback reprint of
a hardcover, for example.
resume: A summary of an individual's
career experience and education. When
a resume is sent to prospective agents
or publishers, it should contain the
author's vital publishing credits,
specialty credentials, and pertinent
personal experience. Also referred
to as the curriculum vitae or, more
simply, vita.
returns: Unsold books returned
to a publisher by a bookstore, for
which the store may receive full or
partial credit (depending on the publisher's
policy, the age of the book, and so
on).
reversion-of-rights clause:
In the book contract, a clause that
states that if the book goes out of
print or the publisher fails to reprint
the book within a stipulated length
of time, all rights revert to the
author.
review copy: A free copy of
a (usually) new book sent to print
and electronic media that review books
for their audiences.
romance fiction or romance
novels: Modern or period love
stories, always with happy endings,
which range from the tepid to the
torrid. Except for certain erotic-specialty
lines, romances do not feature graphic
sex. Often mistakenly pigeonholed
by those who do not read them, romances
and romance writers have been influential
in the movement away from passive
and coddled female fictional characters
to the strong, active modern woman
in a tale that reflects areas of topical
social concern.
royalty: The percentage of
the retail cost of a book that is
paid to the author for each copy sold
after the author's advance has been
recouped. Some publishers structure
royalties as a percentage payment
against net receipts.
S
SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope):
It is customary for an author to enclose
SASEs with query letters, with proposals,
and with manuscript submissions. Many
editors and agents do not reply if
a writer has neglected to enclose
a SASE with correspondence or submitted
materials.
sales conference: A meeting
of a publisher's editorial and sales
departments and senior promotion and
publicity staff members. A sales conference
covers the upcoming season's new books,
and marketing strategies are discussed.
Sometimes sales conferences are the
basis upon which proposed titles are
bought or not.
sales representative (or sales
rep): A member of the publisher's
sales force or an independent contractor
who, armed with a book catalog and
order forms, visits bookstores in
a certain territory to sell books
to retailers.
satisfactory clause: In book
contracts, a publisher will reserve
the right to refuse publication of
a manuscript that is not deemed satisfactory.
Because the author may be forced to
pay back the publisher's advance if
the complete work is found to be unsatisfactory,
in order to protect the author the
specific criteria for publisher satisfaction
should be set forth in the contract.
science fiction: Science fiction
includes the hardcore, imaginatively
embellished technological/scientific
novel as well as fiction that is even
slightly futuristic (often with an
after-the-holocaust milieu - nuclear,
environmental, extraterrestrial, genocidal).
An element much valued by editors
who acquire for the literary expression
of this cross-media genre is the ability
of the author to introduce elements
that transcend and extend conventional
insight.
science fiction/fantasy: A
category fiction designation that
actually collapses two genres into
one (for bookseller - marketing reference,
of course - though it drives some
devotees of these separate fields
of writing nuts). In addition, many
editors and publishers specialize
in both these genres and thus categorize
their interests with catchphrases
such as sci-fi/fantasy.
screenplay: A film script
- either original or one based on
material published previously in another
form, such as a television docudrama
based on a nonfiction book or a movie
thriller based on a suspense novel.
(compare to: teleplay)
self-publishing: A publishing
project wherein an author pays for
the costs of manufacturing and selling
his or her own book and retains all
money from the book's sale. This is
a risky venture but one that can be
immensely profitable (especially when
combined with an author's speaking
engagements or imaginative marketing
techniques). In addition, if successful,
self-publication can lead to distribution
or publication by a commercial publisher.
(compare to: subsidy publishing)
self-syndication: Management
by writers or journalists of functions
that are otherwise performed by syndicates
specializing in such services. In
self-syndication, it is the writer
who manages copyrights, negotiates
fees, and handles sales, billing,
and other tasks involved in circulating
journalistic pieces through newspapers,
magazines, or other periodicals that
pick up the author's column or run
a series of articles.
sell-through: The quantity
of books actually sold at bookstores
(as opposed to the quantity merely
shipped). A publisher may ship ten
thousand copies of a book to booksellers
and get back, say, six thousand in
returns. In this case, the sell-through
would be four thousand.**
serial rights: Reprint rights
sold to periodicals. First serial
rights include the right to publish
the material before anyone else (generally
before the book is released, or coinciding
with the book's official publication)
- either for the U.S., a specific
country, or for a wider territory.
Second serial rights cover material
already published, either in a book
or another periodical.
serialization: The reprinting
of a book or part of a book in a newspaper
or magazine. Serialization before
(or perhaps simultaneously with) the
publication of the book is called
first serial. The first reprint after
publication (either as a book or by
another periodical) is called second
serial.
series: Books published as
a group either because of their related
subject matter (such as a biographical
series on modern artists or on World
War II aircraft) and/or single authorship
(a set of works by Djuna Barnes, a
group of books about science and society,
or a series of titles geared to a
particular diet-and-fitness program).
Special series lines can offer a ready-made
niche for an industrious author or
compiler/editor who is up to date
on a publisher's program and has a
brace of pertinent qualifications
and/or contacts. In contemporary fiction,
some genre works are published in
series form (such as family sagas,
detective series, fantasy cycles).
shelf life: The amount of
time an unsold book remains on the
bookstore shelf before the store manager
pulls it to make room for newer incoming
stock with greater (or at least untested)
sales potential.
short story: A brief piece
of fiction that is more pointed and
more economically detailed as to character,
situation, and plot than a novel.
Published collections of short stories
- whether by one or several authors
- often revolve around a single theme,
express related outlooks, or comprise
variations within a genre.
signature: A group of book
pages that have been printed together
on one large sheet of paper that is
then folded and cut in preparation
for being bound, along with the book's
other signatures, into the final volume.
simultaneous publication:
The issuing at the same time of more
than one edition of a work, such as
in hardcover and trade paperback.
Simultaneous releases can be expanded
to include (though rarely) deluxe
gift editions of a book as well as
mass-market paper versions. Audio
versions of books are most often timed
to coincide with the release of the
first print edition.
simultaneous (or multiple)
submissions: The submission of
the same material to more than one
publisher at the same time. Although
simultaneous submission is a common
practice, publishers should always
be made aware that it is being done.
Multiple submissions by an author
to several agents is, on the other
hand, a practice that is sometimes
not regarded with great favor by the
agent.
slush pile: The morass of
unsolicited manuscripts at a publishing
house or literary agency, which may
fester indefinitely awaiting (perhaps
perfunctory) review. Some publishers
or agencies do not maintain slush
piles per se - unsolicited manuscripts
are slated for instant or eventual
return without review (if a SASE is
included) or may otherwise be literally
or figuratively pitched to the wind.
Querying a targeted publisher or agent
before submitting a manuscript is
an excellent way of avoiding, or at
least minimizing the possibility of,
such an ignoble fate.
software: Programs that run
on a computer. Word-processing software
includes programs that enable writers
to compose, edit, store, and print
material. Professional quality software
packages incorporate such amenities
as databases that can feed the results
of research electronically into the
final manuscript, alphabetization
and indexing functions, and capabilities
for constructing tables and charts
and adding graphics to the body of
the manuscript. Software should be
appropriate to both the demands of
the work at hand and the requirements
of the publisher (which may contract
for a manuscript suitable for on-disk
editing and electronic design, composition,
and typesetting).
special sales: Sales of a
book to appropriate retailers other
than bookstores (for example, wine
guides to liquor stores). This classification
also includes books sold as premiums
(for example, to a convention group
or a corporation) or for other promotional
purposes. Depending on volume, per-unit
costs can be very low, and the book
can be custom-designed. (see: premiums)
spine: That portion of the
book's casing (or binding) that backs
the bound page signatures and is visible
when the volume is aligned on a bookshelf
among other volumes.
stamping: In book publishing,
the stamp is the impression of ornamental
type and images (such as a logo or
monogram) on the book's binding. The
stamping process involves using a
die with raised or intaglioed surface
to apply ink stamping or metallic-leaf
stamping.
subsidiary rights: The reprint,
serial, movie and television, as well
as audiotape and videotape rights
deriving from a book. The division
of profits between publisher and author
from the sales of these rights is
determined through negotiation. In
more elaborately commercial projects,
further details such as syndication
of related articles and licensing
of characters may ultimately be involved.
subsidy publishing: A mode
of publication wherein the author
pays a publishing company to produce
his or her work, which may thus appear
superficially to have been published
conventionally. Subsidy publishing
(alias vanity publishing) is generally
more expensive than self-publishing,
because a successful subsidy house
makes a profit on all its contracted
functions, charging fees well beyond
the publisher's basic costs for production
and services.
suspense fiction: Fiction
within a number of genre categories
that emphasize suspense as well as
the usual (and sometimes unusual)
literary techniques to keep the reader
engaged. Suspense fiction encompasses
novels of crime and detection (regularly
referred to as mysteries - these include
English-style cozies; American-style
hard-boiled detective stories; dispassionate
law-enforcement procedurals; crime
stories); action-adventure; espionage
novels; technothrillers; tales of
psychological suspense; and horror.
A celebrated aspect of suspense fiction's
popular appeal - one that surely accounts
for much of this broad category's
sustained market vigor - is the interactive
element: The reader may choose to
challenge the tale itself by attempting
to outwit the author and solve a crime
before detectives do, figure out how
best to defeat an all-powerful foe
before the hero does, or parse out
the elements of a conspiracy before
the writer reveals the whole story.
syndicated column: Material
published simultaneously in a number
of newspapers or magazines. The author
shares the income from syndication
with the syndicate that negotiates
the sale. (see: self-syndication)
syndication rights: (see:
self-syndication, subsidiary rights)
synopsis: A summary in paragraph
form, rather than in outline format.
The synopsis is an important part
of a book proposal. For fiction, the
synopsis portrays the high points
of story line and plot, succinctly
and dramatically. In a nonfiction
book proposal, the synopsis describes
the thrust and content of the successive
chapters (and/or parts) of the manuscript.
(compare with: log-line, chapter
by chapter breakdown, outline)
T
table of contents: A listing
of a book's chapters and other sections
(such as the frontmatter, appendix,
index, and bibliography) or of a magazine's
articles and columns, in the order
in which they appear; in published
versions, the table of contents indicates
the respective beginning page numbers.
tabloid: A smaller-than-standard-size
newspaper (daily, weekly, or monthly).
Traditionally, certain tabloids are
distinguished by sensationalism of
approach and content rather than by
straightforward reportage of newsworthy
events. In common parlance, tabloid
is used to describe works in various
media (including books) that cater
to immoderate tastes (for example,
tabloid expose, tabloid television;
the tabloidization of popular culture).
teleplay: A screenplay geared
toward television production. Similar
in overall concept to screenplays
for the cinema, teleplays are nonetheless
inherently concerned with such TV-loaded
provisions as the physical dimensions
of the smaller screen, and formal
elements of pacing and structure keyed
to stipulated program length and the
placement of commercial advertising.
Attention to these myriad television-specific
demands are fundamental to the viability
of a project.
terms: The financial conditions
agreed to in a book contract.
theme: A general term for
the underlying concept of a book.
(see: hook)
thriller: A thriller is a
novel of suspense with a plot structure
that reinforces the elements of gamesmanship
and the chase, with a sense of the
hunt being paramount. Thrillers can
be spy novels, tales of geopolitical
crisis, legal thrillers, medical thrillers,
technothrillers, domestic thrillers.
The common thread is a growing sense
of threat and the excitement of pursuit.
tip sheet: An information
sheet on a single book that presents
general publication information (publication
date, editor, ISBN, etc.), a brief
synopsis of the book, information
on relevant other books (sometimes
competing titles), and other pertinent
marketing data such as author profile
and advance blurbs. The tip sheet
is given to the sales and publicity
departments; a version of the tip
sheet is also included in press kits.
title page: The page at the
front of a book that lists the title,
subtitle, author (and other contributors,
such as translator or illustrator),
as well as the publishing house and
sometimes its logo.
trade books: Books distributed
through the book trade - meaning bookstores
and major book clubs - as opposed
to, for example, mass-market paperbacks,
which are often sold at magazine racks,
newsstands, and supermarkets as well.
trade discount: The discount
from the cover or list price that
a publisher gives the bookseller.
It is usually proportional to the
number of books ordered (the larger
the order, the greater the discount),
and typically varies between 40% and
50%.
trade list: A catalog of all
of a publisher's books in print, with
ISBNs and order information. The trade
list sometimes includes descriptions
of the current season's new books.
trade paperbacks: Reprints
or original titles published in paperback
format, larger in dimension than mass-market
paperbacks, and distributed through
regular retail book channels. Trade
paperbacks tend to be in the neighborhood
of twice the price of an equivalent
mass-market paperback version and
about half to two-thirds the price
of hardcover editions.
trade publishers: Publishers
of books for a general readership
- that is, nonprofessional, nonacademic
books that are distributed primarily
through bookstores.
translation rights: Rights
sold either to a foreign agent or
directly to a foreign publisher, either
by the author's agent or by the original
publisher.
treatment: In screenwriting,
a full narrative description of the
story, including sample dialogue.
U
unauthorized biography: a
history of a person's life written
without the consent or collaboration
of the subject or the subject's survivors.
university press: A publishing
house affiliated with a sponsoring
university. The university press is
generally nonprofit and subsidized
by the respective university. Generally,
university presses publish noncommercial
scholarly nonfiction books written
by academics, and their lists may
include literary fiction, criticism,
and poetry. Some university presses
also specialize in titles of regional
interest, and many acquire projects
intended for commercial book-trade
distribution.
unsolicited manuscript: A
manuscript sent to an editor or agent
without being requested by the editor/agent.
V
vanity press: A publisher
that publishes books only at an author's
expense - and will generally agree
to publish virtually anything that
is submitted and paid for. (see:
subsidy publishing)
vita: Latin word for "life."
A shortened equivalent term for curriculum
vitae. (see: resume)
W
word count: The number of
words in a given document. When noted
on a manuscript, the word count is
usually rounded off to the nearest
1000 words.
work-for-hire: Writing done
for an employer, or writing commissioned
by a publisher or book packager who
retains ownership of, and all rights
pertaining to, the written material.
Y
young-adult (YA) books:
Books for readers generally between
the ages of 12 and 17. Young-adult
fiction often deals with issues of
concern to contemporary teens.
young readers or younger
readers: Publishing terminology
for the range of publications that
address the earliest readers. Sometimes
a particular house's young-readers'
program typifies books for those who
do not yet read; which means these
books have to hook the caretakers
and parents who actually buy them.
In certain quirky turns of everyday
publishing parlance, young readers
can mean anyone from embryos through
young adults (and "young" means you
when you want it to). This part may
be confusing (as is often the case
with publishing usage): Sometimes
younger adult means only that the
readership is allegedly hip, including
those who would eschew kid's books
as being inherently lame and those
who are excruciatingly tapped into
the current cultural pulse, regardless
of cerebral or life-span quotient.
*glossary complied
from 2000-2001 Writer's Guide
to Book Editors, Publishers &
Literary Agents by Jeff Herman
(1999)
**definitions compliments
of Daniel Quinn
.