Advance - a sum paid to the author in anticipation of royalty earnings.
Advance copies - (see galleys) prepublication edition of the book, generally used to generate reviews and publicity; also known as ARCs.
Agent - represents the author's work to the publisher, negotiates the contract, acts as a liaison through the publishing process.
ARC - Advance Readers' Copy (see Advance Copies).
Authorized - written with the subject's consent.
Backlist - books in print that have not been recently published.
Blurbs (cover quotes) - endorsements of the book by well known writers or celebrities. Often these appear on the book jacket.
Book Doctor - someone hired by the author or publishing house to improve a manuscript.
Clips - copies of published writings samples.
Copy Editor - corrects grammar and spelling in a manuscript and checks facts for accuracy and conformity.
Copyright - the author's legal right to ownership of the work under federal copyright laws.
Cover Art - the design of the book jacket, generally produced in-house by the publisher's art department.
Cover Quotes (blurbs) - celebrity or author endorsements.
Cross-collateralization - a contract provision that allows the publisher to charge unearned advances on a book against another title.
Earn Out - to sell enough copies to earn the advance against royalties.
E-book (electronic book) - published in electronic form that can be downloaded to computers or handheld devices.
Editor - acquires the book, works with the author to polish the manuscript, and champions the title through the sales and marketing process at a publishing house.
Epistolary - written in the form of letters.
Errors and Omissions - insurance available to authors concerned about possible lawsuits resulting from their work.
Faction - a recently coined term used to describe works that straddle the line between fact and fiction.
Fiction - a story invented by the author.
First Pass - an early printed edition of the manuscript, which is reviewed for accuracy by the author and copy editor before publication.
First Serial Rights - the right to excerpt a work in a periodical.
Flap Copy - synopses of the story, blurbs, review quotes, or other information designed to help sell the book.
Freelance - independent contractor hired to work on a book or article.
Galley - bound edition of a work available for review and publicity purposes before publication.
Genre - sales and marketing category into which the title falls (e.g. mystery, suspense, horror, how-to, self-help.)
Ghost Writer - a writer or co-writer who is not credited on the work.
Instant Book - a book rushed into print that deals with a timely topic or subject.
Jacket - the cover.
Kill Fee - pre-negotiated amount paid to the author of an article which has been assigned but not slated for publication.
List Position - where in the publisher's pecking order a title ranks. A lead title will have a larger print run and bigger publicity budget than books lower on the list.
Managing Editor - editor in charge of overseeing the production of the book.
Mass Market - small format paperback edition.
Memoir - a personal reflection or account.
Mid-list - a title or author that does not become a bestseller.
Non-fiction - fact-based.
Novelization - a fictional work based on a movie or play.
Out of Print - a title no longer maintained in the publisher's catalogue or inventory
Packager - a broker who puts together a book idea with the elements (writer, illustrator, experts, etc.) needed to bring the concept to fruition.
Prequel - a book in a series set at a time prior to the existing titles.
Print Run - number of copies produced.
P and L (Profit and Loss) Statement - the balance sheet on a title, measuring costs including author advance, production, and publicity against sales and subsidiary earnings.
Pub Date - the scheduled release date for the book. Generally a title will hit the stores two weeks to a month in advance of the date listed in the copyright.
Query - a proposal letter.
Remaindered - excess stock of printed unsold books that can be sold at discounted prices.
Returns - unsold copies returned by the bookstores or wholesalers to the publisher.
Royalties - percentage of the sales price earned by the author on sold copies. These are generally charged against the advance until it is earned out.
SASE - stamped self-addressed envelope. This should be included with all submitted articles, proposals and manuscripts.
Self-published - produced by the author.
Sequel - a continuation of an earlier book.
Sidebar - a column appended to an article, often boxed, that offers additional, related information.
Subsidiary Rights (Sub Rights) - sales of rights in the book for foreign translation, first serial, audio, electronic, film, book club, etc.
Trade Paperback - a larger format paperback, commonly used for literary titles but increasingly considered as a less expensive alternative to hardcover publication.
Trade Publisher - publisher of books geared for sale to the general public.
Vanity Press - prints books for a fee.
Unauthorized - written without the subject's cooperation or consent.
If you have other questions or suggestions about publishing terms, e-mail me at jkelman@jkelman.com.
