Glossary
We’ve curated a glossary of terms regarding all things writing and publishing related. From commonly-used terms to abbreviations, our glossary will guide writers and people starting out in publishing, to cut through the jargon and gain a better understanding.
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Sales
Involves using promotional and preview material to sell the title to bookshops and online retailers so that they will stock it.
Sales tracking
Sales of individual titles can be monitored daily through online sales tracking tools such as Amazon Vendor Central or Amazon Author Central. Nielsen also provides print book sales data.
Serialisation
All or excerpts of a book can be published in a newspaper or magazine before publication (first serialisation rights) or after publication (second serialisation rights).
Slush pile
Unsolicited manuscripts that are sent to publishers or agents but may not be read.
Subsidiary rights
Sub-licensing the rights to use content from the work in formats other than the original book, for example in films and television adaptation, serialisation, translation and merchandising.