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. 

Filter by

Euphony
A series of complementary sounds, usually vowels or soft consonants, which flow together and create a smooth rhythm.   A more extensive list of literary terms, with quotations from fiction and non-fiction sources showing the terms in use, is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
 
Extended metaphor
A metaphor which is sustained throughout a piece of writing and is returned to several times in order to extend or add depth to the comparison or meaning.   A more extensive list of literary terms, with quotations from fiction and non-fiction sources showing the terms in use, is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
 
Finite
Verb form that signifies a tense, person and number, for example, I ate the apple,, or They are playing on the swings.   A more extensive list of grammatical terms is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
 
Folio
Sheet of paper folded twice and trimmed to make four pages of a book.
Formatting
The act of a manuscript being arranged so that it can appear in the correct manner on the page