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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Imprint
A division of a publishing house with a distinct brand name, usually specialising in publishing titles for specific subject areas or genres. It can also refer to the publisher\'s name, which appears on the title page of a book.
Inspection copy
A copy of a publication sent or given with time allowed for a decision to purchase or return it. In academic publishing, lecturers can request inspection copies to decide whether to make a book/textbook recommended reading or adopt it as a core textbook for their course.
Order fulfilment
This can involve receiving, processing and invoicing orders for books as well as warehousing, distribution, shipping and delivery to customers and retailers.
Page proofs
A set of proofs of the pages in a book used to check the accuracy of typesetting and page layout, and also as an advance promotional tool. These are commonly provided in electronic form, rather than in physical form.
PLR
Public Lending Right (PLR) is a programme which compensates authors for loss of sales from their books being made available in libraries. It allows authors to be fairly paid for each library loan. Authors can register here: https://www.bl.uk/plr