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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Auction
An auction, usually arranged by a literary agent, takes place when multiple publishing houses are interested in acquiring a manuscript and bid against one another to secure the domestic or territorial rights.
Indexing
Creating an ordered or alphabetical list of subjects/topics or names, giving the page number(s) of where it is referred to in the main text of the book.
Literary agent
Represent writers and their works. They match books to suitable publishers and negotiate publishing contracts and rights deals. They also co-ordinate the business side of publishing on behalf of authors.
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.
Proof reader
Someone employed to carry out proofreading.