Glossary of Book Publishing Terms

Appendix: Supplementary materials printed at the end of the general text.
Audience: The group most likely to be interested in the subject matter of the book.
Back Matter: The section after the body of the text and may include the endnotes, index, bibliography, author biography, etc.
Bar Code: A system of stripes and bars printed on the back cover of a book. Used universally in the book industry for automated ordering and inventory systems.
Binding: The process of affixing pages together in a single bound book.
Blueline: The proof sheet(s) of a book revealed in bluish ink that shows exactly how the pages or cover of a book will look when it is printed.
Blurb: Abbreviated, positive review of the book or the author, often appearing on the back cover or in front matter.
Camera-Ready: Final artwork, including typesetting and graphics which are ready for reproduction in the final book production process.
Content Edit: An edit of a book that checks the flow of the text, its organization, continuity, and content.
Copy Edit: An edit that checks for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other "typos."
Copyright: Legal protection given to intellectual rights, such written, and published works in a variety of forms such as books, audio, and software.
Cover Art: The design of the book jacket. The design and artistic process placing images and/or words into camera-ready copy.

Distributor: A company that buys books from a publisher or other distributors and resells them to retail accounts.
E-book: Electronic Book - A book published in electronic form that can be downloaded to computers or handheld devices.
Editing: Changing or correcting the contents of a book in order to improve the final results or to fit a format.
Epilogue: Additional text at the end of the book that provides readers with additional information on the subject.
Final draft: The final proof after all other proofing and editing steps have been completed.
Font: The typeset used in page design.
Front Matter: The series of pages that appear before the body of text.
Galley: The pre-publication copies sent to the author for final proofreading or to reviewers for pre-publication reviews.
Genre: A specific category of literature marked by a distinctive style form or content.
Graphics: The non-type parts of a book such as drawings, illustrations, photographs, charts, etc. that are used to enhance the content of a book.
ISBN: International Standard Book Number - an identification number code uniquely assigned to every book.

Library of Congress: The national library of the United States located in Washington D.C.
List Price: The sales price printed on your book or the retail sales price.
Logo: Identification mark used by an individual, business or organization as a representation symbol.
Manuscript: The book in typewritten or word processing form.
Marketing Plan: A book selling plan that includes a budget, synopsis of book, target audience, distribution, promotion, timeline, and how you will create demand.
Mass Market: A small format paperback edition usually sold in airports, grocery stores, and drug stores.
Mid-list: A title or author that does not become a bestseller.
Out of Print: A title no longer maintained in the publisher's catalogue or inventory.
Preface: The introductory portion of the book that usually explains why the book was written, what it is about or how to use it.
Press Kit: Provides reporters, reviewers, bookstore managers, and others information on the book. It includes a press release, author biography, book cover, testimonials, etc.
Proofreader: Checks the manuscript to make certain that the copy is correct and verified before final printing.

Publication Date: The date set, usually after actual printing of the book, that is announced to let the target audience know when the book will be available.
Publicity: A marketing technique using free advertising outlets such as press releases.
Publisher: The person or company responsible for the entire process of producing books. This includes overseeing the writing, editing, design, production, printing, and marketing of the book.
Review: A critical evaluation of a book.
Review Copy: A free copy given away to be reviewed.
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.
Spine: The binding on the side of a book.
Subsidiary Rights: Additional rights, such as foreign, audio, serial to publish a book in a different form. The American Library Association provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarians.
Trim: The final dimension of a book after the printer or bindery has cut it to size.
Typesetting: A term that originally referred to the setting of lead type for printing presses or phototypesetting. Nearly all "typesetting" is now done on the computer.
Wholesaler: A central order location that allows bookstores and libraries to order multiple titles from multiple publishers.
Word of Mouth: Advertising generated by satisfied or interested readers who tell others about the book.

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