(5 Changes That Matter From the Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition.)

It’s unquestionably nostalgic but also unquestionably new. It means that you can hold the English language in your hands. 

Let’s explore some of the fun new entries in the Twelfth: 

adulting

We all know that nouns can become verbs in English. Sometimes we notice the shift, and sometimes we don’t: Most of us think nothing of the fact that we butter bread and we voice opposition and we iron clothes. Nouns more conventionally come from verbs–just think of walk and run. But it’s pretty rare that a noun comes from a verb that came from a noun, which is the case with adulting, derived from the verb to adult meaning “to behave like an adult.” The verb dates back to the early 1900s, while the new noun adulting surfaced in 2013, a high point of social media saturation. It’s a word that emerged while we narrated our lives while living them.

amirite

Texting and social media have made the informal language of others part of our daily lives in a way wholly unprecedented,  and the language has expanded accordingly. Terms like lit, bae, fomo, mood, stan, sus, and lowkey come from a new register of informal expression. It’s not just the compressed phonetic respelling, shorter for quick keying and perhaps a bit ironic in a knowing way, that distinguishes amirite; there’s a grammatical singularity about it, too, since it’s usually used as a tag question in social media posts. Amirite?

dad joke

Compound terms need to pass a simple test before being added to the dictionary. If a compound can be understood by consulting the definitions of its constituent parts, no new definition is needed. There is no entry for cattle ranch, for example, but there is one for dude ranch. A dad joke isn’t just a joke told by a dad—it has the specific qualities of wholesomeness, obviousness, and endearing corniness. 

fanfic

One of the inarguably positive things about social media has been the ability to find others who share one’s hobbies, habits, and passions. From knitting to gaming to collective fangirling and fanboying (two more newly added words), people have found a new way to share what they care about. The communities that both read and write fan fiction have given us another shortened term, fanfic, which can refer to both the genre and to a specific story, as in: “We wrote a fanfic about vampires who knit sweaters for fun.”

fluffernutter

Trademarks are a tricky thing for dictionaries. On the one hand, many trademarked terms are generically used to refer to things that correspond to the category, if not the specific brand, named by the trademark. You might be surprised to learn that escalator and dumpster and thermos began as trademarks. Still-active trademarks are only given usage indications rather than definitions, since only the trademark holder can legally say what their name refers to; this is the case for Jeep, Kleenex, and Xerox (when used as a noun). Fluffernutter, a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, is among the newest and most delicious trademarks to become a dictionary entry.

free solo

The sport of rock climbing without ropes or safety equipment is specific enough to have its own name: free solo. It might have continued as an obscure and fairly specialized niche activity, but an Oscar-winning documentary film entitled Free Solo made it much more familiar to the general public.  

mediopassive

As language lovers and certified word nerds, we love seeing new linguistic terminology in the dictionary. Mediopassive names the way the subjects of some sentences receive, rather than perform, the actions of their verbs. Seen in such sentences as “The window opens easily,” “The house sold in four days,” and “The car drives smoothly,” it’s a curious sentence structure that is useful and efficient. Intransitive verbs used in such sentences are said to be in the mediopassive voice. 

non-rhotic

Some English speakers don’t pronounce the sound of the letter r before vowels or at the end of words–think the classic Boston accent, for example, but also many accents heard in Britain or the American South. An “r-less” accent is called non-rhotic by linguists. Rhotic derives from a Greek word that means “to use the /r/ sound excessively or incorrectly.”

petrichor (geosmin)

Petrichor is one of those words that for a long time was used mainly to cite itself. It was the answer to the question, “Did you know that there is a word for that distinctive smell after rainfall?” But petrichor has been used more and more frequently as the name for the smell, and is a welcome new addition to the dictionary. Another new word, geosmin, is the chemical compound that generates the petrichor smell.

side-eye

Side-eye (a word born in the late 18th century but only made common in this one) means “a sidelong glance that indicates scorn, suspicion, disapproval, or veiled curiosity.” It’s sometimes used with the, as in “She gave him the side-eye,” and it’s a verb, too, as in “They were side-eyeing us with envy.” This is a linguistically interesting case of a facial expression carrying a specific meaning, which isn’t the case for words like smile or frown. Those words might indicate emotions but don’t often have metonymic uses that can be substituted for the cause of the expression; giving someone the side-eye is often showing scorn, but giving someone a smile is just smiling. 

Check out the Twelfth Edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary here:

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(25 Common Writing Mistakes Writers Make.)

Many of those metaphors tucked inside a single word can be surprising, others picturesque or poetic, and still others are downright entertaining. The metaphors and lively stories behind such words are the kind I love sharing each week on the radio show and podcast “A Way with Words” and in my new book, Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland.

Here are some of my favorites, specifically selected for writers.

Magazine

Open up the word magazine, and you’ll find it comes into English via Middle French, and ultimately from the Arabic word makhāzin, which means “storehouses.” By the 17th century, magazine meant a place used for the storage of arms and munitions, and by the 18th, the word was applied to a publication that was a “storehouse” of articles on lots of topics. This also explains why the place where a gun’s ammunition is stored goes by the same name.

Lorem ipsum

The gibberish that serves as a placeholder while awaiting your pristine prose comes from a mangled passage of the great Roman orator Cicero. In De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, or “On the Ends of Good and Evil,” Cicero talks about the value of enduring short-term pain for a lasting payoff—just as we writers must do. Centuries later, some unknown typesetter later took that passage, which starts with dolorem ipsum, or “pain itself,” then scrambled some of the rest and started using it as dummy text, which looked real but ran no risk of being confused with regular text.

The practice was so handy it caught on. (By the way, that family name Cicero? It comes from the Latin word cicer, or “garbanzo bean,” apparently because one of Cicero’s predecessors had a bean-shaped growth on his nose. Latin cicer also found its way into English as garbanzo’s synonym, chickpea.)

Anthology

If your poem is included in an anthology, you can be doubly pleased that it’s part of a literary bouquet. One of the loveliest words in English, anthology in its most literal sense means a “gathering of flowers.” The word comes from Greek anthos, or “flower,” also found in such words as chrysanthemum, or “golden flower,” and anthurium, or “flower with a tail.”

Blurb

If you read the blurbs on the back of a book, you have one Belinda Blurb to thank. Belinda’s not a real person, though. She’s a clever invention by an author who used her as a marketing ploy to promote his latest book. In 1907, humorist Gelett Burgess wrote fake jacket copy for his new book and promoted it at a national gathering of booksellers. The gushing copy praised the contents of the book with breathless hyperbole, and above it all, in giant letters were the words: “YES, this is a ‘BLURB’! All the Other Publishers commit them. Why Shouldn’t We?”

Below that there was a picture of a woman with her hand cupped to the side of her mouth as if shouting, with a caption that read: MISS BELINDA BLURB IN THE ACT OF BLURBING. The effort paid off handsomely, and blurb became lodged in the language of publishing.

Spam

Wondering why that editor didn’t respond to your query? Or maybe you’re still waiting to hear back from a potential agent. In either case, maybe you should check your spam folder, and while you’re doing so, take a moment to reflect on this word’s amusing origin.

The idea of spam as “junk mail” goes back to a madcap British TV show from 1970 called “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” In one sketch, a couple goes out to breakfast and asks the short-order cook what’s on offer that day. The cook replies, “Well, there’s egg and bacon. Egg, sausage, and bacon. Egg and Spam. Egg, bacon, and Spam. Egg, bacon, sausage, and Spam. Spam, bacon, sausage, and Spam. Spam, egg, Spam, Spam, bacon, and Spam—” at which point, some Vikings also who happen to be in the restaurant (don’t ask), break into a loud, lusty song about the wonders of spam. (Search for “Monty Python,” “Spam,” and “ridiculous” online and you watch all the silliness and sing along yourself.)

A few years later, after someone mistakenly sent the same email to hundreds of people, the term spam took on the added meaning of something as repetitive and unappetizing as the spam in the comedy sketch.

Cocktail

At the end of a long day of writing, maybe you’re ready for a cocktail. But did you ever wonder how that drink got its name? Etymologists suspect it derives from the fact that the word cocktail originally applied to a horse with a docked tail—that is, with the tail cropped so short the hairs stood up perkily like the tail of a rooster or cock. Unlike thoroughbreds, cocktails were unpedigreed, working horses.

Around the same time, in the early 1800s, mixed drinks were regarded with some disdain because they were adulterated—after all, why dilute perfectly good booze with other ingredients? Over time, people began likening those watered-down beverages to less-than-purebred horses, and the name cocktail stuck.

Banana problem

One last term every writer should have in their vocabulary: banana problem. If you have a banana problem, you’re unsure whether something is finished. Maybe you’ve rewritten the same sentence way too many times when you should have stopped 20 minutes ago or tossed one too many pinches of salt into a perfectly good broth. 

In the tech world, the term banana problem denotes badly written code for terminating a computer process. This handy expression was inspired by the joke about a little kid who insisted, “I know how to spell ‘banana’. I just don’t know when to stop!” 

Check out Martha Barnette’s Friends With Words here:

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(Common Publishing Terms for Writers.)

For writers who podcast, these terms are helpful to understand as you get going.

Audio and Recording Terms for Writers

• Clipping. Clipping is when the volume exceeds that peak, causing distortion—essentially, your audio is “breaking.”
• DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). A DAW is software used to record, edit, and mix audio. Popular DAWs for new podcasters include GarageBand, LogicPro and Reaper. Professional standard DAWs include Adobe Audition (or Premier for video), and ProTools. DAWS are essentially an audio editing studio on a screen.
• Double-Ender. A double-ender is a recording method where each podcast participant records their own audio locally (also called a “native recording”). Later, the separate files are synced in post-production for high-quality results. This method is especially helpful for remote interviews when internet service fluctuations can create problems. The idea is that the final recording quality is not internet dependent, so even if communication gets bumpy, the audio and video files will be glitch-free.
• Dynamic Range. The dynamic range of recording is the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of your audio. Producers use compression to reduce this range—making quiet parts louder and loud parts softer—then raise the overall loudness to meet industry standards. This helps ensure a consistent, professional sound.
• Gain. Gain is the strength of the audio signal, which can be adjusted via the gain knob on your microphone or recording interface. Adjusting the gain increases or decreases your levels.
• Levels. In audio recording, levels refer to the volume.
• MP3 files and WAV files. MP3 and WAV files are the most common audio file formats you’ll work with in podcasting, but they serve different purposes: WAV files are uncompressed and high-quality, ideal for editing and mastering. MP3 files are compressed and smaller, making them the standard for podcast distribution and streaming. Record in WAV, and export the final episode as an MP3.
• Normalized Audio. Normalized audio has been compressed to reduce the dynamic range and has a consistent loudness throughout. This creates a good experience for the listener who won’t need to adjust their volume while enjoying the episode.
• Peaking. Peaking happens when audio is too loud, nearing the maximum (or peak) level a system can handle. Think of peaking as a yellow flag meaning you should turn down your gain.
• Room Tone. Room tone is the ambient sound of a recording space when no one is speaking. Capturing a few seconds of room tone, usually at the start of a recording, helps editors create undetectable edits and remove background noise without making the audio feel unnatural or overly silent.

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Creative Element Terms for Writers

• Episode Chapters. Just like a book, podcast episodes can have chapters. If you’re uploading to Youtube this is a simple, supported feature. Not every audio platform supports chapters but some, like Spotify, do. Chapters help with audience engagement and retention by giving listeners the option to skip forward if they are bored or looking for a certain part of the episode. Skipping over expositional banter is one of the most common reasons listeners look for chapters. Even pasting chapter timestamps into your episode show notes can help support listenership.
• Music Bed. A music bed is background music layered under dialogue or transitions. It enhances mood and pacing without overpowering the voice track. Podcasters often use royalty-free music libraries (like Artlist, Epidemic Sound, or Free Music Archive) or music licensed under Creative Commons. When using Creative Commons-licensed music or sound effects, be sure to check the terms. Some require attribution, while others do not and some may restrict commercial use.
• Show Notes. Show notes are the written summaries accompanying each episode. They include episode highlights, guest bios, links, and any resources mentioned. Show notes improve SEO, accessibility, and give listeners more context.

Distribution Terms for Writers

• Analytics. Podcast analytics track listener behavior—downloads, geographic location, devices used, listener retention, and more. Hosting platforms (like Libsyn, Podbean, or Audioboom) provide this data so creators can understand and grow their audience. When choosing a hosting platform (which is usually where your RSS feed lives), one thing to look into is whether you like the analytics the platform provides, as they are a bit different platform to platform.
• ID3 Tags (Metadata). ID3 tags are embedded in your MP3 files and include information like the episode title, podcast name, artwork, and genre. These tags display on media players and help organize your episodes for listeners or collaborators.
• RSS Feed (Really Simple Syndication). An RSS feed is the digital pipeline that delivers your podcast episodes to directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It contains all your show’s metadata—title, description, episode list—and updates automatically when you publish new content (kind of like it’s…really simple syndication). So, when you upload new podcasts episodes, you only upload them to your RSS feed, which broadcasts your content to all platforms.

Advertising Terms for Writers

• Baked-In Ads. These are advertisements recorded directly into your episode and are part of the permanent audio. They don’t change over time and feel more organic, like host-read endorsements.
• Dynamic Insert Ads (DIA). These ads are dropped into episodes after publishing using ad placement technology. They can be targeted based on listener location, behavior, or time of download, and swapped out over time—useful for keeping content fresh or monetizing your back catalog.
• Faked-In Ads. Faked-in ads are a cross between baked-in and direct insert ads. They are host-read, but rather than being permanently included in the episode audio, they are dropped into episodes with DIA technology. This allows host-read ads to change over time, or be dropped into other podcasts with overlapping demographics.

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(5 Different Forms of Journalism.)

Interestingly, a majority of respondents accurately described what anonymous sourcing involves. While most professions have their own unique jargon, journalism can directly impact society, so it’s important that we learn these terms to form a clearer understanding of how the news gathering process works.

By now, I believe the public is more knowledgeable about media practices. That said, here’s a helpful list of common terms used in journalism.

Assignment. When a reporter is given an assignment or is ‘on assignment,’ it’s referring to a particular story that they’ve been asked to cover by a publication or other media outlet.

Attribution. In journalism, attribution simply means crediting the source of information in a news story, whether it’s a quote or documentation. This means identifying individuals involved whenever possible, using their full name and job title. This solidifies their relevance to the story and will not only strengthen the piece but add credibility to the publication. Exceptions are made when a source or contact is in danger, is under 18, will be compromised if their identity is revealed, or someone who has explicitly asked not to be quoted or be ‘on the record.’ According to The Associated Press guidelines on attribution, a source’s name, title, age, and hometown should be included where appropriate, in addition to the name of their company, organization or government department.

Beat. A “beat” in journalism refers to a particular area or topic a journalist covers on an ongoing basis. A beat can be territorial, where a reporter is assigned to cover a particular geographical area, such as the southeast for a national outlet, or a certain town or county for a local newspaper. Typically, local newspaper beats also include police, courts, and local government. Beats can be topical, including areas of expertise such as politics, lifestyle, crime, education, entertainment, and health. They can also be more specialized, such as White House reporter, foreign correspondent, or an embed with a political campaign.

Byline. This is what all writers covet: a byline, especially in a prestigious publication. Simply put, a byline is the author’s credit – the name of the journalist or writer who has written the story. It appears at the top of an article or at the end. It can sometimes include a photo, the writer’s professional title, and contact information.

Columnist. Columnists offer commentary and opinions, and many journalists enjoy sharing their thoughts on the latest news or events. A column is usually a recurring piece in a magazine, newspaper, or online, and is published daily, weekly, or monthly. But not all columns are opinionated, they can be about all kinds of topics, from gardening and food to business and journalism.

Copy. Copy is the written text of an article only. It does not include other elements, like headlines, photos, graphics, or video.

Correspondent. A correspondent is a reporter who covers a specialized area, or reports on-the-scene from abroad, for media outlets like TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Foreign correspondents are stationed in several countries worldwide, and others report on the news and issues of a whole region, such as the Middle East. There are also war correspondents, who report on armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, business correspondents who cover the economy, finance, and trade, and political correspondents covering elections and campaigns.

Editorial. An editorial is an article that reflects the opinion of the publishers or senior editors of a newspaper or magazine. They focus on topical issues and subjects. They do not normally have a byline.

5 W’s plus H. We’ve all heard of the five W’s (and H) — the who, what, when, where, why, and how of storytelling. In news writing the answers to these questions will be the framework of an article.

General Assignment Reporter. A general assignment reporter covers a wide range of stories and topics for newspapers, news websites, and television stations. Since they’re not confined to a particular beat, they could be writing all kinds of stories in any given week, from local council meetings and community events to business news and election campaigns.

Headline. A headline is the title of an article or news item that attracts the reader’s attention, drawing them in to learn more. A strong headline is important, but if written in a sensationalist manner, they can also be misleading at times.

Inverted Pyramid. A news article is formulaic, and some professionals swear by the traditional inverted pyramid structure, or what is also referred to as “front-loading,” where the details are presented in order of importance. The most important information is inserted in the lede paragraph of the story, which should quickly grab the reader’s attention. The next paragraph or “nut graph” gives the story context, tells people why they should care and why it’s timely. A nut graph is designed to hold the reader’s attention and convince them to keep reading. The rest of the article includes supplemental information and quotes. A piece usually concludes with a possible solution or a next step in the process, for example, ‘the council will meet again in May to discuss the planning proposals.’

Lede/Lead. A lede or lead is the first sentence or paragraph of an article, summarizing the story with the most important information, the who, what, where, when, and how. It’s designed to quickly grab the reader’s attention, set the tone, and spark interest.

Libel. Libel refers to a false statement of fact, that is usually written or printed with the intention of defaming a person’s character. Opinions cannot be libelous. Slander is different and refers to the spoken word.

News Story. A news story is a factual account of current events, usually a previously unknown story, that is presented with objectivity and balance. News stories can be written and recorded live or taped, packaged in a variety of formats, and published in print publications, on television news, radio shows, and a variety of online news platforms. News is meant to inform and not influence the public, and is written in a straightforward style, that’s easy to understand and digest. A news story is often referred to as ‘hard news’ to differentiate it from softer news items such as sports reports.

Op-ed. The term ‘op-ed’ is derived from its placement opposite a newspaper’s editorial page. An op-ed piece is a short opinion piece (300 to 700 words) written by someone not associated with or employed by the publication. Opinion articles offer an opportunity for journalists to freely express what they think and feel, while simultaneously presenting a cogent argument to back it up. Topics covered can include politics, trends, timely events, or a new policy. In 2021, The New York Times decided to retire the term “op-ed” and instead use “Guest Essays” in reference to opinion pieces written by outside contributors.

Pitch. A pitch in journalism is the written presentation of a story idea to an editor. Some people also call it a query. Freelance writers and journalists are far too familiar with this term. Like a sales pitch, a query will try to persuade an editor that a story idea is worth publishing, because of its importance, timeliness, impact, and value to the audience.

Source. A source in journalism can refer to a person, interview, speech, document, video, an official record, data, book, or article. This is the information reporters rely on to build a strong, credible, and substantive story. There are two types of sources, primary and secondary. A primary source is firsthand evidence, raw information, and original research material. It can be an interview the journalist conducted with someone who witnessed or participated in an event or has direct knowledge of a subject, or the material written by such an eyewitness (a diary, report, or transcript). It can refer to data and statistics, results of polls and surveys, government documents (such as reports of legislative sessions), photographs, or video. Sources also include audio recordings, speeches, and interviews with government officials, business leaders, politicians, and organizations. A secondary source is citation, commentary, interpretation of, or an analysis of a primary source – an article, book, a reference to an existing interview, or a review of data or research. Using secondary source material means a journalist did not experience the event firsthand and did not conduct the research themselves, so they are one step removed from the primary source. An anonymous source is someone who provides information but does not reveal their identity to the journalist. It can also refer to a source who is known to the journalist and editorial staff but does not want to reveal their identity publicly. Most people have probably heard of incidents where courts have attempted to force journalists to reveal their sources.

Story Angle. An angle in journalism is how a story is approached, its point of view or perspective. A journalist can present a story from many different viewpoints that engage and inform the audience. For example, if a journalist is assigned to cover a hurricane’s aftermath, they could generate stories from many angles. Human interest stories are the most impactful. It could be a general report on all the damage and losses, injuries and fatalities, the devastation in a particular town, or an in-depth look at one family’s loss. It could be a retelling of a dramatic survival incident, a piece on the work of rescuers, how animals are being saved from floods, or the story of a mule train packing in supplies to desperate victims in hard-to-reach areas.

Stringer. A stringer is a freelance reporter, videographer, or photographer, who is assigned by a media outlet to cover stories on an ongoing basis. They are not an employee and usually cover a particular beat, whether a specialty or geographical area.

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The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is a practical, informative, and well-researched introduction to journalism and its best practices, with actionable advice, tips, techniques, explanations, and anecdotes straight from the field. In this digital guide, writers will learn how to write an effective news piece, skills need to be an effective journalist, outlets for publishing journalism, journalism associations, and so much more. Both inspirational and pragmatic, The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is packed with valuable resources for aspiring journalists.

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(What Is a Swipe File for Copywriters?)

I smiled and nodded, but I had no idea what a “nixie” was. Only, by the way she said it, I believe she expected me to know it.

Similarly, today you want to know what your team members or clients are talking about. And so, here are some contemporary marketing terms you should be familiar with:

Advertorial. An ad written and designed to look and sound like an article and not a sales piece. Advertorials are more informational, while advertising is more blatantly a promotion.

Attribution. The ability to determine which promotion generated an inquiry, lead, click, conversion, order or other response. For instance, if you get a phone inquiry, did it come from your ad, radio commercials, YouTube video, or billboard.

Battlecard. A “cheat sheet” or sorts given to salespeople to help them effectively present the product to prospects. Typically it may include descriptions of the product of various length (e.g., 50, 100, 250 words), common objections and how to overcome them, and frequently asked questions and the answers.

B2B. B2B is short for business-to-business—marketing that sells products and services to business. 

B2C. B2C is business-to-consumer, which means you are advertising to a consumer. 

B2G. B2G stands for business-to-government; here your prospects are municipal, state, or the federal government.

Brochure. Similar to a one-sheet in content, but with multiple pages, typically folded into a pamphlet or saddle-stitched—which is stabling sheets of paper together.

Collateral. Materials used to communicate product information to potential buyers and current customers. Examples include one-sheets, advertorials, battlecards, and white papers.

Content. Writing and graphics that help sell a product by presenting useful how-to content; e.g., white papers, presentations, special reports, YouTube videos.

Copy. Writing that sells a product—e.g., pay-per-click ads, landing pages, TV commercials, direct mail—by generating direct responses or communicating branding messages.

Marcom. Short for marketing communications, marcom refers to a wide range of communications used to promote products—everything from PowerPoint presentations and online videos, to webinars and social media, to email marketing Facebook ads.

Messaging. A style guide with standard wording of key sales points and themes that can be used in website copy, ads, brochures, and other marketing communications.

One-sheet. Product information on one or two standard size pages. Typical content includes product description, benefits, features, and some specs. Also called a product sheet, data sheet, or sell sheet.

Premium. A free bonus gift customers get when they purchase the main product being advertised.

ROI. In marketing, refers to the return on investment—or the ratio of the revenues generated by advertising. For instance, if you spend $2,000 to run an ad, and it produces total sales revenue of $4,000, your ROI is 2-to-1.

Sales enablement. Marketing materials that aid salespeople in presenting, explaining, and selling to prospects. Can include PowerPoint presentations, videos, specifications, and manuals.

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(How long should a book be?)

While we try to explain them as we go, we often drop common publishing terms on this site in various posts and articles. So I’m going to share some common definitions in this post.

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You’ve devoted hours, days, months—even years—to writing and editing your novel or nonfiction book. With all that time invested, it’s natural to want recognition for your hard work and dedication. Take your writing one step further and tackle the publishing process. When you enroll in this online course, you’ll learn the details of the query letter format and how to write a query letter that catches the attention of agents and publishers.

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100 Common Publishing Terms

Advance. A sum of money a publisher pays a writer prior to the publication of a book usually paid in installments, such as one-half on signing contract; one-half on delivery of a complete and satisfactory manuscript.

Agent. A liaison between a writer and editor or publisher who advocates for his or her client (writer). Agents usually take a 10-15% commission from the advance and royalties.

All rights. Situation in which an author sells all rights to a work. Not recommended for writing that could have reprint potential.

ARC. Advance reader copy—an early version of the book sent out to media outlets for possible reviews and interviews.

Assignment. Editor asks a writer to produce a specific article for an agreed-upon fee.

Auction. Publishers sometimes bid for the acquisition of a book manuscript that has excellent sales prospects. The bids are for the amount of the author’s advance, advertising and promotional expenses, royalty percentages, and more. Auctions are conducted by agents.

Backlist. A publisher’s list of its books that were not published during the current season, but that are still in print.

Bimonthly. Every two months.

Bio. A sentence or brief paragraph about the writer; can include education and work experience.

Biweekly. Every two weeks.

Blurb. The copy on book covers or book dust jackets, promoting the book and the author or featuring testimonials from book reviewers or well-known people in the book’s field. Also called flap copy or jacket copy.

Boilerplate. A standardized contract.

Bound galleys. Prepublication edition of book of final galley proofs, also known as “bound proofs.”

Byline. Name of the author appearing with the published piece.

Category Fiction. A term used to include all genres of fiction.

Chapbook. A small print or digital book of poetry or fiction—usually fewer than 40 pages.

Circulation. The number of subscribers to a magazine.

Clips. Samples of a writer’s published work.

Contributor copies. Copies of the magazine issues or books sent to the author in which the author’s work appears.

Co-publishing. Arrangement where author and publisher share publication costs and profits of a book. Also known as cooperative publishing.

Copyediting. Editing a manuscript for grammar, punctuation, printing style, and factual accuracy.

Comp titles. Comparable or competitive titles—usually included in a book proposal.

Copyright. A means to protect an author’s work.

Cover letter. A brief letter that accompanies the manuscript being sent to an agent or editor.

Critiquing service. An editing service in which writers pay a fee for comments on the salability or other qualities of their manuscript. Fees vary, as do the quality of the critiques.

CV. Curriculum vita. A brief listing of qualifications and career accomplishments.

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Ready to send out your query? Get a critique!

Are you done writing and revising your manuscript or nonfiction book proposal? Then you’re ready to write a query letter. In order to ensure you make the best impression on literary agents and acquisitions editors, we recommend getting a 2nd Draft Query Letter Critique.

Whether you are an experienced writer looking to improve the elements within your query letter or a new writer looking for pointers on how to write a query letter, our 2nd Draft Query Letter Critique Service provides the advice and feedback you need to improve your query.

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Electronic rights. Secondary or subsidiary rights related to electronic or multimedia formats.

Elevator pitch. Concise pitch for a book or screenplay that can be delivered in the time it takes to travel in an elevator.

Endcap. Special retail display at the end of an aisle—usually seen in retail stores, including bookstores.

Evaluation fees. Fees an agent may charge to evaluate material.

Exclusive. Situation where an author gives an agent or publisher the ability to consider a submission without competition from other agents or publishers. Authors should always cap the exclusive time period.

Fair use. A provision of the copyright law that says short passages from copyrighted material may be used without infringing on the owner’s rights.

Feature. An article giving the reader information of human interest rather than news.

Filler. A short item used by an editor to “fill” out a newspaper column or magazine page.

Film rights. Rights sold or optioned by the agent/author to a person in the film industry, enabling the book to be made into a movie.

Foreign rights. Translation or reprint rights to be sold in other countries and territories.

Frontlist. A publisher’s list of books that are new to the current season.

Galleys. First typeset version of manuscript that has not yet been divided into pages.

Genre. General classification of writing, such as the novel or the poem, or to the categories within those categories within those classifications, such as the horror novel or the sonnet.

Ghostwriter. Writer who writes an article, speech, story, or book based on another person’s ideas or knowledge.

Graphic novel. A story in graphic form, long comic strip, or heavily illustrated story; of 40 pages or more.

Hi-lo. A type of fiction that offers a high level of interest for readers at a low reading level.

High concept. A story easily expressed in a quick, one-line description.

(What is and isn’t high-concept fiction and how to pitch it.)

Honorarium. Token payment.

Hook. Aspect of the work that sets it apart from others and draws in the reader/viewer.

Imprint. Name applied to a publisher’s specific line of books.

Joint contract. A legal agreement between a publisher and two or more authors (or creators), establishing provisions for the division of royalties the book generates.

Kill fee. Fee for a complete article that was assigned and then cancelled.

Lead time. The time between the acquisition of a manuscript by an editor and its actual publication.

Log line. Brief summary of a TV program, movie, or book that captures the main conflict of the story with an emotional hook to generate interest.

Marketing fee. Fee charged by some agents to cover marketing expenses. It may be used to cover postage, photocopying, or any other expense incurred in marketing a manuscript.

Mass market. Non-specialized books of wide appeal directed toward a large audience.

Masthead. Page in a magazine or publication that usually lists contact information, editors (and their titles), and more information that’s helpful for freelance writers.

Memoir. A narrative recounting a writer’s (or fictional narrator’s) personal or family history; specifics may be altered, though essentially considered nonfiction.

MG. Middle grade. The general classification of books written for readers aged nine to 11. Also called middle readers.

Midlist. Titles on a publisher’s list that are not expected to be big sellers, but are expected to have limited/modest sales.

Model release. Paper signed by the subject of a photograph giving the photographer permission to use the photograph.

Multiple contract. Book contract with an agreement for a future book(s).

Multiple submissions. Sending more than one book, article, or poem to a publisher at the same time.

Narrative nonfiction. A narrative presentation of actual events. Also called creative nonfiction.

Net royalty. A royalty payment based on the amount of money a book publisher receives on the sale of a book after booksellers’ discounts, special sales discounts, and returns.

Novella. A short novel or long short story; approximately 7,000 to 30,000 words.

On spec. Writer submits a completed manuscript for publication “on speculation.” The editor is under no obligation to buy the finished manuscript.

One-time rights. Rights allowing a manuscript to be published one time. The work can be sold again by the writer without violating the contract.

Option clause. A contract clause giving a publisher the right to publish an author’s next book.

Payment on acceptance. The editor sends you a check for your article, story, or poem as soon as he decides to publish it.

Payment on publication. The editor sends you a check for your material when it is published.

Pen name. The use of a name other than your legal name on articles, stories, or books. Also called a pseudonym.

Photo feature. Feature in which the emphasis is on the photographs rather than on the accompanying written material.

Picture book. Book aimed at pre-schoolers to 8-year-olds that tells a story using a combination of text and art—or artwork only.

Platform. A writer’s quantifiable reach within their target audience, which includes speaking experience, publishing history, social media followers, and more.

(Improve your writing or author platform in 30 days.)

POD. Print on demand.

Proofreading. Close reading and correction of a manuscript’s typographical errors.

Proposal. Summary of a proposed book submitted to a publisher, particularly used for nonfiction manuscripts. Proposals commonly include a cover letter, one-page overview of the book, marketing information, competitive books, author information, chapter-by-chapter outline, and sample chapters.

Query. Letter that sells an idea to an editor or agent.

Remainders. Copies of a book that are slow to sell and can be purchased from the publisher at a reduced rate.

Reporting time. The time it takes for an editor to report to the author on his or her query or manuscript.

Reprint rights. The rights to republish a book after its initial printing.

Royalties. A percentage of money that an author receives from a publisher based off sales terms stipulated within a contract.

SASE. Self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Self-publishing. In this arrangement the author pays for manufacturing, production, and marketing of his book and keeps all income derived from the book sales.

Serial. Published periodically, such as a newspaper or magazine.

Serial fiction. Fiction published in installments, often broken off at a suspenseful spot.

Serial rights. The right for a newspaper or publication to publish sections of a manuscript.

Short-short. A complete short story of 1,500 words or fewer. Also called flash fiction.

Sidebar. Feature presented as a companion to a main article or story highlighting one aspect of the main article or story.

Simultaneous submissions. Sending the same article, story, or poem to several publishers at the same time.

Slush pile. Unsolicited manuscripts and pitches received by an editor, publisher, or agent.

Subagent. An agent handling certain subsidiary rights, usually working in conjunction with the agent who handled the book rights. The percentage paid to the book agent is increased to pay the subagent.

Subsidiary rights. All rights other than book publishing rights included in a book publishing contract, such as paperback rights, book club rights, movie rights, and more.

Subsidy publisher. Book publishers who charge authors for the cost to typeset and print their books, the jacket, etc., as opposed to a traditional publisher who pays the author.

Synopsis. Brief summary of a story, novel, or play. As part of a book proposal, it is a comprehensive summary condensed in a single-spaced page.

Tearsheet. Page from a magazine or newspaper containing a writer’s printed story, article, or poem.

TOC. Table of contents.

Trade book. Book that concerns a special interest for a general audience.

Translation rights. Subsidiary rights for book to be translated and sold in another language.

Unsolicited manuscript. A story, article, poem, or book that an editor did not assign.

USP. Unique selling position—what makes your book or article unique in the marketplace.

Work for hire. Situation in which a writer writes material for a publisher or company for a specified amount of money—usually selling all rights to the work, including potential reprint rights.

YA. Young adult. Manuscripts written for readers aged 12 to 18.

The post 100 Common Publishing Terms appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(List of Poetic Forms for Poets.)

While I try to explain them as I go, I often drop common poetry terms on this blog in the course of describing poetic forms, during poet interviews, and more. So I’m going to share some common definitions in this post.

37 Common Poetry Terms

Alliteration. Close repetition of consonant sounds, especially initial consonant sounds.

Anapest. Foot consisting of 2 unstressed syllables followed by a stress.

Assonance. Close repetition of vowel sounds.

Blank verse. Unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Caesura. A deliberate rhetorical, grammatical, or rhythmic pause, break, cut, turn, division, or pivot in poetry.

Chapbook. A small book of about 24-50 pages.

Consonance. Close repetition of consonant sounds–anywhere within the words.

Couplet. Stanza of 2 lines; often, a pair of rhymed lines.

Dactyl. Foot consisting of a stress followed by 2 unstressed syllables.

Decasyllable. Line consisting of 10 syllables.

Enjambment. Continuation of sense and rhythmic movement from one line to the next; also called a “run-on” line.

Envoi. A brief ending (usually to a ballade or sestina) no more than 4 lines long; summary.

Epigraph. A short verse, note, or quotation that appears at the beginning of a poem or section; usually presents an idea or theme on which the poem elaborates, or contributes background information not reflected in the poem itself.

Foot. Unit of measure in a metrical line of poetry.

Galleys. First typeset version of a poem, magazine, and/or book/chapbook.

Hendecasyllable. Line consisting of 11 syllables.

Hexameter. Line consisting of 6 metrical feet.

Honorarium. A token payment for published work.

Iamb. Foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stress.

Line. Basic unit of a poem; measured in feet if metrical.

Meter. The rhythmic measure of a line.

Octave. Stanza of 8 lines.

Octosyllable. Line consisting of 8 syllables.

Pentameter. Line consisting of 5 metrical feet. For instance, iambic pentameter equals 10 syllables (5 unstressed, 5 stressed).

Quatrain. Stanza of 4 lines.

Quintain. Stanza of 5 lines.

Refrain. A repeated line within a poem, similar to the chorus of a song.

Rhyme. Words that sound alike, especially words that end in the same sound.

Rhythm. The beat and movement of language (rise and fall, repetition and variation, change of pitch, mix of syllables, melody of words).

Septet. Stanza of 7 lines.

Sestet. Stanza of 6 lines.

Spondee. Foot consisting of 2 stressed syllables.

Stanza. Group of lines making up a single unit; like a paragraph in prose.

Strophe. Often used to mean “stanza”; also a stanza of irregular line lengths.

Tercet. Stanza or poem of 3 lines.

Tetrameter. Line consisting of 4 metrical feet.

Trochee. Foot consisting of a stress followed by an unstressed syllable.

*****

Play with poetic forms!

Poetic forms are fun poetic games, and this digital guide collects more than 100 poetic forms, including more established poetic forms (like sestinas and sonnets) and newer invented forms (like golden shovels and fibs).

Click to continue.

The post 37 Common Poetry Terms appeared first on Writer's Digest.