Home
>
Article Writing
>
A Writers Glossary (Part Three)

A Writers Glossary (Part Three)

Find definitions from Q to Z...

~~~~~~~~~~~ Q ~~~~~~~~~~~

Query -
A letter written by a writer asking an editor if she is interested in a piece on a certain topic. This is not the same as a cover letter. A Query introduces the idea, outlines your qualifications for writing it, and lists your previously published pieces.

~~~~~~~~~~~ R ~~~~~~~~~~~

Reader -
A person who reads unsolicited manuscripts for an editor, usually for the purpose of weeding out those manuscripts that are unwanted.

Reading Fee -
A charge to the author ostensibly for the purpose of defraying the cost of time spent reading the author's manuscript or the hiring of readers. Too often, these charges may constitute the only business income or a significant portion thereof.

Royalty -
Payment by publisher that is an agreed upon percentage of the book's earnings.

Royalty Publisher -
A publisher who pays the author.

RT -
Response time. Generally, the turnaround time required to hear back from a publisher based upon when the manuscript was submitted.

~~~~~~~~~~~ S ~~~~~~~~~~~

SASE -
A self-addressed, stamped envelope. SASEs are required if the author wishes to receive an answer from an editor. The SASE should be large enough and carry enough postage to return the manuscript if it is rejected. If the author doesn't want the manuscript returned, a note to that effect should be included, but a letter-sized SASE is still required for the editor's response. If the author requests any information from the editor, such as writer's guidelines, an SASE should be enclosed.

Second Rights -
The rights you sell to a publication for your work that has already been published somewhere else.

SF/F/H -
Abbreviation for science fiction/fantasy/horror, generally used to indicate what genres the publication accepts as submissions.

Short Short -
Fiction under 1000 words.

Short Story -
Fiction under 10,000 words but usually less than 7,500. In Sci Fi it's less tha 7,500 words. Check submission guidelines because they are individual for each publisher.

Side Bar -
Nonfiction such as extra info, tips, or hints that are put aside from the main article, usually for magazines. You may get extra pay if you can include this.

Simultaneous Submissions -
Submitting a work to several publishers at the same time. Some publishers accept simultaneous submissions, others will refuse to even look at them. The author should always state when a work is being submitted to more than one publisher.

Slipstream -
A story that describes a genre that does not fit into any one particular genre.

Slug line -
(1)a journalism term for the identifying tag of a story, (2)a line in a screenplay describing a new scene.

Slush Pile -
A stack of unsolicited manuscripts that have arrived at an editor or publisher's office. These manuscripts will usually be read - unless the editor or publisher specifically states they will not read unsolicited works - but with less speed, interest, or enthusiasm than works submitted on spec or other request.

Sonnet -
A fourteen line poem, usually a lyric in iambic pentameter.

Speculative Humor -
Humorous fiction with a foundation of fantasy, horror, or science fiction.

Stanza -
A group of lines in a poem that form a thematic or metrical paragraph.

Sub-genre -
An additional categorization of a particular genre.

Submission Guidelines -
Guidelines given by the publisher or the editor for submitting manuscripts or queries to the publisher.

Subsidiary Rights -
Sales of your book by your agent or publisher to other outlets such as movie studios, foreign publishers, book clubs, or magazines. If the publisher sells these rights, proceeds are split with the author (usually 50/50). If the agent sell these rights, the author keeps all the proceeds except the agent's commission.

Subsidy/Vanity Publisher -
A publisher that requires an author to pay for the publication of his or her work.

Synopsis -
A brief summary of a work. Depending on the length of the piece, the synopsis make be from one paragraph to several pages long. The synopsis is not the same as an outline, as it rarely carries elements such as chapter headings.

~~~~~~~~~~~ T ~~~~~~~~~~~

Tagline -
The identification of the speaker in dialogue. (For example: "She said")

Tearsheets -
Another word for Clips - or a copy of your work that has been published.

Trade book -
A paperback or hardcover book which usually covers a special interest, and is marketed directly to the layperson.

Trim Size -
The outer dimensions of the finished book.

~~~~~~~~~~~ U ~~~~~~~~~~~

Unsolicited Manuscript -
A manuscript send to an editor or publisher without it being requested. Unsolicited manuscripts normally end up on the slush pile.

~~~~~~~~~~~ V ~~~~~~~~~~~

Vanity Publisher -
A publisher that charges you to publish your book.

~~~~~~~~~~~ W ~~~~~~~~~~~

Work-for-hire -
A piece of writing that is written to an editor or publisher's request and all rights to the work belong to the publication. The writer gives up the copyright to this work and can never receive additional income from it, even if it is resold.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~~

YA -
Young Adult -13 to 22, between 20,000 and 45,000 words.

YW -
Young Writer between the ages of 12 and 22.

? Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of the Free Ezine for Writers featuring news, reviews, and continuously updated links to the best resources for writers online like - freelancing & jobs, markets & publishers, literary agents, classes & contests, and more... Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art157.asp

affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A Writers Glossary (Part Three)

Article Writing