Tuesday Tip: Terms You Should Know

Terms Every Writer Should Know

Every field uses technical jargon. Writing is no different. Here are some terms that you are sure to come across in your writing journey:

Beta Reader:  This is a person outside of the author, editors, and proofreaders who read an early copy of the book to spot additional errors or places for improvement.
Bio:    This is biographical information on the author that is given to an agent or publisher.

Copy Editor:   This is the person who will read through the manuscript and point out grammatical mistakes, inconsistencies in plot, places that need to be clarified, etc.
DL:    Deadline: This is the final date that a submission can be received.
GL:    Guidelines: This is a description of what a publisher is looking for when accepting submissions.
MC:   Main Character

MG:   Middle Grade: This generally refers to readers between the ages of eight and 12.

MS:   Manuscript (MSS is the plural, manuscripts)
POV: Point of View: This is the person through which the story events are viewed.

Proofreader:   This is the person who looks over the version of the manuscript ready for printing and compares it to the original manuscript to determine if additional errors need to be addressed.
Query letter:  This is a concise, generally one page, pitch of your idea that is sent to an agent or publisher to see if they would be interested in reading your manuscript.

SC:    Secondary Character(s)

Slushpile:   This is what publishers and editors call the unsolicited manuscripts that they receive.

YA:   Young Adult: This generally refers to readers between the ages of 12 and 18.

WIP: Work in Progress: This is what you're currently working on.