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

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.

WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds

Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.

A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.

A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.

Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.

Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.

Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.

New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.

Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.

iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.

A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.

Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

A Writers Glossary (Part Three)

Article Writing