Publishing glossary
The words of publishing, in plain English
Publishing has its own vocabulary, and no author should feel lost in it. Here is what each term means — and what it means for your book.
The editing process
- Manuscript evaluation
- A comprehensive review of your manuscript by an experienced editor, highlighting strengths and weaknesses and offering suggestions for improvement — covering plot development, character arcs, pacing, dialogue, and overall market readiness. It is usually the first step, because it maps everything your book needs before you spend on anything else.
- Developmental editing
- Big-picture editing that shapes the content and structure of the book: what to expand, what to cut, how chapters flow, and whether the argument or story holds together. It happens before line-level polish.
- Line editing
- A review of your manuscript line by line, making sure the writing is engaging, clear, and concise — sharpening sentences while protecting your voice.
- Copy editing
- A check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, as well as consistency in style and tone throughout the manuscript.
- Proofreading
- The final review of the finished, formatted draft — catching any remaining errors so the book is truly ready for publication. Editing focuses on content and structure; proofreading focuses on grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A professional book needs both.
- Ghostwriting
- A professional writer brings your ideas to life in a way that resonates with readers — written with you, in your voice, and credited to you. Common for memoirs, business books, speeches, and thought leadership.
- Transcription
- Converting handwritten notes, manuscripts, forms, scanned notebooks, and audio or video recordings into clean, workable text — often the first step for authors who speak or handwrite their story.
The parts of a book
- Front matter
- Everything that appears before chapter one: the title page, copyright page, dedication, preface, and foreword. Complete front matter is one of the clearest signals of a professionally published book.
- Title page
- The page carrying the book’s full title, subtitle, author name, and publisher — the formal opening of the book.
- Copyright page
- The legal page of the book, usually on the back of the title page. It carries the copyright notice (© year, author), the ISBN, the edition, and the publisher’s information.
- Dedication
- A short personal note from the author honoring the person or people the book is written for.
- Preface
- An introduction written by the author — telling the story behind the book: why it was written, how it came to be, and what the reader should know before beginning.
- Foreword
- An introduction written by someone other than the author — often a respected voice in the field — lending credibility and context to the book. (Note the spelling: fore-word, the word that comes before.)
- A short biography of the author, usually on the back cover and the final page. A good bio tells readers why you are the right person to have written this book.
Copyright, ISBN & registration
- Copyright
- Your legal ownership of the words you have written. Copyright exists the moment you write, but registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office creates a public record and strengthens your legal protection. Whoever you publish with, you should always keep your copyright.
- ISBN
- The International Standard Book Number — a unique 13-digit identifier that lets bookstores, libraries, and online retailers find, order, and track your book. Each format (paperback, hardcover, eBook) needs its own. Read our full ISBN guide →
- Library of Congress registration
- A control number (LCCN) issued by the Library of Congress that catalogs your book in the national library system — required for many libraries to stock your title.
- Imprint
- The publisher name a book is released under. Books we publish carry the Grace Fellowship Publishing imprint — while you keep your rights and royalties.
- Royalties
- The money you earn from each copy sold. On Amazon KDP, royalties are paid per sale based on your list price, printing cost, and the royalty option you choose. Your royalties belong to you.
Design, production & launch
- Cover design
- Your book cover is the first thing potential readers see — a professionally designed cover captures the essence of your story and signals its genre at a glance, front, spine, and back.
- Formatting & typesetting
- The layout and design of the book’s interior: margins, fonts, spacing, chapter openings, and page numbers, prepared separately for print and digital editions. Formatting focuses on layout and design, while editing focuses on content and language.
- Trim size
- The physical dimensions of the printed book (for example 6×9 inches — the most common size for paperbacks). Trim size affects page count, printing cost, and how the book feels in hand.
- Print-on-demand (POD)
- Books are printed one at a time, as they are ordered — no warehouse, no upfront print run, no unsold boxes in the garage. This is how Amazon prints most self-published paperbacks.
- Amazon KDP
- Kindle Direct Publishing — Amazon’s publishing platform for paperbacks and eBooks. Setting it up properly (categories, keywords, pricing, royalty options) decides how discoverable your book is on the world’s largest book market.
- Distribution
- Getting your finished book where readers can buy it: major online retailers, independent bookstores, libraries, and beyond. See how the whole journey fits together →
- Book trailer
- A short, cinematic video that showcases your story — giving your launch something to share and audiences something to remember.
- Your visible presence as an author — website, email list, social media, and speaking — built strategically so your book reaches its target readers and keeps reaching them after launch week.
Still have questions?
Ask us anything — in plain English.
A free discovery call is the fastest way to understand exactly what your book needs.
Book a free call See packages