Introduction
This ultimate self-publishing glossary explains every term authors need to know, from manuscript creation to marketing and distribution. Ideal for first-time authors or experienced writers looking to navigate self-publishing, ghostwriting, book marketing, editing, formatting, and more.
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A–Z Self-Publishing Glossary (100+ Terms)
A
- Advance – Pre-payment by a publisher; self-publishing requires upfront costs.
- Amazon KDP – Kindle Direct Publishing for ebooks and print-on-demand.
- Author Platform – Online presence including website, email, and social media.
- Audio Rights – Legal rights for audiobook production and distribution.
- Author Branding – Strategy to build consistent public author image.
- Author Website – Central hub for books, bio, email collection, and marketing.
- A/B Testing – Marketing strategy to test different book ads or covers.
- Analytics – Data tracking for sales, traffic, and reader engagement.
B
- Back Matter – Sections like acknowledgments, references, or author bio.
- Blurb – Short description used on book cover or listings.
- Book Trailer – Short promotional video for marketing.
- Beta Readers – Early readers who give feedback before publication.
- Backlist / Frontlist – Older vs newly released books.
- Book Marketing – Strategies to increase sales, visibility, and engagement.
- Barcode – Unique scannable code used for sales tracking and retail distribution.
- Branding – Visual and messaging identity for an author or book series.
C
- Copyright – Legal protection giving authors exclusive rights.
- Cover Design – Artwork for attracting readers.
- Copyediting – Editing grammar, punctuation, and style.
- Collaboration Rights – Permissions for co-authors or joint works.
- Category / Genre Tags – Keywords to improve discoverability.
- Content Marketing – Blog posts, guides, and articles promoting your book.
- Crowdfunding – Funding a project via pre-orders or pledges.
- Call-to-Action (CTA) – Marketing prompt encouraging reader action.
D
- Distribution – Making your book available to readers globally.
- Digital Rights Management (DRM) – Protects ebooks from piracy.
- Drafts – Early versions of the manuscript.
- Discounts & Promotions – Marketing strategy for boosting sales.
- Design Mockup – Visual representation of cover or interior.
- Description Optimization – Using keywords in book description for SEO.
E
- Editing – Refining manuscript for clarity and readability.
- ePub – Standard ebook format.
- Exclusive Rights – Sole rights for distribution.
- End Matter – References or appendix sections.
- Email List – Collection of reader emails for marketing campaigns.
- Engagement Metrics – Data showing reader interaction and sales performance.
- Entrepreneurial Author – Author managing publishing, marketing, and sales independently.
F
- Front Matter – Title page, dedication, preface, and table of contents.
- Formatting – Preparing manuscript for print or digital distribution.
- Foreword – Introduction written by someone else endorsing the book.
- Fulfillment – Printing, packaging, and delivering books.
- Free Chapter – Lead magnet giving readers a sample of your book.
- Fiction / Non-Fiction – Primary genres defining book type.
G
- Ghostwriting – Professional writing under your name.
- Genre – Category of book: memoir, self-help, business, children’s, etc.
- Galleys / Advance Copies – Pre-release copies for reviewers.
- Growth Strategy – Marketing plan for long-term audience and sales.
- Google Books – Platform to list and promote books.
- Giveaway Campaigns – Promotions to build buzz and collect reviews.
H
- Hardcover – Durable book format.
- Hybrid Publishing – Combination of self-publishing and traditional services.
- Hooks / Taglines – Attention-grabbing phrases for marketing.
- Hyperlinks – Clickable links in ebooks for references or promotion.
I
- ISBN (International Standard Book Number) – Unique identifier for each edition.
- Illustrations – Graphics or images for print or digital books.
- Imprints – Publishing subdivisions.
- Internal Links – Links connecting your site content for SEO.
- InDesign – Professional layout software.
- Influencer Marketing – Using influencers to promote your book.
- Interactive Content – Quizzes, forms, or guides engaging readers.
J
- Join Mailing List – Capturing emails for marketing campaigns.
- Jacket / Dust Cover – Visual protective cover of hardcover books.
- Jumpstart Launch – Strategy to quickly increase initial book visibility.
K
- Keywords – Words/phrases used to improve discoverability.
- KDP Select – Amazon program for exclusive ebooks.
- Kickstarter / Crowdfunding – Funding campaigns for book publishing.
- Knowledge Base – Repository of publishing and marketing information.
L
- Layout – Arrangement of text, images, and graphics.
- Lead Magnet – Free content offered to attract potential readers.
- License Rights – Permissions for book distribution or adaptations.
- Long-tail Keywords – SEO phrases with lower competition but high conversion.
- Local Marketing – Promotion targeting local readers or bookstores.
M
- Manuscript – Original written content.
- Marketing Plan – Strategy for promoting your book.
- Mockup – Visual preview of your book.
- Monetization – Revenue generation from book sales, licensing, or digital products.
- Metadata – Book title, description, keywords used for SEO.
- Media Kit – Documents for reviewers, bloggers, and press.
N
- NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) – Protects content during collaboration.
- Net Profits – Earnings after costs.
- Native Language Publishing – Publishing in the author’s first language.
- Networking – Building industry connections for book promotion.
O
- Offset Printing – Bulk printing method.
- Outreach – Connecting with reviewers, media, and influencers.
- Optimization – SEO or marketing improvements.
- Online Distribution – Selling ebooks on Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, etc.
P
- Page Count – Total pages in the book.
- Print-on-Demand (POD) – Books printed per order.
- Proofreading – Final check for errors.
- Publishing Agreement – Contract outlining rights and royalties.
- Pre-Orders – Early sales before book release.
- Promotional Strategy – Marketing tactics to increase sales.
- Pricing Strategy – Determining book price for profit and marketability.
R
- Royalties – Payment per sale.
- Revision – Updated version of manuscript or design.
- Rights Management – Protecting distribution, translation, or licensing rights.
- Reader Engagement – Activities to build audience loyalty.
- Review Strategy – Collecting and promoting reader reviews.
S
- Self-Publishing – Independent publishing with retained rights.
- Submissions – Sending manuscript for review or marketing purposes.
- Synopsis – Brief book summary.
- SEO Metadata – Optimized title, keywords, and description.
- Social Proof – Testimonials, reviews, or endorsements.
T–Z
- Trim Size – Book dimensions.
- Template vs Custom Design – Pre-made vs fully customized interior/cover.
- Target Audience – Ideal readers.
- Unlimited Revisions – Multiple rounds of edits.
- Unabridged – Full content version.
- Up-sell Services – Additional offerings, e.g., marketing or audiobook production.
- Word Count – Total manuscript words.
- Writer’s Block – Creative pause.
- Website / Author Website – Central hub for marketing.
- Workflow Automation – Tools for efficiency.
- Webinars – Online sessions promoting your book.
- White Paper / Guide – Educational content to attract readers.
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