Glossary

ADR

Automated Dialogue Replacement: recording dialogue after filming so it can replace or supplement the sound captured on set.

Also appears as: automated dialogue replacement

Advance

Money a publisher may pay an author before royalties are earned from sales.

Also appears as: publishing advance · advances

Anthology

A publication containing work by several writers or a collection of separate pieces.

Also appears as: anthologies

Blurb

Short promotional copy describing a book or other work to potential readers.

Also appears as: blurbs

Book distributor

A business that helps get books into trade supply chains, retailers or other sales channels.

Also appears as: distributor · distributors · book distributors

Bursary

Financial support intended to help someone take part, develop work or meet particular costs.

Also appears as: bursaries

Collaborator

A person who works with you on a creative project or shared piece of work.

Also appears as: collaboration · collaborators · collaborate

Commission

Paid creative work produced in response to a request, brief or agreement.

Also appears as: commissions

Consignment

An arrangement where a shop holds copies and pays the supplier for the copies it sells.

Also appears as: sale or return

Contract

A legally binding agreement setting out what the parties have agreed to do.

Also appears as: contracts · publishing contract · publishing contracts

Copy-editing

Editing focused on clarity, consistency, grammar, spelling, style and factual or internal inconsistencies.

Also appears as: copyediting · copy editing · copy-editor · copy editor

Copyright

Legal protection that normally arises automatically when an original work is created and recorded in a form that can be copied.

DCP

Digital Cinema Package: the standard package of digital files used to deliver a film for cinema projection.

Also appears as: digital cinema package

Demo recording

A relatively simple recording made to demonstrate a song, performer or project rather than necessarily being the final release.

Also appears as: demo · demos

Developmental editing

Big-picture editing of the structure, argument, story, organisation or overall effectiveness of a work.

Also appears as: developmental edit · development editing

Distribution

The practical system used to make a publication available through shops, wholesalers, libraries, websites or other sales channels.

Also appears as: distributing

DIT

Digital Imaging Technician: a film-production role concerned with image data, camera workflow, monitoring and related technical handling.

Also appears as: digital imaging technician

Dry hire

Hiring equipment without the operator, technician or crew who would normally use it.

Also appears as: dry-hire

Ebook

A digital edition of a book designed to be read on electronic devices.

Also appears as: e-book · ebooks · e-books

EPUB

A common reflowable ebook file format used by many reading devices and stores.

Also appears as: EPUBs

Game jam

A time-limited event where people make games, usually individually or in small teams.

Also appears as: game jams

Giclée

A high-quality inkjet printing method commonly used for fine-art and photographic prints.

Also appears as: giclee

Grip equipment

Film-production equipment used to support, rig, position or move cameras and lighting.

Also appears as: grip

Imprint

A publishing name or brand used for particular publications; one publisher may operate several imprints.

Also appears as: imprints

ISBN

International Standard Book Number: an identifier assigned to a specific publication edition and format.

Also appears as: ISBNs · International Standard Book Number

Kiln firing

Heating ceramic work in a kiln so clay or glaze reaches the required finished state.

Also appears as: firing · kiln hire · kiln firing

Literary agent

A professional who represents writers to publishers and normally earns a commission when they make a deal.

Also appears as: agent · agents · literary agents

Manuscript

The text or work before it becomes the finished publication.

Also appears as: manuscripts

Metadata

Structured information about a publication, such as its title, author, ISBN, subject, price and publication date.

Open call

A public invitation for people to submit, apply, audition or propose work.

Also appears as: open calls

Open mic

An event where performers can usually sign up to play or speak without having a separately booked show.

Also appears as: open-mic · open mics · open-mic night · open mic night

PA system

Sound amplification equipment used to make voices and instruments audible to an audience.

Also appears as: PA · public address system

Pitch

A concise presentation intended to persuade someone to support, fund, publish, programme or otherwise take an interest in a project.

Also appears as: pitching · pitches

Playtesting

Testing a game by having people play it so its rules, usability and experience can be examined.

Also appears as: playtest · playtests · playtesting

Portfolio

A selected collection of work used to show what a creator can do.

Also appears as: portfolios

Post-production

The work done after recording or filming, such as editing, colour, sound, visual effects and final delivery.

Also appears as: post production

Print on demand

A production method where individual copies or small quantities are printed when orders arrive instead of keeping a large stock.

Also appears as: print-on-demand · POD

Proof copy

A test copy used to check a publication before the final release or print run.

Also appears as: proof copies · proof

Proofreading

A final check for small errors after the main editing and layout work is substantially complete.

Also appears as: proofread · proofreader

Prototype

An early working version made to test an idea, design or system before it is finished.

Also appears as: prototypes

Publisher

The person or organisation taking responsibility for publishing a work and making the key publication decisions.

Also appears as: publishers

Rehearsal room

A space equipped or intended for musicians or performers to practise together.

Also appears as: rehearsal space · rehearsal rooms

Rights

The legal interests and permissions that control how a creative work may be copied, published, adapted, performed or otherwise used.

Also appears as: publishing rights

Royalties

Payments to a rights holder that are calculated from sales, licences or other agreed uses of a work.

Also appears as: royalty

Self-publishing

Publishing your own work while taking on the responsibilities that would otherwise sit with a publisher.

Also appears as: self publication · self-publication · self publish · self-publish

Small or independent press

A smaller publisher operating independently of the largest publishing groups.

Also appears as: small press · small presses · independent press · independent presses

Structural editing

Editing focused on the shape, order and organisation of a whole manuscript rather than sentence-level corrections.

Also appears as: structural edit

Synopsis

A concise summary of a work, often prepared for a submission, agent or publisher.

Also appears as: synopses

Trade discount

The discount from the retail price offered to booksellers, wholesalers or distributors so they can resell a book.

Also appears as: trade discounts

Typesetting

Arranging text and page elements into the final layout used for print or digital publication.

Also appears as: typeset

Wet hire

Hiring equipment together with an operator, technician or crew.

Also appears as: wet-hire

Wholesale

Supplying goods in quantity to retailers or other trade buyers rather than selling each copy directly to the final customer.

Also appears as: wholesaler · wholesalers