Industry Terms | Book Writing Pros

Editing levels and services

Editorial level is confirmed after review. Included interventions are priced within the agreed engagement, rather than billed twice.

Basic Editing: Foundational attention to words, mechanics, and lighter corrections. The agreed package determines the specific work included.
Moderate Editing: A combined editing engagement that includes applicable foundational corrections and more involved sentence-level work for grammar, clarity, consistency, and readability. Included corrections are not charged twice.
Comprehensive Editing: A more extensive, integrated engagement that can include developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading as the manuscript requires. Its fee accounts for the different editorial interventions within one defined scope.
Substantive Editing: A deep, high-level review and intensive revision of a complete or nearly complete manuscript. It addresses overall organization, logical flow, thesis or main ideas, supporting evidence, gaps in reasoning, voice for the intended audience, and pacing. Detailed editorial feedback may accompany the reorganization, addition, deletion or rewriting of entire paragraphs and sections, plus limited clarifying research within the agreed scope. Unlike developmental editing, which often begins while a concept or early draft is being built, substantive editing starts with an existing developed draft. It is not full ghostwriting or an unlimited independent fact-check.
Developmental Editing: Guidance on what belongs in the book and how it develops: concept, audience, chapter architecture, content gaps, narrative progression, and major structural decisions. It can begin before a complete draft exists.
Line Editing: Sentence- and paragraph-level work on clarity, rhythm, expression, transitions, and voice, while preserving the author's intent.
Copyediting: Attention to grammar, usage, punctuation, consistency, and editorial style. The exact depth is determined by the agreed scope.
Proofreading: A final-stage check for remaining errors and inconsistencies after content decisions are approved. A separate proof of designed pages can also catch errors introduced during layout.

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Manuscript and project details

Definitions used in the estimate form, including the distinction between a manuscript page and a finished layout page.

Genre or topic: The category or subject of a book or publication, such as memoir, historical fiction, academic research, spirituality, education, or health. Describe it in words rather than numerals.
Full publication word count: The number of words in the full publication, not merely its sample. If you only know how many manuscript pages you have, give that count instead; we will confirm the appropriate pricing basis.
Manuscript pages: The pages in your existing typed or printed manuscript, not the pages of the finished book. Standard page-based editing uses 8.5 × 11-inch, double-spaced, 12-point text with one-inch margins. If your document uses another format, we will review its page density. Do not multiply manuscript pages by 300 to estimate the word count.
Representative manuscript sample: An excerpt that shows your typical writing and current manuscript condition. BWP may request approximately 1,000 words for a complimentary preliminary review; a sample is not necessarily the full project.
Specialist editor: An editor with relevant subject knowledge or credentials for technical or specialized content. Let us know if the material involves areas such as medicine, law, or finance.
Theses and dissertations: Long-form academic publications. BWP can assist with appropriate editing, citations, consistency and layout according to institutional requirements while preserving the student’s authorship.
Children’s books: Publications for young readers that may require editorial development and illustration-led page design. Their planned spreads or finished pages determine layout scope.
Magazines and journals: Periodical publications that bring together articles, editorial sections, images and other features. Page design and editorial scope depend on the issue and publication specifications.
Catalogs and pictorial publications: Image-led publications whose design depends on planned pages, illustrations, captions, image treatment and page composition rather than a words-per-page assumption.

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Book design, production and distribution

Print, ebook and audiobook production may require different deliverables and separate scoping.

Manuscript preparation: Organizing a working document: identifying chapter and section breaks, arranging text, and preparing files for editing. This differs from finished book interior design.
Print interior layout: Designing publication-ready pages, including typography, margins, headings, pagination, and placement of images or other elements.
Estimated layout pages: For a text-led book, we initially estimate about 300 words per finished page. Trim size, typography, illustrations, and other design choices can change the final count. A pictorial children's book uses its planned pages or spreads instead.
Pictorial children's book design: Page-by-page integration of text and illustrations, including visual pacing and spreads. Illustration creation or licensing is separate when commissioned.
Ebook formatting: Preparing a digital edition with appropriate text structure, navigation, and file-format checks. It is separate from print interior layout.
Audiobook production: Preparing a narrated audio edition, potentially including narration coordination, recording, audio editing, mastering and quality checks. The scope is quoted separately and does not by itself distribute the finished recording.
Publishing and distribution: Production prepares the print, ebook or audiobook edition. Distribution involves the separate steps needed to list or deliver the approved edition through applicable retail, library or other channels. BWP can assist with print, ebook and audio distribution; platform fees, printing and other pass-through charges are identified separately.
Publishing paths: A publisher or agent pitch is a request for traditional publishing consideration and may need editorial preparation, a proposal or sample. Self-publishing involves independently preparing and distributing the book. Institutional or private-use publications may require a different submission path. Selecting a goal on the BWP estimate form does not submit work to Allwrite Publishing or guarantee a publishing contract.

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Writing and editorial vocabulary

Common terms used when discussing a manuscript and its production.

Ghostwriting: A writer develops text for another person's credited project. BWP offers nonfiction ghostwriting, including biographies and memoirs.
Writing coaching: Guided support that helps an author plan, develop, and strengthen their own writing.
Substantive rewriting: Producing or replacing significant passages of text when the project calls for more than editing existing language.
Punctuation: The use of commas, periods, quotation marks and other marks to clarify sentences and meaning.
Grammar: The rules and conventions governing sentence structure and word relationships.
Mechanics: Spelling, capitalization, punctuation and other written conventions.
Word use: Choosing words appropriate to the meaning, audience and voice.
Organization: The sequence and arrangement of ideas, chapters and sections.
Unity: The degree to which a passage develops one clear central idea.
Support: Examples, evidence, scenes or explanation that develop a point.
Ideas: The core content and concepts that a publication communicates to its readers.
Line art: Illustrations made primarily with lines, often used in instructional publications.
Tables and charts: Structured presentations of information that may require editorial checking and specialized layout.
Spot color: A specific ink applied separately in print production.
Pantone: A standardized commercial color-matching system often used for print specifications.

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Publishing basics

Additional concepts encountered during manuscript preparation and publication.

Fiction and nonfiction: Fiction is imaginative narrative; nonfiction is grounded in facts, actual events, research, or real people.
Galley / proof: A proof supplied for review before final production or distribution. The precise format depends on the publishing process.
Indexing: Creating a reference list that helps readers find subjects, names, and concepts within a publication.
Manuscript: The working text of a book or other publication before final production, whether typed, printed, or digital.
Royalty: A payment based on the terms of a publishing or licensing agreement, often calculated from qualifying sales.

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Creating publication components

Examples of writing and organizing different publication elements.

Article: Written articles include advertorials, feature articles and reviews to be published in magazines, newsletters or newspapers. Additional writing outside the agreed editing scope is quoted separately.
Book: Creating a book involves writing, organizing, editing, and designing text. Its creation may include little to no art.
Index: Creating an index involves organizing text into a list that helps readers find information quickly. It is in the back of printed documents and at the front of electronic documents. Charges are based on the number of pages and complexity.
Manual: Creating a manual involves a careful organization of text and some art. Text is typically technical in nature and organized in outline form. Art generally consists of logos, line art or tables/charts. Except, perhaps, for the front cover, color is minimized throughout.
Newsletter: Creating a newsletter involves a careful balance of text and art. Text can be of a general nature but is typically limited to a certain field or topic. It is organized much like newspaper with headlines, bylines, an index, and volume numbers. Art plays a pivitol role in its design. Color is typically minimized to spot color.
Description: Writing sensory detail that helps readers picture a person, place, or thing.
Dialogue: Conversation presented in text, with appropriate punctuation and attribution.
Leading: The vertical distance from one line of type to the next.
Proofing methods: Methods for reviewing content, color, and layout before release, including digital and printed proofs.

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Editing publication components

Examples of how editorial work may differ among books, indexes, manuals and periodicals.

Article: Editing an article can involve Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Support, Coherence, Ideas, and Style.
Book: Editing a book can involve Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Support, Coherence, Ideas, and Style.
Index: Editing an index can involve a Word Use, Organization, or Style.
Magazine: Editing a magazine can involve Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Support, Coherence, Ideas, or Style.
Manual: Editing a manual can involve Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Coherence, or Style.
Newsletter: Editing a newsletter can involve Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Support, Coherence, Ideas, or Style.
Newspaper: Editing a newspaper involves Punctuation, Grammar, Mechanics, Word Use, Organization, Unity, Support, Coherence, Ideas, or Style.
Coherence: How clearly and logically ideas connect from one passage or section to the next.
Editorial style: A consistent set of editorial rules, such as Chicago or an agreed house style.

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Proofreading publication components

Publication-specific checks and terminology for the final proof stage.

Book: Proofreading a booklet can involve Names, Phone Numbers, Addresses, Numerals, Images, Color, Size, or Style Attributes.
Index: Proofreading an index can involve a Names, Numerals, Size, or Style Attributes
Magazine: Proofreading a magazine mainly covers the design elements and headings but can involve Names, Phone Numbers, Addresses, Numerals, Images, Color, Size, or Style Attributes.
Manual: Proofreading a manual can involve Names, Phone Numbers, Addresses, Numerals, Images, Color, Size, or Style Attributes.
Newsletter: Proofreading a newsletter mainly covers the design elements and headings but can involve Names, Phone Numbers, Addresses, Numerals, Images, Color, Size, or Style Attributes.
Newspaper: Proofreading a newspaper mainly covers the design elements and headings but can involve Names, Phone Numbers, Addresses, Numerals, Images, Color, Size, or Style Attributes.
Addresses: Street numbers
Body Copy: Text that forms the main reading material
Color: Spot color or full color check
Images: Photos, line art, charts/tables, and other design elements
Names: Proper names
Phone Numbers: Seven digit or more numerical expressions that identify a person residence
Numerals: Digits
Size: Refers to job itself or size of elements within job
Style Attributes: Italics, bold, underline

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Copyright, trademarks and patents

A general terminology overview. Refer to the appropriate official agency for current requirements and guidance.

A copyright protects an original artistic or literary work; a trademark protects a source-indicating mark (word, phrase, symbol, design, etc.); and a patent protects an invention. Nothing protects an idea because we all have them.

Copyright

Under title 17 of U.S. Code, a copyright is a form of protection to creators of "original works of authorship."" This protection includes the following works:

Literary
Dramatic
Artistic
Musical

Copyright protection covers both published and unpublished. A copyright owner has the right to do or authorize others to do the following:

To reproduce the copyrighted work;
To prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work;
To distribute copies of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
To perform the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic works, pantomimes, motion pictures and other audiovisual works, and;
To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work.

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/

Trademarks

A trademark may be a word, phrase, symbol, design, combination word and design, a slogan or even a distinctive sound that identifies and distinguishes the goods or services of one party from those of another. Unlike a copyright or patent, trademark rights can last indefinitely if the mark continues to perform a source-indicating function.

http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

Patents

A patent is a property right granted to an inventor to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the United States for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of the invention when the patent is granted. Authors need copyright protection, not a patent.

http://www.uspto.gov/main/patents.htm

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