Glossary

We’ve curated a glossary of terms regarding all things writing and publishing related. From commonly-used terms to abbreviations, our glossary will guide writers and people starting out in publishing, to cut through the jargon and gain a better understanding. 

Unsolicited submissions
The manuscripts a publisher receives directly from a writer without asking for them, and without an agent. Most larger publishers will not read unsolicited submission.
Upper Middle Grade
Middle Grade fiction can be broadly split into two terms: Upper and Lower. Upper Middle Grade fiction is normally for 9-12 year olds and usually has a higher word count and might touch on more mature themes. Example of Upper Middle Grade fiction include The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell, Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson, The Island At The End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and As Brave As You by Jason Renyolds.
Verb
Word that describes an action or characterises a state or condition.   A more extensive list of grammatical terms is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
 
Verso
Left-hand page of the book, which usually has an even number.
Voice casting
The process of finding a suitable voice artist to narrate audiobooks.