Ghostwriting dictionary

Alpha reader is a person who reads the first draft of a book to advise the author on the best solutions. This is something you should give to a writer, a ghostwriter, an editor — someone who works with texts professionally. A developmental editor is ideal.

Bestseller is a book that sells better than others. The concept of "bestseller" first appeared in the 1890s, along with the emergence of cheap (mass) literature. In the U.S., a book is considered a best seller if it has sold 10,000 copies or more in a year, with just over a percent of such books. Different publications make their own bestseller lists. For example, of the 100,000 new titles that are published in the United States each year, fewer than 500 books are bestsellers according to The New York Times.

Beta reader is a person who first reads the finished manuscript and gives feedback so that the author can improve the work if necessary.

Blurb is a short advertising phrase that is placed on the cover of a book. It can be an apt statement by the author or any other person who has read the text. Usually a famous person is asked for a blurb, because readers trust the recommendations of such people the most.

Book abstract is a brief description of a book, article, report or other text. The purpose of the abstract is to interest the reader and inform them about the author, genre, content, target audience and features of the work.

Book layout design (typesetting) is placing text and illustrations the way they will be arranged in the book.

Book producer is a professional (company) that is a contractor to a traditional publisher. Book producers create book concepts, search for authors and/or ghostwriters, hire editors, designers, typesetters, and other specialists who produce the manuscript and pre-printing, and give the book layout to the publisher. Book producers are also known as book packagers, and their work is funded by publishers. The American Book Producers Association has existed since 1980.

There are no western-type book producers in Ukraine (and in general in runet). Ukrainian book producers support self-publishing, i.e. creating, publishing and distribution of a book at the expense of the author.

Book proposal is a letter to a publisher from an author with an offer to publish a book. A good proposal explains what makes the book unique and valuable, who the target audience is, and also includes information about the author, chapter descriptions, text excerpts, and a marketing plan.

Byline is a line below the title of an article where the author's name is placed. Bylines spread in the early twentieth century, but became commonplace in American newspapers and magazines only fifty years ago, and not in all publications. Some media outlets publish or post texts on their websites without the author's name because the owner of the materials is considered to be the brand - the employer of the hired author or writer. For example, The Economist still publishes materials without the author's name, for "maintaining a historical tradition that other publications have abandoned."

Developmental editor — is a professional who works on a book with the author at all stages of the writing process. He or she helps to improve the concept, correct plot flaws, and refine characters. A developmental editor is often hired by beginning authors in order to create a good work that meets quality standards (genre laws, style requirements, storyline creation principles, attributes of creativity) the first time around.

Editing is checking and revising a text to find and correct semantic, logical, and stylistic errors. Unlike the author and ghostwriter, the editor works with the existing text, ideas, plot, characters. The editor does not create text or plots from the beginning; he or she makes corrections to the author's text or ideas.

Ghost author is a person who entirely created a work or made a significant contribution to the creation of a work as a co-author, but is not credited as author or co-author. The work is published on behalf of another person, group of people or company. The practice of ghostwriting is considered unethical because the credited person did not take any part in the creation of the work.

Ghostwriter is a specialist who writes a text on demand, on behalf and in the interests of the customer, at the customer's cost, based on the customer's ideas, knowledge or experience. The concept of "ghost writer" should be distinguished from the concept of "ghost author". 

Long seller is a book that has been successfully selling for a long time. As a rule, we are talking about decades.

Non-fiction (nonfiction) is fact-based literature (business, motivational, educational, popular science books, articles). A feature of nonfiction: a true story told using fiction writing techniques.

Writing сoach is a professional who helps to develop or improve writing skills, find ideas, develop a book concept. Usually, a coach works as an individual instructor, mentor and psychologist, because his main goal is to help his client grow as an author and a person.

Change: Oct. 18, 2024, 1 p.m.