Guest Author - Lucinda Moriarty

Some publishing terms are easily understood and others are not. Here is a brief list of frequently used terms in children’s book publishing.

Cover Letter – A business letter sent to publishers along with your manuscript. A cover letter is a letter of introduction. It briefly explains your manuscript and requesting the publisher consider your enclosed work for publication.

Flat Fee – Form of payment to writers. Unlike royalties, payment is received one time to cover all payment due.

Guidelines (aka Writer’s Guidelines) – Publisher’s parameters for submitted content. Each publisher has its own set of guidelines. Guidelines can include target age group, subject matter, number of words, fiction or nonfiction, etc. There are often specific instructions on whether the publisher requires a full manuscript, a few chapters or a query letter. Follow the guidelines and don’t presume that a publisher wants a full manuscript if he states he only wants the first and last chapters.

Hi-Lo – Children’s books that are written for older readers who are at a lower reading level. Short for high-interest/low-reading level.

ISBN (aka International Standard Book Number) – This is the number you will find on the back of all published books for identification. If you self-publish, you should also have an ISBN assigned to your book.

Mock-up – An example of how your book might look when published. Also called a Dummy book.

MS – Short for manuscript.

Picture Book – Children’s book that uses illustration along with text to tell the story.

Query Letter – A sales letter pitching your idea to a publisher. This is usually sent when submitting non-fiction work in lieu of sending a completed manuscript. In it, you explain and convince the publisher that your topic is of interest to its readers.

Royalty – An author’s periodic payment by the publisher. Usually, this is a percentage of sales. Can be received in multiple installments.

Simultaneous Submissions – When one manuscript is sent to multiple publishing houses for consideration during the same time period.

Tearsheet – The specific page of the magazine containing your article. Think of it as a copy of your article “torn” from the magazine in which it appeared.

YA – Young Adult. This group includes readers 12 and older.

Vanity Press – Sometimes referred to as Subsidy Publishers. These are publishers that you use when self-publishing. You pay them to print your book.