The writing industry is like every other business or organization in that it uses terms for which people get confused. It helps to become familiar with these terms that are applicable to the writing world because if you are seeking publication, you'll encounter many of these, but not necessarily all of them.

Advance: money that is paid to the author before the work is completed. Royalties are not received by the author until the work has earned back the advance.

Bio: usually a short paragraph (or maybe only a couple of sentences) about the writer and written in 3rd person.

Clips: These are samples, usually from newspapers or magazines, of your published work often photocopied with cover (if it's a magazine). Usually, these are sent through snail mail. But more and more, writers are sending links to online publications with e-queries. Check the guidelines for the publication before sending anything. If you are writing in a new area, you may not have clips to send.

Cover Letter: A cover letter is a brief letter, accompanying a manuscript, especially useful if responding to an editor's request for a manuscript. A cover letter may also accompany a book proposal. A cover letter is not a query letter. A cover letter simply reminds the publisher that you and the publisher have made contact in some way or it simply introduces that you are sending the manuscript per their specifications.

Galley: The first typeset version of a manuscript bound for publication. It often goes to the author for approval purposes.

Gift book: This is a book designed as a gift item and often found near checkout stands in retail stores. They are usually targeted towards a very specific market such as mothers, new parents, dads, golfers, stressed out people, decorators, etc. They are usually smaller in size than a typical book, often with vivid illustrations and much thinner than typical books.

Graphic novel: This is a new book length genre with text and graphics and resembles a comic book

Honorarium: This is a token payment of either a small amount of money or copies of the published work. It's not uncommon among small publishers. Sending work to publishers offering this form of payment is an excellent way to gain recognition and a following of readers.

Imprint: As the word is used today in book publishing, imprint is a name within a publishing house designating a division which usually specializes in a particular type of book.

Kill fee: A kill fee is an amount paid to a writer from a magazine after the publication has assigned a piece but decides not to use it.

Simultaneous Submissions: Simultaneous submissions--sending the same article, story or poem to several
publishers at the same time. This used to be totally frowned on but publishers seem to be getting more lenient because they realize authors can't wait around for months wondering if someone is going to consider a manuscript.
Trade Magazines: Magazine with editorial content of interest only to persons engaged in a particular industry, occupation, or profession; also called "business publication." A trade magazine may be as wide in scope as manufacturing management or sales, or as narrow in scope as patio-furniture manufacturing or used-car sales. Trade magazines are frequently, but not always, controlled circulation magazines, because the publishers derive more revenue from selling advertising space that reaches a large audience of targeted readers than by selling single copies or subscriptions to the readers. .