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. 

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Objective
The case of direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.   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
 
Onomatopoeia
Words which imitate the sounds they represent, for example ‘click’ and ‘clack’, or the use of consonant sounds to mimic the sound they are describing, for example to create the rhythm of high heels on a wooden floor.   A more extensive list of literary terms, with quotations from fiction and non-fiction sources showing the terms in use, is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
 
Order fulfilment
This can involve receiving, processing and invoicing orders for books as well as warehousing, distribution, shipping and delivery to customers and retailers.
Out of print or o.p.
Relating to a book of which the publisher has no copies left an which is not going to be reprinted. Print-on-demand technology, however, means that a book can be kept 'in print' indefinitely.
Oxymoron
A phrase which joins contradictory words to create a paradox, for example ‘pretty ugly’.   A more extensive list of literary terms, with quotations from fiction and non-fiction sources showing the terms in use, is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)  © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021