I still clearly remember the day I learned what “WIP” meant. I was a newbie on a writing forum, and everybody was using special writing terms like “WIP.” It got to the point where I wanted to scream: What’s a WIP? And why don’t I get one tooooooo? Then I googled it. Oh. Work-in-progress. That’s what it means. Of course.

As with any specialized occupation, writing comes complete with an equally specialized lexicon. Nowadays, I take for granted terms like “WIP,” “MC,” “deus ex machina,” and “head hopping.” But there was a day when all I could do was slack my mouth and glaze out in confusion.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt this way.

Introducing the Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms

Action Beat

A description of the actions (gestures, facial expressions, or even thoughts) that accompany a speaking character’s words. An action beat should be included in the same paragraph as the dialogue as an indication that the person performing the action is also the person speaking.

For further study:

• Action Beats

Active Voice

The opposite of passive voice.

Example:

Active Voice: Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

Passive Voice: The Savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes.

In active voice, the person or thing performing the action serves as the subject of the sentence. In passive voice, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon. In linguistics, the actor in a sentence is called the “agent,” and the passive receiver of action is called the “patient.” These are independent of “subject” and “object,” but which is which determines the voice of the verb.

For further study:

• Active Voice vs. Passive Voice: How to Use Both to Get the Most Out of Your Writing

Alliteration

A stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

For further study

• 4 Tricks for Picking the Perfect Word

Alpha Reader

An alpha reader is among the first to read a completed manuscript (MS) or work-in-progress (WIP) and is usually a close friend of the writer. The role of the alpha reader is to provide cheerleader-like support and encouragement rather than constructive criticism.

See also: Beta Reader

For further study:

• Is Now the Time for an Alpha Reader?

Antagonist

A person (or force) standing in opposition to the protagonist.

For further study:

• How to Choose the Right Antagonist for Your Story
• How to Write Multiple Antagonists
• Evil, Insane, Envious, and Ethical: The Four Major Types of Antagonists

Antagonistic Force

Whatever is standing in opposition to the protagonist’s goal. Could be a human, but could also be an inanimate obstacle.

For further study:

• What if Your Antagonist Isn’t a Person?
• The Pixar Way to Think About Story Conflict

Antihero

A protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality. These individuals often possess dark personality traits such as disagreeableness, dishonesty, and aggressiveness.

Examples: Captain Mal in Firefly or Holden in The Catcher in the Rye.

For further study:

• 4 Ways to Make Your Antihero Deliciously Irresistible

Archetype

A “type” of character, which is commonly repeated across literature.

Examples: The Mentor, the Magician, etc.

For further study:

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
• Three Character Archetypes in Fiction

AYKB

“As you know, Bob…” A method of dumping exposition through dialogue, infamous for its awkwardness and lack of realism. It involves an otherwise unnecessary conversation between two characters that the author forces on them solely to inform readers of what the characters both already know. Writers often choose this technique to reveal important background information without taking readers out of the story, but it usually works against them by taking the characters out of the story instead.

For further study:

• The Sneaky Secret Life of “As You Know, Bob…”

Back Matter

The additional parts of a book, appearing after the main body of the text (i.e., acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called End Matter.

Backstory

Information about past events or thoughts that shaped the characters or story world.

For further study:

• Backstory: The Importance of What Isn’t Told
• The #1 Problem With Backstory (and Its Simple Fix)
• Give Me 3 Minutes and I’ll Give You a Better (and Darker) Backstory
• The Only Rule About Backstory That Matters
• When Not to Tell Your Character’s Backstory

Beat

An important event or turning point within a story.

For further study:

• The Units of Story: The Beat

Beta Reader

Beta readers provide feedback during the writing and/or editing process. They are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, continuity problems, characterization, and believability. The beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.

For further study:

• A Quick Guide to Beta Reader Etiquette
• 15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader
• Relax! Beta Readers Aren’t Scary: Here Are 3 Truths About Them

Black Moment/Low Moment

The part of the story when everything looks hopeless and the situation is at its lowest point. Usually coincides with the Third Plot Point.

For further study:

• How to Figure Out the Worst Thing That Can Happen to Your Character
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 12: The Third Plot Point
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 9: The Third Act

Blurb

A short summary of what the book is about, meant to hook the reader.

For further study:

• How to Write a Book Blurb That Sells

Burly Detective Syndrome

Frequently referring to a character by a description (“the burly detective”), usually out of fear of overusing the character’s name or pronoun (see Stutter).

For further study:

• Most Common Writing Mistake: Referencing Characters by Title Rather Than Name

Byline

The name of the author printed at the head of the article or on the cover of the book.

Character Arc

The personal/inner transformation the protagonist undergoes over the course of the story. Usually, the character learns something through the main conflict in order to become a better person by the story’s end.

For further study: 

• How to Write Character Arcs

Chekhov’s Gun

This is a dramatic principle that requires every single element within a story to be necessary and irreplaceable. The term was coined when Anton Chekhov wrote a letter to A.S. Lazarev, indicating that if a loaded gun is present in one scene it should be fired in a subsequent scene in order to avoid being superfluous. If you give something attention, such as the gun, it must be because it has some import later in the narrative.

For further study:

• Chekhov’s Gun: What It Is and How to Use It
• Setup and Payoff: The Two Equally Important Halves of Story Foreshadowing

Chick Lit

A genre fiction centered on contemporary women and women’s issues that is often written in a light, humorous tone. Generally, it deals with the protagonist and her relationships with family, friends, and/or romantic interests. Often referred to as women’s commercial fiction.

Cliché

Any situation in a story that has been used too many times in literature, to the point it loses meaning and/or becomes cheesy.

For further study:

• Turn Clichés on Their Heads
• Are You Creating Your Own Personal Clichés?
• 3 Ways to Make Clichés Work in Your Writing

Cliffhanger

The ending of a chapter or book in a moment of high suspense and tension, used to compel readers to read on or buy the next book in an installment.

For further study:

• Is the Cliffhanger Ending Overrated?

Climactic Moment

The moment in the Climax where the overall goal is reached or not reached. This is the moment when the protagonist defeats the antagonist or visa versa.

For further study:

• Want Readers to Adore Your Book? Learn How to Ace Your Climactic Moment
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 14: The Climax
• How to Structure a Whammy of a Climax
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 10: The Climax

Climactic Turning Point

The beginning of the Climax, halfway through the Third Act (at approximately the 88% mark in the book).

For further study:

• Want Readers to Adore Your Book? Learn How to Ace Your Climactic Moment

Climax

The finale of the story, featuring the final and decisive confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force, determining whether or not the protagonist will succeed or fail in gaining the main plot goal. Takes place in the final eighth of the story (the second half of the Third Act), starting around the 88% mark, and lasting until the last or next-to-last scene.

For further study:

• How to Structure a Whammy of a Climax
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Climax
• What Is the Role of Theme in a Story’s Climax?

Conflict

The overarching opposition fueling the entire plot of a story and presenting obstacles to the protagonist on a macro and micro level.

For further study:

• What’s the Difference Between Conflict and Tension?
• Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 31: One-Dimensional Conflict
• The Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue
• 5 Ways to Keep Readers Riveted With Conflict

Contagonist

A term unique to Dramatica’s list of archetypes. As defined by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley, the Contagonist “hinders and deludes the Protagonist, tempting it [sic] to take the wrong course or approach.”

For further study: 

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
• What’s a Contagonist? (How to Keep Story Conflict High Without the Antagonist)
• How to Write Multiple Antagonists

Content Editing

A content editor looks at the big picture: character arcs, plot arcs, tone, and pacing. Also may comment on POV issues and/or narrative voice. A content edit is the first edit a story should go through after the rough edges have been knocked off the first draft.

For further study:

• Your Novel Is a Hot Mess! How to Edit Your Book
• 5 Steps to a Thorough Book Edit

Copy Editing

The process of ensuring that a piece of writing is correct and consistent in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation; that it is logically structured and audience-appropriate; and that the intended meaning of the text is communicated clearly through suitable word choice and style.

For further study:

• How to Edit Fiction: Watch Me Correct My Own Story in Real Time
• 6 Tips for How to Organize Your Novel’s Edits
• 5 Ways to Trim Your Book’s Word Count

Court Intrigue

A subcategory of epic fantasy that’s currently popular and is the fantasy equivalent of Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. Good examples of this are Robin Hobbs’s Assassin trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, Martha Wells’s The Element of Fire, and Dave Duncan’s The King’s Blades trilogy.

COZY

A mystery novel that usually features a bloodless crime, with very little violence, sex, or coarse language (but not always a pure “clean read”). Usually, the person solving the crime is an amateur and has the support/friendship of a police officer/detective/medical examiner. Readers usually identify with the main character because they are positive and socially acceptable (even their small faults).

Creative Nonfiction

The use of literary style and writing technique to tell a true story. It’s an embellishment, but only for the sake of telling a story that teaches a lesson or conveys a change of heart or mind. Narrative, dialogue, setting, and voice are just a few creative writing tools used to grab a reader’s interest and leave them changed somehow at the end.

For further study:

• What Non-Fiction Authors Can Teach Novelists

Critique Partner/Critter

A partner with whom a writer exchanges manuscript critiques, in order to get knowledgeable feedback about how to improve a story. Critique partners receive no payment, only your critique of their own writing in return. (See also Beta Reader and Alpha Reader.)

For further study:

• 15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader
• Questions for Critique Partners
• When You’ve Chosen the Wrong Critique Partner

Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk explores the fusion between man and machine. A key element is the perfection of the Internet and virtual reality technology. In a cyberpunk novel, characters can experience and interact with computers in a 3D graphic environment so real it feels like a physical landscape. The society in which cyberpunk is set tends to be heavily urban and usually somewhat anarchic or feudal. The “father of cyberpunk” is William Gibson, author of the seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer. Other authors defining this ever-evolving virtual reality include Neal Stephenson and Rudy Rucker.

Denouement

The wrap up after the story is done. The wind down from the action of the Climax. Sometimes not included in the full arc of the story, but tells afterward details.

For further study:

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 15: The Resolution
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 11: The Resolution
• The Characteristic Moment Belongs at the End of Your Book Too

Deus Ex Machina

Literally translates “god from a machine” and was originally a reference to the “god” (played by an actor lowered onto the stage on a “machine”) who descended at the end of the Greek and Roman plays to solve all the mortal characters’ problems and put everything in order for a happy ending.

For further study:

• Deus Ex Machina: Latin for “Don’t Do This in Your Story”

Deuteragonist

A secondary protagonist and the driver of a subplot. Can be a sidekick.

Developmental Editing

Editing concerned primarily with the structure and content of a book that starts near the beginning of the manuscript’s life. A developmental editor works to give the book focus and direction (mostly towards what is “marketable”) by helping to develop author’s ideas, and so will point out inconsistencies in aspects such as logic, voice, and audience.

For further reading:

• What Is a Developmental Editor and What Can You Expect?

Dialogue

Words spoken by a character, conventionally enclosed in quotation marks. Dialogue should sound realistic, without attempting to reproduce real speech verbatim. Indirect dialogue, also known as reported speech, is a narrative summary of dialogue.

For further study:

• The Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue
• Get Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All
• How to Write Funny Dialogue

Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags and/or action beats let readers know which character is speaking.

For further study:

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beat

Dieselpunk

A subgenre related to steampunk, although it is driven more by the culture of the 1920s through the early 1950s. Technology is strongly influenced by diesels.

For further study:

• Storming: A Dieselpunk Adventure

Drabble

Fiction of almost or exactly one hundred words, but not over. Something you write for fun. Or practice. Or both. Both is good.

Dumb Mechanic

Where a character explains something to a character who doesn’t know anything about the subject. For example, a mechanic explains what is wrong with a machine to someone who knows nothing about mechanics. It’s vital the ignorant character’s lack of knowledge be realistic and believable.

See also, “As you know, Bob” (i.e., a character telling another character something they both know.) The Dumb Mechanic is slightly better than “As you know, Bob,” but the core problem is the same.

For further study:

• Are You Making Your Characters (and Yourself) Look Stupid?

Dystopian

This describes an imagined community, society, or world, in which everything is unpleasant or undesirable. It is the opposite of utopian, and literally means “bad place.”

End Matter

The additional parts of a book, appearing after the main body of the text (i.e., acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called Back Matter.

Epic Fantasy

Sweeping in scope, epic fantasy usually concerns a battle for rulership of a country, empire, or entire world. Drawing heavily upon archetypal myths and the quintessential struggle between a few good people against overwhelming forces of evil, epic fantasy is best represented by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other authors of epic fantasy include New York Times‘ bestselling Raymond E. Feist (The Serpentwar Saga) and Adam Lee (The Dominions of Irth). Some other popular epic fantasy authors are Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks.

Epilogue

A separate section at the end of a work often commenting on the work as a whole and/or serving as an addendum.

For further study:

• How to Write an Epilogue That Works
• One Way to Tell if Your Prologue (and Epilogue) Is Unnecessary

Exposition

The part of the story where background information about characters, events, setting, etc., is provided.

Fantasy

A genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

For further reading:

• Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
• One Handy Way to Add Instant Originality to Your Fantasy Novel
• Waiter! There’s a Smphurphle in My Fantasy Novel: Do’s and Don’ts of Made-Up Words
• Are You Asking These Important Questions About Your Fantasy Setting?

First Act

The opening act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the First Act comprises the first quarter of the story. It is primarily concerned with introducing characters, settings, and stakes, as well as setting up the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the Hook, the Inciting Event, and the Key Event. It ends with the First Plot Point.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Act
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Act
• How to Take the Guesswork Out of What Scenes Belong in Your First Act

First Person

A point of view in which readers “see” through the eyes of the main character. It uses pronouns such as “I” and “me.”

For example: “I walked into the house.”

For further study:

• 3 Ways You Can Use a First-Person Narrator to Tell a Better Story
• Don’t Even Think About Using First-Person Unless…
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Is Your First-Person Narrator Overpowering Your Story?

First Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the First Half of the Second Act at the 37% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

For further study:

• What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write?

First Plot Point

The first major plot point in the story, marking the end of the First Act and the beginning of the Second. It takes place around the 25% mark. This is where the protagonist fully encounters the story’s conflict in a way that the choice to leave behind the Normal World of the First Act and enter the “adventure world” of the Second Act.

For further study:

• Never Confuse the Key Event and the First Plot Point in Your Book Again!
• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Plot Point
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Plot Point

Flashback

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the past.

For further study:

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Flashbacks Flashy or Flabby?

Flash Fiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment.

Flashforward

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the future.

For further study:

• Hook Readers With a Sneak Peek

Foreshadowing

Involves planting hints early on in a book to prepare readers for important revelations and events that occur later in the story.

For further study:

• Foreshadowing

Front Matter

The material preceding the main body/text of a work: including the title pages, printing/publishing data and/or a table of contents, foreword, preface, author’s note, dedication, etc.

Genre

A category of fiction (e.g., romance, mystery, or fantasy). “Genre fiction” is generally considered popular fiction as opposed to literary fiction.

For further study:

• Definitions of Fiction Categories and Genres
• What Is Genre Fiction?
• Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction

Ghost Writer

One who undertakes the physical labor of writing an article, book, or memoir for someone else, usually in secret. One who produces written content as a third party for someone else, nominally for a fee in exchange for all credit for said written content belonging to someone else.

For further reading:

• 5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers

HEA

Happily Ever After. Romance writers use this to describe a genre as well as a moment. “A great HEA read.” Or, “you do get your HEA?” Most often seen with Harlequin and the “cozy” genre.

Head Hopping

A common gaffe that occurs when the narrative breaks “out of POV” and jumps without warning from the perspective of one character into the perspective of another.

For further study:

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Head-Hopping POV

Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure or pattern, identified by Joseph Campbell as being the common thread in many historical and mythological stories and purported to be the strongest psychological storyform. At its most basic level is it is a classic adventure storyform, featuring a hero who must overcome opposition and save his world. However, it can be applied to vastly different types of stories. Also known as the Monomyth.

For further study:

• The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
• The Hero’s Journey: An Author’s Guide to Plotting

Historical Fiction

A literary genre where the plot takes place in the past, often (but not always) including historical figures.

For further study:

• 7 Easy Ways to Research a Historical Novel
• Why Your Novel May Not Be Historical Fiction After All

Hook

Any moment of interest designed to “hook” a reader’s curiosity. Specifically, it applies to the opening Hook in the book’s first chapter, which piques reader curiosity about the plot and protagonist and convinces them to read the book.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Hook
• How to Drive Your Readers Wild With Hints and Story Hooks—Without Frustrating Them
• Think You Wrote a Great Hook for Your Book’s Beginning? Find Out Why It May Not Be Enough

House

Refers to well-known, respected publishing houses.

Impact Character

A character who is a strong catalyst for change in the protagonist, causing inner conflict and helping put the plot into motion.

For further study:

• The Impact Character: Why Every Character Arc Needs One

Inciting Event/Incident

The moment that “officially” kicks off a story’s main conflict/plot. This is the protagonist’s first brush with the conflict—the Call to Adventure, which the character will start out by rejecting to some degree. Usually takes place after the story’s initial set-up, at the 12% mark, halfway through the First Act. This is the first prominent turning point in the story.

For further study:

• Your Book’s Inciting Event: It’s Not What You Think It Is
• The Secrets of Story Structure: Inciting Event and Key Event
• Maximize Your Story’s Inciting Event

Info Dump

An undesirable writing method in which the author “dumps” information or extensive description on the reader all at once, instead of weaving the information into the action of the story.

For further study:

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Info Dumps
• This Is How to Transform Info Dumps Into Exciting Plot Reveals
• How to Use Dialogue to Avoid Lengthy Info Dumps

In Medias Res

The Latin term for “in the middle,” which is applied to idea of beginning a story in the middle of things.

For further study:

• Dostoevsky and the Art of In Medias Res
• In Medias Res: How to Do It and How Not to

Internal Dialogue

Reproduces a character’s thoughts and is often (though not always) indicated by italics.

For further study:

• The Do’s and Don’ts of Internal Monologue
• 5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny

Key Event

If the Inciting Event is what gets your plot rolling, the Key Event is what sucks your protagonist into that plot. Even if you have a great big Inciting Event (like, say, the beginning of a war), it can’t affect your character until the Key Event drags him into the mess (as would happen if he were drafted into the Army).

For further study:

• Never Confuse the Key Event and the First Plot Point in Your Book Again!

KidLit

Books for children.

For further study:

• Kidlit.com

Line Editing

This form of editing means going over a manuscript line by line and editing it for grammar errors as you go. It doesn’t entail any extensive rewriting, but there may be some use of color editing to liven up flat prose, and there may be some reduction of redundancies (such as repeated information). This type of editing may include the use of a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style.

For further reading:

• Is a Professional Editor a Waste of Money?

Logline

Single sentence story summary, specifically used as pitch. See Premise Sentence.

For further study:

• 6 Reasons a Premise Sentence Strengthens Your Story

Love Interest

A principle secondary character for whom the protagonist has romantic interest (and/or the romantic subplot itself).

For further reading:

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
• How to Take Advantage of Your 4 Most Important Characters

MARY SUE (female), MARTY-STU (male)

Begun by fan fiction writers but now a part of writers’ general vocabulary. A derogatory term for a character who is able to do everything, with unrealistic abilities.

For further reading:

• How to Spot (and Kill) Your Mary Sue Characters

MC

Short for Main Character. The lead of the story.

For further study:

• Protagonist and Main Character— Same Person? The Answer May Transform Your Story!

Mentor

An experienced adviser who offers—sometimes reluctantly—to show the hero “the way.” Usually a trustworthy ally, the mentor figure will often impart an object or piece of information that will prove vital later in the hero’s quest. The name itself comes from a character in Homer’s The Odyssey. Examples include: Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, and “Irv” in Cool Runnings (a less trustworthy mentor figure).

For further study:

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
• 4 Ways to Write a Thought-Provoking Mentor Character

MFC

Main Female Character. The female lead in a romance story. Usually gets the guy in the end.

MG

Middle Grade fiction, targeted to children ages 8 to 12 years old. Typically features a main character in the same age range and avoids “mature” content such as graphic violence or sexually explicit material. That’s not to say the stories are simplistic, of course.

Microfiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied for the sake of brevity and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment. (See Flash Fiction.)

Midpoint

The Second Major Plot Point in a story’s structure. It occurs in the middle of the book, halfway through the Second Act, at the 50% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences a Moment of Truth, which allows a better understanding of the antagonistic force and the external conflict, as well as the internal conflict driving the character arc. It signals a shift from the reactive phase of the first half into the active phase of the second half.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Midpoint
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Midpoint
• How the Perfect Midpoint Moves Your Protagonist From Reaction to Action
• How to Transform Your Story With a Moment of Truth

MMC

Main Male Character. The male lead in a romance story. Usually gets the girl in the end.

Motif

An image or phrase with thematic significance that is repeated throughout the book.

For further study:

• Strengthening a Thematic Motif Through Repetition

MPS: Missing Parent Syndrome

The rather common occurrence in which the protagonist is underage but the parents and/or guardians are somehow left out for the majority of the plot. This can be due to death (Frodo in Lord of the Rings) or boarding school (Harry Potter) or visitation to another world (Narnia) or just about any other reason.

MS

“Manuscript.” A yet unpublished work, whether written or typed.

NA

New Adult (Fiction) is aimed at an older age group than Young Adult (12-18) and focuses on new adult experiences such as the first serious relationship, first serious job, going to college, and moving out on their own.

Narrative

The overall progression of a story. Also, specifically, the summary aspects of the writing, as distinct from dialogue, direct thoughts, and “shown” action. “Internal narrative” is told from a character’s point of view and, often, in his or her voice.

For further study:

• Keep Your Story Moving With a Cohesive Narrative
• 6 Steps to Create a Fantastic Narrative Voice
• Top 4 Editing Tricks for Creating a Seamless Narrative

Normal World

The initial setting in the story, meant to illustrate the characters’ lives before they meet with the story’s main conflict. This world may be destructive to the protagonist (in which case, the protagonist must learn to move away from it and live without it), or it may be healthy (in which case, the protagonist will have to leave it in order to defend it). The Normal World may be a definitive setting, which will change at the beginning of the Second Act, when the character enters the “adventure world” of the main conflict. However, it may also be more metaphorical, in which case the setting itself will not switch to a new setting, but rather the conflict will change the setting around the protagonist.

For further reading:

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Normal World
• 5 Misconceptions About Your Story’s Normal World
• Provide Contrast Using Your Character’s Normal World

Novel

A fictional prose work with a relatively long and often complex plot, usually divided into chapters, in which the story traditionally develops through the thoughts and actions of its characters.

Novella

A story that runs from around 40K to 50K words. Normally, it has no subplot and no more than two POV characters. One of the harder forms to sell traditionally, though this is changing.

For further study:

• 3 Reasons You Should Consider Writing a Novella Right Now

Novellette

A short novel that is often about romantic relationships and is usually not very serious. Word count is 7,500 to 17,500 words.

Omniscient

A type of point of view (POV), in which the narration is told from an omniscient or “all-knowing” perspective (sometimes the author’s, sometimes just generally), in which things the characters would have no way of knowing are shared with readers. One of the most difficult types of POV to do well.

For further reading:

• What Every Writer Ought to Know About the Omniscient POV

On the Nose

A poor style of writing that presents the story in a way that is too straightforward, without irony or subtext. Especially common in dialogue, in which characters always say exactly what they’re thinking or feeling.

For further study:

• Get Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All

On Sub

Your manuscript has been submitted, usually by your agent, to a list of editors at publishing houses who may or may not have agreed to read it.

Outline

A sketch of every event that makes up the structure of a story, which is written before a first draft to edit out any structural weak spots beforehand.

For further study:

• Outlining Your Novel
• How to Outline Your Novel
• What Should Your Book Outline Look Like? [Free Download]

Pacing

The rate at which a story progresses and events unfold.

For further study:

• Here Are Five Great Ways to Pace Your Story
• 4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers’ Attention
• 5 Ways to Use Pacing to Write a Powerful Story

Pantser

Writers who prefer to write “by the seat of their pants,” meaning without previous outlining.

For further study:

• Can You Structure if You’re a Pantser?
• The Mirror Moment: A Method for Both Plotters and Pantsers
• Thinking About Outlining Your Novel? One Pantser’s Story

Paranormal

A speculative fiction genre that involves elements such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, elves, etc. Often set in modern-day urban settings. Often romantic in nature.

For further study:

• How to Tell the Difference Between Fantasy and Paranormal

Plotter

A writer who prefers to write a book after going through an outlining process.

For further study:

• Outlining Your Novel
• How to Outline Your Novel
• What Should Your Book Outline Look Like? [Free Download]

Passive Voice

The opposite of active voice.

Examples: 

Passive Voice: The Savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes.

Active Voice: Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

In active voice, the person or thing performing the action serves as the subject of the sentence. In passive voice, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon. In linguistics, the actor in a sentence is called the “agent,” and the passive receiver of action is called the “patient.” These are independent of “subject” and “object,” but which is which determines the voice of the verb.

For further study:

• Active Voice vs. Passive Voice: How to Use Both to Get the Most Out of Your Writing
• To Be or Not To Be: In Defense of the Passive Voice

Pinch Point

A scene or event that adds pressure to the heroes and reminds readers of the antagonist’s plan or presence within the narrative. One of two turning points that take place in the Second Act (at the 37% and 62% marks, respectively).

For further study:

• What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write?

Plot Point

One of the major turning points in a story’s structure. See also First Plot Point, Midpoint, and Third Plot Point.

For further study:

• What Are Plot Points?
• Are Your Plot Points Too Weak?
• A Matter of Timing: Positioning Your Major Plot Points Within Your Story

POV

Point of View

For further study:

• Point of View

PREWRITING

The first stage of the writing process, which generally includes brainstorming, planning, mapping, researching, and outlining. Prewriting encompasses everything a writer does before beginning the first draft, and it accomplishes such goals as determining the intended theme, organizing plot points, and establishing characters. See also Outlining.

For further study:

• 6 Tasks You’ll Love Yourself for Checking Off Your NaNo Pre-Writing List
• Outlining Your Novel
• How to Outline Your Novel

Prologue

A separate, introductory section to a work.

For further study:

• Skip the Prologue!
• When Not to Skip the Prologue
• One Way to Tell if Your Prologue (and Epilogue) Is Unnecessary
• Find Out if Your Prologue Is Destroying Your Story’s Subtext

Proofreader

Someone reading through a completely edited work to find and/or correct typographical errors (i.e., typos).

Protag/Protagonist

The character whom the story is about and who is most directly affected by the antagonist. This character may be the narrator/POV character (such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen), or the protagonist may be a character who is viewed by someone else (as Atticus Finch and Heathcliff are viewed by Scout and Nelly Dean, respectively).

For further study:

• Protagonist and Main Character— Same Person? The Answer May Transform Your Story!
• 3 Ways to Choose the Right Protagonist
• The Only Reason You Should Ever Choose a Protagonist

Query Letter

A letter written when seeking representation from a literary agent. It describes your story and shows agents why your book is worth their time and effort and is a good fit for their agency.

For further study:

• How to Write a Great Query Letter

Query Trenches

Generally refers to looking for representation from a literary agent (although it is possible to directly query publishers).

Red Herring

A false clue meant to mislead the reader. It creates a false trail for the reader to follow. A red herring can be an object, a character, part of the setting, etc.

Resolution

The final section of the story—usually the last two to three scenes in the final chapter. This is where any final loose ends are resolved after the main conflict has already been decided.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Resolution
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Resolution

Resonance

The power to evoke enduring images, memories, and emotions.

Rising Action

A series of events within the book’s conflict building up—with greater and greater tension—to the story’s Climax.

Romance

A fiction genre focusing on romantic love.

For further study:

• Romance University

R&R: Revise and Resend/Resubmit

An agent or editor saw something they liked in your work but felt it need a significant revision. They’d like you to make the changes they suggested and resubmit it. It doesn’t necessary mean they’ll take it though.

Scene

A scene is a sequence of events that happens at a particular place and time and that moves the story forward. The scene consists mostly of “showing” though it may contain some “telling.” The scene has a particular structure that gives the story motion.

For further study:

• How to Structure Scenes in Your Story
• How to Write Interesting Scenes
• 7 Questions You Have About Scenes vs. Chapters

Scene Sequence

A series of scenes with an overall related focus. A sequence has a unified focus which can usually be summed up in a simple idea (e.g., a rescue, a wedding, a trial, a battle). Scene sequences have their own defined beginning, middle, and end within the overall story.

Scene Structure

The division of a Scene into a scene (the action that happens when a character has a goal, then conflict interferes with that goal and there is an outcome) and its sequel (the character reacting to the previous outcome, then facing a dilemma, and finally making a decision about it that will determine what the character’s goal is in the next Scene).

For further study:

• How to Structure Scenes in Your Story
• Learn How to Structure Your Scenes–in 5 Minutes!
• Incidents and Happenings: Scenes That Aren’t Actually Scenes

Science Fiction

Aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

Sequel

(A) A self-contained story that continues within the world of a previous story. It typically follows the characters, setting, or themes from the original, but with a new story premise and problem.

(B) The second half of a Scene, following the scene (goal, conflict, disaster). It contains the reaction, dilemma, and decision that the character has in response to the events of the scene.

For further study:

• How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book
• How to Structure Scenes in Your Story

Serial Fiction

Novel (or longer) length fiction written in installments and published at regular intervals, either on a blog, in a magazine, or as small e-books.

For further study:

• How the Amazon Kindle Serials Program Works

Skeptic

Every character has his opposite, which allows the author to draw important contrasts and plumb the depths of his theme. Just like the Antagonist is the opposite of the Protagonist, the Skeptic character archetype is the opposite of the Sidekick. This is someone who doubts everything, particularly the Protagonist’s choices.

For further study:

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing

Second Act

The middle act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Second Act comprises the biggest part of the story, from the 25% mark to the 75% mark. It is primarily concerned with developing the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the First Pinch Point, the Midpoint, and the Second Pinch Point. It begins with the First Plot Point and ends with the Third Plot Point.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Half of the Second Act
• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Midpoint
• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Second Half of the Second Act

Second Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the Second Half of the Second Act at the 62% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

For further study:

• What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write?

Second Plot Point

See Midpoint.

Series

More than one book telling the same or related stories.

For further study:

• Creating a Book Series: Great Idea or Think Again?
• FAQ: How to Write Character Arcs in a Series
• How to Outline a Series of Bestselling Books

Setting

The physical place in which the story’s events happen.

For further study:

• 16 Ways to Make Your Setting a Character in Its Own Right
• 4 Setting Questions That Will Deepen Your Characters
• Ineffective Setting Descriptions

SF

Science Fiction, aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

SFF

Science Fiction & Fantasy. A combined genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

For further reading:

• Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
• One Handy Way to Add Instant Originality to Your Fantasy Novel
• Waiter! There’s a Smphurphle in My Fantasy Novel: Do’s and Don’ts of Made-Up Words
• Are You Asking These Important Questions About Your Fantasy Setting?

Shelf Time

The period of time when you put aside your work in progress, in order to be able to come back to it later with fresh eyes.

For further study

• Why You Should Walk Away From Your Writing

Short Story

A story too short to be divided into chapters, usually under 7,500.

For further study:

• Let’s Write a Short Story

Showing

(In contrast to Telling): Conveying an atmosphere, emotion, or mood by relating the movements or expressions of objects or players rather than stating facts about them.

Examples:

Showing: The boughs bowed and swayed, dumping their icy load onto the quivering children.

Telling: The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.

Showing: His face paled and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway.

Telling: He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.

For further study:

• Showing and Telling: The Quick and Easy Way to Tell the Difference
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
• Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 33: Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
• 3 Tips for Improving Show, Don’t Tell
• 8 Quick Tips for Show, Don’t Tell

Sidekick

Sidekicks, by definition, are almost always with the main character, which allows the conflict to be ongoing. A person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.

For further study:

• Why Your Hero Needs a Yappy Sidekick

Speaker Tags

In its most basic form, this consists of the speaker’s name and a speech-related verb (said, shouted, asked, etc.). Often the simplest way of indicating which character is speaking.

For further study: 

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beats
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Avoiding “Said”

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction is a fiction genre speculating about worlds that are unlike the real world in various important ways. In these contexts, it generally overlaps one or more of the following: science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, superhero, utopian, dystopian, apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and alternate history. It is often used as an umbrella term for science fiction and fantasy when considered as a single genre. The term is used this way in academic and ideological criticism of these genres, as well as by some readers, writers, and editors of these genres.

For further study:

• What Is Speculative Fiction?

Standalone Book

Either a book that is not part of a series, or a book that is part of a series but does not depend on the other books in the series to make sense. Used most often in the former sense to indicate a book that has no sequels.

Standard Manuscript Format

The standard way editors, agents, and publishers want your manuscript formatted before you send it to them.

The cover page should be separate from the rest of the manuscript. It should include:

– name of the manuscript and author (or pen name)
– approximate word count (rounded to the nearest hundred)
– Your name, address, phone number, e-mail, and website
– Your agent’s details (if you have an agent)

font: Twelve point, Times New Roman or Courier New Black.

margins: One-inch margins on all four sides.

indent: Half-inch paragraph indentations for the first line of each and every paragraph.

space: Double space; no extra line between paragraphs.

align: Align left.

page numbering: Number pages beginning with the actual story (don’t count or put page numbers on the title page).

scene breaks: Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign (#) in the center of the line.

page header: Include your last name, the manuscript’s title, and the page number in the page header of every page except for the title page. Align the header to the right.

chapters: Begin chapters on new pages (insert a page break or format using styles). Center the chapter title, even if it’s only Chapter One (or Chapter 1), about one-third of the way down the page. Skip a couple of lines and begin the text of the chapter.

end: Center a number sign (#) on an otherwise blank line one double-spaced line down from the final line of text of the final chapter or epilogue at the end of the manuscript. Or write The End. (The end should be labeled so an agent or editor isn’t looking for extra pages that aren’t there.)

italics: Use italics for italicized words (versus underlining them).

character spacing: Use a single character space, not two spaces, between sentences.

The standard document format is MS Word (.doc) If you have a newer version of MS Word, Open Office, Pages, or something else, save the document in .doc (This is usually found somewhere like, File>>Save As, “MS Word 97-2003 (.doc)” Almost everyone can read .doc files.)

Finally, check the publisher or agent’s website. Some will have specific fonts, spacing, or other ways they want things done that might vary slightly from the general guidelines.

For further study:

• Formatting 101: how to format your novel for submission

Steampunk

A subgenre of fantasy fiction which is largely determined by its setting, which is typically an alternative-Victorian reality, laden with steam-powered technology. Corsets are optional.

Stutter

Using the same word or phrase twice, recently enough that the reader remembers it; depends partly on how distinctive the word is. Can be distracting if not used intentionally.

Subgenre

A subcategory of a major genre. For example, “sword and sorcery” and “portal fantasy” are subgenres within the fantasy genre, while “cozy” and “noir” are subgenres within the mystery genre.

Subplot

A secondary thread of the story, with its own beginning, middle, and end, the subplot may or may not be directly connected to the main plot, and generally involves supporting characters.

For further study:

• 5 Tips for Organizing Subplots
• Can a Character’s Arc Be a Subplot?
• Does Your Story Need Subplots?

Substantive Editing

A detailed and complete editing of a book, involving not just suggestions for the overall story, but also line-by-line editing of the prose itself. This is the most intensive type of editing.

Subtext

The meaning beneath the dialogue—what the speaker really means, even though it’s being said directly.

For further study

• Subtext: The Art of Iceberging
• I Just Figured Out What All My Favorite Stories Have in Common—and It Blew My Mind
• The Only 5 Ingredients You Need for Story Subtext
• Find Out if Your Prologue Is Destroying Your Story’s Subtext

Summary

A description of the book’s content. Sometimes written as marketing copy—with a hook and no spoilers—to convince readers to buy the book. Sometimes written as a complete description of the plot—including spoilers—to convey the entire story to a potential agent or editor.

Synopsis

A detailed description of your story’s complete plot (including spoilers and the ending), written in either one or three pages, for the purpose of sharing with a literary agent.

Tagline

A line of text—usually a short, tantalizing sentence—which appears under the title of the book on the front cover and also in catalogue listings.

Telling

(In contrast to Showing): Conveying information by stating facts about them, instead of relating the movements or expressions of objects or players.

Examples:

Showing: The boughs bowed and swayed, dumping their icy load onto the quivering children.

Telling: The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.

Showing: His face paled and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway.

Telling: He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.

• Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
• Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
• Three Places Where You Should Tell Instead of Show

Theme

The moral statement at the heart of the story, usually a general, universal principle, which is then conveyed via the story’s specific message, as proven by the protagonist’s character arc and specifically his inner conflict between a Lie and a Truth.

For further study:

• Plot, Character, and Theme: The Greatest Love Triangle in Fiction
• Want a Powerful Theme for Your Novel? Play Devil’s Advocate!
• What’s the Difference Between Your Story’s Theme and Its Message?

Third Act

The final act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Third Act comprises the final quarter of the story, from the 75% mark to the 100% mark. It is primarily concerned with the final, climactic confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force. It begins with the Third Plot Point, includes the Climax, and ends with the Resolution.

For further study:

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Third Act
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Act
• How to Write a Flat Character Arc: The Third Act
• How to Write a Negative Character Arc: The Third Act

Third Person

The uninvolved narrator of the story, who refers to the actual players by name or as he/she/they, e.g.: “Peter ran in and hugged Susan.” Contrast this with a “first-person narrative,” e.g.: “When I saw Susan at the bar, I ran up and hugged her.”

For further study:

• Everything You Need to Know About Writing a 3rd-Person POV

Third Plot Point

The Third Plot Point in a story’s structure occurs in between the Second and Third Acts, at the 75% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences the lowest moment of defeat and is faced with a choice about whether the quest is worth the effort—symbolically representing whether or not the character will embrace or reject the Lie. The character then enters the Climax ready for the final confrontation with the antagonistic force.

For further study:

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Plot Point
• Are Your Plot Points Too Weak?
• What Are Plot Points?

Three-Act Structure

The three-act structure is an approach to story structure that divides a fictional narrative into three parts, often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution.

For further study:

• Structuring Your Novel
• 5 Secrets of Story Structure
• Story Structure Database

Trope

A story element or plot device that is particular to certain genres or stories, to the point they become a storytelling cliche. Examples include love triangles in Young Adult fiction or the “chosen one” in fantasy and science fiction.

For further study:

• TV Tropes

Turning Point

A major moment in the story when the plot “turns” by changing in a dramatic way, almost always as the result of a “reveal” or twist that presents the characters with new information about the conflict.

Unreliable Narrator

The narrator’s unreliability might be obvious to the reader throughout, it might be revealed gradually, or it might come as a revelation that provides a major plot twist. Common examples are Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert from Lolita and Alex from A Clockwork Orange. A lesser known example is Micky DeWitt from Flank Street.

Upmarket Fiction

A type of fiction that is an amalgamation between commercial fiction (something with a wide audience that fits into a typical genre) and literary fiction (something that doesn’t fit exactly into a standard genre classification). Upmarket fiction can appeal to audiences of both commercial and literary fiction. It offers exceptional writing that doesn’t fit into a mold, yet has the potential for mass appeal.

Urban Fantasy

A subcategory of contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy is set in a contemporary city. Often co-existing with the familiar city life is a hidden, magical aspect of the city frequently including magical creatures. Charles de Lint is one of the primary authors of urban fantasy. To some extent, Mark Helprin’s A Winter’s Tale is an urban fantasy as well as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.

Voice

The tenor and style of a story’s narrative. Authorial voice is the “sound” unique to the author. However, each author can and will use multiple variations of voice for each character’s POV and dialogue as well.

For further study:

• Writing Voice: 6 Things You Need to Know to Improve It
• What Every Writer Needs to Know About Finding Your Writing Voice
• 6 Steps to Create a Fantastic Narrative Voice

World Building

(A) The act of designing a story world, including its culture, language, technology, magic, biology, landscape, history, etc. The author does this to build a consistent backdrop for the story. It is especially important for science fiction and fantasy (and even historical novels), in which the story world may be much different from the world readers inhabit.

(B) The art of distilling the elements of a story world, building the world within the minds of readers. This can be done through setting descriptions, exposition, dialogue, or character actions and interactions. In most cases, avoid info-dumping exposition and AYKB dialog. Instead, weave in the worldbuilding as a seamless part of the story itself.

For further study:

• Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
• One Handy Way to Add Instant Originality to Your Fantasy Novel
• Are You Asking These Important Questions About Your Fantasy Setting?
• How to Decide if You Should Use a Real-Life Setting in Your Story

YA

Young Adult (Fiction), a genre aimed at adolescents ages 12-18. Often told in first-person with fast pacing. Focuses on new, fresh, “first time” experiences and coming-of-age experiences. There is often a strong romantic subplot. This genre, like romance, includes many other subgenres under it such as YA Romance, YA Fantasy, and YA Mystery.

WIP

Work-in-progress. The story or novel the author is currently writing.

Writerly

An adjective for when you say a writerly thing. If you wear a blazer with leather patches on your sleeves and sit at a coffee shop with your laptop, it could be said that you’re being writerly. 😉

Writer’s Block

A state in which the writer doesn’t know how to proceed with writing. It can result from simply not knowing what should happen next in the story, or from larger life issues, such as depression.

For further study:

• Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration
• 7 Things to Try When Writing Is Hard
• Are You Struggling to Be Creative? This Might Be Why

Zero Draft

The “vomit” draft, part of pre-writing. The writer “vomits” up whatever story ideas they have without concern as to structure, consistency, or sense. Used to a) explore world/worldbuild, b) explore/develop characters/character interactions c) develop and/or test plot elements d) anything the author wants.

Can You Think of Any Terms This Glossary Is Missing?

Help me turn this into a tool we can all reference and that will help other authors understand what it is we’re talking about when we use crazy terms like “logline,” “pinch point,” and “MS.” Post your suggestions and definitions in the comments, and I’ll update the list.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinion! What writing terms aren’t listed here and should be? Tell me in the comments!