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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Book Business » Page 3

Book Business

Fun with Book Terms

By Bob Hostetleron April 24, 2024
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I love books (good thing, since I’m a writer and literary agent). I love reading them, of course; but I also love holding them, buying them, touching, holding, smelling, studying, even just seeing them on the shelf.

So let’s have some fun with book terms. I find them fascinating. Maybe you will too. Here’s an even dozen:

ARC

An ARC, or Advanced Reader Copy, is a prepublication copy of a new book that a publisher and/or author gives to reviewers, potential endorsers, and others for feedback and support.

Callout (also “pull quote”)

Often used in magazines—but sometimes in books—a callout is a short quote or passage from a book’s text that is copied, pulled out, and set apart on a page for emphasis.

Dummy (also “mockup”)

Sometimes, especially when art is a key part of a book, an author or designer creates a book that shows the relationship between the book’s words and the design.

Ex Libris

This is a Latin phrase (often used on bookplates) to identify the book’s owner. It means, literally, “from the books” or “from the library.”

Flyleaf

The blank page (“leaf”) or pages at the beginning or end of a book’s printed pages.

Folio

When a printer takes a single sheet of paper and folds it to form two leaves (four pages), that’s a “folio” (which also refers to the resulting book). It’s also the term that refers to the size of a book.

Frontispiece

An illustration or plate inserted immediately in front of the title page, with the illustration facing the title page, often abbreviated as “frontis.”

Gutter

The inside margins of the pages in a bound book are called the gutter.

Leading

Back in the day (before computers), typesetters would place a strip of lead between lines of print to keep the distance between the lines consistent. Thus, “leading” refers to that space between lines (pronounced as “ledding” not “leeding”).

Recto

The righthand page in a book is the “recto” or “front” side of the page.

Quarto

Picture a large sheet of paper, printed so that it can be folded, then folded again, so that when the folds are slit, it forms eight pages to be bound in a book. That’s a “quarto.” It also refers to the book that is formed that way.

Verso

The reverse side of a “recto” is a “verso.” Get it? It’s the lefthand page in a book in which both sides of a leaf are printed.

You probably already knew those, didn’t you? Well, you get a gold sticker. But you probably have a few of your favorite terms related to books and publishing, don’t you? Do tell, in the comments.

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Category: Book Business, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

A Guaranteed Rejection

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 3, 2024
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Very, very few authors are guaranteed a publisher’s acceptance of their work. Those authors have spent years, even decades, proving they can write bestselling, or at least profitable, books with almost no misses. And if they have a string of misses, their publishers may drop them. They must. No matter how much a publisher likes an author, books must make money; or the publisher will be forced to …

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Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Pitching

The Unpredictable God

By Dan Balowon March 21, 2024
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I spent most of my early years being told everything was predictable and orderly. If I lived a certain way or did something in a specific way, there was a guaranteed outcome consistent with my original plan. Even God was pressed into the predictability mix. Anyone who follows the Ten Commandments and does everything the Bible requires will live long and prosper. God always worked in logical, …

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Category: Book Business, The Writing Life

Book Launch Secrets – Free Webinar, March 7

By Steve Laubeon March 4, 2024
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Thomas Umstattd, Jr. and I have frequently made this presentation. I don’t want you to miss out. The first 30 days your book is for sale sets the tone for the lifetime of your book. Many physical stores stock new releases for fewer than 90 days. If they don’t sell, they return them to the publisher. If they sell out, the bookstores order more. The online store algorithms show books …

Read moreBook Launch Secrets – Free Webinar, March 7
Category: Agents, Book Business, Marketing, The Writing LifeTag: Book Launch

Is Your Book a Book?

By Bob Hostetleron February 29, 2024
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When I first began writing for publication, back when Gutenberg was a pup, publishing a book was the goal, the prize, the pinnacle of success. Nowadays, though, with the Internet and blogs and print-on-demand and Amazon, anyone can publish a book. And pretty much anyone does. Just browse a bit, you’ll see what I mean. Sheesh. If your definition of success is simply to publish a book, you’re at …

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Category: Book Business, Career

Book Birthdays: 2024 Edition

By Dan Balowon February 1, 2024
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Significant books are published every year. Here’s a personally curated list that I hope sparks some good memories and honors the work of the past. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, by Nabeel Qureshi (2014) – 10 years New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp (2014) – 10 years Forgotten God, by Francis Chan (2009) – 15 years The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns (2009) – 15 years 90 Minutes in …

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Category: Book Business

What Entered the Public Domain This Year?

By Steve Laubeon January 22, 2024
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I try to post something about this every year. This year is no exception. In the United States, under U.S. copyright law, works published in 1928 and earlier are now in public domain. One can publish them or use them without securing copyright permission. In case you are wondering about the specifics, the Copyright Term Extension Act (passed in 1998) gave works published from 1923 through 1977 a …

Read moreWhat Entered the Public Domain This Year?
Category: Book Business, Copyright Issues, Publishing History

Are You Sure You Want That Brand?

By Dan Balowon December 6, 2023
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Several years ago, I spoke with an aspiring Christian author who had several good book ideas on a wide range of projects for children to adults but, first, wanted to write about their lifelong struggle with a certain sin issue. Once it was published, they would move on with their life and be a beacon for biblical truth on all sorts of other projects. My initial reaction when they explained their …

Read moreAre You Sure You Want That Brand?
Category: Book Business, Career, Platform, The Writing Life

Your Passion Is Good … but Not Enough

By Bob Hostetleron December 5, 2023
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Decades ago (yes, I’m old, what of it?), I met with a dynamic African American writer in Columbus, Ohio. He was informed and fired up about how few African American boys and young men were readers. “They don’t read,” he said. “They don’t like to read. They don’t want to read. So, I want to write a book for them—” I stopped him. Politely, I hope. I said something like, “I love your passion, but you …

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Category: Book Business, Encouragement, Inspiration

R Is for Reversion of Rights

By Steve Laubeon November 27, 2023
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You’ve published your book with a publisher. But it has been some time since it was published, and it feels like the publisher is no longer interested in promoting your book. Or the book is “old” enough that the publisher isn’t going to spend new money to sell copies but is simply keeping it available. Or the print edition of the book is no longer available, but it is still …

Read moreR Is for Reversion of Rights
Category: Book Business, Contracts, Publishing A-Z
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