A Plain-Language Glossary for Writers

Submitting

A brief description of the writer, usually two to four sentences in the third person, mentioning a few publications, relevant background, or where you live.

What this means for you: Keep a short and a long version ready, and use whichever length the venue asks for.

Related: Cover letter, Contributor copy

Call for submissions

A public invitation from a magazine, press, or anthology asking for work, often tied to a theme, an issue, or a deadline. You will also see it as a "call" or "open call".

What this means for you: Treat the call as the guidelines for that issue; a theme usually matters more than a general style guide.

Cover letter

A short note that goes with a submission, giving the title, length, genre, a brief bio, and a thank you.

What this means for you: Keep it brief and accurate; editors judge the work, and the letter only needs to show you read their guidelines. Free printable: Cover Letter Template.

Manuscript format

The conventional layout for a submission: a plain readable font, generous margins, page numbers, and your contact details or title on the first page, unless the venue asks for something else.

What this means for you: When guidelines are silent, use a clean standard format; when they are specific, follow them exactly. Free printable: Before You Hit Submit.

Multiple submission

Having more than one submission waiting with the same publication at once, either by sending several separate submissions or by sending again before hearing back on the first.

What this means for you: Most magazines do not allow it outside contests; wait for a reply before sending that venue anything new.

Pitch

A short proposal for a piece you have not yet written in full, most common in journalism and nonfiction.

What this means for you: Lead with the idea, why it matters now, and why you are the one to write it; a pitch sells the angle, not your whole history.

Previously published

Work that has already appeared somewhere publicly. Many publications count personal blogs, public social media posts, and some workshop forums, not just magazines and books.

What this means for you: Check how each venue defines it before you share a piece online; if it counts as published, you can usually only offer it as a reprint.

Query letter

A one-page letter pitching a project before sending it: a book to a literary agent, or an article idea to a magazine editor.

What this means for you: Queries are for agents and nonfiction pitches; literary magazines asking for finished poems or stories want a cover letter instead.

Related: Cover letter, Pitch

Reading period

The window of dates when a publication is open to new submissions. Outside it, the submission system may be closed or work may be deleted unread.

What this means for you: Note the opening and closing dates in your calendar, and avoid sending in the last hour, when systems are busiest.

Rolling submissions

A policy of accepting and reading work all year, with no fixed reading period.

What this means for you: You can send whenever the piece is ready, but still check that the venue has not paused submissions for a backlog.

Related: Reading period

Simultaneous submission

Sending the same piece to more than one publication at the same time, so several editors are considering it at once. Often shortened to "sim sub".

What this means for you: Only do it where every venue allows it, say so if asked, and withdraw the piece everywhere else the moment it is accepted. Free printable: Submission Tracker.

Slush pile

The collection of unsolicited submissions waiting to be read, as opposed to work an editor has asked for.

What this means for you: Nearly every published writer started in the slush. A clean, on-guideline submission already stands out from much of it.

Related: First reader, Unsolicited

Submission guidelines

The instructions a publication posts for anyone who wants to send work: what they publish, length limits, file format, how to send, and any rules on timing or fees.

What this means for you: Read them in full for every venue, every time, because they change and they override any general advice (including this glossary).

Submission manager

Any online system a publication uses to receive and track submissions, whether a shared platform such as Submittable or a form the publication built itself.

What this means for you: Use the exact system the guidelines name; work sent another way, such as straight to an editor's email, is often not read.

Submittable

A widely used online platform that many magazines, presses, contests, and grant programs use to receive submissions and collect fees. Writers create one free account to submit to any of them.

What this means for you: Your account shows the status of each submission, but the label can be vague, so rely on the venue's own response time rather than reading meaning into it.

Themed issue

An issue built around a topic, image, or idea chosen by the editors, usually announced in a call for submissions.

What this means for you: Send only work that connects clearly to the theme; a strong piece that ignores it is usually declined.

Unsolicited

Work sent without an invitation from an editor, agent, or publisher. Some venues read unsolicited work, while others take only invited or agented work.

What this means for you: If the guidelines say "no unsolicited manuscripts", sending anyway will not help; watch for an open reading period instead.

Word count

The length of a piece measured in words, the usual way prose length is stated in guidelines and contracts. Poetry is more often measured in lines or pages.

What this means for you: Use your word processor's count for the body text, round sensibly, and stay within the limit; a limit is a firm ceiling, not a target.

Responses

Acceptance

A publication's decision to publish your piece, usually followed by a contract or a written statement of terms.

What this means for you: Read the terms before agreeing, then withdraw the piece promptly everywhere else it is pending.

First reader

A volunteer or staff reader who does the first pass through submissions and recommends which pieces the editors should see.

What this means for you: A first reader's "yes" usually means your piece moves up for further consideration, not that it has been accepted.

Form rejection

A standard decline sent to most writers, with no comments about the specific piece.

What this means for you: It is the most common response and says almost nothing about quality; log it and send the piece to the next venue.

Held for consideration

A status meaning your piece has passed an early round and is still being considered, sometimes also called "shortlisted" or "in second round".

What this means for you: It is good news, but not an acceptance; leave other simultaneous submissions open unless the venue asks you to hold.

Related: First reader, Shortlist

No response means no

A policy where a publication only replies to accepted work. If you hear nothing by the stated time, the piece was declined.

What this means for you: Mark the date it lapses in your tracker so you know when the piece is free to send elsewhere.

Related: Response time

Personal rejection

A decline that includes comments written for your piece, however short.

What this means for you: Treat it as encouragement; editors rarely write personally unless the work came close. Note the editor's name for next time.

Response time

How long a publication says it usually takes to reply to a submission. It may be stated in guidelines or estimated from writers' reports.

What this means for you: Note the stated time when you send, and only follow up after it has clearly passed. Free printable: Submission Tracker.

Revise and resubmit

An editor's offer to look again if you revise the piece along suggested lines. Often shortened to "R&R".

What this means for you: It is not an acceptance. Revise only if the changes feel right to you, and reply by the date they give.

Related: Personal rejection, Acceptance

Status query

A brief, polite message asking about a submission that has passed the publication's stated response time.

What this means for you: Wait until the window has passed, send one short note with the title and date sent, and then be patient again.

Related: Response time, Withdrawal

Tiered rejection

A set of standard declines that differ by how close the piece came, such as a version that invites you to send more work.

What this means for you: An invitation to submit again is a real signal; send new work in a later reading period.

Withdrawal

Telling a publication you are taking your submission out of consideration, most often because it was accepted elsewhere.

What this means for you: Withdraw quickly and politely, using the method the venue prefers (often a button in the submission manager).

Rights & money

All rights

An agreement where the publisher takes every right to the work, sometimes including copyright itself, leaving you unable to reuse it without permission.

What this means for you: Be very cautious; for creative work, ask whether a limited licence would suit them, and expect higher pay if they truly need all rights.

Related: Copyright, Contract, Licence

Archive rights

The right for a publisher to keep your piece available after its first appearance, usually on its website or in a digital back catalogue.

What this means for you: Indefinite archive rights can make later reprint offers harder; look for a clause that lets you ask for removal after a set period.

Contract

The written agreement that sets out the rights you grant, payment, deadlines, and how the work can be used. Some magazines use a short email instead of a formal contract.

What this means for you: Read every clause before you sign, ask about anything unclear, and keep a copy with your records. Covered in depth in The Submission Desk.

Contributor copy

A free copy of the issue or book your work appears in, given to each contributor. Some publications offer only copies as payment.

What this means for you: Paying in copies is common for small journals; decide for yourself when exposure and a copy are worth first rights.

Related: Pay rate, Bio

The legal right to control copying and publication of your work. In Canada and most other countries, it belongs to you automatically from the moment the work is fixed in writing.

What this means for you: When you publish in a magazine you normally license certain rights for a time, not your copyright; be cautious of anything that asks you to assign it.

Related: All rights, Licence

Electronic rights

The right to publish a work in digital form, such as on a website, in an e-book, or in a digital edition of a magazine.

What this means for you: Check whether a website keeps your piece online indefinitely, and whether you may ask for it to be removed after the exclusive period.

Exclusivity

A period during which you agree not to publish the piece anywhere else, typically from acceptance until a few months to a year after publication.

What this means for you: Note when exclusivity ends in your tracker; that is when reprint or collection use becomes possible.

Related: Copyright, Reprint rights, Licence

First serial rights

The right to be the first to publish a piece in a periodical, such as a magazine or journal. After that first appearance, the piece can no longer be offered as unpublished.

What this means for you: Once you sell first rights, future sales of that piece are reprints, so choose your first venue with care.

Related: FNASR, Reprint rights, Exclusivity

FNASR

Short for First North American Serial Rights: the right to be the first to publish a piece in a periodical in North America (Canada and the United States). Rights for other regions stay with you.

What this means for you: You can still sell first rights in other regions, such as the United Kingdom, but many venues now ask for first world or first electronic rights instead.

Kill fee

A partial payment for commissioned work that the publisher decides not to run after all.

What this means for you: Most common in journalism and assigned nonfiction; if you are writing on assignment, ask whether there is a kill fee before you start.

Licence

Permission you give a publisher to use your work in specific ways, for a set time, place, or format, while you keep the copyright.

What this means for you: Most magazine agreements are licences. Check what uses are covered, where, and for how long.

Pay rate

How much a publication pays, often stated per word for prose, per poem or per page for poetry, or as a flat fee.

What this means for you: Compare rates fairly by working out what a typical piece of yours would earn, and remember some venues pay only in copies.

Payment on acceptance

The publisher pays you when they accept the piece or sign the contract, rather than waiting until it appears.

What this means for you: This is the most writer-friendly timing; if payment is on publication, note the expected date and follow up if it passes.

Payment on publication

The publisher pays you only when the piece actually appears, which can be months after acceptance.

What this means for you: Ask what happens if they never publish it, and look for a date by which rights return to you.

Reprint rights

Permission to publish a piece that has already appeared elsewhere. Sometimes called second serial rights.

What this means for you: Many reprint markets are happy to have previously published work, though they often pay less; always credit where the piece first appeared.

Rights reversion

The point at which rights you licensed return to you, either after a set time or because the publisher did not publish the work by an agreed date.

What this means for you: Look for a reversion clause before signing, so a piece is never stuck with a publication that stops operating.

Contests & fees

Blind judging

A process where judges read entries without knowing who wrote them. Also called anonymous judging.

What this means for you: Remove your name from the file, the file name, and any headers; a name in the wrong place can disqualify an entry. Free printable: Before You Hit Submit.

Related: Contest, Manuscript format

Contest

A competition in which entries are judged against each other, usually for a cash prize and publication, often with an entry fee.

What this means for you: Read the full rules, especially on eligibility, rights, and whether non-winning entries are free to send elsewhere.

Deadline

The last date (and often time and time zone) when submissions or entries are accepted.

What this means for you: Convert the time zone to your own, and aim to send a day early in case of technical problems.

Related: Reading period

Eligibility

The rules on who may enter and what work qualifies, such as where you live, your age or career stage, and whether the work must be unpublished.

What this means for you: Check eligibility before paying any fee; an ineligible entry is usually disqualified without a refund.

Entry fee

The charge to enter a contest or prize, which usually funds the prize, the judge, and administration.

What this means for you: Weigh the fee against the prize, the number of winners, and the publication's track record before entering.

Fee waiver

An arrangement that lets some writers submit or enter without paying, often for financial need or for writers from under-represented groups.

What this means for you: Ask or look for one if fees are a barrier; using a waiver will not count against your work.

Related: Reading fee, Entry fee

Honourable mention

A recognition from the judges for entries that stood out but did not win a placing.

What this means for you: It counts as a credit in your bio, and some contests still publish or pay honourable mentions.

Related: Shortlist, Contest

Longlist

The first public selection of strong entries in a contest or prize, before the shortlist is chosen.

What this means for you: A longlisting is worth adding to your bio, with the prize name and year.

Related: Shortlist, Contest

Multiple entries

Sending more than one entry to the same contest, each usually with its own fee, when the rules allow it.

What this means for you: Only enter several pieces if the rules say so, and keep each entry anonymous if judging is blind.

Related: Multiple submission, Entry fee

Reading fee

A small charge some magazines ask for to consider a general submission, separate from any contest. Some offer free options or waivers.

What this means for you: Look for a free window or fee waiver first, and keep a running total of fees you pay each year. Free printable: Submission Tracker.

Related: Entry fee, Fee waiver

Shortlist

The small group of finalists from which a contest or prize winner is chosen.

What this means for you: Being shortlisted is a real credit. Keep the piece's status clear in your tracker until the winner is announced.

Formats & genres

Anthology

A book collecting work by many writers, usually around a theme, a genre, or a year's best.

What this means for you: Anthology calls often have short windows; note whether they want original work or reprints.

Chapbook

A short collection, often around 15 to 40 pages of poetry or short prose, frequently published by small presses or through contests.

What this means for you: Many presses run chapbook contests; check whether poems published in magazines are welcome, which they usually are with credit.

Related: Anthology, Contest

Creative nonfiction

True writing that uses literary techniques such as scene, voice, and structure, including personal essay, memoir, and literary journalism.

What this means for you: Facts must be accurate; if you compress time or change names, many editors expect you to say so.

Related: Lyric essay, Personal essay

Drabble

A story of exactly 100 words, a form especially popular in speculative fiction communities.

What this means for you: Exact means exact; count carefully, and check whether the title is included.

Flash fiction

A complete story told in very few words, most often defined as under 1,000, though some venues set the limit at 500, 1,500, or 2,000.

What this means for you: Go by each venue's own number, and treat a flash piece as a whole story, not a fragment.

Hybrid

Work that mixes forms or genres, such as poetry and essay, fiction and documents, or text and image.

What this means for you: Choose the category closest to how the piece reads, and mention its form briefly in your cover letter.

Related: Lyric essay, Prose poem

Lyric essay

An essay that borrows from poetry, using fragments, white space, repetition, or images in place of a straight narrative line.

What this means for you: Look for venues that name the form; some poetry and hybrid magazines are its best home.

Microfiction

An extremely short story, usually counted in the low hundreds of words or fewer; some venues use 100 or 300 words as the limit.

What this means for you: Every word must earn its place. Check whether the title counts toward the limit.

Related: Flash fiction, Drabble

Novelette

A piece of fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novella, roughly 7,500 to 17,500 words in widely used awards categories.

What this means for you: Fewer magazines take this length, so look for venues that list it specifically.

Related: Short story, Novella

Novella

A short novel, commonly around 17,500 to 40,000 words, published on its own or in a collection.

What this means for you: Look for novella contests and small presses with dedicated novella series.

Related: Novelette, Chapbook

Personal essay

A short nonfiction piece built on the writer's own experience, reflection, or argument.

What this means for you: Editors usually look for a clear insight, not only an account of what happened.

Prose poem

A poem written in sentences and paragraphs instead of lines, relying on rhythm, image, and compression.

What this means for you: Check whether a venue files prose poems under poetry or under flash, and submit them where they fit.

Related: Flash fiction, Hybrid

Short story

A work of fiction usually somewhere between about 1,000 and 7,500 words, though magazines set their own limits.

What this means for you: Most literary magazines prefer stories under about 5,000 words, so longer stories have fewer homes; check limits first.

Speculative fiction

An umbrella term for fiction with imagined or impossible elements, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related forms.

What this means for you: Genre magazines often have their own customs on rights, pay, and format; learn them alongside literary ones.

Related: Short story, Novelette, Drabble