Publishing Terms

• Partial A partial is any part smaller than the full manuscript (MS) sent to a publisher. Usually refers to three chapters.
• Imprint A publishing house may have more than one 'publisher' in its stable. These are known as Imprints and are used to target different market segments. For example HarperCollins has multiple imprings (eg: Avon, Collins, Harper & Row) and each publishes particular types/genres/numbers of books. Readers grow accustomed to what sort of works come out under that imprint.
• Category As the name suggests, it is when your work fits into one of a publishers existing print 'categories' (eg: Harlequin Intrigue, M&B Intimate)
• Series A group of books where central characters, themes or plots are repeated. Some publishers will seek a three-book series about a group of sisters, or a particular character in a book will be well received and the publisher may ask for a book with that character central in it (creating a defacto 'series')
• Single Title A stand-alone novel which doesn't fit (neatly or at all) existing categories of publishing. Generally longer and may deviate from some of the conventions of romance writing. It is less common to have a 'series' in Single Title works.

BACK