Editing and Publishing Lingo You Should Know

For many of us new to the publishing world, copy-edits are full of unfamiliar lingo. Even if you’re an experienced writer, the number of abbreviations and terms used by editors can be overwhelming. Whether you’ve had an editor provide an editorial memo on your 70K-word manuscript or you’ve never been edited before, in this article you’ll find an explanation for some key acronyms, words, and phrases that you’re likely to encounter when in a writing workshop or working with an editor.

It can feel frustrating that editors use esoteric symbols and misspelled words rather than simply writing out what they want to say. However, having a common and abbreviated terminology keeps editors’ annotations from being confused with the text under review. Once you know this shared shorthand, it means less possibility for confusion and, of course, saves both editors and writers a lot of time.

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MS: Manuscript

MSS is the plural; “manuscripts”

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Editorial memo: A written response to your MS from an editor

Typically only a page or two long, editorial memos describe the editor’s experience reading your MS before giving feedback and suggestions on how to improve and revise.

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Hed: Headline

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Dek: Sub-headline

The dek is usually a sentence or two that summarizes what the article or essay is about. Also referred to as the subhead.

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Lede: An introduction or an opening section

The lede is usually the first paragraph of a story, essay, or article meant to pull the reader in. Some writers and editors also use the term “hook.”

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Graf: Paragraph

This abbreviation is most commonly used in journalism and newsrooms.

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Nut graf: A summarizing paragraph

The nut graf usually follows the lede to give the readers a sense of what is to come. In other words, the nut graf tells the story “in a nutshell.” In journalistic and informative writing, the nut graf is a crucial tool to keep your reader engaged by revealing the central theme, angle, and relevancy of your piece. Essentially, the nut graf should answer the question, “Why should I keep reading?”

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Proof: An initial version of a publication ready for review by the author, editors, and proofreaders

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Galley proof: The final version of a piece of writing to be reviewed by the author, editors, and proofreaders for any last mistakes before it is published

The term comes from the time of letterpress printing in the mid-1600s when printing text included the painstaking act of hand-setting type in metal trays called “galleys.” These days, galley copies are also shared by editors and publicists to promote the book to readers and reviewers before pub day.

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Blurb: Short descriptive copy written for promotional purposes and sometimes included on the back cover of a book

This term is also used to describe testimonials written by other authors, which are collected by editors to help promote their author’s book. It’s common to see a short, praise-filled blurb on the front cover of a book, with further blurbs on the back and sometimes in the first pages before the title page.

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Dele: delete

Dele comes from the Latin word “delere.”

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Stet: An editor’s previous marks should be ignored, and the text should be restored to its original form

Stet is a Latin word that translates to “let it stand.” It is usually used to indicate that a part of the text an editor previously deleted should be brought back.

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TK: There is more writing to be added here later on

TK is an abbreviation of “to come.” It most likely originated because very few English words use this letter combination. For this reason, TK can be a useful drafting tool: Since the letters “t” and “k” rarely appear together, you can mark places you want to come back to later and then use the find and search function in your word processor. “TK” also stands out visually, which assisted writers and journalists while drafting before find and search existed.

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On spec: Writing a piece for a publisher or publication without a guarantee they will publish it

Publishers and editors may want anything from a short pitch to a full draft before committing to publishing your writing.

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R&R: Revise and resubmit

Editors or literary agents may make this note on a submission if they have specific edits they’d like to see before reconsidering publishing your piece. For a more in-depth explanation of R&R, check out this Catapult article, “Decoding Rejection Letters from Literary Agents.”

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Concl: Conclusion

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When considering copyedits, keep in mind that editors adhere to different style guides. Many literary publishers create their own editing guidelines, but most adhere to some variation of The Chicago Manual of Style  (CMS.) If you are writing a piece of journalism for a newspaper or magazine, it's best to refer to The Associated Press Stylebook (AP). For all types of writers, The Elements of Style is a great resource to ensure your work is clear and concise.

If you're looking for online proofreading services check out Grammarly, ProWriting Aid, and Hemingway App.

In concl, I hope that this list of definitions means less of your day is spent squinting at editors’ notes and you’ll have more time to write that MS!

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