Confused by the amount of jargon in the publishing industry? My new Hacks for Hacks column defines all the terms you need to know:
Self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) (n.): antiquated method of delivering bad news.
Self-publishing (n.): the greatest revolution in publishing since Gutenberg, overexposure to which can lead to derision from gatekeepers, intolerable smugness, and interminable arguments using talking points laden with dinosaur metaphors.
Serial (n.): a long story released in short, regular installments until the author thinks up a serviceable ending or the sales dry up, whichever occurs later.
“Show, don’t tell” (exp.): the writerly equivalent of “Have a good one.” An easy thing to say in your writers group when you haven’t read the story, it has been repeated so often and in so many contexts that no one remembers its original meaning.
You can read the whole thing over at Writer Unboxed.
The Aspiring Writer's Dic