ISBN
The International Standard Book Number that uniquely identifies an edition of a book. Each format (paperback, hardback, ebook) needs its own.
More in Publishing & rights
Advance / royalty
An advance is money paid to an author up front against future earnings; a royalty is the author's share of each sale.
ARC / galley
An Advance Reader Copy (or galley) is an early, near-final version sent to reviewers and booksellers before launch.
Blurb
The short selling copy on the back cover and in store listings. Its only job is to make a browser open the book.
COBISS
The shared bibliographic system of Serbia and the wider region, used by libraries and the national library to catalogue titles.
Copy editing
Making the text correct and consistent — grammar, punctuation, usage and a single house style.
Developmental editing
The big-picture edit — structure, pacing, plot or argument — done before the sentences are polished.