Friendly Dictionary
Essential terms for writing, formatting, and printing books
Platform Vocabulary Guide (Quick Reference)
| Platform | Key Terms Most Relevant |
| Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing print | bleed, gutter, trim size, margins, spine width |
| Microsoft Word | section breaks, styles, page numbering |
| Adobe InDesign | leading, baseline grid, typography control |
| eBook platforms | reflowable text, EPUB, navigation |
Reality Check
Nobody knows all these terms at the beginning. Publishing vocabulary is learned the same way people learn swimming.
First panic.
Then flailing.
Then accidental competence.
Eventually you speak about gutters and bleed with total seriousness while normal people slowly back away from the conversation.
Welcome to the craft.
In case you don’t want to play with toggles:
A
Alignment
How text is positioned between margins.
Common types:
- Left aligned
- Right aligned
- Centred
- Justified (most common for print books)
Most used on: all platforms, especially print interiors.
Ascender / Descender
Parts of letters that extend above or below the main letter height.
Examples:
- Ascender: b, d, h
- Descender: g, p, y
Matters for line spacing and readability.
Most relevant in: typography, professional layout tools like Adobe InDesign.
B
Back Matter
Everything after the main text.
Examples:
- Acknowledgments
- Author bio
- Appendix
- Index
Most used in: print books and formal nonfiction.
Baseline
The invisible line on which text sits. Important for consistent vertical alignment.
Most relevant in: professional layout software.
Bleed
Extra space, added beyond page edges when images or backgrounds extend to the trim edge.
Standard bleed size:
0.125 inches (3.2 mm)
Without bleed → white edges after trimming.
Critical for: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing print books and all commercial printing.
Body Text
The main readable content of the book. Not headings, not captions, not footnotes.
C
Chapter Break
A forced page change at the start of a new chapter.
Must always be a real page break, not empty lines.
Most used in: all books.
CMYK
Colour model used for printing (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black).
Screens use RGB. Printing uses CMYK.
Wrong colour mode → dull or strange printed colours.
Relevant for: covers and illustrated interiors.
Copyright Page
Legal information page near the beginning of a book.
Includes:
- Author name
- Publication year
- ISBN
- Rights statement
Standard in: professional publishing.
D
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
Image resolution for printing.
Minimum for print:
300 DPI
Lower resolution = blurry images.
Drop Cap
Large decorative first letter at the start of a chapter or section.
Purely stylistic.
E
Embedded Fonts
Fonts stored inside the PDF file so printers display them correctly.
Missing fonts → formatting shifts → printing errors.
Mandatory for: KDP print upload.
EPUB
Common file format for digital books.
Flexible layout that adjusts to screen size.
Most used in: e-books.
F
Facing Pages
Left and right pages displayed together like an open book.
Used when designing printed layouts.
First-Line Indent
Small indentation at the start of a paragraph.
Standard in novels and narrative nonfiction.
Typical size:
0.25–0.3 inches
Font Family
A group of related fonts.
Example:
Times New Roman includes regular, bold, italic.
Footer
Bottom area of a page.
Often contains page numbers.
Front Matter
Everything before Chapter One.
Examples:
- Title page
- Dedication
- Table of contents
Often numbered using Roman numerals.
G
Gutter
Extra margin space on the inside edge of pages for binding.
Thicker book → larger gutter.
Essential for print.
H
Header
Top area of a page.
Common uses:
- Book title
- Chapter title
- Page number
Hierarchy
Visual importance of text.
Example order:
Title → Chapter heading → Subheading → Body text
Helps readers navigate.
I
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
Unique identifier for each book edition.
Different formats require different ISBNs:
- Paperback
- Hardcover
- eBook
Italic
Slanted text for emphasis or special meaning.
Used for:
- Thoughts
- Foreign words
- Book titles
J
Justified Text
Text aligned evenly on both left and right margins.
Standard for printed books.
K
Kindle Format
Digital layout designed for reading devices and apps.
Text reflows based on screen size.
Used primarily through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
L
Leading
Vertical space between lines of text.
Too tight → hard to read
Too loose → looks amateur
Line Spacing
Distance between lines. Often confused with leading.
Typical print setting:
1.15–1.3
M
Margins
The empty space around text.
Types:
- Top
- Bottom
- Inside
- Outside
Critical for readability and trimming safety.
Mirror Margins
Margins that flip on left and right pages to account for binding.
Required for printed books.
O
Orphan
Single line of a paragraph stranded at the bottom of a page.
Unprofessional appearance.
P
Page Break
Instruction forcing content to start on a new page.
Essential for chapters.
Pagination
System of page numbering.
Includes:
- Roman numerals
- Arabic numerals
PDF (Print-Ready)
Final file format used for professional printing.
Must contain:
- Embedded fonts
- Correct trim size
- Proper margins
Proof Copy
Test print ordered before publishing.
Used to check:
- Layout
- Margins
- Print quality
Never skip this step.
R
Recto / Verso
Right-hand page = recto
Left-hand page = verso
Used in traditional book design.
Resolution
Image clarity measured in DPI.
Higher = sharper print.
S
Section Break
Divides the document into parts with different formatting.
Used to change:
- Page numbering
- Headers
- Layout
Critical in Microsoft Word formatting.
Serif
Small decorative strokes on letter edges.
Easier to read in long print text.
Example fonts:
Garamond, Baskerville.
Spine Width
Thickness of book binding.
Depends on:
- Page count
- Paper type
Required for cover design.
T
Table of Contents (TOC)
List of chapters with page numbers.
Can be:
- Manual (print)
- Clickable (eBook)
Trim Size
Final physical dimensions of the book after cutting.
Example:
6 × 9 inches.
Everything depends on this choice.
Trim Line
Where the printer cuts the page.
Anything important must stay inside safe margins.
W
Widow
Single line of a paragraph stranded at the top of a page.
Another layout problem to fix.
Word Processing Document
An editable manuscript file created in software like Microsoft Word.
Not suitable for printing until converted to PDF.
Platform Vocabulary Guide (Quick Reference)
| Platform | Key Terms Most Relevant |
| Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing print | bleed, gutter, trim size, margins, spine width |
| Microsoft Word | section breaks, styles, page numbering |
| Adobe InDesign | leading, baseline grid, typography control |
| eBook platforms | reflowable text, EPUB, navigation |
Reality Check
Nobody knows all these terms at the beginning. Publishing vocabulary is learned the same way people learn swimming.
First panic.
Then flailing.
Then accidental competence.
Eventually, you speak about gutters and bleed with total seriousness while normal people slowly back away from the conversation.
Welcome to the craft.
You might want to read more about:
Structured Guide to Formatting Your Book for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
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