A
Act
Acts organize the high level structure of a story. Three Acts are a commonly used way of dividing a story into beginning, middle, and end. But there are other structures that use four, or five, or even twelve.
B
Beat
Also known as: Plot Beat, Scene Beat, Story Beat. See also: Outline.
The term “beat” comes from the world of screenwriting, where it refers to a moment in a story that changes the direction of the plot or reveals something about the characters. Think of it like a heartbeat or musical rhythm that keeps the story at a steady pace.
There are different types of beats people talk about:
Plot beats
Plot beats are the major events that happen in a story. They are the turning points that drive the story forward, key moments that change the direction of the story and keep the reader engaged.
They can be big events like a character’s death or a plot twist, or they can be smaller moments that reveal something about the characters or the world of the story.
This type of beat has been popularized by the Save the Cat! method, which breaks down a story into a series of beats that follow a specific structure.
Scene Beats
A scene beat is the description of a moment in a scene. Scenes are usually made up of several beats. Using a series of beats in a scene allows you to control how your story unfolds.
It can be a moment of action, a line of dialogue, or a description of a setting. Scene beats are the smallest unit of a scene, and they help to create a rhythm in your writing.
You can find out more about beats here.
C
Chapter
Acts are divided into Chapters. The chapter is the main structural element that will be presented to your reader, who will remain blissfully unaware that there are overarching Acts to the story.
D
Direct Sales
See also: Indie Publishing, Traditional Publishing.
Traditional publishing is not the only way to get your book into the hands of readers. Direct sales are a way to sell your book directly to readers, cutting out the middleman and keeping more of the profits for yourself.
This also means that even if you’re an indie author, you don’t need to rely on Amazon or other online retailers to sell your book. You can sell it directly to your readers through your website or other platforms.
E
eBook
See also: Kindle.
An ebook is a digital version of a book that can be read on e-readers, tablets, phones, and computers. Unlike print books, ebooks allow readers to adjust text size and formatting, carry multiple books in one device, and often include features like built-in dictionaries and search functions.
Common formats include EPUB, MOBI, and PDF.
EPUB
Also known as: Electronic Publication.
EPUB is a widely-used digital book format that automatically adapts to different screen sizes and devices.
Unlike fixed formats like PDF, EPUB allows for reflowable text, meaning content adjusts to fit the reader’s preferred font size and screen dimensions.
F
Fiction
See also: Genre, Non-Fiction.
When you write fiction, you are creating a story that is not based on real events. Fiction can be any genre, from romance to science fiction to fantasy.
G
Genre
Also known as: Subgenre.
Genre is a label that tells readers what to expect from our stories. Popular genres include sci-fi, romance, detective, thriller.
Each genre has many subgenres, for example: military science fiction, romantic comedy, cozy mysteries, and supernatural thrillers.
H
Hardcover
Also known as: Hardcover book.
A hardcover book is a high-quality print format featuring rigid protective covers made of cardboard or paperboard, typically covered in cloth, leather, or decorative paper. Usually the first edition of a new book, hardcovers are more durable and expensive than paperbacks, often including additional features like dust jackets, ribbon bookmarks, and higher quality paper. While primarily used for novels and non-fiction works, hardcovers are particularly common in collectors’ editions, library copies, and coffee table books.
I
Indie Publishing
See also: Direct Sales, Traditional Publishing.
In indie (meaning: “independent”) publishing, authors take on the role of the publisher and publish their books themselves. This means that authors are responsible for editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing of their books.
Indie publishing gives authors more control over their work and a higher percentage of the profits, but it also requires more work and investment on the author’s part.
K
Kindle
Also known as: eBook reader.
A Kindle is Amazon’s e-reader device (eBook), which allows readers to store thousands of digital books in one place.
While ‘Kindle’ refers specifically to Amazon’s device, the term is often used generally for any e-reader. Books can be read on both Kindle devices and through the Kindle app on smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Kindle Unlimited
Also known as: KU.
Kindle Unlimited is Amazon’s digital subscription service where readers pay a monthly fee for unlimited access to over a million ebooks.
For authors, it operates on a pages-read model, paying royalties based on how many pages subscribers read rather than per-book sales. Popular genres include romance, fantasy, thriller, and non-fiction, with many independent authors using the program as their primary distribution method.
N
Non-Fiction
When you write non-fiction, you are writing about real events, people, or places. These can be memoirs, self-help books, biographies, or any other type of writing that is based on facts.
Novel
Also known as: Book.
A novel is a work of fiction, typically over 50,000 words, though many adult novels range from 70,000 to 100,000 words.
As the longest form of fictional prose, novels provide space for complex plots, multiple character arcs, and detailed world-building.
They often feature a main plot supported by various subplots, a broad cast of characters, and multiple themes woven throughout the narrative.
In Novelcrafter, A Novel is the basic unit of story. Within it are acts, chapters, and scenes. A Novel can be part of a Series.
Novella
A novella is a work of fiction between a short story and a novel in length (20,000-50,000 words), allowing for more complex plot and character development than a short story, while maintaining a tighter focus and faster pace than a full novel.
Due to their length, novellas often concentrate on a single story arc or theme, with fewer subplots and characters than longer works.
Common in horror, literary fiction, and romance genres, famous examples include ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ and ‘Animal Farm.’
NSFW
Also known as: Not Safe For Work.
NSFW stands for “not safe for work”, and includes any content you wouldn’t want your boss to see on your screen. Think of gratuitous violence, or anything sexual.
The tolerance for this kind of content varies for each AI model, however as a rule, the models by Open AI are the strictest.
O
Outline
Also known as: Hero's Journey, Snowflake Method, Three-Act Structure. See also: Act, Chapter, Scene.
An outline is a plan for a piece of writing. It is a list of the main points and details that you want to include in your story. These can be as detailed or as simple as you need them to be.
Outlines can help you organize your thoughts and ideas before you start writing. They can also help you stay focused and on track as you write.
Usually, an outline will include the following elements:
- Acts - the main sections of your story, usually divided into three or more parts.
- Chapters - the smaller sections within each act.
- Scenes - In case you need to divide your chapters further (like changing the POV or time).
The most popular outline templates are:
Three-Act Structure
This is a simple outline that divides your story into three main parts: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Each part has its own purpose and helps move the story forward.
Hero’s Journey
This is a more detailed outline that follows specific stages that the hero(ine) must go through to complete their quest.
Snowflake Method
This is a step-by-step outline that starts with a simple idea and expands it into a full story, like the fractal nature of a snowflake. It helps you build your story from the ground up, adding more detail and complexity as you go.
P
Pantser
Also known as: Discovery Writer, Pantsing.
A writer who prefers to have minimal planning prior to writing.
You may find yourself somewhere on this scale on a whole story level, or on a scene level (i.e. you don’t plan how a scene will unfold, even if you know what should happen).
Authors who are pantsers include Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and George R.R. Martin.
Also known as: Portable Document Format.
PDF is a file format that preserves your documents formatting across devices. They are often used for print-ready files in publishing.
PDFs do not adapt to screensize, and so can be harder to read on smaller devices.
Plotter
Also known as: Planner.
A type of writer who prefers to plan out their projects/novels before writing. There is no requirement of how much planning you have to do to fall into this category.
Authors who are plotters include JK Rowling, John Grisham, and Brandon Sanderson.
Point of View
Also known as: Narrative Perspective, Narrative Viewpoint, POV.
Point of view (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told. It is the lens through which the reader experiences the events of the story.
The choice of POV can have a significant impact on the reader’s experience and the way the story is perceived.
Common POVs are third-person limited, third-person omniscient, and first-person. Some Genres tend toward certain POVs more than others.
Prose
Prose is the most common form of writing and is used in both fiction and non-fiction.
It is written in paragraphs and sentences, and is the opposite of poetry, which is written in verse.
R
Royalties
Royalties are the payments authors receive from book sales, typically calculated as a percentage of either the retail price or net receipts.
Royalties are often paid quarterly or bi-annually, with payment terms, rates, and calculation methods specified in the publishing contract. Authors may receive an advance against future royalties, which must be ‘earned out’ through sales before additional royalty payments begin.
S
Scene
A scene is usually unique to a character point-of-view or setting or time. Chapters contain one or more scenes.
For example, if you wish to have two different character POVs in a chapter, you can have one scene for each. You’ll spend the first scene with one character and then change scenes to the new character POV. The same applies to changes in setting or time.
If a chapter has a single POV, location and time, it will generally only have one scene.
Short Story
A short story is a work of fiction typically under 7,500 words that focuses on a single plot, a limited cast of characters, and one central theme. Unlike longer forms, short stories usually capture a specific moment or incident, with minimal subplots and backstory.
Popular in literary magazines and anthologies, short stories are common in genres like horror, science fiction, and literary fiction, with famous examples including Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and Kate Chopin’s 'The Story of an Hour.
T
Traditional Publishing
See also: Direct Sales, Indie Publishing.
In traditional publishing, authors submit their manuscripts to a publishing house, which then decides whether to publish the book. If the book is accepted, the publishing house will handle the editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing of the book.
The author receives an advance against future royalties and a percentage of the book’s sales.
W
Web Serial
A web serial is a method of self-publishing your story online. Rather than publishing the entire story in one go, web serials are typically released chapter by chapter on a regular schedule (e.g., weekly or monthly).
The stories are often written whilst they are published, allowing authors to interact with readers through comments and feedback, which can influence future chapters.
Popular in genres like fantasy and science fiction, web serials are often hosted on platforms like Royal Road, Wattpad, or personal websites, and may be offered free or through subscription models.