Glossary for Book Lovers

Book lovers have their own language and you can always spot a fellow reader if you hear them throwing around some bookish slang. Up your game by reading our glossary of most frequently used book terms and acronyms.

Acronyms

The most common and unfamiliar part of bookish terminology is the acronyms. A whole shortcut set of lingo used across social media and the internet. Here are some of the ones you will most frequently see:

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) –

These are versions of books that are sent out ahead of the actual publishing date to drum up advanced reviews and buzz around a title. eARC is the electronic version. 

CW/TW –

Content warning or Trigger warning. Giving you a heads up that there are sensitive topics covered in the book and you should decide ahead of time if you are comfortable reading about these topics.

DNF (Did Not Finish) –

This term is used when a reader decides to stop reading a book. It doesn’t always mean the book was terrible. Sometimes it is just not the right time for this particular book and you may go back to it at a later date.

POV (Point of View) –

This refers to how the story is being told. You often see this term used in book reviews and synopses.

TBR (To Be Read) –

This acronym pertains to everyone! This is a list of all the books you want to read but haven’t gotten to yet. Typically an ever-growing list.

Social Media

There is an absolutely amazing world of bookish content on all the platforms. Here are some of the more popular terms used:

Bookstagram –

The corner of Instagram where people post only bookish images, stories, and reels. Your entire Instagram feed can be filled with only book-related goodies if you follow just a few Bookstagrammers. Type in any book-related hashtag, and you will see a list of posts. Just start exploring and the algorithm will do the rest.

BookTok –

The niche on TikTok with only clips of bookish content. Once you start watching a few of them, the algorithm will pick up that you like all things book-related and will feed your feed.

BookTube –

This is my favorite book-related social media arena. This is the part of YouTube where all the creators make videos about books, reading, and literary living. You can get lost in the rabbit hole of videos and suddenly find yourself watching more videos about reading than doing any real reading yourself! 

Patreon –

Not specifically a bookish term but it comes up a lot in BookTube videos so I thought it would be worth mentioning. This is a subscription-type service. You pay a monthly fee in order to support your favorite bookish content provider, and in exchange, you get additional content, member perks, and sometimes you even get to pick what they read next.

Read-a-thon –

This is a set time period where you commit to reading a certain amount of pages or books. You can create one for yourself or join one online. One of my favorites is the Orilium Read-A-Thon. If you search in YouTube, you will find a ton of them. Some are seasonal or genre themed. 

Shelfie –

Social media photos of your bookshelves, or the stack of books you are reading right now, or where you are shopping for books

Sprints –

I participated in my first one of these last year and it was really enjoyable. Essentially it is a predetermined time slot and length where everyone logs into the channel on YouTube and all read silently together. Depending on the host, they will have a timer on the screen, maybe some background music or imagery. When the time is up there may be some chatting about things, but that part is totally optional. Sprints are usually done as part of a reading challenge or read-a-thon. 

Lifestyle

The life of a readie is definitely its own culture. Focused on cozy and content. This glossary of terms will relate to all booklovers.

Auto Buy –

An author you love so much that you automatically will pre-order and buy their next book without even knowing anything about it. 

Bibliophile –

Someone obsessed with books

Backlist –

The collection of books by an author that you haven’t read yet.

Book Hangover –

A book is so good or so emotional that when you are finished you are absolutely drained and can’t possibly pick up another book. Think Kristin Hannah.

Book Haul/Book Unhaul –

All the books you just purchased. The reverse of that is all the books you are getting rid of (aka unhauling). This is often used on the various social media platforms.

Book Nook –

Your quiet little reading spot that you have carved out for yourself. It might be in the corner of a room or be a special chair with a good reading lamp and comfy blanket.

Buddy Read –

Similar to a book club except typically only with one other person. You both chat over the course of reading the book, so the discussion is more real-time than a book club, which discusses the book when you are done reading it.

Reading Slump –

You just can’t seem to get back into the swing of reading. You keep starting and stopping different books. 

Book Industry

Just like our own bookish lifestyle, the book industry has its own set of slang and terms. Below are some frequently encountered terms to help you navigate the biz. 

BIPOC/POC –

The author or protagonist is black, indigenous, and/or a person of color.

Fan Fiction –

A story or book loosely based on a published work that an amateur author is a fan of. Considered a tribute to the original work. Often these are self-published. 

Longlist/Shortlist –

Refers to nominations for awards in the book industry.  A list of books will be initially announced as being in the running for the prize (this is the longlist). Then sometime later the list will be shortened to the final nominees (shortlist). 

Own Voices –

A work based on an author’s own experiences as a marginalized individual. This is a movement that was started to bring more diversity and inclusion to literature. 

Trope –

A common theme in literature that is seen frequently. Romance and romantic comedies will tend to be the biggest trope users, and this is often how readers decide which book to read – think sunshine meets grumpy. 

Did you know all the bookish terms and acronyms? Comment down below on any new ones you learned or any I might have missed.