The Ghostwriters Lexicon

The professional language of the book biz—defined, decoded, and continuously refined.

The Ghostwriter’s Lexicon is a living reference work built for working ghostwriters, editors, and authors who operate inside the real publishing industry. With more than 500 rigorously defined terms, it translates the trade’s internal jargon into clear, actionable language—bridging creative, editorial, and business practice.

Drawn from This Business of Books, professional contracts, and decades of field experience, the Lexicon clarifies how publishing actually works: what terms mean in context, how they show up in negotiations, and where authors, editors, and ghosts gain (or lose) leverage.

Membership includes:

• Full access to the evolving Lexicon
• Updates as standards, practices, and terminology shift across the industry