Bookish Slang🗣️📖
When you're new to the bookish world like I am, it can feel like everyone’s speaking a different language! I had no idea what half of you were talking about at first. So, I thought it would be fun to help out fellow newbies by breaking down some of the acronyms, terms, and slang that might leave you scratching your head!
Bookish Relationship Terms:
• OTP: One True Pairing (that couple that you will root for till the end of time)
• FM: Fated Mates (the couple that’s fated for each other)
• NOTP: (Pronounced No-TP) Basically the opposite of an OTP. You do not want this couple together!
• BROTP/Bromance: A friendship (between guys) that you adore!
• Ship: If you ship a couple, it means that you want them to get together (comes from the word “relationship”).
• HEA/HFN: Happily Ever After/Happy for Now
• Book Boyfriend/Girlfriend: The fictional boy (or girl) you only wish could be your real-life love.
• Insta-love/Insta-lust: The phenomenon that happens all too often in books when the couple meets and instantly falls in love (or, sometimes, lust).
• Love Triangle: When the main character can’t decide between two romantic partners—most frustrating when this is drawn out for multiple books in a series.
• Slash Fiction: A type of fan fiction where two same-sex characters are paired together (often guys). Sometimes slash can just refer to the imagined pairing of two same-sex characters (not necessarily within fan fiction).
• OMYM/OWYM: Older man, younger woman/Older woman, younger man
Reading/Reviewing Terms:
• TBR: To-Be-Read. The books that you plan to read, sometimes imminently (or sometimes just all of the random books you’ve ever wanted to read). Often refers to the shelf on Goodreads
• DNF: Did not finish. (A book you started to read but couldn’t get through.)
• RTC: Review to come
• Binge-Read: Reading all (or many) of the books in a series in a row.
• Spoiler: Anything in your review/discussion that reveals important details from a book.
• TSTL: (Too stupid to live) A hero or heroine who keeps making really bad decisions, almost gets killed, and doesn’t learn from their mistakes.
• Cliffie: A cliffhanger. (When the book ends in the middle of a dramatic moment and you have to wait till the next book to find out what happens.)
• CW/TW: Content Warning/Trigger Warning (A warning about content that might trigger some people.)
Character/Plot Terms:
• MC/FMC/MMC: Main character (book is told from their POV). FMC refers to female main character and MMC refers to male.
• POV: Point of view (the perspective that the book is told from).
• POC/BIPOC: People of color/Black, Indigenous, and people of color
• Daphne: A female character who has to be rescued all the time (in reference to Daphne from Scooby Doo)
• Mary Sue: A character who is too perfect and/or too good (which, strangely, originated from a Star Trek parody story).
• Manic Pixie Dream Girl: A type of female character depicted as vivacious and appealingly quirky, whose main purpose within the narrative is to inspire a greater appreciation for life in a male protagonist.
• Twist: An unexpected event in a book—typically one that changes the direction of the plot or characters dramatically.
• Info-Dump: When the author gives you lots of background information all at once via narration or dialogue.
• Bechdel Test: Refers to the way that women are represented in a book. A book is generally said to have “passed” if the book has at least two female characters who talk to each other about something other than men.
• Unreliable Narrator: A narrator whose POV is not trustworthy (could be due to lying, misinformation on the part of the MC, mental health or memory issues, etc.).
• Morally Gray: A character who straddles the line between being likable and unlikable, or villainous and heroic. This person often has more bad qualities than good, but the reader can see the positives peeking through.
• Cinnamon Roll: A really sweet and lovable character.
• Grumpy/Sunshine: A pairing of a generally grumpy character with a sweet, happy character.
Genres/Age Ranges:
• PB: Picture book.
• MG: Middle Grade (typically geared toward ages 8-12).
• YA: Young Adult (typically geared toward high school-aged readers—or features main characters in that age range).
• NA: New Adult (typically geared toward college age or just out of college—or features main characters in that age range).
• Contemp: Contemporary fiction, meaning that it takes place in modern day and generally doesn’t have any magical, sci-fi or fantasy elements.
• SF/SFF: Sci-Fi or Fantasy.
• PNR: Paranormal Romance (usually adult).
• UF/Paranormal: Urban Fantasy is, again, typically used to describe adult titles. YA and under is more often referred to as paranormal (or contemporary fantasy).
• DR/DROM: Dark romance (Romance with dark and undertones and/or trauma. Usually spicy.)
• Magical Realism/Contemporary Fantasy: A book that is set in the real world with a magical or fantastical twist. (Some would say that the term magical realism should only be associated with books of Latin American origin.)
• Verse Novel: A novel that is written in verse (poems). Must have a complete narrative arc (so, not a poetry collection but an actual story written in verse).
Format/Publishing Terms:
• ARC/Galley/Uncorrected Proof/eARC/DRC: These are all terms that refer to an Advanced Reader’s Copy—a (typically unfinalized) copy of the book that publishers provide to reviewers before the publication date. eARC and DRC (Digital Review Copy) both refer to electronic copies of a book.
• Physical Copy: (Often in reference to an ARC) Means that you have a hardcover or paperback version of the book, not an ebook.
• Finished Copy/FC: The book in its final, published form.
• PB: Paperback.
• HC: Hardcover.
• New Release: A book that has been released recently (usually in the current calendar year).
Backlist: A book that was released before the current calendar year.
• OOP: Out of print. This book is no longer being published, so you’ll have to get a used copy!
• Self-Published: Published by the author (often via Amazon).
• Traditionally Published: Published by one of the major publishing houses.
• Indie/Small-Press: Published by a small independent publisher.
• ISBN: International Standard Book Number. A unique number that identifies a published book.
• MS: Manuscript (the copy of the book that’s actually written or typed by the author).
• WIP: Work in progress (a book that the author is currently working on).
• Blurb: The synopsis that you find on the back of the book and sites like Amazon and Goodreads.
Street Teams: A team of bloggers and/or readers who enthusiastically promote an author or a series. Sometimes street team members get special perks from the author like first dibs on ARCs.
• Pre-order Incentive/Campaign: A special offer where the author or publisher sends out special gifts to people who have pre-ordered a particular book.
Any of these new to you? I’m sure I’m missing some important terms and abbreviations here. If you think of any that I should add to the list, let me know in the comments!
Hey fellow bookworms! After diving into all that bookish slang, you might be wondering, 'Okay, but why do we even need all these terms, and how do I actually use them?' I totally get it! When I first started, understanding the lingo was one thing, but feeling confident enough to use it in discussions and reviews was a whole other challenge. One of the coolest things about bookish slang is how it builds community. Seriously, there’s nothing like connecting with someone over a shared OTP or commiserating about a frustrating DNF. These terms are like secret handshakes that let you instantly bond with other readers. They allow us to express complex feelings about characters, plots, and even our reading habits in a super concise way. Imagine trying to explain 'insta-love' without the actual term – it would take ages! So, how do you put these terms into practice? In Your Reviews: Instead of just saying 'I didn't finish this book,' you can say, 'This was a DNF for me around chapter 3, just couldn't get into the POV.' Or, 'The FMC was a total TSTL sometimes, but I loved the morally gray MMC!' Using these terms makes your reviews more specific and relatable to other readers who 'get it.' Book Discussions & Social Media: Whether you're on Lemon8, Goodreads, TikTok, or in a local book club, throwing in a 'My TBR pile is getting out of control!' or 'Who else is shipping these two? OTP all the way!' instantly marks you as part of the tribe. It's a fun way to engage and show your passion. Understanding Recommendations: When someone recommends a PNR or mentions a book has an HEA, you'll immediately know what to expect (or not expect!). Let's talk about a few of my personal favorites. TBR is a classic. My TBR changes almost daily, and my physical stack of unread books... well, let's just say it's a prominent feature in my living room! (Like those "stacked" books we sometimes see in bookish photos, right?) Then there's DNF. I used to feel so guilty DNFing a book, but now I see it as respecting my time and reading preferences. Not every book is for every reader, and that's okay! And Morally Gray characters? Oh, I live for them! They add so much depth and complexity to a 'fiction' story, making you question everything. They're never boring. If you're hungry for more slang or just want to keep up with the ever-evolving bookish language, here's what I do: Follow Bookish Accounts: On platforms like Lemon8, Instagram, and TikTok, book bloggers and content creators often use and explain new terms. Join Online Book Communities: Goodreads groups, Reddit's r/books, or even local online book clubs are great places to see these terms in action and ask questions. Read Reviews: Pay attention to the language used by popular reviewers. You'll quickly pick up on common phrases. Learning bookish slang isn't just about knowing definitions; it's about fully immersing yourself in the wonderful world of books and connecting with fellow enthusiasts. Happy reading, and happy slanging!