Top 5 – Before Submitting

Top 5 things to check for before submitting to agents, editors, critique partners, and even your Mom. (Though she will love it either way.) Check out this blog on Let's Talk Romance.

I always remember these with this simple acronym - RRSRT... Okay, so maybe that's not so easy to remember. All right you can think of that sound people make when they... No, that doesn't work... Oh, just read the list. *pout*

1 Reread

Be sure you have looked over your wrok. You don't want too frustrate those you depend on most for your writing carrier with simple mistakes, and chance loosing them

2 Repetition

Delete repetitive words, because repeating words can feel very repetitive when reading the words that are repeated.

3 Show

Hannah sat on the couch,crossed her legs , and rested her laptop on her thighs. She typed in the first line of chapter 7, then grimaced. Clenching her teeth, she hovered a finger over the delete key. She'd broken rule number 3 on Robin Delany's top 5. She hit the delete key, removing the offending sentence. "Jane felt angry and frustrated."

4 Research

James Hainsworthy, third Earl of Jarwood, paused before jumping down from the carriage. He leaned against the cool wood of the door. He hadn't spoken to Keesha in weeks. Several deep breaths later, he pulled his jacket lower over his pants. The door opened at the first squeak of his sneakers on the stairs, and he smiled at his lady love.
"Forsooth, milady, thou lookest beauteous this morn."
"You look hot too, baby."

(If you don't know what's wrong with this passage, you should be researching right now. Yes, you should research even if you don't read historical romance. Don't make me write another example, 'cause I will. I'll get all example-y on your hinders.)

5 Think

Author A - I love how your heroine hates dolphins. It's such a great quirk. Oh, and that little doll she keeps in her room is so interesting. What does it mean?
Author B - Mean? The things in the story should mean something?
Author A - Not necessarily, but I'm sure you are trying to tell the reader something, or hint at your heroine's past, right?
Author B - *stare's blankly*
Author A - *wincing* Give an interesting contrast to her personality?
Author B - What?
Author A - You do know about your story world, don't you? Your character? Her life?
Author B - Why would I need to know about my story world? And who cares about the character's life? Why would I need to know those things?
Author A - No reason, I guess. *eyebrows rise and Author A begins to whistle*
Those are my Top 5 things you should do before submitting. I hope you enjoyed them and maybe even found them a little helpful.

Robin Delany

Heat, Humor, and Heart,
Whatever the Century.