Spelling Basics
When you submit your romance novel to a prospective agent or editor, you will want to make certain that it is as rejection-proof as possible. That means having a manuscript that is free from spelling errors. While your word processing program's spell checker will catch most spelling errors, you will still need to proof your manuscript carefully.
And while you proof the pages, you'll need to remember the spelling basics.
Many writers get confused about how to spell nouns when they change from singular to plural or where to place the apostrophe when indicating possession. Of the two, making a noun possessive is perhaps the easiest — you either add an apostrophe and an
The rules for making a noun plural aren't as simple. If in doubt about the proper plural form of a noun, consult your dictionary. Your computer's word processing program has a built-in spell-checker program that can scan your document for misspellings. Also, many dictionaries are now available online, such as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary at
Isn't it the job of the editor to catch the spelling errors?
Well, yes. Editors — or the copyeditors, as is the case for most publishers — will proofread your manuscript for typographical errors, misspelled words, and incorrect punctuation, but this only occurs after they've agreed to publish the novel. Manuscripts with numerous “writing mechanics” errors will likely never reach that stage.
Sometimes your spell-checker program won't identify a word as being misspelled because the word, while incorrect for its intended usage in the sentence, is spelled correctly. Words to watch out for include:
Your (possessive) — You're (contraction of
You are )Their (possessive) — They're (contraction of
They are ) — There (adverb)Conscience (a sense or right or wrong) — Conscious (a state of awareness)
Affect (verb) — Effect (noun)
Accept (verb, meaning
to agree ) — Except (preposition, meaningto exclude )Advice (noun) — Advise (verb)
Because your word processor's spell checker isn't likely to find these types of errors, make sure you proofread your manuscript. Some writers read their work aloud. Others will have their work read by a critique partner. Often, another set of eyes can catch things that you may have overlooked.
