Don't break a sentence.

dianeP · Feb 20, 2009

Sorry if this is a stupid question, or if it is in the wrong place.

In the submission guidelines of an agent, it says

Include 3-5 pages of the novel. Don't break a sentence.

What does that mean?

Bubastes · Feb 20, 2009

It means don't end your 3-5 writing sample in the middle of a sentence. Make sure the last sentence is complete.

Kitty Pryde · Feb 20, 2009

if you want to include five pages, and there's a half-sentence at the bottom of page five, either leave that sentence out, or add the top bit of page six that finishes the sentence. Don't end with half a sentence.

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2009

Say you want to send five pages of your novel but the end of page five takes you halfway through a sentence continued on page six - don't just send those five pages as they are.

I would send the first five pages up to and including the last complete sentence which ends on page five.

blacbird · Feb 20, 2009

All correct, although why an agent who wants to read 3-5 pages of manuscript should get bent over a partial sentence at the end of the last page strikes me as pretty anal.

caw

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2009

Imagine how pissed you'd be if page five ended, "...and the body was soon identified as-"

blacbird · Feb 20, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
Imagine how pissed you'd be if page five ended, "...and the body was soon identified as-"

If I liked the writing up to then, I'd request page six, at least.

caw

maestrowork · Feb 20, 2009

Your last sentence on page 3 or 5 should be complete. Delete everything after the last . or ? or ! or "

I wouldn't send 6 pages, though, because the agent asked for 3-5 pages specifically. You can send 3 pages, 4 pages, or 5, but not 6.

ccarver30 · Feb 20, 2009

Why the hell would someone have to tell you NOT to do that?!?

dianeP · Feb 20, 2009

ccarver30 said:
Why the hell would someone have to tell you NOT to do that?!?

That's just what I was thinking.

THANKS everyone!!

dianeP · Feb 20, 2009

ccarver30 said:
Why the hell would someone have to tell you NOT to do that?!?

That's what I was beginning to wonder. Funny, I never would have thought it meant that.

THANKS everyone!!!

Hildreth J. Little · Feb 20, 2009

Hi Diane. It means that (on Microsoft word): click on Format, click on paragraph, click on Line and page breaks...then the Widows/orphans control should be enabled. This tells the program not to break a sentence at the end of the page.
I've heard tell that agents don't like to be forced to turn a page in order to finish reading a sentence.

blacbird · Feb 20, 2009

Hildreth J. Little said:
Hi Diane. It means that (on Microsoft word): click on Format, click on paragraph, click on Line and page breaks...then the Widows/orphans control should be enabled. This tells the program not to break a sentence at the end of the page.
I've heard tell that agents don't like to be forced to turn a page in order to finish reading a sentence.

Most manuscript preparation advice I've seen recommends the widows/orphans option be turned off, in order to keep the number of lines on every page equal. How many books have you read where you've been annoyed at turning a page to finish a sentence? Go look at books and see if you can find even one where this format is followed.

caw

FennelGiraffe · Feb 20, 2009

Widows & orphans control doesn't have anything to do with sentences. It prevents paragraphs from being broken in such a way as to leave a single line isolated at the top or bottom of a page.

maestrowork · Feb 21, 2009

FennelGiraffe said:
Widows & orphans control doesn't have anything to do with sentences. It prevents paragraphs from being broken in such a way as to leave a single line isolated at the top or bottom of a page.

Exactly. It prevents single lines from appearing at the top or bottom of a page.

Don't use that -- keep your ms. clean by having 25 lines per page.

With this submission, just cut 3-5 pages and delete the incomplete sentence at the end.

Siddow · Feb 21, 2009

maestrowork said:
Your last sentence on page 3 or 5 should be complete. Delete everything after the last . or ? or ! or "

Might be beneficial to delete the !, too.

Don't break a sentence.

dianeP

Bubastes

bananaed

Kitty Pryde

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scarletpeaches

blacbird

scarletpeaches

blacbird

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

ccarver30

Nicole Castro

dianeP

dianeP

Hildreth J. Little

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FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Siddow

I'm super! Thanks for asking