Your editing process has more in common with building a business than you might think. Editing a novel and building a business . . . well, they’re actually not all that different. That’s something I’ve been thinking about all year. As I’ve coached writers through the editing process, I’ve been struck again and again by how similar novel editing and business building really are. After all, they’re both large creative projects. The kind that demand a lot: grit, perseverance, continual learning. An...
Dec 19, 2023•24 min•Ep. 59
The year’s most popular editing tip, plus four more strategies I don’t want you to miss. What’s the best editing tip you’ve learned this year? If you’ve been listening to Your Next Draft all year, there are quite a few to pick from—fifty, in fact. So in this episode, I’m taking a look back at this year on Your Next Draft. I’ve selected the top five editing tips from 2023, tips you can put to use in your writing right away. In it, you’ll hear: The most popular editing tip from 2023 The editing pr...
Dec 12, 2023•24 min•Ep. 58
What dozens of manuscripts and dozens of writers all have in common. This weekend, I celebrated the one year anniversary of launching my editing business. And since the one year mark is a pretty major milestone, and we’re nearing the end of 2023, I’ve been looking back. I’ve edited dozens of novels and coached dozens of writers this year. And while the stories vary widely, there’s one theme I’ve encountered in them all—and it applies to your story, too. In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve lea...
Dec 05, 2023•14 min•Ep. 57
Four questions to make every scene of your novel un-put-down-able. Some of your scenes are really exciting. They’re the big ones, the reasons why your readers picked up your book: the first kiss, the epic battle, the discovery of the body. And some of your scenes . . . well, they’re the stuff that happens in between the exciting scenes. In those scenes, the story slows down. Sometimes it slows down a lot. To glacial pace. To “eh, maybe I’ll finish reading this later” pace. How do you keep your r...
Nov 28, 2023•21 min•Ep. 56
Make your readers care about your story by getting specific about what your protagonist wants—and why. What does your protagonist want? I bet you have an answer for that question. I also bet that your answer is a little . . . generic. See, the thing your protagonist wants is good . They might want to save a victim from a villain, or fall in love, or get a promotion, or solve a mystery. We all agree those are good things to want. But that doesn’t move us, doesn’t make us care about your protagoni...
Nov 21, 2023•24 min•Ep. 55
The 7 layers of analysis I use to edit a fourth draft of a novel. I don’t know about you, but right now, my schedule is full . My days are packed with editing. I have several manuscripts I’m absolutely loving on my desk right now, so many pages to read, and so many notes to share with writers. With all this editing, I didn’t have time to put together a typical episode of Your Next Draft for you. So . . . I’m doing something a little different today. I’ve decided to pull back the curtain on the e...
Nov 14, 2023•30 min•Ep. 54
The minimum viable character questionnaire to develop all your side characters. How do you flesh out a flat character? Create a cast your readers will fall in love with? Make each character realistic, well-developed, and believable? There are tons of character development questionnaires and personality tests and character sketch templates out there. They’ll ask you everything from “What’s your character’s deepest fear?” to “What’s their hair color?” to “What toppings do they most hate on pizza?”...
Nov 07, 2023•21 min•Ep. 53
Use the limitations of your POV to enhance your story. Your story’s point of view impacts everything . It shapes how your readers get access to information about your story. And it shapes what information they have access to. And since at its core, storytelling is just telling your reader information about a story, this is huge . In this episode, I’m tackling a common POV problem I’ve seen in many, many manuscripts. You’ll learn: 3 reasons why POV is so tricky to master The “easy out” POV writer...
Oct 31, 2023•15 min•Ep. 52
How to make the most of your editor’s feedback—even if you disagree with it. If you want to make the most of your editor’s feedback, there’s one phrase not to say. It’s natural. It’s normal. It’s something I’ve definitely said in other areas of my life. But when you’re collaborating with an editor to make your novel the best it can be, this phrase won’t help you. And in this episode, I’m sharing what this pesky phrase is and why it’s so dangerous. You’ll learn: One thing not to say to your edito...
Oct 24, 2023•19 min•Ep. 51
How to developmentally edit absolutely ANY piece of writing. There’s an editing tip that applies to literally every kind of writing. Bold statement, I know. But I stand by it. Actually, “tip” is understating the matter. This “tip” is actually a mission-critical principle. It’s essential to every writing project. Also, it’s my current favorite writing and editing tool. Lately, I’ve been using this every single time I sit down to write something new, and every time I open up a draft to edit. What ...
Oct 17, 2023•28 min•Ep. 50
A simple decision-making framework to help you find YOUR best writing path. Yesterday, I shared a framework to help you make any decision about your writing career. Well—yesterday, I shared part one of that framework. And today, I’m back on the podcast with part two! In yesterday’s episode, I coached you through how to identify your values in your writing. What’s truly important to you? And in today’s episode, I’ll coach you through identifying your needs. What do you need most in your writing, ...
Oct 11, 2023•24 min•Ep. 49
How to answer the question, “When should I work with an editor?” Hire an editor. Join a writing course. Work with a book coach. Gather beta readers. Join a writing group. There are so many resources to help you write and edit an amazing novel. This is great news when you know exactly what resource you need. If you need a very specific type of support, I can almost guarantee that it exists. But it’s terrible news when you don’t know what you need. When you don’t know what to look for, all the opt...
Oct 10, 2023•27 min•Ep. 48
See the masterful story structure that undergirds the opening scene of How to Train Your Dragon . Great stories are built on great story structure. And my favorite story structure framework is one that you can apply on every level of story. It’s called the six elements of story, and it’s an editing tool you can use on every layer of your story. To prove it, I’m doing a deep dive into the structure of How to Train Your Dragon . First, I broke down the six elements of the movie as a whole. Then, I...
Oct 03, 2023•25 min•Ep. 47
The story structure that makes the first act of How to Train Your Dragon work. One of my favorite things about the six elements of story structure is the fact that they work everywhere . You can use them to structure your entire novel. You can use them to structure each act. And you can use them to structure each scene. And to prove it, I’m breaking down the first act of How to Train Your Dragon to show you the six elements at work. You’ll learn: What values shift in the first act (and why those...
Sep 26, 2023•24 min•Ep. 46
See the story structure that makes this brilliant movie work. The six elements of story are the essentials of great story structure. And in the last few episodes of Your Next Draft, I’ve shared a lot of theory about them: what they are, how they work, and where to use them. But theory only gets you so far. Story structure makes a lot more sense when you can see it at work. So in this episode, I’m breaking down the movie How to Train Your Dragon so you can see the six elements in practice. You’ll...
Sep 19, 2023•26 min•Ep. 45
How to use one story structure tool to edit every part of your story. The best story structure is the one you can apply to your story. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been discussing a lot of story theory on the podcast. Today, I’m getting back to application . In this episode, I’ll show you three ways to apply the six elements of story to your novel. You’ll learn: How to apply one story structure to your story in three ways How I edit even the smallest moments of a story to make them punchy ...
Sep 12, 2023•17 min•Ep. 44
The story structure framework I use in every story I edit. What do fractals and nesting dolls have to do with story structure? More than you might think. Last week on the podcast, I shared my favorite story structure framework. It’s the same structure I use with all my one-on-one clients and in every novel I edit. But I didn’t tell you why . Why is it so powerful? Why do I use it in every story? Why do I love it so much that I’m still talking about it on the podcast? In this episode, you’ll find...
Sep 05, 2023•16 min•Ep. 43
A simple, flexible story structure framework that works for every kind of story. Great stories are built on great story structure . And while there are a lot of story structure systems out there . . . . . . I do have a favorite. It’s one that I use every single day in my editing. I apply it to every story I edit. And it works every time. In this episode, I’m breaking it all down for you. You’ll learn: The 6 moments every great story includes How to apply my most popular worksheet to more than ju...
Aug 29, 2023•20 min•Ep. 42
Story theory doesn’t sap creativity—it helps us reflect truths about the human experience in our art. When you edit a novel, much of your job is to use story theory to evaluate what’s working and what’s not. But often, I find that this makes writers uncomfortable. They’re afraid that applying story theory will suck the life, creativity, and originality out of storytelling. Have you ever felt that way? Ever wondered whether the storytelling principles you use (even the ones I share here on this p...
Aug 22, 2023•18 min•Ep. 41
Build a reading habit that helps you edit amazing novels. “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” This quote from Stephen King gets shared a lot in writer circles. But I have a confession: when I became an editor, I fell into a reading slump. Worse, I stayed in the slump for several years. (After all, Stephen King was talking about writers, not editors, right?) Last year, I read 58 books, nearly three times the books I read the year befo...
Aug 15, 2023•22 min•Ep. 40
Does your story’s climax solve a problem that’s different from the one you have? The last thing you want is for the ending of your novel to disappoint your readers. Yet as an editor, I’ve seen my fair share of disappointing endings. And in this episode, I’m sharing one of the most common problems I see with endings that just don’t work. You’ll learn: What happens when your story pays off something you didn’t set up 4 questions to ask to spot this problem in your story How to choose what your sto...
Aug 08, 2023•19 min•Ep. 39
Your characters MUST take action in every scene. Look out for scenes where they don’t. I’ve edited hundreds of scenes. (In fact, editing scenes is one of my favorite things to do!) In all that editing, I’ve picked up on some patterns. Things that work really well in scene after scene—and common pitfalls that many scenes fall into. And in this episode, I’m sharing one common scene mistake I often see. If your scenes get this wrong, they’ll be . . . boring . And no one wants to read a boring scene...
Aug 01, 2023•18 min•Ep. 38
Gotten feedback from an editor? Use this process to turn developmental feedback into actionable edits. One of the most exciting moments in your book writing journey is the day that you get feedback from an editor. But just getting feedback isn’t enough. Once you get it, you have to apply it. And the challenge of applying your editor’s feedback can feel . . . intimidating. Scary. Overwhelming. How do you do it? How do you cut through the overwhelm and apply your feedback with confidence? That’s w...
Jul 25, 2023•25 min•Ep. 37
Your story has the power to shape the way your readers think. So what is it communicating? That’s the topic of this episode. In it, I’m sharing why storytelling is absolutely essential for humanity, plus the responsibility—and honor—that gives you as an author. You’ll learn: Why your writing is a gift to the world 6 stories I love and how they’ve shaped me Why it’s YOUR responsibility to weave a point into your story—and where that responsibility ends How author and reader collaborate to create ...
Jul 18, 2023•14 min•Ep. 36
A prolific author shares her editing process and strategies for designing the process that works for you. There are as many ways to edit novels as there are writers. Which editing process is best? The one that works for you . The process you customize, refine, and repeat, novel after novel after novel. And in this episode, we’re talking about how to create your very own editing process. I’ve invited my client JD Edwin, author of the Headspace trilogy, to share the process she’s developed and her...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 35
Two editors break down how Spider-Man creates a transcendent moment of triumph that feels like story magic. Last month, I asked a big question: How do you make your readers feel ? See, the writers I work with are telling fantastic stories. But often, those stories are missing some essential piece, some spark of magic that captures my emotions and makes me laugh, cry, swoon, grieve, worry, or—well— feel anything at all. So I turned to a scene that does make me feel. It’s a brilliant moment from S...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 34
The best stories capture our emotions and make us feel so deeply, it seems like magic. The good news is, it’s not magic. Want to make your readers feel? There’s a simple three-step process to do just that. And in this, I’m sharing that process with you. You’ll learn: Why explosive action is NOT enough to make your readers feel How to figure out what emotion you want to create for your readers How to make your readers care about something as large as a life-altering leap or as small as a broken p...
Jun 27, 2023•28 min•Ep. 33
The magic of storytelling is in making your readers feel. Here’s how great stories capture emotion. One of my favorite questions to ask writers is, “What does success mean to you?” And usually, I hear some version of the following: You want to make readers feel. You want them to fall in love with your book. You want to make them laugh, to make them cry, to make them feel fear and excitement and relief and catharsis. Sound like you? You’ll love this episode. In it, I’m taking a close look at one ...
Jun 20, 2023•23 min•Ep. 32
A flexible method to create a scene list with exactly the information you need—no more, no less. For the last few weeks, I’ve been touting the magic of scene lists. Because I do think they’re magic, or pretty darn close to it. The simple scene list is one of my absolute favorite editing tools. I wouldn’t know how to edit a book without one! So far, I’ve covered why it’s worth making one, plus two ways to format it. And it’s all been leading up to this: how to actually make your scene list. That’...
Jun 13, 2023•26 min•Ep. 31
Plus, two scene list templates for you to download and customize. Your scene list is infinitely customizable. It can be as simple or as complex as you like. And you have a lot of choices when it comes to how you’ll create it and what information you’ll include. Your first choice? What format you’ll use. My first-ever scene lists were created with paper and pen. But I recommend you use something a little more robust. In this episode, I’ll share my two favorite scene list formats: the document and...
Jun 06, 2023•14 min•Ep. 30
