Your Next Draft

Ask This Question When You’re Overwhelmed by Your Story


Listen Later

Escape analysis paralysis with one powerful question. It’s deceptively simple—and yet it unlocks everything.

If you’re like most of the writers I work with, you’re pretty savvy about story structure. You know your Story Grid, your Save the Cat!, your Hero’s Journey. You’ve probably analyzed your story six ways to Sunday, and you’ve got the spreadsheets and outlines and diagrams and graphs to prove it.

And all that analysis has leveled up your story significantly. You’ve solved major structural problems by applying your extensive knowledge of story theory.

But I also bet there are still some issues nagging at you. Issues that you still can’t crack, no matter how many times you map every act and arc in your story on a spreadsheet.

In fact, if you’re still spreadsheeting your story by this point, you’re probably starting to spin out a little. You’ve analyzed and analyzed and analyzed again, and now all that story structure that was supposed to make revising your story clear and straightforward has turned against you, leaving you overwhelmed and lost.

What if you could break through all that overwhelm and find your footing in your story again?

What if you could snap out of analysis paralysis and reconnect with your characters and the inspiration that compelled you to write in the first place?

And what if you could do all of that by asking just one deceptively simple question?

You can, I promise. And in this episode, I’ll show you how.

Links mentioned in the episode:

  • Get the question that unlocks everything in a printable format: alicesudlow.com/79
  • Go deeper in character development: How to Flesh Out Flat Characters With Just 4 Questions
  • Go deeper in my favorite story structure: The 6 Essential Elements of Every Novel, Act, and Scene

Send me a Text Message!

Support the show

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love Alice and Your Next Draft." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers through the mess—and joy—of the editing process. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap the stars to rate, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Loving the show? Show your support with a monthly contribution »

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Your Next DraftBy Alice Sudlow

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

57 ratings


More shows like Your Next Draft

View all
The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

608 Listeners

Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland

Helping Writers Become Authors

963 Listeners

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

207 Listeners

Writing Excuses by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Writing Excuses

1,284 Listeners

What Should I Read Next? by Anne Bogel

What Should I Read Next?

5,080 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

292 Listeners

Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings by Oprah and Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

3,770 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy

1,365 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

2,747 Listeners

The Dialogue Doctor Podcast by Jeff Elkins

The Dialogue Doctor Podcast

18 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

686 Listeners

Book Talk, etc. by Tina @tbretc and Hannah @hanpickedbooks

Book Talk, etc.

579 Listeners

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

345 Listeners

Writers on Writing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone

Writers on Writing

59 Listeners

Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopian Novel by Heather Davis, Writing Coach, Book Coach, and Developmental Editor

Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopian Novel

12 Listeners