Your Next Draft

You Can't Skip Learning How to Write a Novel. Here's Why


Listen Later

Before you can master writing great stories, you have to learn to craft great stories.

When I was fifteen, I got my learner’s permit and began learning how to drive a car.

This made me very unhappy.

See, I wanted to know how to drive a car. I didn’t want to learn to drive a car.

Knowing how to drive a car was fun, freeing, and exciting. Learning to drive a car was dangerous, tedious, dangerous, difficult, and also dangerous.

Writers, I find, feel the same way about writing great books.

Writers want to write great books. They don’t want to learn how to write great books.

The stakes aren’t life or death. But the sentiment is the same.

And just like fifteen-year-old me, writers face an uncomfortable truth:

You can’t skip the learning stage of skill development. If you want to write great books, you have to spend time learning to write great books.

In this episode, I’m digging into what it really takes to learn the skill of writing great books—and how to know when you’ve mastered it.

You’ll learn:

  • The 2 stages of skill development I see in writers
  • Why you just can’t skip the learning stage (no matter how much we all want to!)
  • 3 features of the learning stage (yes, features, not bugs!)
  • And more!

The amazing book you want to craft is on the other side of the learning stage.

Check out the episode and build the skills that empower you to write it.

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

612 Listeners

Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland

Helping Writers Become Authors

967 Listeners

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

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

218 Listeners

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

Writing Excuses

1,294 Listeners

What Should I Read Next? by Anne Bogel

What Should I Read Next?

5,092 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

294 Listeners

Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings by Oprah and Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle: Essential Teachings

3,775 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy

1,371 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

2,871 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

724 Listeners

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

Book Talk, etc.

572 Listeners

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

356 Listeners

Writers on Writing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone

Writers on Writing

60 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

13 Listeners