Your Next Draft

It sounds scary, but it’s actually MAJOR editing progress.

What if the best way to make progress on your novel . . .

. . . is to go back to the beginning?

Sometimes, the most effective editing strategy is a page one rewrite.

Yes, that means exactly what it sounds like. You open a blank document and begin writing an entirely fresh manuscript.

It might feel like you’re moving backwards. But you’re not. And in this episode, I’m going to prove it to you.

You’ll learn:

• Why I CELEBRATE when a writer starts a page one rewrite (and why you should too!)
• Why going back to the beginning is an unavoidable part of the editing process
• 2 tips to help you make the most of a page one rewrite
• Why your previous draft isn’t wasted (even if you’re starting fresh with a blank page!)
• And more!

If a page one rewrite is your best next step, consider this episode your pep talk.

You’ve got this. And it’s going to be so, so worth it.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Ep. 61: What It REALLY Means to Make Progress Editing Your Novel

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"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!

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Editing progress doesn’t always look like you’d expect. Here’s how to recognize it.

If your editing is going great, you’ll enjoy this episode. Honestly, though, if editing feels like the worst thing in the world right now, you’ll love this episode even more.

Here’s what’s in store: How do you know whether you’re really making progress editing your novel?

In the episode, you’ll learn:

• Why editing progress does NOT look like what you might expect
• What counts as editing progress
• The two things that DON’T count as progress
• And more!

If you’re feeling stuck, stagnant, or overwhelmed, don’t miss this episode.

I hope it gives you just the boost you need to start this year of writing and editing strong.

One more thing: This year, I’m moving Your Next Draft to a biweekly podcasting schedule. Rather than sharing a new episode every week, I’ll have a new episode every other week.

I’m making this shift to allow me to spend more time with my editing clients. You’ll still get to hear from me on the podcast! I’ll still be sharing the same actionable editing content designed to help you navigate your own novel editing process.

It’ll just be every other week rather than every week.

To hear more about this shift, check out the episode.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Join my email list for weekly editing tips: alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• Join my waitlist and be the first to know about my openings for new editing clients: alicesudlow.com/waitlist

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"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!

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Here’s what happens when you absolutely NAIL IT in your story.

Sometimes, you just nail it.

The ideas click. The words flow. The revision works.

Those days are my favorite days to give my clients feedback. When the pieces finally fall into place and the story is transformed for the better.

On those days, I get to share my most joyful editing feedback.

And in this episode, I’m sharing that feedback with you.

You’ll learn:

• Why objective and subjective feedback are essential for great stories
• The difference between your assessment of your story, your beta readers’ assessment, and your editor’s assessment
• What happens when you and I both know your revision works
• And more!

Most of all, though, in this episode, I’m celebrating you. I’m celebrating all the hard work and incredible progress you’ve made in your editing this year.

It’s a short one, but a good one, and a great way to wrap up your year of writing.

Happy editing, and I’ll see you in 2024!

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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!

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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. And the kind that lead to incredible rewards for those with the courage to pursue them.

Which means the lessons I’ve learned in this year of building my business also apply to you in your writing. (And I’ve learned a lot of things!)

In this episode, I’m sharing five of my business-building lessons that will apply to your novel, too.

You’ll learn:

• Why you might be closer to building your own business than you think
• My #1 marketing tip for a business or a book
• The mistake I made at the beginning of my business and how I’m fixing it now (hint: frozen burritos may be delicious, but they are not entirely nutritious)
• And more!

Your Next Draft is all about inviting you in to the editing tools and strategies I’m using in my own editing practice. And in this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and getting a little more vulnerable than usual.

I hope this inspires you to reflect on your year of writing and editing, too. What have you learned this year? What new editing wisdom are you taking into 2024?

Links mentioned in the episode:

• For a podcast all about building an editing business, check out The Editing Podcast with Louise Harnby and Denise Cowle.

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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!

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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 principle I use with every manuscript and every client
• The editing strategy a client pitched me (that has since become one of my favorite tools!)
• And more!

It’s been a great year on the podcast. I can’t wait to share more editing strategies with you in 2024!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get my Scene Analysis Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• Find J.D. Edwin’s books: jdedwin.com
• Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing Scenes
• Ep. 23: 3 Simple Steps to Edit Absolutely Anything in Your Novel
• Ep. 20: Listen in on a Real-Life Scene Edit with Author and Editor Kim Kessler
• Ep. 33: The 3-Step Formula to Evoke Emotion and Make Your Readers Feel
• Ep. 35: How to Create an Editing Process That Works for You With Author JD Edwin
• Ep. 50: Use This One Editing Tip for Everything You Write

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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!

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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 learned from a year of coaching writers and editing novels.

You’ll hear:

• What new and experienced writers both have in common
• Why it’s helpful to you and me when I share everything I know about editing here on the podcast
• Why all the writing craft resources in the world can’t put editors out of business
• And more!

It’s been a wonderful year of editing, full of amazing stories and equally amazing writers. And I can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Want me to edit your novel? Reach out and tell me about your story: alicesudlow.com/contact

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 »

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 readers hooked? How do you keep them turning pages even during the scenes that are action-light and exposition-heavy?

In this episode, I’ll walk you through four questions to make sure even your “slow” scenes are un-put-down-able.

You’ll learn:

• How to evaluate whether a “slow” scene is even necessary—or if you can cut it entirely
• The 4-step process to edit your “slow” scenes to keep your readers hooked
• 2 things every “slow” scene needs
• And more!

Your story is worth reading from cover to cover. Here’s how to make sure you don’t lose your readers during a dull moment midway through.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Scene Analysis Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• See whether I’m the right editor for you: alicesudlow.com/contact
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story
• Ep. 11: How to Edit a Scene of a Novel, Part 1
• Ep. 42: The 6 Essential Elements of Every Novel, Act, and Scene

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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!

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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 protagonist and their goal, unless we know why they want it.

So in this episode, we’re digging in deep to find out not only what your character wants, but why they want it.

You’ll learn:

• The one question I love to ask to figure out what your character really wants
• Why generic wants won’t move your readers
• How to make your story stand out from the crowd by getting specific
• And more!

You might just discover new layers to your character you didn’t even know were there.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Character Arc Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/characterworksheet
• Ep. 21: How to Identify Your Protagonist's Want and Need (And Why Those Matter to Your Plot)

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 »

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 editing I’m doing right now, this week, on the manuscript I’m currently reading.

In this episode, you’ll get a glimpse of how I think about a manuscript as I edit it. You’ll see:

• The 7 (yes, 7!) levels of analysis I’m applying as I read
• The stage of the editing process this manuscript is in
• How I know what levels of editing are right for this manuscript at this stage
• The things I’m not editing in this manuscript right now
• That I really, really, really love editing (so much that I peaked on the mic a few times as I recorded. Sorry!)
• And more!

If you’ve ever wondered what a developmental editor is thinking when they’re editing a novel . . .

. . . well, this is it. These are my thoughts, almost in-the-moment, as I edit a manuscript I’m loving.

Huge shoutout to author J. D. Edwin, whose manuscript this episode is about, and who gave me the all clear to share a glimpse at our process together. She’ll be delighted if you check out her books at jdedwin.com.

They’re really good books. (Yes, I’m a bit biased, because I edited them. But still. They’re really good.)

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Check out J. D. Edwin’s books: jdedwin.com
• Listen to J. D. talk about her editing process: How to Create an Editing Process That Works for You With Author JD Edwin
• See whether I’m the right editor for your novel: alicesudlow.com/wishlist
• Reach out and let’s talk editing your novel: alicesudlow.com/contact

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!

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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?”

But you don’t need all those questions in order to create a richly-developed character. Truly, you don’t.

In this episode, I’m sharing the shortest possible character development exercise.

I call it the Minimum Viable Character Development Questionnaire. (There are more words in that title than questions in the questionnaire.)

You’ll learn:

• The 4 essential questions you need to answer to flesh out any character
• The most important element of characterization
• How to give a flat, unremarkable cast of side characters unique and memorable personalities
• And more!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Character Arc Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/characterworksheet
• Ep. 18: 2 Essential Questions to Craft a Compelling Character Arc
• Ep. 21: How to Identify Your Protagonist's Want and Need (And Why Those Matter to Your Plot)

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 »