Your Next Draft

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 just scenes
• Why a piece of story we talk about the least is actually one of my favorites
• The story structure tools that will empower you to tell absolutely any story you want
• And more!

When I learned this framework, it transformed my entire approach to editing. That’s not a hyperbole—learning this made all the difference for me.

I practice it every time I pick up a story. And I’m always discovering new insights it offers into what makes story work.

And who knows? Maybe this will become your favorite approach to story structure, too!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Scene Analysis Worksheet (and use it for more than just scenes!): alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• Ep. 15: How Long Should it Take for Your Character to Make a Decision?
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story

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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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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 podcast!) might make your story too predictable, formulaic, and—gasp—boring?

If so, then you’ll love today’s episode of Your Next Draft.

In it, you’ll learn:

• Where story theory actually comes from
• Why story theory works so darn well
• How to test story theory and see how it works—in the real world
• Why using story theory doesn’t have to make your story boring
• And more!

Full confession: this episode was inspired by a moment when I was confronted with story theory in my own life. In fact, my therapist told me something I’ve said to you many times here on this podcast!

So this episode is a little more personal than I typically get here on the podcast. But that moment was such a perfect illustration of why story theory works that I just have to share it with you.

Enjoy this glimpse into how my editor brain works. And see if you can spot story theory around you in your own life!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing Scenes
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story
• Ep. 32: How Spider-Man (And All Great Stories) Makes Us Laugh, Cry, and Feel the Feels
• Ep. 33: The 3-Step Formula to Evoke Emotion and Make Your Readers Feel
• Ep. 34: Extended Edition: How Spider-Man’s Leap of Faith Makes Us Feel Triumphant

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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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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 before. And this year, I’m on track to surpass that again.

So in this episode, I’m sharing all about how to read in a way that benefits your writing and editing.

How did I get out of the reading slump? And how has reading more impacted my editing? It’s all in the episode.

You’ll learn:

• 5 strategies to use your reading to improve your editing
• The mindset shift that transformed how I read
• The 4 types of books I recommend you read
• How to gamify your reading (and why I’m so fun to watch movies with)
• How complicated it used to be to listen to audiobooks (I felt ancient describing this, but it was not that long ago)

Plus, a few years ago, I created a robust reading tracker spreadsheet so I can quickly reference books when I’m editing. Want to steal my reading tracker? Download my "Read Like an Editor" Reading Tracker here.

Let’s be honest: you and I are in the book industry because we love stories.

I hope this episode gives you strategies to leverage your reading in your editing process.

But more than that, I hope it inspires you and helps you reinvigorate your own reading habit.

Happy reading!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Download my “Read Like an Editor” Reading Tracker: alicesudlow.com/reading-tracker

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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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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 story is really about
• How getting clear on your story’s subplot will help you fix a disappointing ending
• And more!

When I’m working with writers, I often say something like this:

“It feels like this story is solving a problem that’s different from the one we have.”

In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what that means—and how you can spot this issue and fix it in your story.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing Scenes

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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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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!

But not to worry—in today’s episode, I’ll show you how to spot this common error and fix it.

You’ll learn:

• The very first question I ask when I’m editing a scene
• Why your characters must DO something in every scene
• One critical mistake I see in scenes (is this happening in your scenes?)
• 5 prompts you can use to fix that problem anywhere you find it
• And more!

Plus, in the episode, I’ll tell you how you can download my most popular editing resource, the Scene Analysis Worksheet.

It includes all the questions I ask when I’m editing a scene so you can polish your scenes like a pro.

Listen to the episode, grab the worksheet, and go master editing scenes!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get my feedback on your scene: alicesudlow.com/scene-critique
• Get the Scene Analysis Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• Ep. 23: 3 Simple Steps to Edit Absolutely Anything in 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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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 what this episode is all about.

In it, I’m sharing the three-step process I recommend to my one-on-one clients. You’ll learn:

• What NOT to do right after you get feedback
• Where the REAL work of editing happens
• When to use my favorite editing tool, the trusty scene list
• The bonus fourth step you can add to this process
• And more!

If you’ve ever received developmental feedback on your novel, this is how I recommend you put it to use.

I hope that this takes a little bit of the overwhelm out of the process and helps you create an editing plan that works for you.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the FREE 10-step guide to edit a novel: alicesudlow.com/10steps
• How to Create an Editing Process That Works for You With Author JD Edwin
• 3 Simple Steps to Edit Absolutely Anything in Your Novel

The scene list series:

• 4 Ways to Use a Scene List, Your Indispensable Editing Tool
• 2 Simple Strategies to Format Your Scene List
• 3 Ways to Create a Scene List That Makes Your Editing Process (Almost) Easy

The scene editing series:

• What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing Scenes
• 5 Essential Questions to Fix Boring Scenes
• How to Edit a Scene of a Novel, Part 1
• How to Edit a Scene of a Novel, Part 2

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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 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 meaning
• And more!

Your writing is powerful. It carries great meaning. And it will have an impact on your readers.

It’s up to you to shape what that meaning will be.

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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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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 best tips for finding what works for you.

You’ll hear:

• The step-by-step editing process JD Edwin has developed over the course of writing, editing, and publishing three novels
• How to develop an editing system that works for YOU (and let go of what doesn’t work!)
• When JD Edwin shares her book with alpha readers, plus the kind of feedback she wants on early drafts
• How JD Edwin decided it was time to send her novel to a developmental editor, plus the mindset that helped this step feel less scary
• Why JD Edwin has come to enjoy editing—and the mindset that keeps her going when editing gets tough
• And more!

JD is honestly one of the most productive authors I know—so productive that it’s almost a little intimidating.

Take a listen to our conversation and get tips and inspiration to try in your own editing process!

Links mentioned in the episode:

Find full show notes, including timestamps of key topics, here

Read JD Edwin’s books and find her online:

• Purchase Orb Hunters and the full Headspace series
• Find JD Edwin on her website and subscribe to her newsletter: jdedwin.com
• Join JD Edwin’s Facebook group
• Email JD Edwin at [email protected]

Read the Write Great Fiction series and learn how to develop your own editing process:

• Plot & Structure
• Dialogue
• Description & Setting
• Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint
• Revision & Self-Editing

Listen to Your Next Draft:

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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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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 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

First, I broke down exactly how that scene creates a sense of triumph so strong, it’s almost palpable.

Then, I laid out the three-step formula I’m using with my clients right now to help them do the same thing in their stories.

And when I finished recording those episodes . . . well, I still had more to say.

So I turned to my editor colleague Kim Kessler, who loves this movie as much as I do. And I invited her to grab a mic and join me for an intensely detailed breakdown of how exactly this scene creates story magic.

Kim and I cover:

• How this scene fits in the story as a whole—and why it’s so important
• Where the scene actually begins and ends (we had different takes on this!)
• What values shift in this scene (this was weirdly difficult for me to pinpoint!)
• The way that every single element, from the shots in the scene to the lines of dialogue to the colors and even the frame rate, contributes to the emotional experience we feel as viewers (and how writers can do this as well!)
• And more!

Consider this the uncut (or at least, much, much less cut) behind-the-scenes version of those previous two episodes.

In it, you’ll hear tons of editing concepts I’ve talked about on the podcast, all put into action and applied to a brilliant scene.

Kim and I had a blast breaking down every nuance of this scene, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. More importantly, I hope it helps you craft stories your readers love just as much.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Go deeper in this episode:

• Watch the scene we’re studying
• Get a breakdown of the important takeaways, including time stamps

Catch up on the previous episodes in this Spider-Man series:

• Ep. 32: How Spider-Man (And All Great Stories) Makes Us Laugh, Cry, and Feel the Feels
• Ep. 33: The 3-Step Formula to Evoke Emotion and Make Your Readers Feel

Follow editor Kim Kes

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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 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 pencil
• And more!

Want to make your readers laugh? Cry? Swoon? Shake with fear? The whole range of human emotion is at your fingertips. Find out how to create any emotion you like in the episode.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Scene Analysis Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story
• Ep. 32: How Spider-Man (And All Great Stories) Makes Us Laugh, Cry, and Feel the Feels

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 »