Your Next Draft

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 of my favorite movie moments. It’s a scene that captures emotion so powerfully that even a tiny clip out of context can give you chills.

You’ll learn:

• How Spider-Man packs so much emotion into 2 short minutes
• Why explosive action alone isn’t enough to make your readers feel
• The simple formula to create transcendent emotional experiences for your readers
• And more!

Don’t worry—this episode contains no spoilers for the newest Spider-Man movie. Listen to it completely spoiler-free.

(Then, go watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for another masterclass in creating emotion!)

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch the clip here

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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’s what I’m sharing in this episode.

You’ll learn:

• 3 different ways to make a scene list (I use ALL of these at various times!)
• When—and why!—to use each one
• The pros and cons of each type
• When in your editing process you should make a scene list
• And more!

This is a meaty episode, which isn’t really a surprise—I have a lot to say about scene lists!

And by the end of the episode, you’ll be ready to sit down, pull up your manuscript and your favorite scene list template (yes, I’ll give you two templates in the episode), and make a scene list of your very own.

Links mentioned in the episode: 

• Download the Scene List Templates: alicesudlow.com/list
• Ep. 29: 4 Ways to Use a Scene List, Your Indispensable Editing Tool
• Ep. 30: 2 Simple Strategies to Format Your Scene List
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story

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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 the spreadsheet.

You’ll learn:

• The pros and cons of document and spreadsheet scene lists
• Why I use BOTH kinds of scene lists when I edit novels
• How to keep your scene list super simple
• What to track when you want to make your scene list more complex
• And more!

Plus, I’ve created not one, but two scene list templates: a document template and a spreadsheet template.

Get the templates and start creating your own scene list here: alicesudlow.com/list

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Scene List Template Bundle: alicesudlow.com/list
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story
• Ep. 29: 4 Reasons Why a Scene List is Your Most Powerful Editing Tool

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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 scene list is your map to all your revisions. Here’s how to make the most of it.

If you’re doing a developmental edit on your manuscript, you need a scene list. Seriously—I can’t think of a single book I’ve edited without one.

Why? What makes a scene list so essential?

That’s what I’m covering in this episode of Your Next Draft.

You’ll learn:

• 4 ways that a scene list will make your editing process clearer, easier, and less overwhelming
• How to use a scene list to plan your edits BEFORE you change a single word in your novel
• The magic of condensing an 80,000-word manuscript into just a few pages
• And more!

Plus, I’m sharing the story of my first-ever professional editing gig—and what happened when I didn’t make a scene list. (This lesson has stuck with me ever since!)

I know it’s tricky to condense an entire novel into just a few words. But a scene list is worth the effort it takes to create. Take a listen, and I’ll show you why.

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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Is your novel ready to publish? Here’s how to tell when you’re finally done editing.

One of the hardest parts of writing a book is knowing when to let go.

After all, you don’t want to write just any book. You want to write something amazing!

But at the same time, you could tinker with your manuscript forever, always finding something new to change. And if you’re always editing . . . well, you’ll never publish.

So how do you know when you’re done?

This question is really personal, and it differs from writer to writer and editor to editor. Your answer might be different from mine, and that’s okay!

In this episode, I’m going to share the strategies I use to help my clients know when their books are done.

You’ll learn:

• 9 questions to see whether your book is ready to publish (yes, I made a checklist!)
• The one MOST important factor that can help you decide
• Who has the final say over when your book is done (hint: it’s you!)
• What to do if you’re a perfectionist who struggles to let creative projects go (like me 🙋🏻‍♀️)
• And more!

Be sure to grab the checklist I created to help you determine when your book is ready to publish. Get the checklist here »

I also mention several other episodes of Your Next Draft that will help you further explore the nine questions I ask in this episode. Listen to those episodes at the links below.

Also, I'd love to know how YOU know when you're done! Head over to this post on Instagram or this post on Facebook and leave a comment to share.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Get the Finished Book Checklist: alicesudlow.com/done-checklist
• Ep. 24: 5 Ways to Get Feedback on Your Writing for Free
• Ep. 21: How to Identify Your Protagonist's Want and Need (And Why Those Matter to Your Plot)
• Ep. 25: 4-Act Structure: The Simple Structure to Edit Your Novel (And Why 3 Acts Aren’t Enough)
• Ep. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story
• Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing Scenes
• “Art is never finished,

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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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Stories are about change. Here’s how to craft compelling change in every scene, act, and novel.

In fact, change is one of the fundamental things—maybe the fundamental thing—that makes stories useful, interesting, and fun.

How do you make sure something changes in your story? And not just any change, but the right change?

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite editing concepts: the value shift.

Master value shifts, and you’ll find that crafting the perfect change in every story you write becomes . . . well, almost easy.

And in this episode, I’ll show you how. You’ll learn:

• Why we NEED change in EVERY story
• 4 best practices to identify the perfect value shift
• 2 types of change you’ll find in every scene, act, and novel
• 3 exercises you can use right away to apply value shifts to your writing (and life!)
• And more!

Plus, I’ve created a free resource to make finding changes in your story even easier. It’s called the Value Shift Word Bank.

In it, you’ll find all the value shifts that happen in the novels I’ve been editing lately. Use it to help you spot your own value shifts—or find the perfect value shift to add to your story!

Get the Value Shift Word Bank here »

This episode is one of my favorites. Value shifts are the foundation of everything I do as an editor. I’m always, always asking: what changes in this story?

I can’t wait to share this essential approach to crafting change in stories with you!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch the opening scene of How to Train Your Dragon
• Get the Value Shift Word Bank: alicesudlow.com/value

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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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Overwhelmed by your novel? Try these five strategies to edit with confidence.

Sometimes, editing your novel feels really scary.

Yep, I said it. Sometimes, you get overwhelmed. You feel stuck. You wonder, do you even have what it takes to edit a book?

I’m a professional editor, and even I feel that way sometimes. Right now, I’m working on a new novel from a fantastic author. And halfway through, I started wondering . . . is this book too good for me to edit it? Is it beyond me?

In fact, I got so nervous about it that I actually paused in the middle of the book to write this episode!

If you’ve ever doubted yourself while editing your novel, this episode is for you.

In it, you’ll learn:

• 2 major ways the prospect of editing a novel can be overwhelming
• 5 strategies to bust through the overwhelm and edit like a pro
• Your greatest strength when it comes to editing your novel
• When to stop editing alone and call in help
• Why you DO have what it takes (even if you’ve NEVER edited a book before!)
• The most important thing to STOP doing (even though it’s really hard to let it go!)
• And more!

You have what it takes to edit your book. You have the perseverance, the love of great stories, and the passion it will take.

Don’t believe me? Listen to the episode and find out how to defeat the overwhelm.

Oh, and that book I’m editing?

After I created this episode, I went back to the book. I applied all five strategies you’ll hear in the episode.

And they worked!

I shared tons of feedback with the writer, and she loved it. It just took me a quick break and a few intentional strategies to break through the overwhelm and find the best feedback for her.

Because I have what it takes to edit a novel . . .

. . . and so do you.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Download the 10-step guide to edit your novel: alicesudlow.com/10steps
• For reasons to love editing, check out ep. 23: 3 Simple Steps to Edit Absolutely Anything in Your Novel

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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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Three acts aren’t enough. If you’re stuck in the middle of your story, try this four-act structure instead.

Recently, a writer told me she was stuck in the middle of her story.

She’d written the complete first draft. She’d gotten an editor’s feedback. She was editing her second draft, and she’d made it just past the fifty percent mark.

And then . . . she got stuck.

After all that, she had no idea what should come next. No idea how to make everything from the midpoint to the climax interesting.

So I gave her a solution: Split your story into four acts.

Three-act structure is our default approach to storytelling. But it’s not enough.

So I use four-act structure instead. And in this episode, I’ll tell you why.

You’ll learn:

• The critical flaw with three-act story structure
• Why four-act structure makes writing the middle of your story almost easy
• What each of the four acts must include (act three is my favorite!)
• And more!

If you’re feeling lost in the middle of your story, I invite you to listen in and discover a simple path to “The End.”

And even if you’re not feeling lost right now, give it a listen and get fresh inspiration for every part of your story.

By the way, that writer who was feeling stuck? She loved this four-act approach to stories . . . and so did everyone else in her writing group. Every single person told me some version of, “Oh! This makes so much sense. And I’m feeling so inspired now!”

What will you discover about your story with this four-act story structure?

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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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You can get fantastic feedback on your writing for free. But first, you need to know whom to seek out, when to ask for feedback, and what kind of feedback to ask for.

Ask the wrong people, and you’ll get uncritical praise, unhelpful critique, or even rejection.

But ask the right people . . .

Ask the right people, and you’ll get feedback that:

• Helps you finish your first draft
• Prepares you to work with an editor
• Helps you integrate a professional editor’s notes

You can even get the kind of feedback that professional editors can’t give you!

In this episode, I’ll show you where to find the right people to ask for free feedback. You’ll learn:

• 5 types of people who will give you feedback for free
• The pros and cons of each type of feedback
• When in the editing process you should seek out each type
• The people you should NOT ask for feedback
• How to combine free feedback and paid feedback for the greatest benefits
• And more!

Even if you plan to hire an editor, you can apply free feedback in strategic ways to craft your best book. Listen to the episode and I’ll show you how.

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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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Most writers miss this simple editing principle. But when you understand it, when you truly master it, you have the power to craft your best story.

Here it is:

When you’re doing a developmental edit on a story, you can change absolutely anything.

It sounds obvious, yet it’s so hard to do. In this episode, I’ll show you why—and share a simple three-step process that will give you editing superpowers.

You’ll learn:

• How to go beyond line edits and start editing story events
• 3 steps to make developmental editing almost easy
• How to figure out what your story is really about
• What to do when something’s not working in your story
• How to uncover infinite possibilities for your story
• How to choose the BEST plot points for every moment of your story
• Why this kind of editing is so FUN
• And more!

Plus, I’ll show you exactly how this editing process works with a real example.

I’ve chosen the best highlights from my editing session with Kim Kessler. Listen to us apply this process step-by-step to edit Kim’s scene.

Want to hear the full editing session? Listen to Kim’s edit here!

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear process to use to edit your own scenes—or even your entire novel. This is one you’ll want to save to revisit again and again!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Read the transcript of this episode
• Read the scene Kim and I edited
• Listen to Kim’s full editing session
• Meet Kim Kessler

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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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