Your Next Draft

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 feelHow to figure out what emotion you want to create for your readersHow to make your readers care about something as large as a life-altering leap or as small as a broken pencilAnd 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/sceneworksheetEp. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every StoryEp. 32: How Spider-Man (And All Great Stories) Makes Us Laugh, Cry, and Feel the FeelsSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 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 minutesWhy explosive action alone isn’t enough to make your readers feelThe simple formula to create transcendent emotional experiences for your readersAnd 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 hereSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 »

Discover three different methods to create a scene list, the importance of scene summaries, analyzing value shifts in scenes, creating a detailed scene list for novel editing, and tips for creating an effective scene list for editing.

Explore the significance of scene lists in the editing process. Learn about two scene list formats, document, and spreadsheet. Discover the pros and cons of each format, how to keep your scene list simple, and what to track for complexity. Get access to scene list templates to kickstart your editing process.

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 overwhelmingHow to use a scene list to plan your edits BEFORE you change a single word in your novelThe magic of condensing an 80,000-word manuscript into just a few pagesAnd 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 ScenesSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 »

Discover how to determine when you're finished editing your novel. Topics covered include using a checklist to evaluate readiness for publication, the importance of achieving the desired emotional response, and finding the balance between perfectionism and letting go.

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 story4 best practices to identify the perfect value shift2 types of change you’ll find in every scene, act, and novel3 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 DragonGet the Value Shift Word Bank: alicesudlow.com/valueSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 »

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 overwhelming5 strategies to bust through the overwhelm and edit like a proYour greatest strength when it comes to editing your novelWhen to stop editing alone and call in helpWhy 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/10stepsFor reasons to love editing, check out ep. 23: 3 Simple Steps to Edit Absolutely Anything in Your NovelSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 »

Learn why a four-act structure is essential in editing a novel, how it helps navigate the middle of the story, and the specific purpose of each act. Explore the benefits of four-act structure over traditional three-act structure and the progression from Act 2 to Act 3. Discover the importance of change and how the fourth act showcases the protagonist's transformation. Apply this structure to your own stories with a writing exercise.

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 draftPrepares you to work with an editorHelps you integrate a professional editor’s notesYou 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 freeThe pros and cons of each type of feedbackWhen in the editing process you should seek out each typeThe people you should NOT ask for feedbackHow to combine free feedback and paid feedback for the greatest benefitsAnd 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.Send me a Text Message!Support the showRate, 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 »