Your Next Draft

If you want readers to fall in love with your protagonist . . . . . . to remember them long after they finish your book . . .. . . then you need to craft a compelling character arc.To do that, you need to know: who is your protagonist?What makes them unique? How do they grow and change? Why is their story worth telling?And you can figure all that out by answering just two essential questions.These questions are deceptively simple. But when you dig in and explore them, you’ll learn so much about what challenges your character faces and all the ways they’ll grow.I ask these questions every time I work with a writer. And over and over, they lead us to breakthroughs about the writer’s protagonist—and the arc of their entire story.Ready for the questions? Listen in! You’ll learn:The two essential questions for brilliant character arcsMore than a dozen insights you’ll gain just by asking themHow to identify your character’s most important changeHow to use that change to shape your story’s plotAnd more!Plus, I’ll show you how I would answer these two questions for the character arc in a novel I love: LITTLE THIEVES by Margaret Owen.And I’ve created a worksheet to help you answer these questions for your character, too. Get the worksheet at alicesudlow.com/characterworksheet.Links mentioned in the episode:Get the Character Arc Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/characterworksheetLITTLE THIEVES by Margaret OwenSend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »

You can tell your story from any point of view you want. In fact, you can tell it from multiple points of view.So how many points of view should you use? What will most effectively communicate your story to your readers? And how many points of view is too many?That’s what this episode is all about. I’m breaking down the strengths and pitfalls of using multiple points of view.You’ll learn:How using multiple points of view can enhance the story2 pitfalls of having too many point of view charactersA simple principle to help you find the perfect number of points of view for your novel4 qualities of great point of view charactersAnd more!Plus, I’ll share examples of some multiple point of view novels I love—and what makes them work so well.Are you working on a multiple point of view novel? Use the questions in this episode to make sure every single point of view is serving your story well.And be sure to download the worksheet to get all those questions in one place. Grab the worksheet at alicesudlow.com/multipov.Links mentioned in the episode:THE GUEST LIST by Lucy FoleyWONDER by R. J. PalacioEp. 16: The Critical Point of View Mistake to Fix in Your Second DraftDownload the Multi POV Quiz: alicesudlow.com/multipovSend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 point of view you choose for your novel shapes the information that you give your readers. And it shapes how your readers receive and interpret that information.Which means your point of view actually shapes the story itself. And that’s a really big deal!The challenge is, point of view can be tricky to master. There are nearly unlimited ways you can craft your point of view. And there are just as many point of view mistakes you can make.In this episode, I’m sharing the most important mistake I see writers make in their point of view. Here it is:Being inconsistent.Ever find yourself accidentally switching between first person and third person point of view? Or between past and present? Or between multiple characters’ perspectives?Those are inconsistencies. And they’ll distract, confuse, and frustrate your readers.Not to worry, though! In this episode, you’ll learn:Why point of view inconsistencies matterHow to spot inconsistencies in your own writingWhen in the editing process you should correct point of view inconsistenciesWhat to do if you’re not sure you’ve caught them all (hint: don’t panic!)And more!Plus, I’ve put together a worksheet for you to reference and practice. In it, I’ll show you what a consistent point of view looks like, and how to spot an inconsistent point of view shift.Then, challenge yourself to spot all the point of view inconsistencies I’ve hidden in the practice exercise.Get the worksheet at alicesudlow.com/povworksheet and practice your point of view skills.Then, pull out a scene of your novel and clean up any point of view inconsistencies you find!Links mentioned in the episode:Point of View Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/povworksheetSend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 most important moment in your story is the moment when your protagonist is faced with a decision.Do this or do that? Stay or go? Speak or remain silent? Flee or fight?In fact, your protagonist will face dozens of decisions throughout your novel. They’ll face at least one in every scene: moments where they experience a crisis, when whatever happens next hinges on the decision they make.But how long should this moment take? Does your protagonist need to waffle between two options for several pages in every scene? Do they even need to know the full weight of what they’re deciding?In this episode, I’m sharing the art and science of the perfect crisis. You’ll learn:When to write a very long crisis and make your character’s decision-making process very clearHow to write a short and snappy crisis your reader might not even notice (but YOU know it’s there!)Why there MUST be consequences for your character’s choiceHow to include a crisis in every scene WITHOUT making your character annoyingly indecisiveHow to create far-reaching consequences of the crisis choice—even if your character can’t predict them in the momentAnd more!Plus, I’ll break down the opening scenes of two novels with very different crises.You’ll see how Natalie C. Parker writes a five-page-long crisis in Seafire—and why it works.And you’ll see how Naomi Novik writes a crisis so short you could blink and you’d miss it in Spinning Silver. Yet the choice the protagonist makes sparks the conflict of the whole book.A well-written crisis can be the absolute best moment in a scene. Find out how to master the crisis in this episode!This episode was inspired by a listener question from David. Thanks, David!Have an editing question you’d like answered? Send me an email at alice@alicesudlow.com with the subject line “Podcast Question,” and I’ll keep it in mind for future podcast episodes!Links mentioned in the episode:SEAFIRE by Natalie C. ParkerSPINNING SILVER by Naomi NovikEp. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Send me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »

Scenes and chapters are not the same.Scenes are the units of story writers use to craft amazing stories. They include one story event that moves the plot forward.Chapters are the units of story that readers see. Writers divide their books into chapters in a variety of ways in order to shape the way their readers experience the book.How do these work together? How can you craft chapters that are the best fit for your book?In this episode, I’ll show you three ways that authors divide their books into chapters. Plus, I’ll show you examples from novels ranging from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to Hank Green’s An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.You’ll learn:Why there’s no “right” number of scenes that must go in every chapter2 essential principles to help you organize the chapters in your bookHow the number of scenes in a chapter impacts the reader’s experience3 common ways authors organize scenes into chaptersAnd more!This isn’t a comprehensive list of every possible way to organize your chapters. Study your favorite novels, and you’ll find so many creative ways that authors arrange the chapters in their books.But the principles I’m sharing in this episode will be helpful to you no matter how you decide to organize your chapters.This episode was inspired by a listener question from Kathi. Thanks, Kathi!Have an editing question you’d like answered? Send me an email at alice@alicesudlow.com with the subject line “Podcast Question,” and I’ll keep it in mind for future podcast episodes!Links mentioned in the episode:Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing ScenesPRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane AustenSEAFIRE by Natalie C. ParkerRADIO SILENCE by Alice OsemanAN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING by Hank GreenSend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 how to use scene structure to plan and edit your scenes in writing. Explore the importance of value shifts in a story and how they reveal the genre and structure. Discover tips and recommendations for approaching scene work and different approaches to writing and editing scenes in a novel. Understand the significance of story structure at different levels and the benefits of practicing value shifts at the scene level for overall writing improvement.

In order to edit a scene effectively, you need to know what to change. The best edits are strategic, intentional, and target the most important problems with effective solutions.How do you figure out what those edits are?Ask the right questions.In this episode, you’ll discover six questions that will help you identify what’s working and what’s not in the beginnings and endings of your scenes. Then, they’ll show you exactly how to fix the weak spots.You’ll learn:How to start your scenes at exactly the right momentHow to raise the stakes in the first half of the sceneThe biggest problem writers make in the resolution—and how to fix itWhat readers want to know in the resolution of a sceneHow to make it clear that something changes in every sceneAnd more!This is the second part of a two-part series. Don’t miss How to Edit a Scene of a Novel, Part 1 for twelve more scene editing questions.Want a quick reference guide to all eighteen questions from this episode and the last one? Download the Scene Edit Questionnaire at alicesudlow.com/sceneedit.Links mentioned in the episode:Download the Scene Edit Questionnaire: alicesudlow.com/sceneeditEp. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing ScenesEp. 9: 5 Essential Questions to Find the Most Important Event in a SceneEp. 10: How This Scene Works: Looking for Alaska by John GreenEp. 11: How to Edit a Scene of a Novel, Part 1The first scene of UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T. J. KluneThe first scene of LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John GreenThe Send me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »

How do you edit a scene of a novel?In order to edit a scene effectively, you need to know a few things:What’s working in the scene,What’s not working in the scene, andWhat specific changes you’ll make to the words on the page that will fix the things that aren’t working.That last one is the most important, and often the hardest to figure out.How do you identify the specific changes that will improve your scene?Ask the right questions.In this episode, you’ll learn 12 questions that will show you exactly what to change in your scenes. These questions will show you:How to turn your scene analysis into practical edits you can apply right awayWhether your scene is working—and if it’s not, the precise moments where it needs to changeHow to make sure your scene has earned its place in your novelHow to raise the stakes by giving your protagonist a difficult choiceWhat makes amazing climaxes workHow to troubleshoot a boring climaxAnd more!This episode is packed with practical strategies to edit every scene in your novel. You might want to take notes, or even save this to listen again.Want a quick reference guide to all 12 questions? Download the Scene Edit Questionnaire at alicesudlow.com/sceneedit.Links mentioned in the episode:Download the Scene Edit Questionnaire: alicesudlow.com/sceneeditEp. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing ScenesEp. 9: 5 Essential Questions to Find the Most Important Event in a SceneEp. 10: How This Scene Works: Looking for Alaska by John GreenThe first scene of UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T. J. KluneThe first scene of LOOKISend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »

One of the best ways to learn how to edit your book is to study other excellent books.The best-sellers. The award winners. The ones your readers are reading and loving.So in this episode, that’s what we’re going to do.I’m breaking down the first scene of Looking for Alaska by John Green to show you how it works.Looking for Alaska was best-selling author John Green’s debut novel. It won the 2006 Printz award, the highest award in young adult literature. And in 2019, it was adapted into an eight-episode show on Hulu.All that to say: this book works really, really well.And in this episode, I’ll show you how John Green opens the story with an excellent opening scene.You’ll learn:How John Green turns an ordinary, everyday moment into an interesting sceneWhat changes in this scene—and why that mattersWhy the first and last lines of this scene are so powerfulHow to answer all the scene analysis questions from episodes 8 and 9 for this scene (and use them to think like an editor)And more!If you’re writing a YA novel or a novel set in the regular world, this scene is a perfect example of how to do that well.And no matter what genre you’re writing, you’ll learn how to think like an editor so you can make your scenes even better.Before you listen, be sure to read the opening scene of Looking for Alaska so you can follow along. (Don’t worry—it’s short!) Read the scene for free here.And be sure to download the free guide to this analysis. Get the guide at alicesudlow.com/lfa.Links mentioned in the episode:Analysis of Looking for Alaska: alicesudlow.com/lfaRead the first scene: Looking for Alaska by John GreenEp. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing ScenesEp. 9: 5 Essential Questions to Fix Boring ScenesSend me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »

What happens in your scenes? Do they even matter to your book? Do they move the story forward and keep your readers engaged? Or are they . . . boring?In order for a scene to earn its place in your story, something needs to happen. It needs a story event, a single event that contributes to the larger plot.The thing is, it’s really easy to write scenes—thousands of words!—where nothing ever happens.A group of friends go to a restaurant and have a pleasant conversation. A woman sits in her favorite chair, sipping tea and thinking.These are normal things we do in everyday life. (And when we do them, we really enjoy them! They’re quite lovely, aren’t they?)But in stories, “scenes” like these will bore your readers to tears . . . unless something interesting happens. Conflict arises. Something changes.So I’ll ask you again: What happens in your scenes?Not sure? Not to worry. In this episode, I’m sharing five essential questions to help you figure out what happens in a scene—and why it matters to your story.These questions are deceptively simple. They won’t take long to answer. But they’ll give you so much invaluable insight into how and why your story is working—or where it’s not working, and how you can fix it.Plus, I’ll show you how to answer them using an example scene: the first scene of UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T. J. Klune. Read the first scene for free here. (And if you love it, read the whole book—it's a good one!)Ready to answer all these questions for your scenes and make every page of your book un-put-down-able? Download the Scene Analysis Worksheet at alicesudlow.com/sceneworksheet.And if you'd like expert feedback on your scenes, plus personalized strategies for how to make them even better, I'd love to help. Send me a note at alice@alicesudlow.com and tell me about your book!Links mentioned in the episode:Ep. 8: What Is a Scene? The Ultimate Guide to Write and Edit Amazing ScenesThe opening scene of Send me a Text Message!Want my support in your revision?In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.Get started by telling me about your story here. 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 »