Your Next Draft
Supporting fiction writers doing the hard work of revising unputdownable novels. The novel editing process is the creative crucible where you discover the story you truly want to tell—and it can present some of the most challenging moments on your writing journey.
Developmental editor and book coach Alice Sudlow will be your companion through the mess and magic of revision. You’ll get inspired by interviews with authors, editors, and coaches sharing their revision processes; gain practical tips from Alice’s editing practice; and hear what real revision truly requires as Alice workshops scenes-in-progress with writers.
It’s all a quest to discover: How do you figure out what your story is truly about? How do you determine what form that story should take? And once you do, how do you shape the hundreds of thousands of words you've written into the story’s most refined and powerful form?
If you’ve written a draft—or three—but are still searching for your story’s untapped potential, this is the podcast for you. Together, let’s dig into the difficult and delightful work of editing your next draft.
Your Next Draft
How to Make Sure Even Your "Slow" Scenes Keep Your Readers Hooked
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
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 »
