My Biggest Takeaway From Coaching Writers in 2023

What dozens of manuscripts and dozens of writers all have in common.

This weekend, I celebrated the one year anniversary of launching my editing business.

And since the one year mark is a pretty major milestone, and we’re nearing the end of 2023, I’ve been looking back.

I’ve edited dozens of novels and coached dozens of writers this year. And while the stories vary widely, there’s one theme I’ve encountered in them all—and it applies to your story, too.

In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from a year of coaching writers and editing novels.

You’ll hear:

• What new and experienced writers both have in common
• Why it’s helpful to you and me when I share everything I know about editing here on the podcast
• Why all the writing craft resources in the world can’t put editors out of business
• And more!

It’s been a wonderful year of editing, full of amazing stories and equally amazing writers. And I can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Want me to edit your novel? Reach out and tell me about your story: alicesudlow.com/contact

Transcript

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Editors, bring something to your story that you can't learn on a podcast or in a book. When you're editing process is working for you. Keep going. Keep doing what you're doing. Tell it. Stop. And if ever you get stuck. Don't hesitate to reach out for support. Welcome to your next draft. This weekend, I celebrated the one year anniversary of launching my editing business. I've been editing novels and studying story for over six years, but it's just this year that I've gotten to turn this into my full-time work. It's been an absolute joy and I'm so, so excited to reach this milestone. And lately since it's not only the first anniversary of my business, but also we're nearing the end of the calendar year. I've been feeling pretty reflective. I've been looking back on the work that I've done in 2023, the books that I've edited, the writers I've coached the stories that I've gotten to dig into and study and refine. And I've been thinking about what I've learned this year, both as an editor and book coach, and as an entrepreneur and business owner. This month on the podcast, I've got a few episodes for you that we'll take a look back on the year. The biggest lessons and best takeaways from 2023. There's so much good stuff from this year, and I'm really excited to share these episodes with you. And I'm kicking off this series of reflections here. For this episode, I thought back over all the work that I've done with writers this year. What it has looked like to collaborate with and coach so many writers through their editing processes. I thought about the patterns I saw, the themes that came up and the things that I have learned as an editor and book coach. And in this episode, I'm going to share my biggest takeaway from coaching writers this year. The truth. That's stuck out to me the most, the one that I've seen come up again and again and again, across the work that I do with so many very different writers. Here it is. Editing your own writing. It's really hard. Let me explain what I mean. On this podcast, I share all the tips and strategies that I am using to edit novels. So you can use them in your own stories. They literally come straight out of the conversations that I'm having with my one-on-one clients. If you take everything that you learn here and you self edit your novel into a brilliant next draft. That's fantastic. I'm so excited to celebrate that. And I know that you love learning to edit learning, to write better stories. I know because you tell me. I often get emails or hear comments from writers who listened to the podcast and they let me know that they're downloading my worksheets and putting the tips that they learned to use in their stories. And that their stories are stronger and they feel more confident for it. All. And I love that so much. That's why the podcast is here. And I see this when I work with writers. One-on-one too. Writers come to me from a wide range of experience levels. Some writers come to me, brand new, working on their first draft of their first ever novel. And they're right at the beginning of learning to tell stories. And so they don't know any of this stuff. And I get to share these concepts with them for the first time. And many writers come to me with a lot of experience and skill. They know how to tell stories. They've listened to my podcast. Yes. And they've also read the craft books out there and they've taken the courses and joined the critique groups and workshops. They're writing, they've studied and practiced, and they've learned how to tell great stories. They love to learn more on the podcast because there's always more for all of us to learn and they're putting it all to use to edit They're fifth drafts of their fifth novels or more. I'm mentioning this. So, you know, that writers who are just getting started and at the very beginning of their storytelling and learning, find it really helpful to work with editors. And writers who are published authors. Who have studied and practiced and honed their skills who have written and published multiple excellent books that readers love. They also find it really helpful to work with editors. They know how stories work, they know how to edit their own writing. They know the story concepts that I talk about here on the podcast. When I mentioned the six elements of story or value shifts, they know exactly what I'm talking about. And in fact, they're already using those tools to help them write and self edit their stories. And yet they still come to me for feedback. They still bring me stories that have gaps that we can shore up. They still hire an editor, Even when they have years of expertise of their own, that they are already applying to their writing. Writers in this camp. Are awesome. They send me excellent material. And yet. They still hit a point where they can't see their own writing clearly. They don't know what changes to make and they need a fresh perspective to spot exactly what needs shoring up. This is one of the reasons that I love creating this podcast. And why it doesn't feel like a threat to me in any way at all, to show you exactly what I do as an editor. I want to teach you all of the things that I'm doing. It is only an advantage to me. If you come to work with me, having already listened to all my episodes, already familiar with my tools already using my worksheets and strategies to edit your own writing. It's in no way, a prerequisite. I don't expect that of anyone just to caveat here. Who are not required to listen to the whole podcast before you work with me. But if you do, that's only an advantage that we both bring to the table. Because here's the thing. When you come to work with me one-on-one yes, I do bring a body of knowledge about how stories work. And yes, I will be applying everything I've learned from years of study and practice to your manuscript. But that's only a part of what I bring. And honestly, that part is something that you are fully capable of gaining for yourself elsewhere. This special part of what I offer. Is something that you cannot replicate in your own self editing process. It's something I can't even share on the podcast. Not that I don't want to, but that I literally can't. It's not possible. The most important thing that I bring to your story is, well, it's really several things. First it's distance. I'm not close to your story. Like you are. I have a separation that you don't have, and that inherently automatically, immediately gives me the ability to see things in your story that you don't see. I also bring attentive engagement. I am paying such close attention to what you're creating. I'm engaging with it. Uh, thoughtfully and thoroughly looking for every opportunity for improvement. And I'm doing that. Without the same attachment that you have to the words that are already on the page and the material that you've already created. I'm looking at what's possible and I'm not so connected with what's already exists. That I missed the potential for what your story can be. And in that vein. I bring passion for your stories potential. I'm here to capture your vision, to understand what you're aiming to create, And then pursue that vision. At its highest level. I'm not here to be satisfied with stories that are just okay. I want us to realize your story's vision in its fullest potential and create something that your readers are going to love. These three things. Distance attentive engagement. Passion for your stories potential. They are all intangible things, things that you can't teach or learn. Uh, things you can't substitute by reading your own manuscripts 50 times through yourself. These are the things that you can get only by asking a book lover who is not you and who did not write your story. To join you in your editing process. Of course. These things don't in any way, negate all the tools and strategies that you can learn through study and practice. When you have all the editing tools, when you build all the editing skills, what you gain is the ability to execute. And that's fantastic. You need that. When you have the ability to execute, that means that when you get my feedback on your story, you'll have more context to understand that feedback and engage with it. You'll be able to more quickly brainstorm ideas and possibilities that could solve the problems that we spot. You'll be fully equipped to go make the changes that you want to make on the pages of your story. In other words. The more you build your editing skills by listening to this podcast, reading books, taking courses, et cetera. The more that you will be able to self edit your novel. And the more easily you'll be able to apply any feedback that you receive from outside sources. And also with all of this. The truth is still that editing your own writing. Is really hard. So I hope that you love this podcast. I hope you listened to every episode and take every single new, useful nugget that you can find. Back to your own story. I hope that it helps you level up both your manuscripts and your skills as a writer. And if even with all of that, you still sometimes feel stuck or lost or insecure, or like you can't tell what's working and what's not. And what you should do next in your manuscript. No, that that is okay. That's normal, even highly successful authors. Who've published many books to raving fans work with editors. And it's for this exact reason. Editors, bring something to your story that you can't learn on a podcast or in a book. When you're editing process is working for you. Keep going. Keep doing what you're doing. Tell it. Stop. And if ever you get stuck. Don't hesitate to reach out for support. In fact, just last week, I updated my website with a fancy new form to make it even easier for you to connect with me so that we can find all the best ways that we can work together. My editor friends are getting a little tired of how excited I am about this fancy uniform. That's very cool. In my opinion. If you go to Alice Dot com slash contact. You'll see the fancy new form. In that form. I'll ask you a bunch of questions about your book, the genre, the word count, the premise. All kinds of good stuff that helps me get a sense of what you're working on and whether I'm the best editor to help you take your novel to the next level. Fill out that form and hit submit. I'll read through your responses and then I'll send you an email. It might take me a couple of days since I spend most of my time reading the manuscripts that I'm working on. So my responses to email, aren't always the fastest. But watch for an email from me. And then we'll set up a time to get on a call and talk about what you need and how I can help you. And if we decide to work together, I will, of course bring to your story. All the editing strategies that you hear on the podcast at this point, the concepts you hear in these episodes are just how my brain works. This is how I read and processed story. But just as importantly and maybe even more so I will bring distance attentive, engagement, and passion for your vision. And together. We will work some magic in your story. After all. There is a reason why no amount of writing craft resources have ever put editors out of business. It has been a wonderful year of editing for me, full of amazing stories and equally amazing writers. I hope it's been a wonderful year of writing for you. And if 2024 is the right time for us to work together. I will be delighted to dig into your story alongside you and help you make it the best it can possibly be. Happy editing.