Best Alice Sudlow Podcasts (2024)

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How Taylor Jenkins Reid Crafts an Exceptional Opening Scene 30:24

26d ago30:24

30:24

Your reader experiences your story one scene at a time. Make every scene un-put-down-able. Great stories are made of great scenes. Sure, your novel has a clever plot with twists and turns from the first page to the last. But the way your readers will experience that plot is . . . . . . one scene at a time. Which means if you want your readers to fa…

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2 “Showing” and "Telling" Ways to Convey Time Passing in Your Novel 16:34

1M ago16:34

16:34

Show and tell your readers why time matters to your characters. Time matters. When you look up and it’s dark outside, time matters to you. When your characters look around and summer is turning into fall, time matters to them. When your readers are reading a novel and they can’t figure out how time is passing? Well, time matters to them, too—mostly…

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3 “Telling” Ways to Convey Time Passing in Your Novel 27:30

2M ago27:30

27:30

Don’t lose your readers. Just tell them what time it is. The passage of time seems intuitive. It just happens, right? (Like, whether you want it to or not. Time and tide wait for no man, etc.) Here’s the thing, though. If you don’t tell your readers that time is passing in your novel . . . . . . they won’t know. It seems wild, I know. It feels like…

1
Why You Must Show Time Passing in Your Novel 16:04

2M ago16:04

16:04

This is often overlooked, but it’s essential for great stories. How do you make time pass? Well, when you’re living your regular life in the real world, you don’t have to do anything. Time is constantly passing, no matter what you do. And when a timer goes off, or you look outside and see the sun’s gone down, or you feel your stomach growl with hun…

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When Should You Practice, and When Should You Publish? 18:28

3M ago18:28

18:28

Write your best stories—and know when to let go and publish them. In order to write great books, you first have to learn how to write great books. But when it comes to writing, there’s always something more to learn. So how do you know when to practice your writing skills—and more importantly, when to publish the stories you’re creating? That’s wha…

1
You Can't Skip Learning How to Write a Novel. Here's Why 20:51

3M ago20:51

20:51

Before you can master writing great stories, you have to learn to craft great stories. When I was fifteen, I got my learner’s permit and began learning how to drive a car. This made me very unhappy. See, I wanted to know how to drive a car. I didn’t want to learn to drive a car. Knowing how to drive a car was fun, freeing, and exciting. Learning to…

1
4 Tips for Your First Time Working With an Editor 20:06

4M ago20:06

20:06

Because working with an editor should be delightful, not scary. Let's be honest. When you start working with an editor for the first time, it can feel a little scary. You’re sharing your manuscript, the project you’ve worked so hard on, with a stranger on the internet. You’re inviting another person into a process that up until now has been entirel…

1
4 Tips to Find the Right Editor for Your Novel 12:34

4M ago12:34

12:34

What you need to know BEFORE you start working with an editor—and how to tell if they’re the right fit for your novel. Working with a developmental editor can be the most rewarding part of your editing process. But if you’ve never worked with an editor before, it can also be . . . intimidating. Confusing. Scary. After all, you’ve got to hand your m…

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Why Writers Resist Measuring Their Craft (And Why You Shouldn’t) 23:57

5M ago23:57

23:57

What we get wrong about creativity—and the truth that will make your writing and editing so much more effective. Do you know how great stories work? Scratch that. Let’s start with an easier question. Do you know how your stories work? Not all writers do. Even published authors often struggle to articulate how they created the books their readers lo…

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The Pros and Cons of Group Coaching for Writers 21:26

5M ago21:26

21:26

Why group coaching might be the perfect way to get feedback on your writing. When I was first getting started, I pictured editing like this: A writer writes a manuscript and sends it to their editor. The editor writes feedback and sends it back. The writer takes that feedback and uses it to edit their manuscript. That’s the classic form of editing.…

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5 Steps to Edit the Second Draft of a Novel 20:15

6M ago20:15

20:15

The simple editing process to turn your messy first draft into a second draft you love. “I’ve written first drafts before, but I’ve never edited a second draft. How do you actually do it?” A writer asked me this a few days ago. And they’re not alone—it’s a question I hear a lot. How do you actually edit a novel? Is there a process? A system? A stra…

1
Why a Page One Rewrite Is Actually Worth Celebrating 17:07

6M ago17:07

17:07

It sounds scary, but it’s actually MAJOR editing progress. What if the best way to make progress on your novel . . . . . . is to go back to the beginning? Sometimes, the most effective editing strategy is a page one rewrite. Yes, that means exactly what it sounds like. You open a blank document and begin writing an entirely fresh manuscript. It mig…

1
What It REALLY Means to Make Progress Editing Your Novel 18:21

7M ago18:21

18:21

Editing progress doesn’t always look like you’d expect. Here’s how to recognize it. If your editing is going great, you’ll enjoy this episode. Honestly, though, if editing feels like the worst thing in the world right now, you’ll love this episode even more. Here’s what’s in store: How do you know whether you’re really making progress editing your …

1
The Most Joyful Editing Feedback I Ever Give 10:43

7M ago10:43

10:43

Here’s what happens when you absolutely NAIL IT in your story. Sometimes, you just nail it. The ideas click. The words flow. The revision works. Those days are my favorite days to give my clients feedback. When the pieces finally fall into place and the story is transformed for the better. On those days, I get to share my most joyful editing feedba…

1
The Top 5 Lessons From Year 1 of Building My Editing Business 22:04

7M ago22:04

22:04

Your editing process has more in common with building a business than you might think. Editing a novel and building a business . . . well, they’re actually not all that different. That’s something I’ve been thinking about all year. As I’ve coached writers through the editing process, I’ve been struck again and again by how similar novel editing and…

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The Top 5 Editing Tips From Your Next Draft in 2023 22:58

7M ago22:58

22:58

The year’s most popular editing tip, plus four more strategies I don’t want you to miss. What’s the best editing tip you’ve learned this year? If you’ve been listening to Your Next Draft all year, there are quite a few to pick from—fifty, in fact. So in this episode, I’m taking a look back at this year on Your Next Draft. I’ve selected the top five…

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My Biggest Takeaway From Coaching Writers in 2023 12:52

7M ago12:52

12:52

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…

1
How to Make Sure Even Your "Slow" Scenes Keep Your Readers Hooked 19:03

8M ago19:03

19:03

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 sc…

1
How to Figure Out What Your Character REALLY Wants 22:11

8M ago22:11

22:11

Make your readers care about your story by getting specific about what your protagonist wants—and why. What does your protagonist want? I bet you have an answer for that question. I also bet that your answer is a little . . . generic. See, the thing your protagonist wants is good. They might want to save a victim from a villain, or fall in love, or…

1
Behind the Scenes of a Deep Dive Manuscript Evaluation 28:49

8M ago28:49

28:49

The 7 layers of analysis I use to edit a fourth draft of a novel. I don’t know about you, but right now, my schedule is full. My days are packed with editing. I have several manuscripts I’m absolutely loving on my desk right now, so many pages to read, and so many notes to share with writers. With all this editing, I didn’t have time to put togethe…

1
How to Flesh Out Flat Characters With Just 4 Questions 19:38

8M ago19:38

19:38

The minimum viable character questionnaire to develop all your side characters. How do you flesh out a flat character? Create a cast your readers will fall in love with? Make each character realistic, well-developed, and believable? There are tons of character development questionnaires and personality tests and character sketch templates out there…

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The Most Important Principle When Choosing Your Point of View 13:50

9M ago13:50

13:50

Use the limitations of your POV to enhance your story. Your story’s point of view impacts everything. It shapes how your readers get access to information about your story. And it shapes what information they have access to. And since at its core, storytelling is just telling your reader information about a story, this is huge. In this episode, I’m…

1
What NOT to Say to Your Developmental Editor 17:45

9M ago17:45

17:45

How to make the most of your editor’s feedback—even if you disagree with it. If you want to make the most of your editor’s feedback, there’s one phrase not to say. It’s natural. It’s normal. It’s something I’ve definitely said in other areas of my life. But when you’re collaborating with an editor to make your novel the best it can be, this phrase …

1
Use This One Editing Tip for Everything You Write 26:26

9M ago26:26

26:26

How to developmentally edit absolutely ANY piece of writing. There’s an editing tip that applies to literally every kind of writing. Bold statement, I know. But I stand by it. Actually, “tip” is understating the matter. This “tip” is actually a mission-critical principle. It’s essential to every writing project. Also, it’s my current favorite writi…

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[BONUS EP] How to Choose the Right Writing Resources for YOU Right Now, Part 2 22:28

9M ago22:28

22:28

A simple decision-making framework to help you find YOUR best writing path. Yesterday, I shared a framework to help you make any decision about your writing career. Well—yesterday, I shared part one of that framework. And today, I’m back on the podcast with part two! In yesterday’s episode, I coached you through how to identify your values in your …

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How to Choose the Right Writing Resources for YOU Right Now, Part 1 25:39

9M ago25:39

25:39

How to answer the question, “When should I work with an editor?” Hire an editor. Join a writing course. Work with a book coach. Gather beta readers. Join a writing group. There are so many resources to help you write and edit an amazing novel. This is great news when you know exactly what resource you need. If you need a very specific type of suppo…

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Scene Structure: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in the First Scene of How to Train Your Dragon 23:44

10M ago23:44

23:44

See the masterful story structure that undergirds the opening scene of How to Train Your Dragon. Great stories are built on great story structure. And my favorite story structure framework is one that you can apply on every level of story. It’s called the six elements of story, and it’s an editing tool you can use on every layer of your story. To p…

1
Act Structure: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in Act 1 of How to Train Your Dragon 22:27

10M ago22:27

22:27

The story structure that makes the first act of How to Train Your Dragon work. One of my favorite things about the six elements of story structure is the fact that they work everywhere. You can use them to structure your entire novel. You can use them to structure each act. And you can use them to structure each scene. And to prove it, I’m breaking…

1
Story Structure: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in How to Train Your Dragon 24:58

10M ago24:58

24:58

See the story structure that makes this brilliant movie work. The six elements of story are the essentials of great story structure. And in the last few episodes of Your Next Draft, I’ve shared a lot of theory about them: what they are, how they work, and where to use them. But theory only gets you so far. Story structure makes a lot more sense whe…

1
3 Ways to Apply the 6 Elements of Story Structure to Your Novel 15:03

10M ago15:03

15:03

How to use one story structure tool to edit every part of your story. The best story structure is the one you can apply to your story. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been discussing a lot of story theory on the podcast. Today, I’m getting back to application. In this episode, I’ll show you three ways to apply the six elements of story to your n…

1
Why the 6 Elements of Story Are the Key to All Great Stories 14:35

11M ago14:35

14:35

The story structure framework I use in every story I edit. What do fractals and nesting dolls have to do with story structure? More than you might think. Last week on the podcast, I shared my favorite story structure framework. It’s the same structure I use with all my one-on-one clients and in every novel I edit. But I didn’t tell you why. Why is …

1
The 6 Essential Elements of Every Novel, Act, and Scene 18:56

11M ago18:56

18:56

A simple, flexible story structure framework that works for every kind of story. Great stories are built on great story structure. And while there are a lot of story structure systems out there . . . . . . I do have a favorite. It’s one that I use every single day in my editing. I apply it to every story I edit. And it works every time. In this epi…

1
Where Does Story Theory Come From, Anyway? 16:43

11M ago16:43

16:43

Story theory doesn’t sap creativity—it helps us reflect truths about the human experience in our art. When you edit a novel, much of your job is to use story theory to evaluate what’s working and what’s not. But often, I find that this makes writers uncomfortable. They’re afraid that applying story theory will suck the life, creativity, and origina…

1
How to Read Like an Editor: 5 Tips to Make the Most of Every Book You Read 20:41

11M ago20:41

20:41

Build a reading habit that helps you edit amazing novels. “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” This quote from Stephen King gets shared a lot in writer circles. But I have a confession: when I became an editor, I fell into a reading slump. Worse, I stayed in the slump for several years. …

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One Insidious Cause of Disappointing Endings (and How to Fix It) 17:15

11M ago17:15

17:15

Does your story’s climax solve a problem that’s different from the one you have? The last thing you want is for the ending of your novel to disappoint your readers. Yet as an editor, I’ve seen my fair share of disappointing endings. And in this episode, I’m sharing one of the most common problems I see with endings that just don’t work. You’ll lear…

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One Critical Problem You’ll Find in Boring Scenes (And How to Fix It) 16:54

12M ago16:54

16:54

Your characters MUST take action in every scene. Look out for scenes where they don’t. I’ve edited hundreds of scenes. (In fact, editing scenes is one of my favorite things to do!) In all that editing, I’ve picked up on some patterns. Things that work really well in scene after scene—and common pitfalls that many scenes fall into. And in this episo…

1
What to Do When You Get Feedback From an Editor 23:36

12M ago23:36

23:36

Gotten feedback from an editor? Use this process to turn developmental feedback into actionable edits. One of the most exciting moments in your book writing journey is the day that you get feedback from an editor. But just getting feedback isn’t enough. Once you get it, you have to apply it. And the challenge of applying your editor’s feedback can …

1
Your Story Has Deep Meaning. Do You Know What It Is? 12:32

12M ago12:32

12:32

Your story has the power to shape the way your readers think. So what is it communicating? That’s the topic of this episode. In it, I’m sharing why storytelling is absolutely essential for humanity, plus the responsibility—and honor—that gives you as an author. You’ll learn: Why your writing is a gift to the world 6 stories I love and how they’ve s…

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How to Create an Editing Process That Works for You With Author JD Edwin 1:10:08

1y ago1:10:08

1:10:08

A prolific author shares her editing process and strategies for designing the process that works for you. There are as many ways to edit novels as there are writers. Which editing process is best? The one that works for you. The process you customize, refine, and repeat, novel after novel after novel. And in this episode, we’re talking about how to…

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Extended Edition: How Spider-Man’s Leap of Faith Makes Us Feel Triumphant 1:41:38

1y ago1:41:38

1:41:38

Two editors break down how Spider-Man creates a transcendent moment of triumph that feels like story magic. Last month, I asked a big question: How do you make your readers feel? See, the writers I work with are telling fantastic stories. But often, those stories are missing some essential piece, some spark of magic that captures my emotions and ma…

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The 3-Step Formula to Evoke Emotion and Make Your Readers Feel 26:15

1y ago26:15

26:15

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 feel How to figure out wha…

1
How Spider-Man (And All Great Stories) Makes Us Laugh, Cry, and Feel the Feels 21:06

1y ago21:06

21:06

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…

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3 Ways to Create a Scene List That Makes Your Editing Process (Almost) Easy 25:00

1y ago25:00

25:00

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,…

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2 Simple Strategies to Format Your Scene List 12:02

1y ago12:02

12:02

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 p…

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4 Ways to Use a Scene List, Your Indispensable Editing Tool 16:34

1y ago16:34

16:34

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: …

1
How Do You Know When You're Done Editing Your Novel? 23:36

1y ago23:36

23:36

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.…

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Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every Story 24:00

1y ago24:00

24:00

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…

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5 Novel Editing Tips for When You’re Afraid You Don’t Have What it Takes 25:55

1y ago25:55

25:55

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 nove…

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4-Act Structure: The Simple Structure to Edit Your Novel (And Why 3 Acts Aren’t Enough) 18:59

1y ago18:59

18:59

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 . .…

1
5 Free Ways to Get Feedback on Your Writing 21:27

1y ago21:27

21:27

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…

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Alice Sudlow Podcasts

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