209. How to Revise Your Novel Like a Pro (Without Losing Your Mind) With Alice Sudlow

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209. How to Revise Your Novel Like a Pro (Without Losing Your Mind) With Alice Sudlow

4d ago 53:28

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Discover the counterintuitive first draft editing approach that transforms messy manuscripts into page-turning novels readers love.

Most fiction writers struggle with novel revision because they jump straight into editing their manuscript after finishing their first draft. This approach leads to endless rewrites, overwhelming confusion, and stories that get stuck in endless Chapter 1 revisions, never reaching completion.

Developmental editor Alice Sudlow joins me to share her systematic approach to story editing, which helps writers overcome these revision challenges.

Her revision framework eliminates the guesswork from the editing process, so writers avoid common mistakes that can keep manuscripts stuck in development.

Here's what we cover:

[08:11] Why taking a 4-week break after finishing your first draft gives your mind the mental shift needed for effective manuscript revision.

[10:26] How to create an outline of your completed draft without making changes, yet (the crucial step that reveals your story's true structure.)

[14:38] The fundamental questions that uncover the hidden keys in your story and transform good ideas into compelling narratives that readers can't put down.

[17:46] Why developmental editing is where the real magic happens in fiction writing and how to fall in love with the revision process.

[38:01] How to escape the endless rewriting cycle that traps writers in Chapter 1 forever and finally complete your novel revisions.

Whether you're a first-time novelist struggling with how to edit your manuscript or an experienced writer looking for a better revision strategy, this episode provides the framework you need to turn your draft into a story that agents and readers will love.

Tune in now.

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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

Grab Alice’s FREE Roadmap to a Revision That Actually Works
Your Next Draft Podcast (Hosted by Alice Sudlow)
Alice Sudlow’s Website

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Chapters

1. Introduction to Fiction Editing (00:00:00)

2. Why Revision Feels Overwhelming (00:03:15)

3. Step One: Take a Break (00:09:16)

4. Creating a Scene Outline (00:12:06)

5. Returning to Base Principles (00:17:01)

6. Building the Story Arc Framework (00:24:06)

7. Expanding to Act-by-Act Structure (00:30:33)

8. Developing a Scene-by-Scene Roadmap (00:38:01)

9. Avoiding Line-Editing Purgatory (00:43:09)

10. The Iterative Editing Process (00:49:32)

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