Why solo writing is the long way around

Five things writers say that make their editors' heads explode, plus assessing backstory, preparing for developmental editing, and one author's traditional publishing timeline.

Most writers I work with arrive at my door clutching 80,000 words like a security blanket, convinced that a finished first draft proves they're serious about their craft.

But here's what I've learned from years in the editorial trenches: Completing the entire manuscript before you understand your own story means months barking up the wrong tree. It's one thing to explore where a narrative might lead, but writing hundreds of pages based on uninformed choices about POV or structure? That's not dedication—that's expensive guesswork.

When you're two hundred pages deep and discover your protagonist's motivation makes no sense, you're not looking at a quick fix. You're looking at narrative reconstruction. But when you catch that same issue at chapter three, that's just smart navigation.

This is exactly why I shifted from pure editing into book coaching. I watched too many talented writers exhaust themselves trying to salvage manuscripts that could have flourished with earlier intervention. I saw the relief in their eyes when they realized they didn't have to figure it all out alone, in the dark, with nothing but their own doubts for company.

The writers who thrive aren't necessarily the most naturally gifted. They're the ones brave enough to crack open their work in progress and ask, "What am I not seeing here?" They understand that sharing unfinished work isn't admitting defeat; it's investing in the story's potential before they've written themselves into corners that require demolition to escape.

This week at The Writes of Fiction:

• The benefits of sharing unfinished work

• Hard truths for anyone writing a first novel

• Techniques for fully developing a story concept

• Top reasons reveals fall flat

Investment in the process, not just the product

I’ve noticed that the writers who get ongoing support (either from a trusted writing friend, supportive critique group, or trained book coach) develop better instincts faster. They start to hear their own voice more clearly. They begin to recognize when something isn't working before they've written themselves into a corner.

When someone is there to say, "What is your character thinking in this moment?" or "What’s beneath the surface?" you start asking yourself those questions naturally.

The feedback becomes internal guidance.—Read more from Nicole Meier at Dear Whole Writer.

More on coaching vs. editing: Editing provides feedback and guidance once the writing is complete.
Coaching provides feedback and guidance as the writing progresses.

Editing happens in stages, one person at a time: the writer writes, then the editor edits, then the writer revises, then the editor reviews …
Coaching happens collaboratively as the project progresses, with regular, real-time check-ins.

Editing is primarily text-based, using editing and written feedback.
Coaching frequently occurs via Zoom and email as well as written feedback and editing.

Editing is generally considered a distinct, one-time service for hire.
Coaching is more like short-term consulting or a long-term mentorship.

Editing seeks to identify and course-correct issues in a manuscript.
Coaching seeks to prevent issues from creeping into the manuscript to begin with.

Editing guides writers to improve their work in progress.
Coaching guides writers to improve their work in progress and develop long-term mastery.—Read more at What’s the difference between an editor and a book coach?

Unpopular and unpleasant writing advice you should still probably take

You may have to write a practice novel (or several) before you get it right (and write something publishable).

For those of you who are working on your first novel, this is probably disheartening. It may not be true for you, but I think it is for a lot of people, myself included. Writing a novel is really hard, and like with anything, you get better with practice.

Our dearly-departed Query Shark, Agent Janet Reid, said you shouldn’t query your first novel at all. “Write a second novel before you query on the first one,” she suggests.

… You may not have to write as many practice novels as I did (maybe those first novels would have gotten good with revision, but I also didn’t know how to revise back then). Just keep in mind that there’s a learning curve, and it takes time to figure out what you’re doing.—Read more from Eva Langston at Eva’s Newsletter for Writers.

More on learning to walk before you run: Here’s the thing about starting off by writing a series: If you don’t know how to get a single debut novel into the air, what makes you think it will be worth your time and budget to launch an entire squadron of first efforts?

Writing a stand-alone novel forces you to create a story that works—period. There’s no wiggle room for overwriting or spineless narrative arcs that dribble over into the next book. You can’t get to the end and just say, “Surprise! To be continued!” When you write a single novel, you have to create a story that stands on its own legs.—Read more at Why your first book shouldn’t be part of a series.

Originalizing your story idea

Some stories are memorable because of the surprising way in which the main conflict is resolved. The movie World War Z, in many ways, is just another zombie tale. From start to finish, viewers are asking themselves the age-old zombie-genre question: how will the good guys survive? But the solution in this story is an unexpected one: “vaccinate” the healthy population with pathogens that the enemy can sense, making the humans undesirable hosts for the zombie virus. Instead of destroying the undead or avoiding them, humankind learns to live among them in plain sight.—Read more from Becca Puglisi at Writers Helping Writers.

More on originality: Many authors worry that outlining their writing will somehow strip away the creative element. “Listen, if you ruin your story by outlining it, then your story wasn’t that f***king exciting to begin with—and oh ha ha ha oh sh*t it’s a good thing you never got to the editing phase, because boy howdy, editing feels less like wizardry and more like plumbing,” [author Chuck] Wendig writes.

Writing rules, outlining, plot structure—these tools can only enhance your ability to create a compelling book. Never be afraid that studying and honing your craft will somehow hobble your creativity. The more you know about how stories and writing work, the more creatively you will be able to spot opportunities to use those principles to take your readers off-road to places they’ve never been.—Read more at Why story structure won’t squelch your creativity.

When and why reveals don’t work

You know that friend you have (that all of us have), who courts attention by dropping juicy little hints? “Something really big is in the works—but I can’t talk about it yet.” “Oh, believe me, I could tell you some stories about that….” “Wait till you find out about ________.”

Our curiosity might be mildly sparked but we don’t have enough information, so these coy little hints fall flat and we’re likely to feel manipulated and annoyed. That’s how readers feel when an author drops vague hints at some dramatic unknown.—Read more from Tiffany Yates Martin at Jane Friedman.

More on pacing your story’s key moments: When a story pulls readers through the pages so smoothly they forget all about the clock, it’s not just clever words doing the work—it’s smart structure doing its job. That irresistible “just one more chapter” feeling happens when the story’s building blocks create a natural flow that keeps readers turning pages without even thinking about it.

Stories built on four-act structure (three-act structure minus the oversized, saggy middle) hit those sweet spots consistently. These natural turning points occur at the quarter mark, halfway point, and three-quarter mark, never allowing any section of the story to drag on too long.

Missing these points by a substantial margin results in a misshapen book with sagging or surging momentum. A lumbering, oversized Act 1 bores readers by taking too long to get moving. A missing midpoint creates that notorious bane of three-act story structure, the “mushy middle.” And a mistimed dark moment, one that hits too soon or straggles in too late, can make even a potentially explosive climax fall flat.—Read more at Best ways to pace your story’s key moments.

Finding and hiring an editor

I'm honored to have my comprehensive guide to finding and hiring a professional editor shared with the membership of the Independent Publishers of New England. Whether you're preparing to query agents, launch a self-publishing career, or elevate your current draft, investing in professional editing is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for your book.

The guide includes everything from red flags to watch out for to money-saving strategies that don't compromise quality. It walks you through everything from determining what type of editing services you need to finding qualified professionals who get your writing style and publishing goals.

I cover the practical stuff too: how to evaluate editors' qualifications, what to expect in terms of costs and timelines, and how to build a productive working relationship with your editorial team.

Because here's the thing—an editor isn't just someone who merely checks your work. Editors are your partners in pushing your story to its fullest potential.

Check it out for yourself: The Fiction Writer's Guide to Finding & Hiring an Editor.

Fiction Fuel

Dashes—which isolate, highlight, emphasize—serve a very different purpose than do parentheses (which confide, like a character in a Restoration comedy stepping down to the footlights, curling a hand around their mouth, and giving the audience the good goss about what no one else on stage can, per convention, hear) or commas, which, among their many purposes, are useful for bracketing supplemental and/or useful, but not necessarily necessary, information.—Benjamin Dreyer

The writers who develop fastest aren't the ones who hide their manuscripts from outside influences; they're the ones who learn to recognize when they're writing themselves into corners before they've built the whole house. They understand that getting help isn't admitting weakness. Outside eyes and expert advice prevent the kind of structural damage that requires tearing the first draft down to the studs.

Your rough draft doesn't need to be perfect to deserve attention. It just needs to be worth improving.

Onward,

Lisa

P.S. If you enjoyed this week’s Writes of Fiction, consider buying me a tea. (Yeah, it’s hot outside. And yeah, I’m still drinking hot tea. That’s how I roll.)

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Summer openings—I still have summer availability for another developmental edit or some First Fifty Pages edits and full manuscript critiques. Looking for coaching? It’s not too late to get with me about Story Accelerator one-on-one coaching before fall schedules clamp down. Send me a message and let’s get to work on your book!

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This is The Writes of Fiction, a slow-simmered brew of old and new thinking about writing fiction—the ingredients I find most helpful to writers finding their way. I hope they help you too.

And these are your editorial assistants, ready to let off the brakes and hit the road on a summer morning.

🐾 Support your #editorialassistants via Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.