The Writership Podcast Editing Tips For Fiction Authors

Story Editor Leslie Watts
  • 4.7 (105)
  • BOOKS

On the Writership Podcast, professional book editor Leslie Watts critiques five pages of fiction from writers who are, or soon hope to be, traditionally or independently published. The submissions come from actual authors who understand they may need help seeing the flaws in their stories and are brave enough to share this experience so that you might improve your writing too.

  1. Ep. 138 World Building

    02/08/2019

    Ep. 138 World Building

    In this episode, editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss World Building, the way you craft the domain your characters inhabit. She offers several exercises to help improve your story by strengthening your world. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In a typical episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    27 min
  2. Ep. 137 Strengthen Your Setting

    01/25/2019

    Ep. 137 Strengthen Your Setting

    In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss story setting, the place and time where your character gets into and hopefully out of trouble. She offered three exercises to help strengthen your setting and story. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    22 min
  3. Ep. 136 Resolutions

    01/18/2019

    Ep. 136 Resolutions

    We all have some idea of what a resolution is, but what are these scene- and story-enders meant to do? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts explores scene and story resolutions in the context of C. Gabriel Wright’s LBGTQ love story, “Someone.” The editorial mission encourages you to collect resolutions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In each episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    50 min
  4. Ep. 135 Scene and Story Climaxes

    01/11/2019

    Ep. 135 Scene and Story Climaxes

    What are story and scene climaxes? Why do you need them? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the decisions your characters make, as well as the actions they take, when faced with a dilemma. You’ll hear Matt Bizzel’s horror story, "A Window Out: Or, the Accidental Death of Frank Ortiz" and Leslie’s analysis of the scene. The editorial mission encourages you to collect examples of these critical decisions and actions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    48 min
  5. Ep. 134 Crisis Questions for Your Scenes

    10/20/2018

    Ep. 134 Crisis Questions for Your Scenes

    What are crisis questions? Why do our stories and scenes need them? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the dilemmas your characters face on the way to scene and story resolutions in the context of the opening of Jerry Dawson’s science fiction story, Meteor. The editorial mission encourages you to collect crisis questions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    47 min
  6. Ep. 133 Progressive Complications for Your Scenes

    09/28/2018

    Ep. 133 Progressive Complications for Your Scenes

    What are progressive complications? Why do our stories and scenes need them? This week, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the people, places, things, and events that stand between your characters and their goals within the context of the opening of Anna Ferguson’s YA science fiction novel, The Empire of Saffron. The editorial mission encourages you to collect progressive complications by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    58 min
  7. Ep. 132 Inciting Incidents for Your Scenes

    08/31/2018

    Ep. 132 Inciting Incidents for Your Scenes

    What are inciting incidents? Why do our stories and scenes need them? What are the elements of a solid inciting incident? This week, story editor Leslie Watts discusses these story event catalysts in the context of the opening of Drew Horstman’s fantasy novel, Nicholas Crumb. The editorial mission encourages you to collect inciting incidents by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.

    47 min
  8. Ep. 131 Analyzing Your Scenes

    07/08/2018

    Ep. 131 Analyzing Your Scenes

    You’ve written lots of scenes for your work in progress, but how do you know whether they work? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts shows you how to analyze your scenes by looking at the opening of AW Moyer’s YA fantasy story, The Grim Book. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write better stories. In a typical episode, my guest-host and I critique a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. These writers want to find out what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. At the end of the episode, I’ll share an editorial mission to help you apply the topic we’ve discussed, so you can improve your writing too. Click here to learn more about the podcast, read the full show notes, and grab this week’s editorial mission.

    59 min
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4.7
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105 Ratings

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On the Writership Podcast, professional book editor Leslie Watts critiques five pages of fiction from writers who are, or soon hope to be, traditionally or independently published. The submissions come from actual authors who understand they may need help seeing the flaws in their stories and are brave enough to share this experience so that you might improve your writing too.

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