A Novel Ending: Recent Episodes
Kat Abbott, Joanna Mercer
A podcast that discusses all things revisions. Your hosts, Joanna and Kat, chat about the highs, lows, and trickeries of taking your first draft to a final, complete manuscript. We hope each episode gives you more tools, inspiration, and motivation to tackle your own revisions. If you love learning about the craft of writing, then this podcast is for you!
In this episode, Kat interviews sisters and co-writers of the YA novel Lucy, Uncensored. Mel and Teghan Hammond share the ups and downs of their co-writing process, their thoughts on having an outline, and discuss how their communication changed over the course of co-writing their book. They also offer helpful tips for any writers looking to co-write and list some important qualities you should look for in a potential co-writer.
Connect with our guests!
melhammondbooks.com
Teghan's instagram @teghanandromeda
Mel's instagram @hamsandwichmel
TikTok @hamtasticduo
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Kat interviews librarians Amanda Bosky and Mary Ostrander about what makes for an engaging and page-turning children’s story - what captures the audience when a book is read out loud? Between the two of them, Amanda and Mary have read thousands of picture books, and by page spread three, if not sooner, they can tell if a story will be worth a share or not. Listen in as they discuss different tools an author can use to keep the reader turning the page, how to marry picture book text and illustrations, and other tips to keep kids and parents coming back to your story again and again.
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Joanna interviews young adult and picture book writer Liza Wiemer on the importance of doing your homework before you even start writing a project, especially if your project is based off of a real-life event, not to mention real people! Liza shares the various strategies she uses to conduct research, from visiting sites to interviewing subject matter experts. Additionally, Liza talks about why it’s best to use more than one sensitivity reader during all stages of your writing and revising process.
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One of the final passes you (or an editor) will do on a manuscript is a copy edit. It’s important for your grammar, punctuation, and sentences to be correct, clear, and accessible for your readers. But what if you don’t know all the rules or even what to look out for? We chat about common mistakes we see, our favorite comma and punctuation rules, and more!
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Are you the kind of writer who drafts a lot of words, or the kind who drafts short? Particularly with debut novels, agents match genres to preferred word counts in order to gauge if a story is underedited or sparse. These expectations can be a great guideline for any author, helping point us in the right direction for revisions. If you’re staring at a bloated manuscript, or are struggling to beef up that word count, join us in this episode where we explore both big picture ways to cut and add words, as well as share tips on how to do this on a sentence level.
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Clunky descriptions can confuse your reader, going on too long can bog down your scene, and too little can fail to immerse your reader into your character’s world. How then, do you find the right balance? In this continuation of our Revising for Clarity series, we chat about how to make sure your descriptions are clear and effective, and how you can use them to enhance your world building and character development.
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In the third episode of our series “Revising for Clarity” we look at the importance of order. Without a very careful and steady hand, messing with the linear way you relay information and tell a story can easily lead to confusion on a sentence, scene, and overall story level. Join us as we break down some mistakes we see when it comes to this topic, some tips on how to fix those mistakes, and what to be thinking about if you are hoping to tell a story out of order intentionally.
The Netflix show Joanna mentions in this episode is called Kaleidoscope.
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In the second episode of our Revising for Clarity series, we chat about fluff chapters–what they are, how to identify them in your manuscripts, and what you can try to give them more substance. We also talk about stage direction - when too much detracts from your scene versus when you might use it to your advantage - as well as why it’s a good idea to write to genre expectations.
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In this first episode of our Revising For Clarity series, we discuss three things writers should be aware of as they go: author intrusion, your main POV not driving the story, and unneeded or confusing head hopping. In case you might be slipping into any of these habits, we also share anecdotes and examples to help you adjust for them in your next revision.
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It’s almost the end of the year, which for a lot of us means reassessing goals and making plans for the fresh new year ahead. In this episode, we chat about different kinds of writing goals as well as various ways you can break them down to make them easier to attain. In addition, we share some ways to help you meet those goals, and resources to help you level up your craft in 2024.
Visit our Episode 31 show notes page to see a list of all the resources discussed.
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It’s that time of year where you’re hunting for that perfect gift for your friend or favorite person. What if they’re a writer and you’re not? Or what if you need ideas to put on your own list? Tune in for a variety of writerly gift ideas for any budget. We’ve got options you can wrap, ways to be of service, ideas to help inspire and motivate, and little bits to keep your writer warm and cozy, as well as fueled, for when they sit down to write!
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We all know there are a ton of different ways to go about writing a novel, and this also includes which program you use. In this episode, Kat interviews Bayley Mae on how Scrivener has helped her writing process. Bayley shares her favorite Scrivener tools, as well as breaks down how writers can use the program to stay organized.
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Vision boards can help you draw inspiration for your stories, keep you motivated while writing, and help you craft dynamic descriptions and sensory details as you draft. In this episode, we chat about two different ways to approach vision boarding, from the angle of a reporter (who, what, when, where, why) and by focusing on the senses. We also share some different formats and tools available if you’re unsure how to collect all of the above!
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What if you want to write a novel, but don’t have any ideas in mind? Join us in this episode as we share different techniques to help you brainstorm project ideas. Assuming this will help you make a short - or long - list, we then offer tips on how to determine which of your new ideas are most story-worthy for you right now. The rest you can tuck away for later!
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In this episode, we chat about what to do if you have multiple story ideas and don’t know which one to work on next. We share ways to organize all of your ideas, practical writing exercises to narrow down your focus, and some things to keep in mind with regards to your passions and marketability. If you’re planning to do NaNoWriMo in November or are just looking to start a new project, then this episode is for you!
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There are many non-fiction books on writing to help you dig deep into the craft of story, but there’s nothing like seeing it done masterfully in an actual novel. In this episode, we share fiction book titles that we think are strong in various categories, from world building and characterization to voice, along with prime examples of successful villain POVs and more.
If you'd like to purchase any of the books we mention and help support the podcast, we have an affiliate Bookshop.org shop!
Visit our Episode 25 show notes page to see a list of all the books discussed.
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There are multiple stages to writing a book, from ideation to plotting to first draft and beyond. At any stage, it can be hard to know if you should continue to revise and work on your story or if you should set aside your project in pursuit of other shiny ideas. In this episode, we chat about the different types of quitting and how to know when you should revise and when you should quit.
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Joanna and Kat interview history maven and writer, Jenn Van Haaften, on creating accurate and immersive historical fiction. As a historian with 30+ years of experience, Jenn notices all the little details that make or break effective world building. She shares which elements to focus on for a more immersive and authentic feel and offers tips on how to vet research for the highest quality sources.
Connect with our guest!
Instagram @thehistoryeditor
Link to JStor.
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What is this ever elusive thing called voice? We give our best definitions of what we think voice is, as well as tips on how you can revise to strengthen the voice in your story without making it too in your face. We also do a deep dive on dialogue. We chat about ways dialogue can enhance not only your characters, but the pacing of your scenes. Also, tune in for our thoughts on talking heads and what we really think about the advice that writers should listen to conversations in public.
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While some writers may not immediately think of culture as a part of your story’s setting, it plays a huge role in making your world unique and feel like it’s fully fleshed out. We chat about different aspects of culture, from religion to politics to magic and technology, and how each of these can strengthen your story.
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Regardless if your setting is made up, based on a real place, or something in between, it should be richly layered and vivid while also being concise and smooth so as not to mess with your story’s pacing. In this episode, we share strategies to help you achieve all of this, as well as ways to make sure you’re describing the setting through the eyes of your character. We also chat about other aspects of setting that can get overlooked: landscape, weather, and the people/animals that populate your world.
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Kat turns the mic on her co-host Joanna (who writes YA and women’s fiction under the pen name J Mercer). Joanna talks all about her newest YA release (In One Life and Out Another) and the challenges she faced with writing dual timelines. She shares the ups and downs of her ten-year revision journey with this story, as well as gives helpful advice for writers tackling their own dual timeline manuscripts.
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Kat welcomes author-illustrator Sophie Li back to the podcast! In this interview, Sophie explains why she chose to change one of her manuscripts from YA to MG and another from 3rd person to 1st person, as well as offers practical insight into what those revisions entailed. She also gives advice for writers who may find themselves wanting to switch age category or POV in their work in progress.
Connect with our guest!
sophiexli.com
Instagram @sophie.x.li
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Joanna interviews YA and Adult fantasy writer, Sarah Zimm, on how to revise books with multiple POVs (point of views). Sarah discusses her tips for making revisions more manageable, the importance of giving characters an equal amount of “meaty” scenes, and why receiving and being open to feedback is key.
Connect with our guest!
https://www.authorsarahzimm.com/
Instagram @authorsarahzimm
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Characters getting lost in a scene and characters without agency are just a couple of the issues we chat about in this episode. Join us as we cover some of the most common character problems and how we go about fixing them during revisions.
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More often than not, the stories you write will have side characters. But when are side characters necessary and when can they be cut? And how do you make them multi-dimensional instead of flat? We answer these questions and more in this episode, and also discuss two unconventional side characters: weather and setting.
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We want our main characters to be dynamic, fleshed out, and compelling enough that readers are excited to follow their journey, but they don’t usually show up fully formed. That’s what revisions are for! In this episode, we chat about how we approach crafting our main characters in the first draft and what we pay attention to in revisions to make sure they jump off the page.
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Joanna interviews romotional (romantic + emotional) author Caitlin Moss on revising stories with non-linear plot structures. Caitlin offers some great advice on how to manage a character in a duel timeline, as well as how to know when it’s time to finish one book and move on to the next.
Connect with our guest!
https://www.caitlinmossauthor.com/
Instagram @caitlinmossauthor
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Scenes should help propel your story forward, whether they advance the external or emotional plot. In this episode, we dive into why scenes should be cause-and-effect rather than a string of random plot points and why you should analyze your individual scenes to make sure they have a purpose in your overall plot.
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In this episode we share some examples of good types of subplots to include in your stories to make them more layered and how those subplots should help and/or add conflict to the main plot. We also chat about our plot pet peeves and what makes them oh so irksome.
Link to Janice Hardy's Fiction University.
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While plots can be everything from action packed to character driven to beautifully quiet or twisty, every story has them. In this episode, we go over a number of questions you should ask yourself while revising to ensure your plot is as tight as it can be.
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Joanna interviews romance author Maci Aurora (who also writes YA and NA contemporary under the pen name, CL Walters). With 11 books under her belt, Maci is no stranger to revising. In this episode, she shares her process for how she tackles revisions (post-its for the win!), discusses mistakes she’s made along the way, and offers great advice on how to make sure you’re getting solid critiques from your beta readers.
Note: The question of the day was inspired by characters from Maci’s book IN THE SHADOW OF A WISH (book 1 of the Fareview Fairytale series), not IN THE SHADOW OF A HOAX (book 2).
Connect with our guest!
https://www.maciaurora.com/
Instagram @maciaurora
https://www.clwalters.net/
Instagram @cl.walters
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Both of us believe that receiving feedback on your manuscripts helps not only strengthen your stories, but your craft too. However, all of those comments and critiques can sometimes feel overwhelming. In this episode, we share our processes for how we digest and incorporate (or when we choose not to incorporate) feedback.
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This week we discuss tips to help you polish a final draft. Joanna also shares the steps she takes after copy edits to make sure she’s sending the cleanest possible story to print.
The book and app Joanna mentions are:
The Heart of Darkness, book 2 of The Remnant Chronicles series
Voice Dream app
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Kat continues the chat with MG writers Sophie Li, Elizabeth May, Christina Dwivedi, and Bayley Mae. In this episode, we discuss what to do when you’re stuck, how our revision process can evolve over the years, big mistakes we’ve made, and what our favorite revision tip is.
Connect with our guests!
Sophie Li
sophiexli.com
Instagram @sophie.x.li
Elizabeth May
elizabethannemay.com
Instagram @bookmandalas
Christina Dwivedi
christinadwivedi.weebly.com
Instagram @christina.fictionality
Bayley Mae
bayleymae.com
Instagram @bayley.mae
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In our first interview episode, Kat sits down with her MG writing group (Sophie Li, Elizabeth May, Christina Dwivedi, Bayley Mae) to talk about the different ways everyone approaches revisions and how to handle feedback from critiques.
Connect with our guests!
Sophie Li
sophiexli.com
Instagram @sophie.x.li
Elizabeth May
elizabethannemay.com
Instagram @bookmandalas
Christina Dwivedi
christinadwivedi.weebly.com
Instagram @christina.fictionality
Bayley Mae
bayleymae.com
Instagram @bayley.mae
Learn more about what else we offer at anovelending.com
Follow us on Instagram: @a_novel_ending
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Should you revise while you draft? We share our thoughts on this topic, including when it might work and when it’s a bad idea. We also chat about what times of day we like to draft and what times we like to revise.
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As writers, we all get stuck from time to time. In this episode, we chat about different strategies we use to help us get unstuck and back in the writing chair.
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In this episode, we chat about the difference between drafting brain and revision brain, what each of these creative brains are good for, and how to switch from one to the other.
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This week we talk all about breaks - breaks between drafts and those in the midst of revisions. We also discuss how to get back into your story after a break, whether it’s a short one or very long.
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We’re excited you’re here! Thanks for joining us and listening in as we get candid about all things revisions! We can’t wait to share our tips, tricks, and writing journeys with all of you.
Writing a novel is hard. Revising one can be even tougher. In this podcast, we’ll be chatting about the fun and not-so-fun parts of what it takes to turn a messy first draft into a polished final manuscript. Each episode will be packed with craft advice and practical tips that will hopefully help you with your own revisions.
Throughout the year, we’ll also be bringing you special guests, special bonus episodes, and more! So if you’re looking for a new way to tackle your revisions or just need a short distraction from your work in progress, you’re in the right place!
Happy revising!
Kat & Joanna
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