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Your Next DraftAuthor: Alice Sudlow
Supporting fiction writers doing the hard work of revising unputdownable novels. The novel editing process is the creative crucible where you discover the story you truly want to telland it can present some of the most challenging moments on your writing journey. Developmental editor and book coach Alice Sudlow will be your companion through the mess and magic of revision. Youll get inspired by interviews with authors, editors, and coaches sharing their revision processes; gain practical tips from Alices editing practice; and hear what real revision truly requires as Alice workshops scenes-in-progress with writers. Its all a quest to discover: How do you figure out what your story is truly about? How do you determine what form that story should take? And once you do, how do you shape the hundreds of thousands of words you've written into the storys most refined and powerful form? If youve written a draftor threebut are still searching for your storys untapped potential, this is the podcast for you. Together, lets dig into the difficult and delightful work of editing your next draft. Language: en-us Genres: Arts, Books, Education, How To Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Are You Chasing the Wrong Olympic Gold?
Episode 102
Thursday, 19 February, 2026
This skater didn't win an Olympic medal, and I'm obsessed with him.I watched Cha Jun-Hwan’s figure skating routine last week in the Olympic men’s short program competition. I never finished watching that competition—I was busy rewinding Jun-Hwan’s routine to watch him over and over again.I filmed my TV screen on my phone and watched it again while I sat in the courthouse on jury duty. I gushed about it to friends and family. I’ve been listening to the song he skated to on loop for a week.Jun-Hwan didn’t win a medal. He placed fourth, just off the podium. But his skate has stuck in my mind like no other skater’s has throughout this entire Olympics.There is no Olympic gold medal for literature.Still, most writers I work with are chasing their own version of Olympic gold. You’re reaching for lofty achievements: to sign an agent, to get a book deal, to land on the endcaps of Barnes and Noble, maybe even to rise up in the bestseller lists.Which, on the one hand, is fantastic. As I’m sure every Olympic athlete knows, it’s so incredibly satisfying and rewarding to push the limits of your potential, to set a high bar and then become the person who can surpass it.But on the other hand, it’s a hidden trap. Because the achievements we compete for are merely proxies for what we actually want. The agents, the deals, the bookstores, the lists are simply stand-ins for excellence and validation and engagement with readers who love what we write.Which means that it’s possible to win the agents and the deals without reaching excellence and connecting with readers. And it’s possible to lose the agents and the accolades, and still attain the excellence and engagement we most want.So in this episode, I’m raving about Cha Jun-Hwan.Not because he medaled, or he was expected to medal but didn’t, or he was part of any figure skating drama. He was simply there, skating a great skate—one that lives on in my mind and on my phone and in my Youtube history.And I’m unpacking why.What magic did his skate hold that surpassed any other?What am I measuring besides Olympic gold?And how can writers weave that magic, too?Links mentioned in the episode:Watch Cha Jun-Hwan’s short programSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Alice and Your Next Draft." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers through the mess—and joy—of the editing process. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap the stars to rate, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Loving the show? Show your support with a monthly contribution »
