Have you been alone with your story for too long?

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2–3 minutes
Have you been alone with your story for too long?

You’ve lived the adventure of a lifetime and you’ve come home full of enthusiasm to write it all up and share it with as many people as you can. But somewhere between going on the trip itself and writing up the story of that trip, chances are, something’s gone … missing.

Maybe those experiences that were so vivid at the time are falling flat on the page. Or the message you want readers to take away from your adventures sounds less inspirational and more like a series of “and then this happened” moments.

Maybe you’ve found yourself mining the thesaurus for other ways of saying “amazing”, “beautiful”, “inspiring”. Or you’ve shoehorned in paragraphs of backstory to explain why you went on this trip. Or you’ve stared at a page-long anecdote from a bartender because it was funny at the time. Or – and this is a sign you’ve definitely been alone with your story for too long – you’re fiddling with commas and experimenting with semicolons.

Yes, these really are the signs that you’ve been alone with your story for too long. To use a cliche, you can’t see the wood for the trees. Now’s the time to get some outside perspective. A friend, a partner, a writing group, a beta reader, an editor – an outside perspective will help you see what you can’t see anymore.

An editor, in particular, will be able to point out what’s not working.

  • why descriptions are falling flat
  • why your themes aren’t landing
  • why the start isn’t grabbing the way it could
  • why that anecdote isn’t working

Here are comments I’ve left on authors’ manuscripts. It’s the small changes to make wording more precise and more immersive that really make a difference overall, but when you’ve been too close to your writing for too long, you can’t always notice those small details.

Could you use a more precise word here? “Things” can be vague, so a stronger word will build the scene more. Some options:  The way he described the matches/the play The way he described the players, the matches, the polish in his commentary,…
I’ve tightened up the phrasing here because it was a little wordy. I’ve aimed to keep your core message and tone.
How about changing this to “sane husband” to lean into the husband-wife dynamic?

When I’m your editor, you’ll also get heaps of encouraging feedback. I leave comments on passages that make me laugh, or when your descriptions are spot on, or where your message is coming through strongly. Take these two:

Love these introductory paragraphs. They’re punchy and full of energy. Readers get a clear idea of your writing style and what to expect. Nicely done!
Love this opening! We get an instant idea of who you are personally, and we’re told up front what to expect (and not expect) from the book. Solid stuff.

With feedback like that, you’re on your way again. You know what to change, how to change it, and why you should change it. You’re not alone with your writing anymore. Hooray!

So, if you’re feeling stuck and frustrated with your writing, step back. Breathe. You’re a great writer and you have a wonderful story to tell. You just need an outside perspective to get you going again.

If you want me to provide that perspective, here’s how I can help:

Write the Adventure

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