A Story That Works Rebecca Monterusso

This episode is all about self-editing: what is it, why do you need it, and what the heck does it encompass? What's the point of self-editing if you can just ask an editor for help? Rebecca talks about that on this episode (hint: it's critical to get another set of eyes on your writing, learning to self-edit can save you time later on because you're growing your skills, can save you money, and can help you be more intentional with your goals). Listen to Rebecca talk about all the things she'd change in this story from season 1.

If you don't already know, Rebecca is a writer and certified Story Grid editor who’s attended two McKee seminars, hosted workshops at Barnes and Noble, and self-published a nonfiction book on writing. She produces a podcast called A Story That Works and currently creates content for ROI Online. Her writing has been featured on Havok, Jane Friedman, The Creative Penn, and DIY MFA. She’s a pretty good crocheter, avid reader, amateur graphic designer, and loves traveling the world. Short story is currently her favorite medium for writing fiction. You can find out more at www.creativitythroughconstraints.com.

Things I mention on this episode:

Some of these links (marked with an *) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.


The Story Grid* by Shawn Coyne
Story* by Robert McKee
Jane Friedman: What Does it Mean to Write a Scene that Works?
The Creative Penn: 6 Things to Consider Before Writing a Novel
DIYMFA: 5 Reasons it’s Time to Call in an Editor and 5 Essentials for Every Scene
Story Grid: Writing Scenes that Work; Our Writer’s vs Editor’s Brains; Analyzing a Masterwork: The Knife of Never Letting Go; How Reading Better Can Help You Write Better; What Does it Mean to Write, Read, and Live with Intention?; From Initial Idea to Publishable Draft; Practical Steps to Improve Your Craft
My fiction is on https://gohavok.com/ which requires a subscription to read
My book: The 30 Day Writing Challenge

Editor Abigail Perry talks to Rebecca about one of the stories from season 1 (the story she wrote using the prompt "death in a small town"). Abby has great advice on how to expand and explore the story, but more importantly, she and Rebecca talk about how to build confidence as a writer and how to stop expecting your first drafts to be perfect so you can just keep writing. Abby offers advice on taking the pressure off yourself as well as how to explore the story you truly want to tell.

Abigail K. Perry is a Certified Story Grid Editor with professional teaching, literary agency, and film production experience. In addition to writing masterwork guides that help people learn how to write, read, and edit like a writer, she works as a freelance developmental editor/book coach and diagnostic editor, and is a monthly columnist for DIY MFA. Abigail also teaches Genre-Focused writing workshops for the genres she specializes in, which include Women’s Fiction, YA Fantasy, Upmarket Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Scripts. As a podcaster, she’s a passionate advocate for the butterfly effect stories have on the individual and world, which she shares with listeners on her podcast, STORY EFFECT.

Reach out to Abigail if you’re a writer looking for an editor who will help you grow as storyteller, and who has experience in differentiated instruction, traditional publishing, and film. Find out more at abigailkperry.com.

Things Abigail and I mention in the episode:

Some of these links (marked with an *) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.


DIY MFA
Story Effect (Abby's podcast)
Story Grid Scene Analysis template (value shift, polarity shift)
SG 5 Commandments
Yellow Wallpaper
Writer's Digest Conference
Johnathon Mayberry (a thriller writer)
Writing excuses
PS I Love You*
James Scott Bell: Plot & Structure*, Write Your Novel From the Middle*

Editor Leslie Watts talks to Rebecca about what it takes to build an author career, starting with giving yourself permission to figure out your own process. She talks about creating a writing practice and the importance of reading what you write so you can get curious and play in those spaces that light you up. Leslie gives Rebecca about lengthening her story and talks about what works and what doesn't.

Leslie Watts is a Story Grid Certified Editor, writer, and podcaster based in Austin, Texas. She’s been writing for as long as she can remember—from her sixth-grade magazine about cats to writing practice while drafting opinions for an appellate court judge. As an editor, Leslie helps fiction and nonfiction clients write epic stories that matter. She believes writers become better storytellers through study and practice and that editors owe a duty of care to help writers with specific and supportive guidance. You can find her online at Writership.com.

Things Leslie and I mention in the episode:

Some of these links (marked with an *) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.


The Story Grid Roundtable Podcast
Natalie Goldberg and her concept that we must study and accept our own minds
Big Magic* by Elizabeth Gilbert
Dorothea Brand's Becoming a Writer*
If You Want To Write*
Morning pages from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way*
Neil Gaiman
Joyce Carol Oats: [on how to know when a story is done/how long it should be] when you can see the ending and you know where it’s going
Myer’s Briggs
Don't Feed The Monkey Mind*
Cassandra
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time*
Ocean at the End of the Lane*
Jenny Shih

Editor Griffin Gartner talks to Rebecca about a piece of micro-fiction she wrote for an NYC Midnight competition. He walks her through what's working, how to make it scarier, and how she could expand it just based on the idea itself. Griffin is a master at horror and gives tons of advice on what it means to write horror and as well as how to consistently write stories that speak to you as a writer.

Griffin helps horror writers craft scarier stories. Find out more at gartnerediting.com.

Things Griffin and I mention in the episode:

Some of these links (marked with an *) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.


NYC Midnight
The subcategories of horror (though there are more than a few opinions about this)
Robert McKee
6 key components of tension experiences: conflict/dissonance/instability, uncertainty, generating expectations/predictions or anticipation, emotional significance of the anticipated events (what are the stakes), lack of control, temporal aspects
The Exorcist*
The Artist’s Way*
Types of monsters: crocodile, leach, storm, stranger, germ

Editor Kim Kessler talks with Rebecca about how to expand a short screenplay she wrote for an NYCM competition. Together they discuss what's working about this piece in particular, but also how to use what you know about yourself to write better stories in the future.



Kimberly Kessler is a Story Grid Certified Editor, TEDx speaker, and one-fourth of the Story Grid Editor Roundtable Podcast. As an editor, she specializes in helping writers craft authentic character arcs and internally-driven stories. As a novelist and filmmaker, she uses humor to explore trauma and find a redemptive perspective on pain. She lives in Washington state with her stand-up comedian husband and three "think they're a comedian" kids. You can connect with her directly at www.kimberkessler.com

Things Kim and I mentioned in the episode:

Some of these links (marked with an *) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.


NYCM Competitions
James Scott Bell's Short Story Book*
The Story Grid Anthology*
The Story Grid Editors Roundtable Podcast
How to decide how long your story should be from Mary Robinette Kowal's advice
MICE quotient from Orsen Scott Card
Kim’s Novel*

Editor Julia Blair walks Rebecca through what's working and what she can change about a short story she wrote. Julia helps Rebecca tighten the story and they dive into their own writing processes to compare.



Before she became a Story Grid Editor, Julia Blair worked as an archaeologist and a preservation archivist where she was occasionally caught sniffing old books in the stacks. As a developmental editor and story coach, her mission is to help aspiring novelists make the best use of their valuable writing time to craft stories that readers will remember and love. She especially loves to help writers discover the heart of their story when they feel like they’re lost in the weeds. Julia brings a deep appreciation of history and culture to the editing table. Her specialties are Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales and Myth, and Historical Fantasy. She is the author of a forthcoming Story Grid guide to the War genre, and her short story Elixir will be published in Spring 2020. These days, Julia is elbows-deep writing her fantasy novel, The Nature of Prophecy. She has written several articles for the Story Grid Fundamental Fridays series. Visit her at ragstowritten.com.



Things Julia and I mentioned in the episode:


Neil Gaiman

Writing Excuses

Using A Foolscap

Erin Morgenstern