Get Your Fiction Manuscript Past the Gatekeeper

The key to getting your novel published is not just having a good story – but a polished, well-revised story.

Paying a developmental editor to perform a professional edit on your manuscript could cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. Investing in yourself now on how to professionally self-edit your own work will fast track you toward publication and save you significant money.

This course will cover what you need to improve your novel writing and editing skills to create a better manuscript that can catch the eye of an agent, editor, publisher, or reader—while saving thousands of dollars on story developmental editing services.

You’ll discover 9 story building issues that could be preventing YOU from getting published—or capturing a reader’s attention—and the techniques to fix them. PLUS, you’ll get direct access to my writing and editing toolbox AND my 10 years of author experience having worked with multiple agents, editors, authors, and publishers.

Discover how to create a better novel by focusing on these 9 story development areas:

1: WORLD BUILDING
2: NARRATIVE FLOW
3: COPY EDITS
4: SHOW VS. TELL
5: INFORMATION DUMPING
6: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
7: DIALOGUE
8: PLOT LINES
9: PACING AND TENSION

PLUS ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

· How to Build Suspense

· Characters that Grab You

· Sidekick Characters

· 8 Steps to an Agent, a Publisher, and a 2-Book Deal

· Revision Resources

· Course Guide

Lessons include:

* Mistakes to avoid and techniques to fix them

* Story examples to reinforce the lesson

* Assignments to strengthen your story development

What I am sharing with you in this course is based on ten years of experience working with privately hired developmental editors, editorial staff at several publishers, editors on submission, author mentors, and literary agents—as well as being an intern at a NYC literary agency.

As a literary agency intern, I read manuscripts for an agent that she requested from queries. My job was to let her know if the book was a story she should consider. Was it a good story? Did it hold my attention? Did I stop reading? If so where, and why? I had the power to recommend the book to her or not. 99% of the time I did not. Why? Because these stories were not ready for publication.

They may each have held a GOOD STORY IDEA but were plagued with issues that prevented them from being a GREAT STORY that would resonate with readers. Issues that prevented them from getting past the gatekeeper. Issues that I’ve been guilty of myself and have worked hard to overcome.

In this course, I will cover these exact issues that could be preventing YOU from getting published.

Discover:

* How to write and revise compelling manuscripts for publication and sale

* How to recognize and correct the nine most common manuscript mistakes

* How to increase your knowledge of how good storytelling works

Improving your self-editing techniques is one of the best ways to get your novel publication-ready and get it in the hands of readers.

Submitting a well-written and engaging story to an agent, editor, publisher, or reader can help you stand out from the thousands of manuscripts that get rejected each day.

You’ve invested a lot of time, energy, and emotion into your book—investing in improving your storytelling skills can ensure your book captures the spotlight.

By the end of this course you will be confident in knowing how to write and revise your novel to craft an engaging story.

What’s included in Get Your Manuscript Past the Gatekeeper:

A 9-Step Author Revision Process to Write and Revise with Confidence and Skill

FULL COURSE INFO:

1: WORLD BUILDING
What world building involves and why it’s important for anystory.
How to ground the reader in your world and what details to include—and avoid.

2: NARRATIVE FLOW
Create a smooth story flow from one element to the next to keep the reader turning the pages.
The importance of “letting things resonate” for a deeper impact.

3: COPY EDITS
Why varying sentence type can improve readability and keep your reader interested.
How to avoid bogging your story down in repetition and description.

4: SHOW VS. TELL
Eliminate histrionics and overly dramatic expression.
“Show” techniques that can create an emotional connection with readers.

5: INFORMATION DUMPING
How to select what to reveal—and what to exclude— to keep your story active.
Effective ways to include backstory that don’t bog down the action.

6: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
How voice is key for readers to connect with characters.
Create dimensional characters to care about.
The importance of focusing on emotional turning points.
Introduce sidekick characters to support your main character.

7: DIALOGUE
Why every line of dialogue is key to the story.
Craft compelling dialogue that moves the story forward and reveals character.

8: PLOT LINES
Hook readers with your story promise and why your story must be more than just “a good idea”.
A guide to ensure each chapter drives your story forward and keeps it on track.

9: PACING AND TENSION
How to achieve the right pacing and tension to evoke emotion in your characters and readers.
Create effective pacing and tension that can build suspense for any genre.
Balance action so your story isn’t too frantic or too bogged down.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have access to the course materials?

You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.

Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?

Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don’t have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That’s up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!