Hey writers, got a burning question about writing or editing your story? ❤️‍🔥 My #AskEditor sessions starts now, and I love helping writers problem solve. Drop your Qs and let's dive in! #RevPit #WritingCommunity @reviseresub.bsky.social - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social • 21 days ago

Hey writers, got a burning question about writing or editing your story? ❤️‍🔥

My #AskEditor sessions starts now, and I love helping writers problem solve. Drop your Qs and let's dive in!

#RevPit #WritingCommunity
@reviseresub.bsky.social

Comments

deannaunwritten.bsky.social•21 days ago

Any advice on balancing cross genre books while still meeting reader expectations? For example, something that is fantasy, horror, and romance or similar?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Another way to frame things is by the setting genre (fantasy, sci fi, etc.) and the content genre (quest, mystery, romance, etc.) The content genre typically has more specific genre rules and expectations.

deannaunwritten.bsky.social•21 days ago

This is such a great way to think about it, thank you!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Deanna! Most stories have one primary genre with elements of other genres. As long as you're meeting those primary genre conventions, I think you have room to play around and be looser with the secondary genres.

jalvinwrites.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi, Hannah! When it comes to romance, which do you prefer: HEA or HFN?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi J! Personally, I'm a sucker for HFN because I may or may not have committal issues in my own relationships lol. But really I just want whatever is genre-appropriate and satisfying for the resolution. A Gothic Horror with a bittersweet HFN is ✨ while a sappy sapphic rom com HEA is also ✨ And you?

jalvinwrites.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thanks for the answer and I'm fine with either endings, though maaaybe I'm a bit bias for HFN. Haha!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

You're welcome! And looks like we're in the same ⛵

anawriteroffantasy.bsky.social•21 days ago

Can I combine the omniscient pov with moments that are closer to a character(as in the limited 3rd pov)? Also, is it bad to open the book with the mc coming back home after a long time describind a bit of his kingdom and relevant politics(without infodumping it all at once, but rather sprinkling it?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

2) As long as you're not infodumping or boring readers, this could be a good story starter. Do your beta readers describe feeling any overwelm with Chapter 1? Do they have a sense of your protagonist? Is there an important question they want answered driving them into Chapter 2?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

1) When it comes to POV changes, I always recommend writers keep POV style consistent until switching to a new scene or a new chapter. Otherwise, you may run into head-hopping (especially with a style like omniscient POV). By combining, do you mean using both POV styles in the same scene?

matthewjvallone.bsky.social•21 days ago

Any thoughts on time travel stories? I'm working on one and what I'm finding hard to do is to create rules that are useful but that don't render much of the stakes meaningless.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Matt! It's hard to strike a good balance with your magic system and the stakes. If you haven't yet, study some popular time travel stories for their takes.

Also, I wrote this article that may be helpful:

https://janefriedman.com/how-to-create-a-believable-magic-system-in-your-fantasy-story/

matthewjvallone.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you!

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Just one more! I've had an equal number of readers, professional and critique, want the beginning to jump directly into major action versus something slower where the reader discovers more about the character and what makes her tick before jumping into more. What is your take?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

I agree character takes precedence over flashy action. However, if readers are feeling bored immediately, you may want to strike more of a balance. Consider how you can introduce an interesting dilemma (doesn't have to be intense action scene) and an interesting protagonist facet in Chapter 1.

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Really appreciate your putting all this thought and time into answering questions. ❤️

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Absolutely! Happy to answer all of them.

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Since you mention the importance of word count, do you have upper limits in mind, such as for YA fantasy?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

If you're a debut writer querying the trad route, I say to aim under under 100,000 words for your YA Fantasy. If you can manage 90,000 to 95,000 - even better! Because that's the sweet spot. Agents know higher word counts are a bigger risk for debuts and take longer for a first read-through.

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

It is definitely an area in which I could use outside editing expertise!

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thanks! I have been struggling with that as my novel is set in a non-Western fantasy-scape, which makes the world building more wordy with descriptions/explanations of unfamiliar ideas from the perspective of an American audience.

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi! Thanks for offering your time and expertise to this incredible opportunity for writers. Q: I was wondering what the first readers' job is?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Rilla! First readers are the amazing volunteers who look at submissions before we do. They help editors by sorting and categorizing the queries with their own feedback on writing style, voice, and characterization.

rillajaggia.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thanks! Good to know. Sounds super useful.

jtwritesweird.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hello Hannah! How do you feel about unbalanced povs? My story has three main characters, but there are comparatively shorter chapters of the side characters to give them depth and more context to the overall story. I wanted to give them identities that aren’t dependent of the main cast

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi JT! Before I answer, I've got more Qs for you: Are the three protagonist POVs unbalanced? Or are there three protagonist POVs and then additional POVs outside of those from secondary and/or tertiary characters?

jtwritesweird.bsky.social•20 days ago

Howdy Hannah! Three main protagonist povs with additional secondary/tertiary characters! They’re sprinkled through the story and short. My betas said it flowed but I wanted your take!

jtwritesweird.bsky.social•20 days ago

The three main povs are balanced with even distribution!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•20 days ago

Gotcha. As long as the three protagonist POVs are relatively balanced (the primary protagonist can have a little more room, if there is one), it's important that each additional POV is totally necessary or tells the story in an exciting way. If your betas say it flows, that's a great sign!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•20 days ago

But it's also totally possible to give secondary and tertiary characters dimension without giving them their own POVs. So, I would only include those additional POVs if it really serves the story itself.

jtwritesweird.bsky.social•20 days ago

Thank you for your response!
I made sure to push the main plot in their povs!

authorjennaredd.bsky.social•21 days ago

Any tips for keeping a red herring from feeling like a loose end? I’m worried about disappointing the reader with a road that leads to nowhere. 🤦‍♀️

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Jenna! A tip for keeping red herrings relevant is by having them reveal an important part of the mystery itself. J.K. Rowling actually does this well in Prisoner of Azkaban. Lupin is the red herring, but through that false thread we learn about both Sirius and the real villain: Peter Pettigrew.

authorjennaredd.bsky.social•21 days ago

Love this example. Thank you!!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

And for anyone who's curious, here's my breakdown from all your submissions:

(P.S. I'm thrilled with how many of you submitted to me and I can't wait to look through your submissions soon.)

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mrjumpcut.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Hannah -- what are the pluses and minuses of a prologue?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Aw, look who it is!? Hi Aaron 👋 They're success is genre-dependent and story-dependent, of course. (As a young reader, I glossed right over these). I think they work best when brief, don't have too much info/worldbuilding, hook readers fast, and feel relevant ASAP or soon after Chapter 1.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

And if anyone is outlining a story, I’ve assembled a few free workbooks for book series, three-act sturcture, and retellings.

Just scroll down here: https://www.kelleyeditorial.com/blog

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stephaltawrites.bsky.social•21 days ago

These are super helpful, thank you! I particularly like your post on first chapter mistakes!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

I'm so glad they're helpful! Thank you for letting me know what you think.

drummerandrews.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thank you for sharing these!

ddwrites.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you for sharing these resources- they’re very helpful.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

I'm so glad they're helpful!

writinglife2010.bsky.social•21 days ago

I had one Beta reader give in-line notes on my Word doc, and one gave me a separate document with all her notes. Do you have a preference in your RevPit editing?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Are you asking how I deliever my editing feedback? If so, I do both. I provide in-line developmental edits on the manuscript doc itself. This focuses on the nitty-gritty edits. Then I type up an editorial letter with the high-level assessment and next steps breakdown.

writinglife2010.bsky.social•21 days ago

OK, great! Yes, I was asking about your approach. Thank you!

writinglife2010.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi, Hannah, just checking: are you from the "brutal honesty" school, or the "how can I hang an air freshener on this" school?
😂😭

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Haha, I'm actually from both schools! I'm always honest about what I think is working well and what needs some work. I don't want to hold back a writer's potential by holding back crucial feedback. But framing my feedback in a kind, digestible way makes allll the difference is how writers improve.

writinglife2010.bsky.social•21 days ago

Ah! Excellent! Thank you!

chinadennington.bsky.social•21 days ago

I'm not sure how to age my characters. I currently have them set at 18/19 and the genre as YA (because that makes the most sense since it's shorter fantasy) but I would like to actually have them in their early 20s. What would you suggest?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi China! First I'll ask you why do you want them to be in their early 20s? Do you find the subject matter or tone leaning more Adult/New Adult then Young Adult?

chinadennington.bsky.social•21 days ago

The subject matter (in terms of actual spice and violence) is on par with other YA books, but I think the themes are fairly twisty and layered with MCs who may be more relatable to a slightly older audience.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

In that case, I say trust yourself and age them up. Agents and readers want characters that speak to their unique age category as closely as possible. Just do your market research first, and ensure there's a clear market for NA/Adult Fantasy (there is! especially romantasy) and how to best pitch it.

chinadennington.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you for the advice!

sophiemlpink.bsky.social•21 days ago

What’s the best way to manage flashbacks these days? A lot of my narrative makes use of characters telling stories about their past to express relevant backstory, but does that structure moving back and forth between past and present work for the modern market?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Sophie! What's your genre/s? Do popular titles in your genre use flashbacks the way you do, too? Market research is where I'd start with a question like this. In general, the best flashbacks push the story forward as much as the story-present, consistently thread throughout, and are pretty brief.

sophiemlpink.bsky.social•21 days ago

It’s gothic horror, so it’s in the vein of Wuthering Heights or Interview with the Vampire narrative-wise, but those are obviously not recent titles in the market…

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Not recent, but Wuthering Heights is about to be reshot and they just shot IWAV and Mayfair Witches. Gothic fiction is cool again! History is a huge part of gothic fiction (like a living, breathing character in it's own way), so backstory and flashbacks will always be key genre conventions.

sophiemlpink.bsky.social•21 days ago

This is very validating, thank you! That was my intuition too, but querying has me playing guessing games.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

You're welcome! Also I wrote this piece for Jane Friedman last year if it's at all useful to you:

https://janefriedman.com/how-to-outline-a-gothic-novel/

maggiesbooks.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Hannah! I have a lot of characters in my story and not all of them contribute to the plot. However, I do want to keep them around and give them their own stories later on, maybe create a universe. What’s the best way to go about this situation?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Maggie! Like a Bridgerton-style series? If so, I love these. Future protagonists don't have to push the plot forward in a big way or even play a major role, but they should contribute somehow. Hyacinth and Gregory are peripheral but still add humor, context, and conflict. Memorable, if low-key.

maggiesbooks.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you! Yes something like that, although I haven’t read Bridgerton so I always use chestnut springs series by Elsie Silver as my example.

sarahgwrites75.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Hannah...I just worked with a brilliant Beta reader who has some amazing advice. I'm worried it's going to push my word count up too high to be marketable but can't think of anything to take out. Should I just write the story and not worry about word count?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Sarah! Word count is always important whether you're querying or self-publishing. So I'd prioritize it, for sure. If this is your first draft, don't worry about it too much. But if you're editing, it may be time to trim and cut a few things before adding anything else in.

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

I find the culprit often lies in scenes that can be condensed, unnecessary POVs, and pacing issues. But knowing what to cut can be tricky, I agree. Have your beta readers helped you see anything that could be cut? Are there areas where they're less engaged, perhaps?

sarahgwrites75.bsky.social•21 days ago

There doesn't seem to be anything obvious that can go but I'm sitting on it for a month before going in again. There's one scene I can think of that could go for certain and if I come at it with fresh eyes I can hopefully find some other stuff to go. Thanks for the answer

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Of course! Glad you've got one scene in mind. Always take a breather before jumping into self-editing. And sometimes it takes a fresh pair of (professional) eyes on a manuscript to help trim it down.

qziontgipson.bsky.social•21 days ago

Thank you for the opportunity! While I know this question is very subjective, what elements—regardless of genre—make a good, memorable story, for you?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi Q'Zion! The things that stick with me are unique settings and magic systems, fresh takes on tropes, and character decisions that have me like 'I know this is the right call, but damn that was brutal'. And in all genres, I like feeling surprised often.

qziontgipson.bsky.social•21 days ago

I agree! Thank you for sharing!

sarasafaas.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hello Hannah! Any common pitfalls you see new/unpublished writers fall into? (Like opening with info dumping, not in media res, etc) love to add to my avoid list!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hi S! The most common pitfalls my writers face are having an unfocused character arc, lack of consistent conflict (internal and external), unclear stakes, and plot inconsistencies. And the hardest aspect to nail down is ✨believable✨ characters. Is there anything in particular you're struggling with?

sarasafaas.bsky.social•21 days ago

I don’t /think/ I am, but I’m ready to be told otherwise 😅 thank you!

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

You're welcome! And even if your does have any of these pitfalls, they're common and therefore have very doable fixes :)

allgoodthingsmd.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hey Hannah. Thanks for volunteering. Word count question:

SF narrative of a planned 250k words. The story can naturally be adjusted based on arc into either a duology around 125k each (too long) or trilogy around 80-85k each (too short). Naively-assuming it’s otherwise complete, which is preferred?

kelleyeditorial.bsky.social•21 days ago

I think it's better to have a story slightly too short than too long when you're querying an agent, so I'd say the trilogy option could be preferable. Though it's also very possible the dulogy books could be trimmed down with the help of an editor, which is certainly easier. Is this Adult, YA or MG?

allgoodthingsmd.bsky.social•21 days ago

Adult SF, first time author. Thanks!