Chapter 2: Editing your first draft with Callie Stoker
You’ve written a manuscript. A whole first draft. It’s beautiful. Pristine. Perfect…or is it?
In this episode of Inkspiration, Heather and Mia interview editor extraordinaire, Callie Stoker. Callie is the founder and owner of The Manuscript Dr., an editing service for fiction writers that provides mentorship, education, and editing support by experienced professionals.
As Heather is currently self-editing her manuscript and Mia is tackling rewriting hers, both these hosts are excited to learn from Callie and share her expertise with listeners.
During this episode…
Callie shines a light on the murky first steps following your first draft.
Callie breaks down the editing mindset for creatives who prefer drafting to revising.
Callie explains how to navigate the editing funnel and different types of editing services.
Regardless of your experience, this episode overflows with editing and revising tips and tricks you won’t want to miss. Be sure to stay tuned until the end when Callie introduces a one-time offer for Inkspiration listeners only.
Listen to the episode on all major podcast platforms today!
let’s welcome Callie to the Inkspiration community!
From her website:
In fourth grade Callie read The Indian in the Cupboard. The idea of a boy’s toy coming alive in a magic cupboard grabbed a hold of her imagination and never let go. The addiction only increased as she read Roald Dahl, Lloyd Alexander, Madeleine L’Engle, and the Redwall series. In sixth grade her teacher took away Jane Eyre because it was distracting Callie from her work.
In all her reading, one question has always fascinated her. Why do some stories with great ideas fall flat?
For the past decade, Callie has honed her skills by studying the craft of writing and defining the elements that make a story work. She can read any story, any rocky first draft, and provide the first aid it needs to make your manuscript live off the page and resonate in the minds of your readers.
Callie is also a mother of four–two of whom are on the Autism Spectrum. A singer and theater buff, she has spent a lot of time on the stage and behind the curtain as a music director and costumer. She loves good stories told on television and is a big fan of many
From the Episode
Callie’s favorite craft book is On Writing by Stephen King. Read it – it’s doctor-recommended.
Callie loves to use Dan Wells’ 7-Point Story Structure series to inform her plot. Find the series at: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzfRuHa21NIzQFrQ6FAq8Pj2IA_SXiwrN&si=GGwFZQGsVGSx-53f
Callie referenced Neil Gaiman’s killer quote: “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.”
Thanks for listening to Inkspiration, a podcast where we explore the art of storytelling with expert interviews and tips for writers, readers, and publishing enthusiasts eager to uncover the magic in their stories.
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