I didn’t see this coming…

Last week, I shared some thoughts on the art of editing, focusing on the pillars of storytelling—event, backstory, and consequence—and how these elements can elevate any narrative, regardless of the genre.

Here’s the twist: the very next day, I had the perfect opportunity to put what I learned into practice during a writing coaching session.

For the past few months, I’ve been helping a coach develop some articles for her LinkedIn newsletter. These articles are rich in insights and have an important message, but with so much to share, she was finding it tricky to ensure the content flowed in a way that kept her audience engaged.

One of the articles I was working on required multiple reads, and I couldn't quite pinpoint why it wasn't landing as powerfully as it should. Then, AHA! I realized the culprit was too much backstory.

Once I saw that, the editing became much clearer. As we discussed last time, this isn’t just about grammar, punctuation, or syntax; it's about shaping the story arc to keep the reader engaged. This type of editing is known as "developmental editing," where the emphasis is more on storytelling and structure than on flawless prose, which is addressed later during copyediting.

If you're a coach who's developing articles for your own LinkedIn newsletter or creating regular content for your audience (no matter the platform), I bet you've been in the same boat—struggling to find the right balance between the information you want to share and keeping the flow engaging.

If you’re ready to refine your content to resonate more powerfully with your audience, send me a message. Let’s discuss how we can bring your ideas to life with structure and style.

You don’t have to be a coach to reach out! I’ve worked with writers across various industries and topics. Email me at judi@judi411.com to learn more, and let’s see if you’ll be the first to bring your industry or topic to my attention and create something impactful together.