Unpacking Kayla's $1000+ Developmental Edit Letter

In this episode, Kayla returns from the San Francisco Writers Conference with a lot more than just a fancy hotel receipt. While the "volunteer-to-pitch" lifestyle had its quirks, it led to some major new connections—including the "New Andy" and the brilliantly creative Dr. Janine Inez.But the real heart of the conversation is the 18-page deep dive Kayla received from Cornerstones US. Kayla and Rachel break down the "brutally helpful" feedback on her manuscript, Pillow Forts Down, covering:The Death of the Info-Dump: Why your prologue might be doing too much heavy lifting and how to weave backstory into the action.Deepening the "Why": Moving beyond shock value to explore the emotional core of a character’s hypersexuality.The Big Reveal: Why Fiona McLaren (shoutout to Fiona!) officially categorized the novel as Book Club Fiction and what that means for the road to publishing.Style vs. Substance: Navigating the tricky waters of ethereal death scenes and passive character reveals.We also share a sobering and heartfelt update on Fiona’s current situation in Cyprus, and talk about the actual costs (and massive value) of hiring a top-tier literary consultant.Next time: We’re diving into story time or a look at Madeline Cash’s Lost Lambs. Read along with us!Please subscribe, rate and review! New episodes every other Wednesday.E-mail us your short story at [email protected] us on instagram @writeyourheartoutpod Leave us a message at 650-260-4885