What Live Editing is — and How it Can Transform Your Writing
You’ve written a draft. Maybe it’s a first pass at an essay, or a chapter from your memoir. You’ve read it so many times you can’t see it clearly anymore. At this point, you’re wondering: Is this even working? Does it land? Where do I take it from here?
That’s where live editing comes in.
Live editing is a process where I read your work aloud—just a couple pages—and give you immediate, instinctive feedback in real time. It’s not about line edits but more about how well your story is resonating. It’s about what’s actually landing with the reader—and what isn’t.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
As I read, I’m offering my quick first impressions as a reader—like an agent, editor, or essay contest judge might. I comment on:
What draws me in
Where I’m hooked
Where I start to feel confused or lost
Where the stakes could be raised
Where the emotion could come through more clearly
When I crave more specificity, more detail, more you
I’m also listening for what I call "the heat"—those moments where something powerful stirs underneath the surface, where emotion flickers, where meaning is trying to break through. These moments are gold. They’re often the heart of your story—even if they’re buried in a throwaway line or an aside.
In live editing, we slow down to notice these flashes of heat—and then we talk about how to build the story around them.
Why Live Editing Works
Writers often spend so much time inside their own stories that they can’t see how it lands from the outside. Live editing gives you:
A real-time sense of your story’s impact
Immediate insight into what’s working and what needs sharpening
Clarity about your story’s theme, emotional arc, and narrative tension
A boost of momentum to return to your draft with fresh eyes
And maybe most important of all: it’s affirming. You get to see that even in a messy or early draft, your story has moments that shine. We just need to find them, name them, and help them rise to the surface.
Want to Try It?
I’m offering a 2-Day Live Editing Workshop called Find Your Story’s Heat, where you can bring a rough draft and get live feedback from me. We’ll work together to uncover the emotional core of your story and revise with purpose, clarity, and vulnerability.
Click HERE to learn more.