In today's episode, we're going to talk about value shifts. Specifically, how understanding the concept of value shifts can help you write an edit a story that works. Here's a preview:[01:10] What are value shifts and why do I need to care about them?[01:40] What does it mean to create a mini-arc of change in each scene?[02:10] How value shifts can help you create a better story outline and write impactful scenes that work.[03:50] Each genre has a core value at stake. For example, in a romance novel, the main value at stake is love. The protagonist stands to lose or gain love.[04:50] What should you do once you know the main value at stake in your story?[05:50] How to turn a low impact scene into a meaningful scene that works.[06:40] You can also think of story values as mini-answers to your central story question. For example, will Katniss survive the Hunger Games or not?[07:00] What to do if you can't figure out the exact value that will change in a scene. [07:50] How value shifts can help you weed out unproductive scenes and/or turn them into scenes that impact your global story.[08:30] Next level value shifts. How to weave internal changes with external changes to create a compelling story that keeps readers turning page after page.[12:00] Key points and a quick recap of the episode.Subscribe & Review in Apple PodcastsAre you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts!If you're already a subscriber, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. Those reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is. Thanks in advance!Links mentioned in this episode:Episode Freebie: How to Pressure Test Your Scenes with Value Shifts PDFNeed help figuring out the genre of your story? Check out episode #2 of this podcast or read this article on the blog.FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.