Seven drafts. Four years. One novel that refuses to surrender. In the inaugural episode of First Person Present, we step into the vulnerable territory where craft meets psychology, exploring why revision feels like such an emotional battlefield, and how our relationship with our own work can become our greatest obstacle.

Through candid conversation about their current projects, Hewes House writing coaches Josh and Dasha examine the delicate balance between expansion and contraction in the writing process, the myth of “show, don’t tell,” and what happens when perfectionism becomes paralysis. We tackle questions from the writing community about writer’s block, creative obsession, and the courage required to truly re-envision your work.

Links:

The Sixth Sense’s Narrative Theory

Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory

Cold Eyes for Revision

Peter Ho Davies – “The Art of Revision” (Graywolf Press)

Helen Zell Writers’ Program (University of Michigan)

r/writing subreddit

Theme music: “1982” by See Jazz