How to choose the best story ideas for your manuscript | 5 writing tips to make a story stronger

In this video, I go over 5 strategies that I will use to decide which ideas I want to keep in my manuscript, which ones I want to cut, and which ones can be put aside for now. These tips include digging into the reasoning for why you wanted to use an idea in the first place, analyzing how these ideas fit in with the context of your worldbuilding and characters, a pros and cons list of how the idea might affect the story, and reminders that sometimes you just need to make a decision rather than overthinking and dragging out that decision.
I hope that this sparks some inspiration or helps you with your manuscript! :)
✨Get my poetry collection!
a.co/d/2JsnEcw
💛It would mean the absolute WORLD to me if you considered supporting me on Patreon: / kaylakempers 💛
Most music and sound effects are from www.epidemicsound.com
Instagram: @kaylakempers
TikTok: @kaylakempers
Twitter: @kaylakempers
Business Email: [e-mail]
#Author #Writing #inspiration #creativity

[@76kilosofshade81]

I think these are great Qs to ask during editing. I'm a big fan of writing the first draft without much self-criticism. Sometimes you need to include the idea and see what problems it presents for your characters as they develop. Sometimes you get excited and need to see that it doesn't work or feel how hard it is to try and include it. Also, it's just writing - it can all be fixed with editing. 😊

[@KaylaKempers]

exactly! That's why I'm often such a big fan of just making a decision, any decision at all, and seeing where it goes. I feel like it's so much better to do that than to let it slow your momentum

[@morganunraveled]

thank you for making this video!! 🫶🏻 this is exactly what I need. my story keeps getting away from me, as I plot & try to discover one storyline I get a new idea to change it entirely and I feel like I don’t even know what story I’m trying to write because I want to take it in five completely different directions! I love how you said you have to sacrifice some ideas to make your story be the best it can be. I think following our gut and intuition is so key, but it can be so hard to detach yourself from exciting new ideas for your story. knowing whether the story is meant to evolve in a new direction or should you stay true to the original idea and inspiration. I think as you said we can often allow current trends alter our story and I think that holds me back a lot! this is such a powerful topic, thank you for covering it Kayla! 🌼

[@KaylaKempers]

Yes yes yes! That's exactly how I was feeling with Between the Waves. But over the past few months I've really been working on my mindset around it, and I've realized that I need to learn how to be absolutely merciless with my ideas 😂 I just have faith that adapting this mindset is going to do wonders for my storytelling. I'm so happy you got so much from the video! Thank you for being here 💛

[@graysonsbookmark]

these also sound like good questions for revision!

[@Shelby-dn3yr]

You're going to make it big one day. Keep going!

[@KaylaKempers]

🥹💛

[@Becky-LeighGregg]

Im thinking of writing down my ideas and doing a lucky dip to decide which story to go for. 😂

[@ivyjongkind9203]

i usually don’t comment on videos but i want to thank you for being such an inspiration and for sharing a realistic approach to writing! a few days ago i published my first novel on amazon And If It Does (A Story Of Hope) and i couldn’t have done it without these types of videos :) 🫶🫶

[@KaylaKempers]

ahh congratulations! Thank you for being here 🥰