From Page to Stage: How to Use Rock and Roll Energy in Developmental Editing

When most writers think about developmental editing fiction, they picture fixing plot holes or smoothing dialogue. But sometimes your novel needs something bigger—the kind of energy that makes readers feel like they’re at a live concert instead of quietly paging through a library book.

The best fiction writing coach will tell you that creating spectacle isn’t about adding explosions to every chapter. It’s about understanding story pacing techniques—the same way a rock band crafts a setlist to keep an audience hooked from the first note to the encore.

How a Psychedelic Concert Became a Writing Lesson

Last weekend I saw King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. Big open space, warm night, and a hypnotic performance—literally. Behind the band, a massive screen displayed spiraling colors that morphed into a crocodile face, then melted into a tree.

The crowd swayed in unison, as if under mass hypnosis. And as often happens when I’m immersed in live art, my mind drifted to my own creative work. I started thinking about spectacle in writing—how certain creative choices either build it or strip it away, and how that intention changes your entire approach to storytelling.

Sometimes you want the intimacy of a quiet, dialogue-driven novel about a mother and daughter. Other times you want the full arena show—lights, riffs, and all. Knowing which experience you’re aiming for will shape every decision you make.

Your Characters Need Stage Presence

Watching that metal band work the crowd—choosing the lighting cues, hitting the rhythmic “chugga chuggas”—I realized the same principles apply to books. The goal is to give your audience an experience.

Take Moby Dick. People often think of it as a dense, academic text for literary diehards, but it’s a masterpiece of spectacle. Part of its grandeur comes from its sheer scale—a “doorstopper” of a book that immerses you in a world so thoroughly it becomes a cultural event.

This is where manuscript development coaching matters. A skilled coach helps you balance the big moments with the quiet ones, teaching you when to crank up the energy and when to let readers breathe.

Spectacle takes many forms. Some novels create it through social drama—think Edith Wharton’s works—or the tragic arcs of characters like Anna Karenina. Even quieter books can contain their own brand of intensity if the emotional stakes are high enough.

When Your Middle Movement Drags

Every great setlist has a weak point if you’re not careful: the middle. We once read Middlemarch for a book club, and, fittingly, the middle became a forced march for many of us. The early enthusiasm waned, and only the most determined made it through.

Even George Eliot wrestled with sustaining momentum across such a sprawling narrative. For novelists, the challenge is similar—you need to map your novel revision process like a concert: open strong, maintain variety, and save something unforgettable for the end.

Trust Your Creative Frequency

Sometimes an editor or agent will question why a scene doesn’t bring a conflict to a head. And you’ll know the answer: your characters wouldn’t speak or act that way yet. You understand them more deeply than anyone else ever will.

Readers only know what’s on the page, so your task is to bridge that gap—to communicate your intentions so clearly that the emotional and narrative beats land without you needing to explain them.

In the end, the big creative choices (the moments that define your story’s rhythm) have to come from you. You picked this path for a reason. Trust that original instinct and build on it.

Your Story’s Natural Rhythm

The best rock concerts aren’t just loud—they’re carefully paced. They build tension, release it, and give the audience space to catch their breath. Your novel should work the same way.

Use the “forced march” test: if your middle chapters feel like trudging through Middlemarch, inject more energy—whether that’s through plot twists, heightened emotional stakes, or sensory detail that pulls readers back in.

At Hewes House, we know that developmental editing fiction isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about amplifying what already works. Our fiction writing coaches can help you find your story’s natural rhythm and turn up the volume where it matters most. With the right guidance, your book can be more than a good read—it can be an unforgettable performance.