Ask Lori to speak to (or write for) your group!
Lori loves opportunities to speak to fiction writers through activities such as webinars, podcast interviews, guest blogging, being a virtual summit panelist, or speaking to writing critique groups.
She particularly loves talking to novelists who are in the messy middle of a manuscript and writers working to upgrade their writing skills in a genre she edits (fantasy & science fiction, romance, and crime).
A member of the inaugural class of Story Grid certified editors, Lori has used her background in scientific research (Girl’s got a PhD!) and as a data analyst (She made numbers tell stories!) to find the places where the standard advice given to writers, falls short.
Lori has developed her own unique approach to editing to help early career authors strengthen their storytelling skills and experienced authors make their work to stand out. You can see her method in action on her blog, where she gives authors feedback on their works-in-progress, or on her email list, where she explores topics that help fiction writers build the skills they need to succeed.
Previously, Lori has been a presenter with ProWritingAid, as well as a guest on writing podcasts such as The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt, The Writescast Network, and Writership. She was a panelist at The Writer’s Craft Summit in 2019. She also co-coordinated a 2023 novel planning clinic on Scribophile with author Christopher Sunami, and has returned as a guest editor every year thereafter.
Some Topics Lori enjoys discussing
What fiction craft books assume writers already know or will figure out on their own
Building the puzzle behind your mystery’s plot
Creating unpredictable, yet relatable protagonists using behavior change science
Creating romantic heroes who earn their Happily Ever After with behavior change science
Contact Lori for Inquiries
Message lori {at} loripuma {dot} com.
Past Talks and Interviews
Crime Writers’ Week
The Writescast Network
The Creative Writer's Toolbelt
In this episode, Andy Chamberlain and Lori Puma talk about why stories matter, and what writers should do about that. They discuss the way a developmental editor can actually help authors, and reflect on the way in which personal tragedy can inform both our lives and our stories.
The Writership Podcast
In this episode, editors Leslie Watts and Lori Puma critique “Night Fishing,” a coming of age short story by Kevin Glasgow. They discuss how to take your story from pretty good to WOW.
Testimonials
Guest Blog Posts
How to Practice Storytelling:2 Essential Skills
In Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, he proposes that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. If the skill you want to master is writing, what exactly should you do in those 10,000 hours? This post defines the two types of storytelling skills that writers need to practice and shares how to practice and improve in both.
The Story Grid Translated Into Common Writing Terms
The Story Grid is an editing method for crafting page-turning fiction. This post is a primer on how the Story Grid matches up with 11 concepts and terms that many writers already know.