I remember the first time I got feedback on a story I’d written.

“Overwriting.” “Flat characters.” “Unbelievable plot.” “Doesn’t draw me in.”

I stared at the rejection letter, baffled. (While wiping my tears). I hadn’t a clue how to decipher the words on the page – let alone fix my story.

But, if I wanted to be published, I had to figure it out. So, I “unpacked the criticism” as my friend literary agent Chip MacGregor would say and learned how to give my writing – and my books – an extreme book makeover.

I love Extreme Home Makeover. I know it’s off the air now, but I used to be glued to it, curious how these professionals would tear down and rebuild a home to suit a family’s needs. They assessed each problem, got a vision for the project and worked in their skill area to create an Aha! Effect.

This is the task facing every aspiring (and published!) author. We must learn to step back from our stories, look at them with a critical eye, figure out what a good manuscript looks like, and then use our unique voice to make that happen.

But how does an author look at their book objectively and give it a makeover?

This year on the Monday MBT blog, we’ll be covering the 5-Step process of an Extreme Book Makeover.