Meet Jessica James: A Story Stream Success Story

Meet Jessica James

Story Stream: For readers who may be new to your work, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you're currently working on?

Jessica James: Hello – I'm Jessica James, and I write historical fiction, including the award-winning Shades of Gray Civil War Trilogy, as well as suspense and thrillers with strong military and patriotic themes.

My latest book, The Monarch Alliance, is a historical mystery that blends intrigue, suspense, and a hint of romance. The story came to me unexpectedly while I was visiting a historic hotel in the Hudson Valley for my travel blog. What started as a simple post about a destination turned into an entirely new journey—and ultimately into a full-length novel.

The Monarch Alliance is a dual-era story that weaves together old letters uncovered in an attic, secret pacts, and hidden clues. Part of the story unfolds in the early 1900s—an era and setting that pushed me well beyond my comfort zone.

From the Newsroom to Novels

Story Stream: What drew you to writing, and what do you love most about creating novels?

Jessica James: I've always been a writer, but I started out in journalism and spent 18 years in a newspaper newsroom. It wasn't until my 40s that I realized not everyone walks around with characters and plots in their head—and that maybe I should start writing them down.

I quickly discovered that novel writing calls on a completely different part of the brain, but after years of writing straight news, I fell in love with the creative freedom of fiction.

Editing The Monarch Alliance with Story Stream

Story Stream: What challenges did you face during your editing process, and how did Story Stream help?

Jessica James: I honestly thought I was done with the book when I ran the manuscript through Story Stream. It showed me I had a lot more work to do and ended up being a lifesaver.

Not only was I diving into a new genre, but I hadn't written a book in about four years, so it helped show me that my creative muscles were very much out of shape. Story Stream pointed out the manuscript's weaknesses and made me dig deeper into every aspect of the novel.

How Well Did Story Stream Understand Your Voice?

Story Stream: How well did Story Stream understand your voice as a writer?

Jessica James: I didn't depend on Story Stream to understand my voice so much as to show me what might confuse readers or feel incomplete based on its knowledge of the genre and bestselling books. The suggestions Story Stream provided were so obvious—and yet I hadn't thought of them—so it was really helpful in planting new seeds for creativity.

Story Stream didn't give me the answers or write the story, but it made me think deeper and helped create a much more complex and complete plot.

Did the Editorial Report Leave You Feeling Encouraged or Discouraged?

Story Stream: Did the editorial report leave you feeling encouraged or discouraged? Why?

Jessica James: That's a good question! My first reaction was pure discouragement. It seemed like there was so much to fix, and I had thought I was over the finish line and would just have minor tweaks.

But the more I studied the results, I saw that Story Stream provided very helpful tips for HOW to fix the weak points. And again, they were so obvious that I kept saying, "Why didn't I think of this?"

It was actually kind of fun going through the ideas and finding hidden gems—little nuggets of information that I could expand upon to keep the reader turning pages and make the plot more intriguing. It was time-consuming, but it most definitely made for a much stronger novel.

Favorite Story Stream Features

Story Stream: What's your favorite Story Stream feature and why?

Jessica James: That's a hard one. I like the Heat Map because it provides a good overview at a glance.

But I'd say my favorite feature is the chapter-by-chapter analysis under the "Top Areas for Improvement" tab. That's where I did a real deep dive into problem areas, which is exactly what a developmental edit should do.

Advice for Authors Considering Story Stream

Story Stream: Why would you recommend Story Stream to other authors?

Jessica James: I highly recommend Story Stream to authors who are serious about the craft of writing because it will help you put the best possible book out into the world.

As an author who has spent way too much money on editors who did not provide half the feedback that Story Stream did, I can say that even if you only use half of the suggestions Story Stream provides, it will still be money well spent.

For a tip, I would recommend using it before you think you have a polished novel, so you can be more flexible about making changes and not be disheartened by the feedback. Not only is it worth the money, it's worth the time investment if you're serious about writing.

Looking Ahead

Story Stream: Are there any features you'd like to see added in the future?

Jessica James: I'd love to see more marketing features to keep going after the book is finished. It already provides a lot of information on tropes, themes, and the book's place in the market, which is really helpful. Story Stream feels like a partner during the writing process, so I'd love to continue that partnership after the book is published.

Jessica's journey is a reminder that there's always more to explore on the page. We're proud to be part of Jessica's creative toolkit, supporting her as she brings The Monarch Alliance to life and connects with readers around the world.

Visit Jessica James's website to explore her work and upcoming novel The Monarch Alliance, then see how Story Stream can help you uncover new layers in your own manuscript.