The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
By Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
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Subscribers: 296
Reviews: 1
Episodes: 210
Laura Barrow
May 16, 2023
For aspiring authors, this podcast is a must! Learn how to write a successful query letter and get practical tips on how to polish your first five pages. Amazing resource!
Description
This is a podcast for emerging writers who want to improve the quality of their work and learn more about the publishing industry. Your one host, Bianca Marais (the bestselling author of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor') interviews authors, agents, editors and just about anyone and everyone who's involved in bringing a book to market. She's joined by her cohosts, literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency, who read and critique query letters as well as opening pages in their Books with Hooks segment. Expect good advice, honest insights, and a few laughs along the way.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
|
September Bonus Episode
|
Sep 25, 2023 |
|
The Method Writing Technique
|
Sep 21, 2023 |
|
The Hero's Journey in Memoir
|
Sep 14, 2023 |
|
The Layering Method of Writing
|
Sep 07, 2023 |
|
How POV Choice Lends Itself to Emotionality
|
Aug 31, 2023 |
|
August Bonus with Emma Donoghue and Lisa Jewell, plus Q & A and Comp Title Segments
|
Aug 28, 2023 |
|
Using Peripheral Characters Effectively
|
Aug 24, 2023 |
|
The Importance of Plausibility in Storytelling
|
Aug 17, 2023 |
|
Striking the Right Tone
|
Aug 10, 2023 |
|
Writing Pages That Will Make You Competitive in the Marketplace
|
Aug 03, 2023 |
|
July Bonus Episode With Ann Patchett, Booktalk, etc. & Ramona Ausubel
|
Jul 31, 2023 |
|
How to Elevate Your Descriptions
|
Jul 27, 2023 |
|
When Breaking the Rules Works
|
Jul 20, 2023 |
|
The Short Story vs The Novel
|
Jul 13, 2023 |
|
Referencing the Pandemic in Your WIP
|
Jul 06, 2023 |
|
Setting Up Your Social Media Platform
|
Jun 29, 2023 |
|
June Bonus Episode with Julie Carrick Dalton and Kerryn Mayne
|
Jun 26, 2023 |
|
How to Make Readers Connect With Your Characters
|
Jun 22, 2023 |
|
When to Begin With ‘The Big Terrible Thing’
|
Jun 15, 2023 |
|
Doing Everything Wrong in Your First Draft
|
Jun 08, 2023 |
|
Creating Conflict For Your Characters
|
Jun 01, 2023 |
|
May Bonus Episode: All the Romance & We Answer Your Questions & Give You Comps
|
May 29, 2023 |
|
Writing Dream Sequences That Work
|
May 25, 2023 |
|
When Not to Give Up!
|
May 18, 2023 |
|
Special Episode: Her Name is Coceka Lubobo
|
May 15, 2023 |
|
Being Intentional With Your POV Characters
|
May 11, 2023 |
|
Insights from Caroline Kepnes, Author of the ‘You’ Series
|
May 04, 2023 |
|
How Setting Informs Plot and Character
|
Apr 27, 2023 |
|
Bumper Edition: April Bonus Episode
|
Apr 24, 2023 |
|
Two Authors Review Your Work While Discussing Their Own
|
Apr 20, 2023 |
|
Insights from Bonnie Garmus, Internationally Bestselling Author of Lessons in Chemistry
|
Apr 13, 2023 |
|
Using Curiosity Seeds in a Dual Timeline Narrative
|
Apr 06, 2023 |
|
Keeping the Plot Moving Forward
|
Mar 30, 2023 |
|
Bumper Edition March Bonus Episode
|
Mar 27, 2023 |
|
How to Know When You Need a Prologue
|
Mar 23, 2023 |
|
How to Ensure Your Characters Aren’t Just Puppets Being Manipulated Through a Plot
|
Mar 16, 2023 |
|
Rebecca Makkai's Writing Insights
|
Mar 09, 2023 |
|
Writing About Trauma
|
Mar 02, 2023 |
|
Jam-packed February Bonus Episode
|
Feb 27, 2023 |
|
Being Intentional With Setting
|
Feb 23, 2023 |
|
Grady Hendrix’s Insights on Writing
|
Feb 16, 2023 |
|
Books That Get a Lot of Buzz
|
Feb 09, 2023 |
|
Welcoming Critique & Using the Hank 'Tuck' Method
|
Feb 02, 2023 |
|
The Different Routes to Publication
|
Jan 26, 2023 |
|
Writing About Grief & We Answer Your Questions & We Give You Comp Titles
|
Jan 23, 2023 |
|
Finding Mentors in Your Writing Journey
|
Jan 19, 2023 |
|
Pitching a Book Before You Write It
|
Jan 12, 2023 |
|
Seize the Day and Write the Book!
|
Jan 05, 2023 |
|
Using Emotional Memories in Writing & Our End-of-Year Wrap Up
|
Dec 29, 2022 |
|
Writing Tightly on a Scene Level & Keeping Your Characters in Motion
|
Dec 22, 2022 |
|
A Podcast Listener's Success Story
|
Dec 15, 2022 |
|
December Bonus Episode: We Answer Your Questions & Give You Comp Titles
|
Dec 12, 2022 |
|
When All the Rejections Become Resounding Yeses!
|
Dec 08, 2022 |
|
The Importance of Surprising the Reader From the First Chapter
|
Dec 01, 2022 |
|
Writing Strong Character Arcs That Are Tied to Character Wants
|
Nov 24, 2022 |
|
Jeffrey Archer's 14-Draft Process & Writing Plots Twists vs Reveals
|
Nov 17, 2022 |
|
The Importance of Having No Ego When Receiving Critique
|
Nov 10, 2022 |
|
Adding Tension, Conflict and Stakes to a Novel That's Not Working
|
Nov 03, 2022 |
|
Inciting Incidents and Key Events
|
Oct 27, 2022 |
|
Bonus Episode: We Answer Your Questions, Give You Comp Titles, and Chat with Susie Yang
|
Oct 24, 2022 |
|
Why You Don't Need an MFA to Become a Better Writer
|
Oct 20, 2022 |
|
The Process When Publishers Acquire a Novel & How to Make Yourself More Marketable
|
Oct 13, 2022 |
|
Fleshing Out All of Your Characters, Including the Antagonists
|
Oct 06, 2022 |
|
Including Diversity in Your Writing & Always Thinking About Your Reader
|
Sep 29, 2022 |
|
How to Know if You're the Right Person to Tell a Story
|
Sep 22, 2022 |
|
Bonus Episode: We Answer Your Questions and Give You Comps
|
Sep 19, 2022 |
|
How to Stop Talking to Ourselves and Start Talking to Our Readers
|
Sep 15, 2022 |
|
Tearing a Story Apart Until the Puzzle Pieces Fit Perfectly
|
Sep 08, 2022 |
|
Writing a Successful Book Proposal
|
Sep 01, 2022 |
|
How Classic Literature Can Inform Your Own Work
|
Aug 25, 2022 |
|
Balancing Character Development, Curiosity Seeds and Plot
|
Aug 18, 2022 |
|
Letting the Story Be Bigger Than You
|
Aug 11, 2022 |
|
Maximizing the Benefit of Working with a Freelance Editor
|
Aug 04, 2022 |
|
From the Archives: Dealing with Rejection
|
Jul 28, 2022 |
|
From the Archives: How to Create and Maintain Suspense
|
Jul 21, 2022 |
|
From the Archives: Learning Your Craft
|
Jul 14, 2022 |
|
From the Archives: Coming Up with A High Concept Premise
|
Jul 07, 2022 |
|
Writing Scenes Involving Multiple Characters, Understanding Writing Theory & We Answer Your Questions
|
Jul 04, 2022 |
|
Tess Gerritsen's Advice to Writers
|
Jun 30, 2022 |
|
Writing Memoir, Planting Curiosity Seeds & Choosing Inciting Incidents
|
Jun 27, 2022 |
|
Using a Pen Name & Advice for Showing vs Telling - Riley Sager
|
Jun 23, 2022 |
|
A Genre Guide, What Postcard Scenes Are, Resources Available to Writers, and a Bookstagrammer Gives You Comps
|
Jun 20, 2022 |
|
May Cobb's Insights on Writing
|
Jun 16, 2022 |
|
Tips for Romance Writers, Blurred Genres & We Answer Your Questions
|
Jun 13, 2022 |
|
Trusting Your Subconscious and Yourself
|
Jun 09, 2022 |
|
Breaking the Rules & The Importance of Juxtaposition & A Bookstagrammer Gives You Comps
|
Jun 06, 2022 |
|
How Racism in the US Pushed Tara M. Stringfellow to Write Memphis
|
Jun 02, 2022 |
|
Combating Query Fatigue & A Bookseller Gives You Comps
|
May 30, 2022 |
|
The Poetic Efficiency of Writing Well at the Line Level - Emma Straub
|
May 26, 2022 |
|
Pacing at a Chapter Level, How the Industry is Faring, and We Answer Your Questions
|
May 23, 2022 |
|
The Secret to Incorporating Backstory
|
May 19, 2022 |
|
Being Out on Sub, Drafting vs Revising Mode, Answering Your Questions and Comps Titles
|
May 16, 2022 |
|
Emily Henry's Advice for Writing Good Dialogue
|
May 12, 2022 |
|
What Makes an Editor Fall in Love with a Book & How to Manage Your Writerly Anxiety & A Bookseller Gives You Comps
|
May 09, 2022 |
|
The Difference Between Memoir and Recollection
|
May 05, 2022 |
|
Setting as Character, How Your Journey Will Be Unique, and We Answer Your Questions
|
May 02, 2022 |
|
How to Make 'Quiet' Novels Unputdownable
|
Apr 28, 2022 |
|
Middle-Grade Fiction, Rom-coms, and a Bookseller Gives You Comps
|
Apr 25, 2022 |
|
Making Structural Choices to Best Serve a Particular Story
|
Apr 21, 2022 |
|
Writing and Rewriting a Novel Until It's Ready & We Answer Your Questions
|
Apr 18, 2022 |
|
The Importance of Endings - Lisa Scottoline
|
Apr 14, 2022 |
|
Framing Scenes, Writing a YA Series, and A Bookseller Recommends Comps
|
Apr 11, 2022 |
|
Organically Integrating Backstory and Context
|
Apr 07, 2022 |
|
Fictional Beginnings and Non-Fictional Story Arcs & a Bookseller Recommends Comps
|
Apr 04, 2022 |
|
How the Original Pitch Copy and Framing Device Can Change During Edits
|
Mar 31, 2022 |
|
What Chloe and Olivia Have Learned Along the Way & A Bookseller Offers Comps
|
Mar 28, 2022 |
|
When You're Not Able to Let Go of a Rejected Manuscript
|
Mar 24, 2022 |
|
How Specificity Brings a Story to Life, Answering Your Questions, and a Bookseller Gives You Comps
|
Mar 21, 2022 |
|
How to be Creative During Difficult Times
|
Mar 17, 2022 |
|
Bonus Episode: Spotlight on Indie Authors and Publishers & We Answer Your Questions
|
Mar 14, 2022 |
|
How to Ensure Each Scene is Doing the Heavy Lifting
|
Mar 10, 2022 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: Jesse Thistle's Advice to Memoirists & Our First Q&A Session
|
Mar 07, 2022 |
|
Writerly Insights with Bestselling Author, Elin Hilderbrand
|
Mar 03, 2022 |
|
Writing Romance Masterclass
|
Feb 28, 2022 |
|
Why You Need to Be Your Most Sympathetic Critic
|
Feb 24, 2022 |
|
A Masterclass in Writing Multi-POV Novels Across Various Genres
|
Feb 21, 2022 |
|
Writing With an Intelligent Reader in Mind
|
Feb 17, 2022 |
|
What It's Like to Be Out On Submission & Circling the Building in Your Opening
|
Feb 14, 2022 |
|
When Writing is Both Therapeutic and Profitable
|
Feb 10, 2022 |
|
BONUS Episode: Discussing Action and Humor with Mark Greaney and Josie Silver
|
Feb 07, 2022 |
|
Mastering Multi-POV and Multi-Timeline Novels with Fiona Davis
|
Feb 03, 2022 |
|
BONUS: Experimenting with Structure - Mitzi Angel and Janice Hallett
|
Jan 31, 2022 |
|
Rachel Krantz's Advice on Writing Memoir
|
Jan 27, 2022 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: A Romance Author Answers Your Questions & An Intro to Scrivener
|
Jan 24, 2022 |
|
Building a Writing Resume on Your Journey to Publication - Deesha Philyaw
|
Jan 20, 2022 |
|
Granting Yourself Permission to Tell a Story - Kerri Maher
|
Jan 13, 2022 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: From Rocky Beginnings to Strong Endings
|
Jan 10, 2022 |
|
Knowing When You're Not Quite There... Yet - Tomi Adeyemi
|
Jan 06, 2022 |
|
Ending the Year with a Shot of Positivity from Alka Joshi
|
Dec 30, 2021 |
|
How Using Writing Software Can Elevate Your WIP
|
Dec 27, 2021 |
|
How Critiquing Other Writers' Work is the Best Way To Learn Craft
|
Dec 23, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: Why You Should Consider Writing Residencies
|
Dec 21, 2021 |
|
Incorporating the Epistolary Form into Your Writing
|
Dec 16, 2021 |
|
When a Pantser Becomes a Plotter to Get Published - Kirthana Ramisetti
|
Dec 09, 2021 |
|
Not Every Journey to Publication Takes the Same Route - Jayne Allen
|
Dec 02, 2021 |
|
Trusting Your Gut in the Face of Rejection - PJ Vernon
|
Nov 25, 2021 |
|
BONUS: Submitting to Presses & Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone
|
Nov 22, 2021 |
|
Ken Follett's Incredibly Practical Tips for Writers
|
Nov 18, 2021 |
|
How to Write a Novel in Half the Time
|
Nov 11, 2021 |
|
Why You Shouldn't Compare Yourself to Other Writers
|
Nov 04, 2021 |
|
The Secret to Overnight Success - Jesse Q Sutanto
|
Oct 28, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: When to Break the Rules - Leila Slimani
|
Oct 26, 2021 |
|
Staying True To Your Vision for Your Work - Ella Berman
|
Oct 21, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: Romance, Rom-coms and Writing Sex Scenes
|
Oct 19, 2021 |
|
A Wealth of Information Shared by Super Editor, Amy Einhorn
|
Oct 14, 2021 |
|
How Being Impatient to Publish Actually Works Against You - Ruth Ozeki
|
Oct 07, 2021 |
|
From the Archives: What I Wish I Knew Before I Got Published - Courtney Maum
|
Oct 04, 2021 |
|
In Praise of the Prologue and Organic Backstory - Christina Clancy
|
Sep 30, 2021 |
|
From the Archives: Talking with the Bestseller Whisperer
|
Sep 27, 2021 |
|
The Evolution of a Rejected Manuscript on its Journey to Publication
|
Sep 23, 2021 |
|
Having Fun with Your Writing & Getting Out of Your Own Way - Lauren Groff
|
Sep 16, 2021 |
|
The Importance of Staring into Space - Sunjeev Sahota
|
Sep 09, 2021 |
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BONUS EPISODE: 10 Legal and Business Topics for Writers to Consider
|
Sep 07, 2021 |
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Every Story Will Tell You What it Needs - Megan Collins
|
Sep 02, 2021 |
|
Finding Your Plot Engine - Megan Abbott
|
Aug 26, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: A One-on-One Books with Hooks & Preparing for #PitMad
|
Aug 24, 2021 |
|
Writing an Engaging First Chapter - Caitlin Wahrer
|
Aug 19, 2021 |
|
How to Know When You're Ready to Query Agents
|
Aug 12, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: How to Make Your Imaginary Worlds Come Alive Through Worldbuilding
|
Aug 09, 2021 |
|
Finding a Hook & Writing Dual POV Stories - Andrea Bartz
|
Aug 05, 2021 |
|
From the Archives: 10 Harsh Truths Writers Need to Know
|
Aug 03, 2021 |
|
Writing Intuitively Without Plotting or Outlining - Samantha Downing
|
Jul 29, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: Delving into the Author/Editor Relationship
|
Jul 27, 2021 |
|
Curiosity May Kill the Cat but it Makes a Writer
|
Jul 22, 2021 |
|
BONUS EPISODE: What it Takes to be a Successful Indie Author
|
Jul 20, 2021 |
|
Reading: The DIY MFA
|
Jul 15, 2021 |
|
From the Archives: Two Opposing Views on Handling Tricky Backstory
|
Jul 12, 2021 |
|
Pitches, Loglines and Queries
|
Jul 08, 2021 |
|
From the Archives: The Biggest Mistake Writers Make: Lisa Cron
|
Jul 05, 2021 |
|
Focusing on Tension Rather Than Plot - Emily Henry
|
Jul 01, 2021 |
|
Director's Cut Bonus Episode: 3 Agents Explain Book Adaptation for Film and TV
|
Jun 28, 2021 |
|
Writing Those Tricky Unlikeable Characters - May Cobb
|
Jun 24, 2021 |
|
The Importance of Finding Your People
|
Jun 17, 2021 |
|
Plotting, Outlining and Structuring Your Novel - Hannah Mary McKinnon
|
Jun 10, 2021 |
|
Genre Tropes and Conventions - Uzma Jalaluddin
|
Jun 03, 2021 |
|
What Goes Into Overnight Success & Mastering Pacing
|
May 27, 2021 |
|
Bonus Episode - Taking All Your Questions
|
May 24, 2021 |
|
Hooking Your Reader & Keeping Them Turning Pages - Jeffery Deaver
|
May 20, 2021 |
|
The Writer's Life - Lily King
|
May 13, 2021 |
|
What You Can Learn From Your Rejections
|
May 06, 2021 |
|
Writing Starter Novels & Establishing a Research Process
|
Apr 29, 2021 |
|
What Every Writer Can Learn From Other Great Writers
|
Apr 22, 2021 |
|
How to Build Your Author Platform in an Authentic Way
|
Apr 15, 2021 |
|
In Praise of Bookstagrammers
|
Apr 08, 2021 |
|
Career Advice from Bestselling Susan Wiggs
|
Apr 01, 2021 |
|
Writing From Rage & Own Voices Stories
|
Mar 25, 2021 |
|
Capturing Time and Place - Ann Mah
|
Mar 18, 2021 |
|
Why Writing is a Marathon - Marissa Stapley
|
Mar 11, 2021 |
|
Indie Publishers
|
Mar 04, 2021 |
|
First Books with Hooks & Freelance Editors
|
Feb 25, 2021 |
|
Turning Rejections into Success Stories
|
Feb 18, 2021 |
|
Finding Your Process as a Debut Author
|
Feb 11, 2021 |
|
Showing vs Telling and Online Writing Retreats
|
Feb 04, 2021 |
|
Creating Characters That Feel Real : Claire Lombardo
|
Jan 28, 2021 |
|
Balancing Heartbreak and Humor - Steven Rowley
|
Jan 21, 2021 |
|
My Journey to Publication - Julia Claiborne Johnson
|
Jan 14, 2021 |
|
Kicking Off a Wonderfully Creative Year
|
Jan 07, 2021 |
|
How to Create and Maintain Suspense in all Genres
|
Dec 31, 2020 |
|
Point of View and an Update on the Industry: Carly Watters
|
Dec 24, 2020 |
|
The Latest Literary Trend: Writing Partnerships
|
Dec 17, 2020 |
|
What All Writers Can Learn From the Thriller Genre
|
Dec 10, 2020 |
|
Talking Audiobooks & Elements of Craft with Katharine Lee McEwan
|
Dec 03, 2020 |
|
Why Writing Groups are Integral
|
Nov 26, 2020 |
|
What You Need to Know About Self Publishing
|
Nov 19, 2020 |
|
Succeeding in the YA (Young Adult) Market
|
Nov 08, 2020 |
|
Writing Sex Scenes & Befriending Booksellers
|
Oct 15, 2020 |
|
When You Don't Make Shit Up - Memoir & Nonfiction
|
Sep 24, 2020 |
|
Bestselling Jane Green's Advice to Writers
|
Sep 18, 2020 |
|
How an Editor Acquires a Manuscript
|
Sep 18, 2020 |
|
Delving into the Author/Agent Relationship
|
Sep 18, 2020 |