In today’s episode, we’re rolling out a new format wherein our guest authors will help Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique submissions. We’re starting with Carly’s client, Mai Nguyen, author of Sunshine Nails. In this episode, we discuss great query letters; YA word count ranges; world building and personal experience with the built world; creating conflict for characters; character motivations; passion vs ambition; creating books that can cross borders in terms of setting; the right place to start; emotionality vs narration; knowing where to add lots of detail and where it’s not necessary; and anticipation in the character.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

More information about Mai can be found at https://www.mainguyen.ca/. She's on Instagram @bymainguyen and Twitter @bymainguyen.

Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping! 

Today's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

In today's bumper Bonus Episode, we chat with two internationally bestselling authors in the romance genre before taking your questions and giving you comp titles.

CeCe kicks us off by interviewing Carley Fortune, author of Meet Me at the Lake, about planting curiosity seeds; the editing process; the struggle with negative self-talk when writing; the development of Carley's characters; and creating chemistry amongst characters.

After which, Carly chats with Emily Henry, author of Happy Place about dialogue; facets of success; masculinity in literature; healthy conflict with characters; her book covers; and her potential involvement in the film adaptations of her books.

Carly and CeCe then take all your questions!

Finally, Bianca chats with Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop and RJ Witherow of Parnassus Books as they give comps recommendations.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

More information about Carley can be found at www.carleyfortune.com. She’s on Instagram @carleyfortune

More information about Emily can be found at www.emilyhenrybooks.com. She's on Instagram @emilyhenrywrites.

Parnassus Books can be found at www.parnassusbooks.net and on Instagram at @parnassusbooks

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com.

Today's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

In today’s Books With Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe each critique two submissions, discussing query length; having enough of a hook; writing style in a query letter; confusion vs curiosity in a query letter; explanatory vs curiosity seeds; putting the hook up higher in a query; starting with dialogue; and fantastic first lines and opening pages. 

After which, CeCe chats with Chanel Cleeton, author of The Cuban Heiress, about POV; being a plotter or pantser; Chanel's different phases of writing; the research process; and writing successful dream sequences.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Chanel can be found at www.chanelcleeton.com and on Instagram at @chanelcleeton

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by special guest, Traci Thomas from The Stacks podcast for a special segment focusing on non-fiction. During the segment, they discuss surprising readers in the first chapter; specificity in memoir; comping non-fiction and memoir; the use of humor in an overview; and the general layout of an overview.

After which, Bianca chats with Meg Tady, author of Super Bloom, who reads the query letter that landed her own agent. Meg also reads and critiques a listener's query, discussing stakes and specificity; making main character's likeable enough for readers to root for them; the art of description; writing a book within a book; and telling yourself 'yes' every day.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Traci can be found at www.thestackspodcast.com and on Instagram at @thestackspod

Meg can be found at www.megantady.com and on Instagram at @megtady

In this short bonus episode, Bianca pays tribute to the bravery of Coceka Lubobo, a young woman who ended a serial killer's reign of terror in Orlando, Soweto.

Special thanks go to:

• the immensely talented English actress, screenwriter and film producer, Katharine McEwan, for narrating this episode.
• the brilliant singer and songwriter, Daphne Willis, for composing the music for the piece.
• the incredible South African artist, Manuela Gray, for composing the art work.

You can find them on Instagram at:

@kathatinemcewan

@daphnewillismusic

@manuelagray

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two submissions and cover topics like voice-y queries; using direct and specific terms in a query letter; selecting the right comps for the right reasons; having the query letter match what’s in the opening pages; close third-person POV; having a short and tightly written query; dual timelines vs backstory/flashbacks, series; sneaky prologues; passive framing of the hook; activating your story; and synopsizing the manuscript in the query letter,

After which, CeCe chats with Jenny Jackson, bestselling author of Pineapple Street and Vice President and Executive Editor for Knopf. During the segment, they discuss Jenny's choice of POV characters; writing backstory; the use of a prologue and an epilogue; being an editor and an author; and Jenny's advice for emerging writers.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Jenny can be found on Twitter at @JennyeJackson and on Instagram at @jennyjacksonpineapple

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Bianca and guest agent, Rachel McMillan, discuss the importance of social media presence; tailoring your queries to specific agents; putting your best content forward; and word count expectations.

After which, Bianca chats with Caroline Kepnes, author of the YOU series, about the charming façade of serial killers; how she created her own major in college; how Joe Goldberg is a fascinating contradiction; getting inside Joe’s head; the intentionality of setting; making a villain vulnerable; how to feel what your character would feel; writing physicality; early readers and unlikable characters; and giving a villain backstory to make readers empathize.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Rachel can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @rachkmc and at www.rachelmcmillan.net

Caroline can be found at www.carolinekepnes.com, on Instagram @carolinekepnes and on Twitter @carolinekepnes.

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss descriptive specificity; comping to famous writers; sensitivity when describing mental health and mental illness; picking the correct comps; the importance of interiority to dual narrative experience; and choosing titles that work best for you.

After which, Bianca chats with J Ryan Stradal, author of Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, about his path to publication; being a good literary citizen; standing your ground with setting; having setting inform plot elements and character; outlining multi-POV and multi-timeline novels; flashback vs separate timelines, starting a book with a theme; knowing the ending and starting far away from it; how you learn from each book that you write; and advice for emerging writers regarding querying agents.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

More information about J Ryan can be found at www.jryanstradal.com. He's on Twitter @jryanstradal and Instagram @jryanstradal.

In today's bumper Bonus Episode, in an incredibly emotional interview, Bianca talks with Carol Major, author of the memoir The Asparagus Wars, about the difference between cerebral writing and visceral writing; the reliability of memory; the importance of being intentional; allowing the reader to become a part of the story; creating meaning for the reader (not just the memoirist); why people read memoirs; the journey of finding the meaning of your story while writing it; dealing with the potential fallout after publishing a memoir; writing with integrity; and the awards Carol has won.

Carly and CeCe are joined by Andrea Guevara, an author branding expert, to take your questions, and in the process discussing acceptable word count; social media presence; the concept of stakes; querying for feedback; examples of novels that excel in interiority; red flags for agents; the journey to publication; defining your genre; and pen names.

Bianca chats with Patti Callahan Henry, bestselling author of Surviving Savannah, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and The Secret Book of Flora Lea, about how much heavy lifting the first line, paragraph, and pages need to do; omniscient POV in the opening chapter; knowing how to open a book; drawing on myths and legends to spark a story; writing on a line level; the gardening vs architecture of writing a story; ensuring both past and present timelines have a story-forward plot; and writing a book within a book.

Finally, Bianca chats with Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop and RJ Witherow of Parnassus Books as they give comps recommendations.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Carol can be found at https://www.writingtable.space/

Andrea can be found on Instagram at @brand.strength and @theandreaguevara

Patti can be found at https://www.patticallahanhenry.com/ She's on Twitter @pcalhenry and Instagram @pattichenry.

Parnassus Books can be found at www.parnassusbooks.net and on Instagram at @parnassusbooks

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Carly and Cece each critique two submissions, discussing pitching literary vs upmarket fiction; naming non-POV characters in a query letter; head-hopping, interiority and emotionality; mentioning sensitivity/authenticity readers; writing about cultures that are not your own; world building in historical fiction, world building and specificity in a fantasy query letter; having surprise in the opening pages, quiet novels, upmarket fiction, and line-level writing; and Carly suggests a prologue!

In today’s Books With Hooks segment, we try something different! Bianca critiques query letters while guests Maggie Giles, author of The Things We Lost, and Lindsay Maple, author of Not Your Basic Love Story, critique opening pages of romcoms which are the genres they write in. In between, they discuss their own work and advice for writers. They also share their successful query letters with our Kofi monthly supporters!

Topics covered include genre blending; the hook in a query letter; skipping over the mundane; turning a trope around to surprise the reader; misfired meet-cutes; surprise in the opening chapters; mentioning character names in opening pages; having the protagonist alone in the opening pages; how to figure out the central conflict; how to keep raising the stakes; carrying conflict into act II; starting out as an indie author and then getting an agent; a shoutout to Rising Action Publishing Co.; and advice for emerging authors about community and indie publishing.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Lindsay is on Instagram @lindsayraemaple and on Twitter @LindsayRaeMaple

Maggie is on Instagram @maggiegiles_ and on Twitter @maggiegiles_

In today’s Books With Hooks segment, Carly and Cece each critique two submissions, discussing tongue twister titles; putting a fresh spin on feminist issues; first lines that could be doing more; differentiating your own writing from original stories in retellings; ensuring important details are clarified in a query letter; making sure there’s a reason for having two heroes in a story; what happens when interiority and emotionality are missing from the pages; setting a story against the backdrop of a major world event; ensuring the plot points are in a dominos set-up; making sure the storyline is about the protagonist, not the major world event; and weaving in emotionality to offer context on characters in a subtle, superb, organic way. And CeCe requests a full manuscript!

After which, Bianca chats with Bonnie Garmus, internationally bestselling author of the publishing phenomenon, Lessons in Chemistry, about her “overnight” success; the almost 100 rejections she got during querying; why not to write a 700-page novel for your debut, the grieving process during querying; writing a love letter to science and scientists; the universal appeal of a novel like hers, structure, timeline and the opening pages; writing omniscient POV well and including an animal’s POV; knowing when to listen to critique and when to stand your ground; and the difference between curiosity seeds and pause pebbles.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bonnie can be found at https://www.bonniegarmus.com/. She’s on Twitter @BonnieGarmus and Instagram @bonnie_garmus_author.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly discuss a successful prologue; 'showing' weather rather than telling; being specific about your genre in order to find the right agent; the concept of a 'telling' prologue; breaking the 'fourth wall'; the need for an antagonist in a memoir; and storytelling as seduction.

After which, Bianca interviews Ella Berman, author of Before We Were Innocent, during which they discuss Ella's latest novel; balancing focus on the plot and the characters; writing dual timelines; being intentional with your POV choices; making your reader theorize; and knowing your characters' psyches.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Ella can be found on Instagram at @ellamberman 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss keeping names in a query to a minimum; an 'excellent' query with opening pages that have almost no notes; the importance of having movement in opening pages; a three POV query letter; CeCe meets a prologue that she likes; using a third person bio; and the effective use of weather in opening pages.

After which, Carly chats with her client, Jane Healey, author of Goodnight From Paris. They discuss her path to representation and publication; winning writing contests and anonymous pitching; having a long-term relationship with editors at one publishing house; how much is too much research in historical fiction; keeping the plot moving forward while building a historical world; knowing where to start the story when writing a real person’s life into your novel; author’s notes; her advice for writers seeking to publish; and historical happy hour!

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Jane can be found at janehealey.com and on Instagram @healeyjane. 

In today's bumper Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Amy Tector, author of three novels which have all been released in the last year, including Speak for the Dead, now available this month. They discuss finding and prioritizing writing time; rewarding ourselves for hitting our goals; working on Scrivener; respecting your work as a writer (and having others respect it); setting brain boundaries; how not writing can help your writing; how to get un-stuck when the words aren’t coming; and the importance of accountability.

After which Carly and CeCe take your questions, discussing submitting parts of a WIP to journals; finding an editor; Goodreads reviews for comps; how much to share about one's career goals in a query; having a novel concept that is very similar to something that is already a bestseller; social media when querying; writing characters involved in well known institutions; advances for debuts; and deciding on the 'right' POV.

Bianca then chats with Jennie Nash, CEO of Author Accelerator, about wise investments in the writing process; writing goals and the “getting picked” skills; the core reasons why people write; the Blueprint Method; when to get a book coach; how to find the right book coach; and book coach fees and options.

Finally, Bianca chats with Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop as Emilie gives comps recommendations.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Amy can be found at www.amytector.com, on Twitter @amy_tector, and on Instagram @amytectorwrites.

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com

Jennie and Author Accelerator can be found on Instagram @authoraccelerator, Facebook @authoraccelerator, and on Twitter @authaccelerator. The website is www.authoraccelerator.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss the line between YA and adult historical fiction; category mashups; plausibility of plot points; mentioning side characters in query letters; considerations when writing for younger kids; and the importance of emotionality in the pages rather than the query letter.

After which, Carly chats with her client, Andrea Dunlop, author of Women Are the Fiercest Creatures, about shapeshifting manuscripts; cutting passages and the battle with backstory; the realness of characters; how to know when your book needs a prologue; exploring different stories and forms; empathy in writers; the challenges of writing nonfiction; what is valued in a publishing partner; and some rapid-fire questions. Then we get to hear an excerpt from the audiobook for Women Are the Fiercest Creatures!

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Andrea can be found on Instagram at @andreadunlop and her website is www.andreadunlop.net

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Dongwon Song, an agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency who specializes in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, joins Bianca to look at four query letters. The two discuss the difference between sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative fiction; the very specific sub-genre of magical realism; the length of queries in sci-fi/fantasy genres; being deliberate with the limited real estate in a query, even when world building; driving forward plot at all times; the concept of looking through a 'keyhole' when writing a query; when to italicize foreign words; the importance of using stakes to pull in an agent in the query; starting with grief in a query; and the importance of using author names when comping.

After which, Bianca chats with Kristen Bird, author of I Love It When You Lie, about how to choose your characters; multi-POV stories; subverting the mystery genre; interviewing your characters to understand character motivations; basing characters on people IRL; using setting as a tool to develop characters; and factoring in a character’s misbelief.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Kristen can be found on Instagram @kristenbirdwrites and on Twitter @kbirdwrites. Her website is www.kristenbird.com.

In today’s Books With Hooks, Carly and Cece co-critique two queries, discussing showing how the protagonist is propelled on their journey; dealing with major dramatic questions and stakes; dense query letters for well-worn tropes; surprises and predictability in the opening pages; line edits and synopsis-like queries; reactive protagonists vs giving your protagonist agency; “soft” women’s fiction; movement in the opening pages; and having an obviously bad love interest in the beginning of a story.

After which, Carly talks with author Rebecca Makkai, author of I Have Some Questions For You, about creating a fictional podcast for her story; dealing with social media as an author and in your book; chapter lengths; judgement of authors and of characters; boarding school settings, adding real life trauma situations to fiction; and tackling the messiness of life in novels. We also play you an excerpt from the I Have Some Questions for You audiobook.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Rebecca can be found on Instagram @rebeccamakkai and on Twitter @rebeccamakkai. Her website is www.rebeccamakkai.com.

In today’s Books With Hooks, which is our 100^th segment, Carly and CeCe each critique two queries, discussing comps; clear and compelling inciting incidents; plausibility; interiority and emotionality; the beginning, middle and end of memoirs; balancing tension and the mundane in a memoir; including social media handles with signatures; YA vs Adult; the right type of prologue; using swear words; and a request for a full manuscript!

After which, Bianca chats with Eden Boudreau, author of Crying Wolf: A Memoir, where they discuss writing about trauma; emotional support for writers of trauma; her unconventional path to publication; creative writing mentorship; the beauty of small presses; adding the moments of light when writing about traumatic experiences; structuring a memoir; and finding the right place to start a memoir.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Eden can be found on Instagram @edenboudreau and on Twitter @edenboudreau

In today's jam-packed Bonus Episode, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe answer questions about whether dark novels and WWII novels have a place in the current market; when it's okay to pitch an unfinished book; how to evaluate comps through number of reviews; about liking your own comps; submitting through query tracker; writing outside of genre conventions; following up with agents; and how to distinguish omniscient POV from third person POV.

After which, Carly chats with Lindsay Wong, author of Tell Me Pleasant Things About Immortality, about her inspiration for her short story collection; the themes explored in her body of work; why she likes being a creative writing instructor; the challenges of pitching as a BIPOC author and filling a gap in the market; her experiences as a woman of color at conferences; and some pros and cons of working with a big publishing house vs a smaller one. We also play an excerpt from Lindsay’s audiobook.

Then, Bianca chats with Jennifer Wilson, author of Grant Us Tomorrow, about what caused Jennifer to finally get writing; the act of beginning; forming a team to help you stay on track; protecting your voice when working with a team; trusting the reader; and Jennifer's path to publication.

Finally, Bianca chats with Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop as Emilie gives comps recommendations.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Lindsay can be found at @lindsaymwong on Twitter and at @lindsaywong.m on Instagram and at www.lindsaywongwriter.com

Jennifer can be found at www.grantustomorrow.ca and at @grantustomorrow on Instagram

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca speaks to guest agent, Emmy Nordstrom-Higdon, about five submissions including middle grade queries, a rom-com, and a graphic novel script. They discuss the best way to personalize your query letter to your specific agent; balancing narrative dialogue and action in a scene; content warnings; non-fiction book proposals; overwriting in non-fiction; and the need for an illustrator when submitting graphic novel queries.

After which, Carly chats with her client, Karen Katchur, author of The Greedy Three. They discuss the fun and difficult parts about writing a 'closed door' mystery; the process of writing dark humour; Karen's use of a specific setting for this novel; her choice of epigraph; her path to finding Carly; her experience working with different publishers; being a woman in a male-dominated genre; and Karen's words of wisdom for aspiring authors. We also play a snippet from Karen’s audiobook!

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Karen can be found at www.karenkatchur.com

Emmy can be found at @emmy_of_spines on Twitter and Instagram

In the latest Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two queries and discuss pitching only one genre; having a solid reason that a story takes place in near-history; POV changes within a single chapter; when a query sounds more like a synopsis; opening with a daydream; sucking the agent in with curiosity and tension; needing to be the best in a busy category; using an elevator pitch; dialing down the setup and characterization details in a query; and which character readers connect to first in a multi-POV novel.

After which, Bianca chats with Grady Hendrix, author of How to Sell a Haunted House, about the horror genre; how horror can open up conversations about the darker side of death and how we process it; what it is about the south that lends itself to gothic novels; horror genre conventions and tropes; establishing a stasis; writing what you know; writing the antagonist; and why it’s important to have humour infused along with the dark stuff.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

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Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Grady can be found at www.gradyhendrix.com, on Twitter @grady_hendrix, and on Instagram @gradyhendrix.

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly, CeCe, and Bianca are joined by listeners Marnie and Karisa. In the process, they discuss the importance of stakes in a query letter, even if it's literary; immersing yourself in place; the concept of 'historical' YA; the difference between YA and coming of age; how to set a scene; connecting specific plot points with the hook; and why interiority is important.

After which, Bianca chats with, Deepti Kapoor, author of Age of Vice, about building buzz for a book ahead of time; planting curiosity seeds and leaving them hanging for many pages; a story’s structure and experimenting with form; her drafting process; letting characters develop naturally; when plot devices feel artificial; social commentary in novels; using different POVs to give more information about other characters; and introducing a bit of humour to balance the challenges characters face.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Deepti can be found on Instagram @deeptikp. 

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, discussing strong hooks; coincidences; describing a character indirectly; grief, day-to-day, and voicey-ness in the pages; submitting polished queries, character observations tying in with their story-forward intentions, characterization, covering a long time period in a story, what a frame narrative is, clarifying genre, vagueness, having a protagonist who’s both observant and self-aware, and plausibility. Plus a serious attempt is made at making someone sing.

After which, Bianca chats with Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of The House Guest, wherein, they discuss succeeding in an industry that is increasingly difficult to thrive in; the importance of a thick skin and taking constructive criticism; the pacing in Hank's novels; a non-linear timeline within chapters; Hank's starting of her novel with a solitary character; and Hank's advice for reframing your query letter.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Hank can be found at @hankpryan on Instagram and Twitter, and at www.hankphillippiryan.com

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, discussing catchy titles; voice-y and specific details in queries; using line breaks; grounding readers in the scene; using opportunities for interiority; the emotional entryway technique for any genre; ensuring a unique hook to make your story stand out in a sea of similar stories; the web effect of characters and plot points; and strong pacing.

After which, Bianca chats with Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl, on getting representation and the journey to publication; self-publishing; the worthiness of non-Giller winning writing; Charlene's latest novel; the Canadian setting of Charlene's novel; and having an agent from a different country.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Charlene can be found at @charlenecarrauthor on Instagram and at www.charlenecarr.com

In today’s jampacked Bonus Episode, Carly and CeCe answer all your questions, tackling the difference between trade and academic publishing; using a title that already exists; the use of historical slang in historical YA; using comps from self-published authors; the difference between the various genres of suspense novels; the potential mistakes that make it past the revision stage; the use of domain names for author websites; resubmitting a refurbished novel to the same agent; querying with a co-writer; and the difference between women's fiction, upmarket fiction, and book club fiction.

After which, Emilie Sommer of East City Bookshop give all the phone-in listeners various suggested comp titles.

Finally, our guest interviewer, Femi Omotade chats with Onyi Nwabineli, author of Someday, Maybe, about the inspiration behind the grief and loss in the book; writing difficult subject matter; adding humour and light and love to balance out the grief and loss and despair; her writing and publication journey; her writing process; and the main messages Onyi wants readers to take away.

Support us at https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Onyi can be found at onyi-nwabineli.com, on Instagram at @onyiwrites, and on Twitter at @OnyiWrites

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop and at www.eastcitybookshop.com

Femi can be found at @thebookalert on Instagram

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly, CeCe and Bianca look at two queries, in the process discussing a metafiction query letter; the idea of having characters written by other authors being used in your novel; digging deeper on a line level; originality and tropes; and the importance of specifics in interiority.

After which, Bianca chats with Audrey Burges, author of The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone, about writing humour in a darker book; how she found her agent; having connections in the writing community; not losing momentum during drafting; working with her editor after her book deal; and having a mentor through the WFWA mentorship program.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Audrey can be found at audreyburges.com, on Twitter @Audrey_Burges, and on Instagram @audreyburges.

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, in the process discussing the concept of a protagonist knowing their fate or path; the importance of imbalance in the opening scene; an example of an 'excellent' query letter; and what is required in a query letter when your novel covers a long period of time.

After which Bianca chats with James M. Lang and Sarah Connell Sanders, authors of Small Teaching K-8, on approaching university and small presses without an agent; creating a nonfiction proposal; how to find the right publisher/imprint; getting invited to speak at events and how those costs are handled; being qualified to write on a nonfiction topic; the process of interviewing experts for info to include in a book; the collaboration process with co-authors; ensuring you’re addressing a need in the market; and managing the social media aspect of marketing your book

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Sarah can be found at sarahconnellsanders.com and on Instagram at @sarah_connell

Jim can be found at www.jamesmlang.com

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, in the process discussing extraordinarily long query letters; why it’s tricky to have a character whose ultimate goal is death; including dual-POV in the metadata; the importance of curiosity seeds in the opening pages through interiority and emotionality; how not being specific enough in a query letter makes agents hesitate to request pages; lack of interiority in the third person; using spelling according to the country the story takes place in and/or where you’re pitching it; framing your memoir so it’s written for the reader, not the writer; starting a memoir with a bird’s-eye view or a summary of what happened; stripping the tension at the beginning of a story; and writing tightly on a scene level

After which Bianca chats with Abby Maslin, author of Love You Hard, about being clear as to why you’re writing a memoir; the universal threads of struggle that connect us as humans; removing shame from experiences; structuring a memoir; getting the reader to invest in the characters before throwing them into the action; not telling too much too soon; recognizing what parts of your memoir need to be cut out because they belong to a different memoir; and writing for therapy vs writing to tell a story

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Abby can be found at www.abbymaslin.com and on Instagram at @abby_maslin

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, in the process discussing putting your own spin on a classic trope; writing physical descriptions of characters; the difficulties w beginning your novel focusing on a character who is not the protagonist; how to explain that you've had a previous agent; and a good example of voicey prose.

After which Carly chats with Kitty Johnson, author of Five Winters, about structuring a novel differently than the “norm”; creating obstacles for the main character to face; finding the balance between light and heavy topics; using emotional memories in writing; capturing grief in a story-forward way; and the most challenging and exciting things about Five Winters.

Finally, Carly and CeCe do their end-of-year wrap up!

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Kitty can be found at www.kittyjohnsonbooks.com and on Instagram at @kittyjohnsonbooks

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe critique two queries each, in the process discussing the pros and cons of epistolary novels; the #ownvoices term being retired; baiting the reader in the opening pages; having too much character description and not enough plot in the query; linguistic calibration and earned emotionality; problems with omniscient POV and breaking the fourth wall; vulnerability in unlikable characters; and having a compelling ending to a chapter.

After which CeCe chats with Caitlin Barasch, author of A Novel Obsession, about her query letter and how she got her agent; how the editing process worked after the book deal; writing unlikable female characters; how suspense can live in the psychology of the story; writing tightly on a scene level; constantly keeping your character in motion on some level to keep the story moving forward; continually escalating things for the MC; writing “pause pebbles”; and how to find the heart of your story.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 

Caitlin can be found at www.caitlinbarasch.com, on Twitter at @CatilinBarasch and on Instagram at @soembarasched

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each look at two query letters, and in the process discuss making sure interiority adds up—showing not just what a character thinks, but how they think; ensuring the line-level writing and unfolding of tension is allowing the reader to actively put the pieces of the puzzle together; ensuring there is specificity and the story climax in the query letter; making the first scene dynamic by giving the character a story-forward goal and a clear obstacle with power imbalance and sharp specifics; showing on the pages what a camera could capture and having interiority elevate that; using comps instead of themes in a query letter; using a selling type of language instead of a synopsis type of language in a query letter; and ensuring your hook can wow agents and editors, even in areas of a genre that are “soft” in the market right now.

After which, Bianca chats with Roxana Trabulsi, author of Of Mud & Honey about deciding on writing fiction instead of memoir; research vs personal experience; what constitutes ‘bloody good writing’; bringing a place alive that readers are not even remotely familiar with; reaching out to experts on the subject you’re writing about; publishing with an indie press; and including foreign words within the text.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com

Roxana can be found at www.roxanatrabulsi.com and on Instagram at @roxanatrabulsiwrites

In today's Bonus Episode, Carly and CeCe answer all your burning questions, in the process discussing whether agents ever ask for full manuscripts right after reading a query; whether query word count will keep an agent from reading or requesting pages; the concept of “new adult"; and how to deal with query letters having been sent off with the incorrect comps.

After which Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop joins us to give you her recommended comp titles.

In today's Books with Hooks,  Jessica and Kate join Carly and CeCe who critique their work, in the process discussing  the important difference between a reader's curiosity about what happened before your pages started versus curiosity about what is going to happen in the novel; knowing exactly what you want your readers to be thinking  after reading your first pages; the issues with having a protagonist that is too self aware at the beginning of a novel; the requirements when choosing between  single and dual POVS; and the concept of the 'ick' factor.

After which, Bianca chats with Amber and Danielle Brown, twin sisters and co-authors of Someone Had To Do It . They discuss the synergy between co-authors as they’re developing characters and story; turning a script into a novel; making social and cultural commentary entertaining; drawing from your own life experiences; humanizing a really unlikable character to make them compelling; incorporating perfectly timed backstory; what to look for when choosing an editor and agent; and knowing when to say no to edits.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Amber and Danielle can be found at www.amberanddanielle.com and on Instagram at @amberanddanielle

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters, in the process discussing WWII fatigue in the industry; the importance of the butterfly effect in time travel stories; how to compress plot in your query; packing in as many compelling elements as possible; and reading a perfect query letter.

After which, Bianca chats with Brad Smith, author of Copperhead Road, about how Bob Dylan, moonshine, and the origins of stock car racing inspired Copperhead Road; his experiences publishing with a small Canadian indie press; surprising the reader in the opening chapter; the importance of causality; how writing a book is like building a house; and killing your darlings.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Brad can be found at www.bradsmithbooks.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe analyze two query letters each, and in the process discuss what constitutes a long query, in respect of word count; how statements in dialogue shouldn't be made simply to tell the reader something; avoiding vague references in queries; and getting a submission that reads like a published book.

After which, Bianca chats with Alexa Martin, author of Better Than Fiction, about her journey to publication; writing teacher books; planting curiosity seeds and having the reader be an active participant instead of spoon-feeding them everything; character arcs and how they are so integral to the character’s wants/needs; flipping genre tropes; Story Genius, character misbeliefs, the third rail, and causality; and putting hooks in your books.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Alexa can be found at www.alexamartin.com and on Instagram at @alexambooks 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are left unsupervised as they critique two query letters each, in the process discussing the best way to frame your novel if it has series potential; the difficulty of marketing a quiet novel right now; how you should open your novel; matching query tone and novel tone to your genre; and the importance of readers being invested in your characters.

After which, Bianca chats with one of the bestselling authors of all time, Jeffrey Archer, about his latest novel, Next in Line; his 14-draft process; how he writes a story in 45 days and finishes a book in a year; writing what you know; plot twists vs. reveals; manipulating the reader; fictionalizing historical figures; the two levels of research; and magic moments in storytelling. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Jeffrey can be found at www.jeffreyarcher.com and on Instagram at @jeffrey_archer_author

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by two authors, Melissa and Elizabeth, whose work they critique. In the process, they discuss ensuring each that timeline in a dual timeline is its own story; keeping scenes condensed to keep propelling the story forward; mentioning the pandemic in contemporary fiction; baking in subtle references to things instead of explaining them to the reader; finding ways for a character to interact with other characters, especially when we’ll be spending a lot of time in their head; making small cuts to decrease word count; how not naming dramatic moments that change everything could mean losing agent request opportunities; telling the reader what’s going to happen vs letting them theorize; and ensuring you surprise the reader with something in the first chapter.

After which, Bianca chats with Jennifer Hillier, bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark, about writing away real-world fears and anxieties; how she writes and includes/doesn't include backstory; how she structures her novels without the use of an outline; having no ego when receiving critiques; and the importance of planting curiosity seeds.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Jennifer can be found at www.jenniferhillierbooks.com and on Instagram at @jenniferhillierbooks

In today's Books With Hooks, Carly and CeCe look at two critiques each, discussing the importance of using sharp specifics and strong interiority; ensuring there’s tension and stakes in the first pages; having distinct character voices; dropping hints but leaving them unanswered; challenges with omniscient POV; keeping all the metadata together in one paragraph; stories within stories slowing down the pacing; leaning into complicated emotions and revealing contradictions from the get-go; and making intentional stylistic choices, especially in literary fiction.

After which, Bianca chats with Amita Parikh, author of The Circus Train, about choosing comps; hitting the sweet spot to get agents’ attention; what to do if you keep getting rejections; adding tension and conflict and stakes to a novel that’s not working; writing at a scene and chapter level; writing historical events as a backdrop, not a history lesson; and not allowing your character to have the benefit of your hindsight when dealing with historical times/events.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Amita can be found at www.amitaparikh.com and on Instagram at @amita_parikh 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each look at one submitted query letter, after which they each discuss a query letter that they ended up representing as an example of what grabs their attention. They discuss redacted titles; explaining POV in a query letter; putting the hook front and center; coincidences in the story; too much internal and not enough external in the first pages; dual POV in a query letter; tension leaks and starting with proper interiority and not narration.

After which, Bianca chats with Felicity George, author of A Lady's Risk , about regency romance and what the genre is; how she tackles getting the language of that era correct; her novel’s inciting incident and the key event; Felicity's reasoning for her POV choice; and her road to publication.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Felicity can be found at www.felicitygeorgeauthor.wordpress.com, on Instagram at @FelicityGeorge_romance and Twitter at @elizabethwelke

In today's Bonus Episode, Carly and CeCe answer all your questions and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop gives you comp titles. After which, CeCe chats with Susie Yang, author of White Ivy, which was a Books with Hooks Book Club pick in the spring.

CeCe and Susie discuss fairytale elements and omniscient POV; how suspicious writers make the best writers; what it’s like to work with an editor after getting a book deal; Susie's experience as a debut author; craft resources she uses; writing many different versions to get to the right one; and having an unsettling ending.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com 
Susie can be found at www.susiebooks.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @susieyyang

In today's Books with Hooks, Jael Richardson (author of Gutter Child) joins Carly and CeCe to critique query letters. During the segment, they discuss starting in the right place; using time stamps to make it easier for the reader to ground themselves; ensuring there’s interiority with the narrating character; the web effect in query letters; clarifying the emotionality of the main character; teasing the tone/vibe of the book in the query letter; starting a book with a letter; ensuring your query letter voice matches what’s in the pages; and how to make good choices about where you begin and how you get there.

After which, Bianca chats with Christina Romeril, author of A Christmas Candy Killing, about the expectations of cozy mysteries; using Pinterest for inspiration; using a map for your setting to help maintain consistency; creative writing procrastination; using the resources available to become a better writer; setting up red herrings, planting clues, etc; and using a spouse or friend to help with accuracy in details.

 Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.
Christina can be found at www.christinaromeril.com and on Instagram at @christinaromerilwriter

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Jennifer and David, two authors who submitted their work for consideration. During the segment, they discuss whether you should have themes in a query letter; query letter vs proposal for memoirs; having something happening every five pages; letting the reader ask the question before you answer it as the author; keeping passive plot points out of the query letter; showing connections between important characters; showing a very clear goal in the opening pages;  using an emotional entryway into the story; adding another clue every time you dangle the carrot for the reader; the contrast between vague thoughts and specific visuals;  creating a synopsis for your first five pages; and goal and power imbalance, and giving very clear reasons/stakes below the surface in the opening pages.

After which, Bianca chats with Jordan Aaronson, a Marketing Manager for the Penguin Publishing Group at Penguin Random House. They discuss what a marketing manager does at a big publishing house; the acquisitions process in a publishing house; how important comps are at the acquisition stage; factors considered when deciding on advances; the importance of platforms; how important TikTok can be authors; the difference between marketing and PR; how marketing and PR budgets are decided; trends in the market; how to stand out to publishers to make them want to buy your book; advice for emerging writers; and how publishing is changing for the better.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.
Leftie's podcast can be found at: https://leftie-aubes-writing-podcast.simplecast.com/

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each review two query letters, in the process discussing overexplaining and taking the readers out of the scene; leaning into your scene from a reader’s perspective; having a very clear idea of the major dramatic question that is specific to the protagonist’s plot journey; prioritizing a character's interiority over their noticing other characters’ reactions to things; avoiding head-hopping; ensuring specific details are where they need to be placed; starting in the right place; making sure your character has a goal of some sort in the opening pages; connecting with zingy social commentary in a story; and  integrating setup within the action of the story.

After which, Bianca chats with Richard Osman, multi-million copy bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club series, about why his novels have appealed to such a wide demographic; how he came up with his premise; why he chose the POV structure for the novel that he did; writing social commentary subtly; techniques for making readers connect with so-called unlikeable characters.

 Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.
Richard can be found at @richardosman on Twitter.
Leftie's podcast can be found at: https://leftie-aubes-writing-podcast.simplecast.com/

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss being clear about your age category and details of the plot; keeping the query letter short; fleshing out character dynamics and not focusing too much on worldbuilding; connecting with a character, as opposed to the world, in the opening pages; a children’s picture book query letter; including some illustrator notes; exploring darker themes in a picture book; symbolism in children’s books; kidlit411.com; using lists in query letters; keeping the metadata at the top of the letter; having a domino effect in the query letter; including active emotion in the opening pages; and adding surprise to your pages.

After which Bianca chats with NYT bestselling Jonathan Evison, author of Small World, about the process of writing a very complex 400+ page novel; writing outside the purview of your personal experience and using sensitivity readers; understanding others’ experiences through empathy and showing that in your writing; the research that goes into huge books that span generations; how to narrow down what research is needed and stay out of the rabbit holes; knowing when to reveal information throughout the story; and always be thinking about your reader.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.
Jonathan can be found at www.jonathanevison.net
Leftie's podcast can be found at: https://leftie-aubes-writing-podcast.simplecast.com/

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss keeping secrets from the reader vs. keeping them from the character; choosing a variety of comparable titles and authors; relatability to what the character is going through; ways to make a story believable; interiority and emotionality in the characters; not giving too much in the opening pages; revealing information in the right order; how themes don’t sell books, hooks sell books; and writing longer scenes and starting at the right place.

After which, Bianca chats with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, bestselling authors of The Personal Librarian, about finding a writing soulmate; recognizing and respecting each other’s strengths; recognizing when a story can’t be fully told from a perspective that the author doesn’t share; connecting on a human level in a writing duo, always respecting and supporting each other; not burying the lead, which is also important when querying; having backstory at the beginning; finding your way into a story; and how you learn from everything you write, regardless of whether you take it out. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.
Marie and Victoria can be found at www.authormariebenedict.com and www.victoriachristophermurray.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca, Carly and CeCe answer all your burning questions about writing and publishing.

After which, Bianca chats with Elizabeth Held, creator of the What to Read substack, who answers your first batch of comp title requests. Followed by a chat with Emilie Sommer of East City Bookshop who answers the second batch of comp title requests.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Emilie can be found on Instagram at @emiliegsommer and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop
Elizabeth can be found on https://whattoreadif.substack.com and on Twitter at @ElizabethHeld

 

In today's Books with Hooks, we're joined by guest agent, Emmy Nordstrom-Higdon from Westwood Creative Artists who looks at four submissions. During the segment, Emmy discusses executing the world-building in a way that’s accessible to readers, and ensuring you’re also covering your characters' conflicts, goals, stakes, etc. in a query; keeping your query letter under a page; ensuring something happens plot-wise and that there’s voicey-ness in the writing sample; having wonderful line-level writing but focusing on the wrong things on a scene level; an efficient query letter formula; differentiating the voices of the characters; including enough voice in the query, but not as much as what’s in the pages; and a fantastic example of an MG query letter and opening pages.

After which, Bianca chats with John Galligan, author of Bad Day Breaking, about following and then breaking the “rules” of writing; the 'show, don’t tell' lightbulb moments; how to stop talking to ourselves and start talking to our readers; getting into the psyche of your characters; what genre has the most effective prologues and how to know you’re doing it right; using adjectives and adverbs the right way; creating character voice in third person; and tips for crossing gender, race, etc. boundaries to create empathy in characters and in readers—without crossing lines.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
John can be found at www.johngalligan.com 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe review a resubmission and in the process discuss an impressive author paragraph; writing the subtleties of familial relationships; the difficulties of a plot that hinges on a secret that isn't revealed in the query; and an example of a very good hook.

After which, Bianca chats with the NYT bestselling Deanna Raybourn, author of Killers of a Certain Age,  about purposefully choosing a setting and location for a story; when to decide on a dual-timeline structure and how to maintain good pacing with both; knowing which flashbacks belong and which ones to cut; pulling the story apart until the puzzle pieces fit together; differentiating between similar characters; and coming up with unique ways to kill fictional people!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Deanna can be found at www.deannaraybourn.com and on Twitter and  Instagram at @deannaraybourn

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss the target audience for a coming of age novel; the pitfalls of the early 2000s as a setting; the importance of your major dramatic question in a query; the issues with setting your novel up as part of a duology or series; and writing 'leading' dialogue.

After which CeCe chats with Jessie Stephens, author of Heartsick: Three Stories About Love, Pain, and What Happens In Between about what made her proposal successful; how Jessie's background in media helped with publishing her book; the tenuous connection between having a large following on social media and selling copies; publishing without an agent and the pros of having one now; the impressions of the offer Jessie got for her first book; the ways in which she was naïve when she began writing; and Jessie's new book.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Jessie can be found at www.mamamia.com.au and on Instagram at @jessiestephens90

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Nurin and Layne who submitted their work for critique. During the segment, they discuss a romance query that succeeds in delivering ample stakes; whether you should include mentorship programs in your query; the importance of having movement in an opening scene; needing major dramatic questions for each main character in a novel; and the importance of inner life.

After which, Bianca chats with Amanda Quain, author of Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel, about her transition from indie bookseller to debut author; the inspiration behind Accomplished (and yes, it includes the Jonas Brothers!); “rules" when creating adaptations of classic literature; advice for writers of YA; fanfiction and RPGs; character interiority; and how conversations are like a tennis match.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Amanda can be found at www.amandaquain.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @quainiac

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe look at two queries each, in the process discussing what is meant when agents want specificity in a query, particularly when it comes to world building; the hurdles of writing a book centered around trauma or featuring particularly traumatic scenes; using fewer comps for greater agent interest; the use of interiority in a query letter; advice on how to successfully write in the omniscient POV; curiosity seeds not being watered; and the difficulty with starting your pages with a character's regular day.

After which, CeCe interviews Bianca about her upcoming novel, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor. During the conversation they discuss an author working collaboratively with an agent; character development and naming with an ensemble cast; planting curiosity seeds to keep the reader turning pages, the concessions that need to be made with regards to plot when you focus on character development; getting confused as to which character's heads you're in when writing in omniscient POV; and which editorial notes Bianca most feared and how she worked on them. CeCe also challenges Bianca to see who's going to dance on Twitter!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss having a strong sense of place in your work; an example of a good prologue; when it can work to put comps at the end of your query;  examples where you can be too detailed in a query; the idea of stakes going in both directions; and the perfect query letter.

After which, CeCe chats with Melissa Fu, author of Peach Blossom Spring, about how she began her fiction writing journey; the genesis of her debut; using memoirs and collections of oral histories to do research for your historical fiction novel; how her agent found her; leaving your “writing fingerprint” around for people to discover; starting with a sneaky prologue; books that start conversations; and letting the story be bigger than you.

 Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Melissa can be found at www.melissafu.com, Twitter at @MelissaLFu, and on Instagram at @MelissaFuWriter

In today's special Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by guest literary agent, Jenni Ferrari-Adler who represents Susie Yang (whose novel, White Ivy,  was the #BookswithHooksBC pick for June).  Jenni helps Carly and CeCe evaluate three query letters, in the process discussing leaning into specificity;  sprinkling backstory info rather than dumping it in;  setting up your bombshell moments with the right information; and the importance of emotionality in sample pages. CeCe and Jenni also illustrate how subjective agent opinions can be when reading pages and how the process works when an editor is evaluating a manuscript.

After which, Bianca chats with author, Kath Jonathan,  and freelance editor, Lisa Rivers,  about how an author can maximize their interaction with a freelance editor. In the chat, they discuss what kind of info an editor likes to see from the author; breaking up a book into quarters for edits; making point-form notes for each chapter; handling the emotional turmoil after getting edits back; how editors push for the emotional truth and elevation of a manuscript; determining if a scene really needs to be there (get out your highlighter!); how to know when you’re ready to approach an editor; and how endurance and fight can help you meet your goals.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Kath can be found on Instagram at @wolverleighgardens
Lisa can be found on Instagram at @ lisarivers.editorial and you can email her at thewriterstrek@gmail.com

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with award-winning and bestselling author, Lily King (author of Writers & Lovers) about the writer's life; scrapping novels halfway through; dealing with rejection; and starting the process all over again with a new book.

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with Putnam editor and adjunct professor of publishing for NYU, Mark Tavani, about all things suspense: techniques on how to create it, how to maintain it, and how to apply these concepts across all genres. Suspense is why we read; it's what keeps us turning pages. A story without some elements of suspense will fall flat. Learn how to avoid making that mistake in your work in progress. 

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with award winning author, playwright, screenwriter and journalist, Byron Lane — author of the acclaimed A Star is Bored  (which was inspired in part by Byron's time as assistant to beloved actress Carrie Fisher) — about finding your process as a debut author; getting help when you need it; learning your craft; and mining tough times in your life for fictional gold. 

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with bestselling author, Samantha M. Bailey, as well as Nita Pronovost, editor and vice president/editorial director at Simon & Schuster Canada, about the lessons all writers can learn from the thriller genre, including coming up with high concept premises; something known and unknown, something hidden and something shown; the labyrinth approach; considering your novel two halves when it comes to pacing; and how to nail your endings.  

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca is joined by guest interviewer Kira Mahoney who interviews Daniel Kalla, author of The Darkness in the Light, about why he addresses important medical issues in his books; when being too medically authentic is not a good idea; finding information but also knowing when not to include it; how to create good dialogue between multiple characters all at once; deciding on making a story a dual-POV; and writing thrillers and historical fiction.

After which, Bianca chats with Valerie Francis, host of The Story Nerd Podcast, about the various types of writers in relation to writing theory, an exercise that listeners can use in their writing to improve it, using exposition as a tool; studying film to understand story; and the ways Valerie's podcast can help emerging authors.

Finally, Carly and CeCe answer your questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Daniel can be found at @danielkallawrites on Instagram, and at www.danielkalla.com
Valerie can be found at @valerie_francis on Instagram and Twitter, and at www.valeriefrancis.ca
Kira can be found on Instagram at @kiramahoney

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters. In the process, they discuss stories with magical elements and why the author chooses that specific world as the vehicle for the story; the importance of not revealing too much about a character’s ending state of interiority in a query letter; creating believable inner life; delivering on humor; and writing a dual author query.

After which, Bianca chats with Tess Gerritsen, NYT bestselling author of Listen to Me about transitioning from romantic suspense to medical thrillers and crime novels; the secret to her longevity in a difficult industry; changing publishers to avoid the death spiral; what it’s like spending 22 years with the same characters; approaching characterization; including subtle social commentary in your novels; and her advice for emerging writers. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Tess can be found at @tess.gerritzen on Instagram, and at www.tessgerritsen.com

In today's Bonus Episode, CeCe chats with Zibby Owens, podcaster, publisher, CEO and author of Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature. They play two truths and a lie (the writing version); discuss a  strategy for turning memories into memoir; and Zibby's writing and publishing advice for emerging writers. 

After which, Bianca chats with Samantha M. Bailey, bestselling author of Watch Out for Her about sewing curiosity seeds; writing messy first drafts; being aware of your writing crutches; 
choosing your tenses intentionally; and what it's like to be a bestselling author.

Finally, Bianca chats with Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda, award-winning author of No Be From Hia, about the challenges of writing a multi-POV, multi-timeline debut novel; ensuring the voice grows with the character from child to adult; inciting incidents—on and off the page; and working with editors before you query.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Zibby can be found at @zibbyowens on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.zibbyowens.com
Samantha can be found at @sbaileybooks on Instagram and Twitter, and at www.samanthambailey.ca
Natasha can be found at @tashomokhodian on Instagram

On today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe are joined by Caroline and Sammy who submitted their work for critique. During the discussion, Carly and CeCe remind us to lean into specificity in opening pages; the importance of plausibility as well as newer comp titles; the ‘movie trailer’ trick for dealing with interiority; avoiding generic interiority; and advice for researching the speech patterns of characters from a different time period.

After which, Bianca chats with Riley Sager, NYT bestselling author of The House Across the Lake, about having various pen names; pivoting as a writer; making setting a character in and of itself; showing vs telling, particularly in the thriller genre; the benefits of not giving too much away and making readers do the work; and writing an effective prologue.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Riley can be found at @riley_sager on Twitter and @riley.sager on Instagram, and at www.rileysagerbooks.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Lidija Hilje, an Author Accelerator certified book coach about differentiating between genres; how to use her genre guide; the differences between literary, upmarket, book club, and women’s fiction; how literary fiction moves a story deeper, not forward; what “postcard” scenes are and how to use them; as well as Lidija’s editing and book coaching services and upcoming summer group coaching intensive.

After which, Bianca chats with Kailey. Creator and Community Manager of Write or Die Tribe, about how critique is just like sex; services that Write or Die offers like mentorships, upcoming classes, Small Press Corner, upcoming contests, and literary magazines open for submissions; not underestimating the power of getting acceptances in literary magazines and small presses to boosts your bio; interviews and articles that are resources for writers; as well as remote job opportunities.

Finally, Bookstagrammer, Katy Stanekvitz, of @KatyisReading, joins us to give you comp titles!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Lidija can be found at lidijahilje.com
Kailey can be found at @writeordietribe and Twitter, and at www.writeordietribe.com
Katy can be found at @katyisreading on Instagram and Twitter

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe look at the same 3 queries, discussing a technique for discerning whether your plot points are too internal; the difficulties of having a very emotional character in an opening scene; and the importance of plausibility in plot. Carly and CeCe also fight over a query in a good way!

After which, Bianca chats with May Cobb, author of My Summer Darlings, about how to make a prologue successful; peppering a novel with present day interludes instead of a dual timeline narrative; the pressures of the sophomore novel; and the experience of working with a freelance editor.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
May can be found at @maykcobb on Twitter and @may_cobb on Instagram, and at www.maycobb.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Femi Omotade joins us as a guest interviewer to chat with Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood, to chat about tropes and elements that are not as prominent anymore in romance; reflecting a world in which there are authentic, diverse characters without appropriating voices that aren’t your own and without it feeling like tokenism; writing sex scenes; what Ava learned from writing the first book that she’s using in writing her second of a two-book deal; and Ava's recommended reading for tips on how to write a good romance novel.

After which, Bianca chats with Georgia Clark, author of Island Time, about how genres can be in flux; keeping up with your genre and current books in your genre; writing an ensemble cast; non-fantasy world-building; and using and omniscient narrator for setting the scene/tone in a prologue.

Finally, Carly and CeCe answer your publishing and writing questions in this jam-packed Q & A session.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Ava can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @avawilderwrites and her website is www.ava-wilder.com
Georgia can be found at @georgialouclark on Instagram and Twitter and her website is www. gerogiaclark.com
Femi can be found at @thebookalert on Instagram

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe evaluate the same three query letters, and in the process, they offer solutions for when your novel doesn’t seem to have any similar comps; remind us of the importance of story-forward curiosity; and explain what’s necessary in historical fiction to ensure the feel of a certain time period.

After which, Bianca chats with Isabel Cañas, author of The Hacienda, about the inspiration for the book; carefully choosing your comps; the archetypes of the gothic novel; overturning canons deeply rooted in English literature; writing modern takes on 19th century settings; when writing feels like a fever dream; overcoming rejection and writing what you’re passionate about; pivoting when it comes to genre; writing in sprints; allowing some degree of pantsing so that characters can have agency, because your subconscious knows what it’s doing; and how having no agent is better than having a bad agent.   

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
 Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
 Facebook: @tsnotyaw
 Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Isabel can be found at @Isabelcanas_ on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.isabelcanas.com
 
 

In today’s Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Hannah Orenstein, author of Meant to Be Mine, about drawing on personal connections for characters; getting an opening chapter to work by breaking the rules about interaction and dialogue; and shutting up your inner critic and allowing yourself to write your stories!

After which, Bianca chats with Philippa East, author of Safe and Sound, about structuring your first chapter intentionally; the importance of contrast and juxtaposition; whether you come at your character from the inside or outside; and putting yourself inside your character’s mind.

Finally, we’re joined by Bookstagrammer Katy Stankevitz, of @katyisreading, who gives you comp titles!

Find us on our socials:
 Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
 Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
 Facebook: @tsnotyaw
 Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Hannah can be found at @HannahOrens on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.hannahorenstein.com
Philippa can be found at @philippa_east-author on Instagram and at @philippa_east on Twitter

Katy can be found at @katyisreading on Instagram and Twitter

In today's Books with Hooks, we're joined by two authors who submitted their work for critique. In the segment, Carly, CeCe and Bianca discuss when it’s appropriate for a character to be a curmudgeon; the difference between situational grumpiness vs global grumpiness; the importance of vulnerability when dealing with an unlikeable character; the need for your query to show multi-dimensionality in your novel; and the difficulty of having a dangerous situation right at the beginning of your pages.

After which, Femi Omotade interviews Tara M. Stringfellow, the author of Memphis. In their discussion, they address Tara’s goals with Memphis, how it explores themes of forgiveness and how it's a celebration of the beauty of Black people; the pressure to give a real place and characters the authenticity they deserve; creating voice-y characters in a multigenerational novel; humanizing villains; writing moments of Black joy; and an author's level of involvement in the cover design process.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Tara can be found on Instagram at @tarastringfellow and her website is www.tarastringfellow.com
Femi can be found at @thebookalert on Instagram

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Carley Fortune, author of Every Summer After,  about setting a book in Canada; her journey to publication; the importance of reaching out to fellow authors for beta reads and critiques; structuring a dual timeline; upping the stakes and tension when you allude to a secret so readers don’t get bored waiting for the big reveal; and making writing a part of your daily routine.

After which Bianca chats with Roz Nay, author of The Hunted, about Roz’s new writing school for kids and adults; finding writers who’s work you really admire and who you feel that their work will elevate your own; how to establish voices-ness; how to know when you’ve got the story and characters right; and where to glean ideas for the next book.

Finally, Emilie from East City Bookshop joins us to give you comp titles!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Carley can be found at: www.carley fortune.com and at @carleyfortune on Instagram and Twitter.
Roz can be found at @roznay1 on Twitter and at @RozNay on Instagram. Her website is www.roznay.com
Emilie can be found on Instagram at @emiliegsommer and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each discuss the same three queries, unpacking why queries are meant to be short and sweet; the difference between a setup and a reveal; agent burnout and pitching the most exciting info about your novel ASAP; and upping tension by subverting character expectations in the first few pages. Also, Carly surprises us by advocating for a prologue, and Carly and CeCe disagree on one of the queries!

After which, Bianca chats with Emma Straub, author of THIS TIME TOMORROW and owner of Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, about a smart strategy for dressing for tour, her inspiration for her most recent novel; planting clues and foreshadowing through your manuscript; the importance of writing well at a line level; and how Emma's unpublished works helped her on her journey to publication.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Emma can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @emmastraub and her website is www.emmastraub.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Hanny Mary McKinnon, author of NEVER COMING HOME, about how to write characters that we root for even though they’re bad; pacing at a scene or chapter level; adding in “sparkly touches” during the editing/revision stage; how to ensure a reader won’t want to put your book down; and knowing when a scene or chapter isn’t enhancing your story

 After which, Bianca chats with industry expert, Jane Friedman about how the publishing industry is faring; the lack of diversity in and social dynamics of the industry; current trends in publishing; how BookTok has been driving book sales; self-publishing vs traditionally publishing; thinking long-term when you’re making the decision about which publishing route you want to take; and all of Jane’s resources available for writers.

After which, Carly and CeCe answer all of your burning publishing questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Hannah can be found at @hannahmarymckinnon on Instagram and @HannahMMcKinnon on Twitter, and at www.hannahmarymckinnon.com
Jane can be found at @janefriedman on Instagram and Twitter and at www.janefriendman.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters. In the process they discuss closing the distance between narrator and reader; ensuring the reader knows exactly who to root for and what the hook is; how secrets in a query letter must carry inherent stakes with them; voice-y hybrid second person; and planting curiosity seeds.

After which, Bianca chats with Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas, about a ‘scaffolding’ writing technique; incorporating mythology into your writing; Stacey's writing process and journey to publication; being intentional with your opening pages; and the secret to incorporating backstory.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Stacey can be found at @staceyrswann on Instagram and @StaceySwann on Twitter, and at www.staceyswann.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca first chats with Jessica Payne, author of Make Me Disappear, about getting "the call"; how long the editorial process can take before going on sub; how publishing is like dating; how to tell when you’re close to getting offers of representation; writing under contract while launching a debut; and establishing relationships with Bookstagrammers and a potential launch team before you’ve sold the book.

Bianca then talks with Amy Jones, award-winning author of Every Little Piece of Me about writing as rewriting; saving your deleted work; how drafting a novel is like building a house; place-holding chapters and  scenes; and drafting mode versus revising mode.

After which Carly and CeCe answer your burning questions.

Finally, Emilie Sommer from East City Bookshop gives you comps titles!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Jessica can be found on Twitter at @authorjessicapayne and on Instagram at @jessicapayne.writer and at www.jessicapayne.net
Amy  can be found on Twitter at @amylaurajones and Instagram at @amlaujo and at www.amyjonesauthor.com
Emilie can be found on Instagram at @emiliegsommer and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop

In today's Books with Hooks, we're joined by Paige and Rianne who submitted their work for critique. Carly and CeCe discuss how to make your query properly voicey and following the ‘language’ of your novel;  cornering your protagonist to create tension; the need for a personified antagonistic force in your query/novel; and the need for active emotions.

After which, Bianca chats with Emily Henry, NYT Bestselling author of Book Lovers, about developing characters; the progress made in the romance genre; writing as an inherently political act; what draws Emily to writing about publishing; and Emily's advice for writing good dialogue and witty banter. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com
Emily can be found at @emilyhenrywrites on Instagram and at www.emilyhenrybooks.com

In today's Bonus Episode, CeCe chats with Sarah Cantin, Executive Editor at St. Martin's Publishing Group and the editor of the #BookswithHooksBC pick, The Ballerinas. They discuss what made Sarah fall in love with the submission for The Ballerinas;  what “pre-empt” means in an offer/deal; instantly knowing the genre vs pondering the straddling of two genres; the ratio of submissions vs offers; what to do when a book doesn’t sell as well as you thought it would; likeable unlikeable protagonists; and Sarah's book recommendations. 

After which, Bianca chats with Susie Orman Schnall, the award-winning author of We Came Here to Shine, The Subway Girls, The Balance Project and On Grace. They discuss hiring a professional editor to put your best foot forward for querying; rejections from publishers and the importance of talking about them; understanding the hook of your novel; how to manage the anxiety of being a writer; trusting in your agent’s capabilities; and allowing yourself to feel shitty, but also remembering to measure your successes and celebrate them as you keep going.

Finally, Emilie Sommer joins us from East City Book Shop to answer your comps questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Sarah can be found at @sarahgcantin on Twitter
Susie can be found at @susieormanschnall on Instagram and at www.susieschnall.com 
Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at @eastcitybookshop on Instagram and at @eastcitybooks on Twitter

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each review two query letters. In the process, they discuss being specific with hooks and ensuring that you're labeling/branding novel genres correctly; how to create plot points that will make a novel more upmarket/pacey; how emotionality builds tension; the ways in which your author bio should relate to the plot/idea of your book; dealing with the tropes of upmarket women’s fiction; and pages that deliver on tension.

After which, Bianca chats with Courtney Maum, author of the memoir The Year of the Horses, about advances from publishers; sticking with your book baby even if it means going to a different, smaller publisher; figuring out how to approach a memoir after writing fiction; the difference between memoir and recollection; the guiding principal in a memoir; and incorporating misrememberings into your memoir.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Courtney can be found at @cbmaum on Instagram and @cmaum on Twitter

In today’s Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Jennifer Fawcett, author of Beneath the Stairs, about her publishing journey; positioning yourself in the market for editors—and why comps and knowing your genre are so important; writing a book that stays true to what you want to write, but is also marketable and satisfies the readers of that genre; and having the setting become character.

After which, Bianca chats with Lydia Kang, author of The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding, about fitting writing into a busy work and home schedule; how your writing pace is not going to look the same as everyone else’s; keeping the same agent as you go through multiple genres as a writer; and researching historical fiction. 

Finally, Carly and CeCe answer your burning questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Jennifer can be found at @AuthorFawcett on Twitter and at @jenniferfawcett_author on Instagram and at www.jenniferfawcett.org
Lydia can be found at @lydiakang on Instagram and @LydiaYKang on Twitter and at www.lydiakang.com
 
 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe evaluate the same three query letters, discussing developing character while developing plot; leveraging the reveal in a way that ramps up stakes and tension; having appropriate stakes for the age group and genre; framing what’s happening around the main character(s); how we need disruption, imbalance and conflict in the MC’s life, especially in the opening pages; and giving a personal universal element that the reader can imprint on in the opening pages.

After which CeCe interviews Jennifer Close, author of Marrying the Ketchups, about the inherent anxiety that comes with writing, and how feeling insecure and doubtful is a part of the process no matter how many novels you’ve written; how Jennifer’s process has changed now that she’s published four books; how to make so-called ‘quiet’ novels unputdownable and so-called ‘passive’ characters compelling; Jennifer Close’s list of Golden Advice to first-time writers; and the importance of sitting with editorial feedback before working on edits.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Jennifer can be found at @jenniferaclose on Instagram and @jenniferclose on Twitter

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Alisha Sevigny, author of The Oracle of Avaris, about the difference between MG and Upper MG; the importance of reading in the genre you want to write in; guarding against talking down to kids or teaching a lesson; taboo subjects for MG and how to approach writing difficult topics.

After which, Bianca chats with TJ Alexander, author of Chef's Kiss, about their publishing journey, trying to find comps when you're breaking new ground; the psychology behind certain tropes; the importance of figuring out which POV will best serve the story; maintaining tension in romcoms; outlining or not outlining a romance novel; and emotional edging.

Finally, Laynie Rose Rizer from East City Bookshop answers your burning comps questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Alisha can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @alishasevigny and at www.alishasevigny.com
TJ Alexander can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @tjalexandernyc and at www.tjalexander.com
Laynie can be found on Instagram at @thelaynierose and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Kim and Jessica who submitted their queries for critique. They discuss how to elevate a query so that it matches the quality of the pages, reminding us that the goal of the query letter is to get an agent to read those pages; how to lean into specificity to elevate a query; toeing the line between giving away too much and too little in your query; how to successfully write a multi POV query; and how to balance discussing theme and plot in a query.

After which, Bianca chats with Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Take My Hand,  about how not to not ‘hit’ readers over the head with your moral themes; how to  make  characters who might traditionally be considered to be 'bad' sympathetic; inner and outer conflict; how to conduct extensive research; and defending your structural choices. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Dolen can be found at @dolenperkinsvaldez on Instagram, and at www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com 

In today’s BONUS EPISODE, Bianca chats with Matt Bell, author of Refuse to be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts, about how teaching has helped them become better writers; revising in layers versus all at once; how there's not just one way to write or revise a novel; revision tools for if you don't have beta readers; and the responsibility of being a creative writing instructor.

 After which CeCe chats with debut author, Amanda Pellegrino, author of Smile and Look Pretty, about the query letter that connected Amanda to her dream agent; how long it took Amanda to write her first draft; how Amanda broke the rules when querying (and it worked!); the importance of working with an agent who challenges you; the editorial work that went into getting her manuscript ready; researching professions to write characters with authenticity; how it felt like to go out on submission to publishers; writing for film and TV versus writing novels; the value of getting the bad ideas out to land on the good ideas; the importance of surrounding yourself with people you trust; how being self-disciplined without putting pressure on herself has served Amanda well; the importance of social media in marketing and promoting your book; and the generosity of the #WritingCommunity.

Finally, Carly and CeCe take your questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Matt can be found at www.mattbell.com and on @mattbell79 on Twitter and Instagram
Amanda Pellegrino can be found at www.amandapellegrino.com and at @amandagpellegrino on Instagram and @amandapellss on Twitter

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe evaluate two submissions each and discuss not feeding the reader all the information right up front; how the reader should be the co-pilot; that understanding how much you should reveal is a complicated  dance; not starting with a child's POV when it’s an adult novel; and having things happening in the first pages and not just setting the scene

After which, Femi Omotade joins Bianca again to interview bestselling and award-winning Lisa Scottoline, author of What Happened to the Bennetts. They discuss channeling empathy to create realistic characters; how all writing leads to other writing;  how writing is a muscle that needs to be exercised; the importance of endings; and how Lisa's writing has evolved over the course of her career.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Lisa can be found at @LisaScottoline on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.scottoline.com 
Femi can be found at @thebookalert on Instagram

In today's jam-packed Bonus Episode, Bianca first chats with Grant Ginder,  author of Let's Not Do That Again, about “unlikable” characters and what they might reveal about us as readers; the 5-Act structure; framing a scene to play with dramatic effect; and specificity in scenes according to what would be important for each particular character.

After which, Bianca chats with Tracy Wolff, bestselling author of The Crave Series about Tracy's journey to publication and writing across multiple genres; elements in YA that aren’t necessarily in other genres; being authentic to the experiences of your YA character; and the challenges of writing a series.

After which, Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop joins us to give you comp titles!

Use the code SUPERTEA for 15% off your entire order at shoplakeandoak.com

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Grant can be found at www.grantginder.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @grantginder 
Tracy can be found at www. tracywolffauthor.com and on Instagram at @TracyWolffBooks and on Twitter at @TraceyWolff
Emili can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com and on Instagram at @emiliegsommer

In today's Books with Hooks, Hannah and Beth join Carly and CeCe to discuss their submissions. During the chat, Carly and CeCe chat about the difference between ‘heart’ and ‘hook’; raising the stakes in your novel; a good way to describe a ‘quiet’ novel in a query; sharing anything that elevates your novel’s structure and style in your query; and how to deal with the issue of writing (or avoiding writing about) the pandemic.

 After which, Bianca chats with Gina Sorell, author of The Wise Women, about the genesis of an idea; family/sibling relationships and points of view; techniques for giving backstory/context; being an ‘underwriter’; and Gina's advice for emerging writers.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Gina can be found at @ginasorell on Twitter and Instagram and at www.ginasorell.com

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Lee Gowan, author of The Beautiful Place about taking twelve years to finish a novel; the process of figuring out when your novel is done; advice on how to find the right beginning; cannibalizing your writing; the importance of knowing where your novel is going, and how cutting things out can help you figure out key parts of your novel.

After which, Bianca chats with Leo Carver, author of The Gardener's Guide to Seeding the Soul, about the process of writing non-fiction; putting a story arc in your non-fiction which lends itself to structure; turning challenging circumstances in life into a positive with creativity; writing a proposal; and transferring frustrations with work, etc. into energy for your creativity.

And finally, Emily Schwab joins us from Book Ends in Winchester, Massachusetts, to suggest comp titles.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Lee Gowan can be found at www.leegowan.com 
Leo Carver can be found on Instagram at @leo.carver
Book Ends can be found on Instagram at @bookendswinchester 
Emily Schwab can be found on Instagram at @paperbookreader

In today’s special episode of Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe welcome author Rachel Kapelke-Dale and her agent Sarah Phair to offer feedback on three query letters from members of the Books with Hooks Book Club. During the chat, they address how withholding information at the start of a story can create tension, not starting a story with descriptions on the weather (and how that is like wearing capri pants), and how reading a book out loud can help with proofreading.
 
After which, CeCe chats with Rachel Kapelke-Dale, author of THE BALLERINAS, and her agent Sarah Phair about how Rachel and Sarah started working together; the original pitch copy and framing device for THE BALLERINAS and how both changed over several rounds of edits; how the author might now know what genre they’re writing in until they finish the story and how comp titles can help with figuring it out; and how weaving in significant and active foreshadowing from the very first page can elevate a story.

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Rachel can be found at @rkapelkedale on Twitter and @rachelkapelkedale on Instagram
Sarah can be found at @SarahPhair on Twitter and https://www.greenburger.com/agent/sarah-phair

 Show notes link: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250834560/theingenue

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca begins by chatting with Chloe Benjamin, bestselling author of The Immortalists, about handling the perfectionism-induced burnout after finishing The Immortalists, and the techniques she uses to pace herself; the romanticization of being an artist and struggling with mental health issues; the toxicity of grind culture;  and various ways for you to research and organize your work.

After which, Bianca chats with Olivia, a brilliant 12-year-old writer who she coaches, about what Olivia's learned and the advice she'd like to share with all of you!

Finally, Rebecca Speas of One More Page Books joins us to answer your comp questions!

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Chloe Benjamin can be found at: www.chloebenjaminbooks.com and on Instagram at @chloekbenjamin and on Twitter at @chloebenjamin
One More Page Books can be found at www.onemorepagebooks.com and on Instagram at @onemorepagebooks and on Twitter at @justonemorepage
Rebecca Speas can be found on Instagram and on Twitter at @SpeasySpice

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe kick it back old school and both discuss the same three submissions. During the chat, they address dialing back on the exposition in the opening pages; keeping it to two comps and not trying to tick off all the genre boxes; not starting a story with the protagonist imagining too much; matching descriptions of surroundings to what the character is feeling about what’s going on presently in their life; making sure the “ick factor” is clearly laid out in the query letter; and how world-building can be whatever you want it to be as long as you’re making deliberate decisions so there isn’t an issue with plausibility.

After which, Carly and Bianca chat with Glendy Vanderah, author of The Oceanography of the Moon, about the benefits of Amazon First Reads for debut authors; how initial success can be a blessing and a curse; the journey of rewriting an earlier "lost" manuscript which became her newest novel; how far you can take an unlikeable character while still keeping the reader interested; and the art of teasing out backstory while keeping readers from getting frustrated.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Glendy can be found at www.glendyvanderah.com and on Instagram at @glendyvanderah

In today's BONUS EPISODE, Bianca first chats with Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Love of My Life, about when a story forces a plotter to become a pantser; figuring out how to work in backstory after the midpoint twist; pulling a manuscript apart and putting it back together multiple times; how the only way to learn how to write a book is writing one; knowing how to pitch your book despite straddling genres; hiding something in plain sight and the care it requires when it comes down to word choice; how the natural world can inform plot and character; how characterization is a process of painstaking layering; allowing your characters to be beige in early drafts; and putting your manuscript in front of non-writers to see a reader's reaction to a story.

We then answer the questions you've phoned in with.

After which, Bianca chats with NoViolet Bulawayo, the award-winning and bestselling author of Glory, about writing satire and building a lexicon; using allegories in your writing; using your art to be part of something larger; how to be engaged with the times, to facilitate important conversations; writing animals as characters; and her tips for emerging writers.

Finally, Bianca is joined by East City Bookshop book buyer, Emilie Sommer, who takes your questions to help you find comp titles!

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Rosie Walsh can be found at www.rosiewalsh.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @therosiewalsh.
NoViolet Bulawayo can be found at www.novioletbulawayo.com 
East City Bookshop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com and on Instagram at @eastcitybookshop on Twitter at @eastcitybooks
Emilie Sommer can be found on Instagram at @emiliesommer

In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca is joined by guest agent, Emmy Nordstrom-Higdon from Westwood Creative Artists, who looks at four query letters.  Emmy warns against tokenism and avoiding vague comps that might oversell your work. They also discuss reputation clauses and their growing prevalence in contracts; why editors and agents are wary about debut novels over 100 000 words; how ‘quiet’ novels are being passed over, but their hopes that the industry will eventually change; difficulties in getting the YA ‘voice’ right; and the importance of accessibility in your writing.

After which Bianca chats with bestselling and award-winning author, Karen Joy Fowler, author of Booth, about the difference between creating and marketing a novel;  writing a novel involving an individual without centering them; using passive voice and omniscient narration, and the benefits of using those tools; and how to be creative during difficult times. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Karen can be found at www.karenjoyfowler.com.

In today's Bonus Episode, we spotlight two awesome indie authors and publishers. Bianca first chats with Maggie Smith, author of Truth and Other Lies, about using the same title as another book; being able to collaborate on the book cover with a smaller publisher; running your marketing campaign as an indie author; giving ARCs to early readers and how running a campaign on NetGalley to get reviews out before the launch of your book is a wise investment; the difference between indie publishing and hybrid publishing; and writing several drafts in several POVs to determine what works best to help you really get to know your characters.

After which, Bianca chats with Amy Tector, author of The Honeybee Emeralds, about choosing which historical characters to tell your story; keeping track of timelines in your draft; indie publishers putting a lot of care into their books; the woes of rejections and how to work through them; getting “the call” that all authors hope for; and Amy’s publishing journey with an independent publisher.

Finally, Carly and CeCe take your questions!

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Maggie Smith can be found at www. maggiesmithwriter.com and on Instagram at: @MaggieSmithWrites and on Twitter at: @magpie0218
Amy Tector can be found at www.amytector.com and on Instagram at: @amytectorwrites and on Twitter at: @amy_tector

In today's Books with Hooks, Kelly and Paul join Carly and CeCe to discuss their submissions. During the segment, we discuss the difference between dual timelines and flashbacks; the importance of your ‘opener’ and what that is; the importance of striking a balance between interiority and external plot at the beginning; and the new initiative we have to help you with your comps!

After which, Bianca chats with Nita Prose, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Maid, about when prologues work well; creating neurodivergent characters; creating a Frankenstein genre; being a ‘tent pole’ writer; how to make sure your scene needs to be there and that it’s doing all the heavy lifting it needs to do; and working inciting incidents into every scene. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Nita Prose can be found at www. nitaprose.com and on Instagram and Twitter at: @NitaProse

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Jesse Thistle, author of the bestselling and award-winning memoir, From the Ashes, about the difference between memoir and biography; thinking about what you want the ‘message’ of your memoir to be; speaking to universal elements of your memoir; the emotional/psychological effects of writing memoir about traumatic events; and Jesse's advice to memoirists. 

After which, Carly, CeCe and Bianca take your questions! 

If you'd like to ask a question, head over to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Jesse Thistle can be found at www. jessethistle.com and on Instagram at: @czechmet and on Facebook at @thistlejesse

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe tackle two queries each. In the process, they discuss how you have less time to get to the inciting incident in a YA novel; being mindful of ‘telling’ that doesn’t move the storyline forward or is irrelevant; why too much interiority isn’t good in a query letter and how to replace interiority with plot; avoiding redundancies and repetition in your query letter and pages ; and how building mystery requires specificity by the author.

After which, CeCe chats with bestselling author, Elin Hilderbrand, about how to make unlikeable characters whole and real; the benefits of third-person close, and why you can get even closer than with first-person; why Elin will never write in first person; how the University of Iowa writing program made Elin miserable; how Elin’s literary background has contributed to her commercial success; how classic techniques can be transformed into fresh ways of thinking and writing (the Greek chorus in Elin’s case); how Elin deals with writer’s block; how writing isn’t magic but hard work; and Elin's plans for retirement.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Elin Hilderbrand can be found at www. elinhilderbrand.net and on Instagram and Twitter at: @elinhilderbrand 

In today's BONUS EPISODE, we do a deep dive into the romance genre. Bianca first chats with Farah Heron, author of Accidentally Engaged and Tahira in Bloom, about the sub-genres of romance; how romance is defined; the difference between romance and women’s fiction; The Bridgerton Effect; structure and plotting for romance; and tropes in the romance genre.

After which, Bianca chats with publishing phenomenon, Elena Armas, author of The Spanish Love Deception, about her journey from bookstagrammer to bestselling author; the power of Tik Tok; indie-publishing editing vs. traditionally published editing; how to make your own book covers; and how to write steamy sex scenes. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Farah Heron can be found at www.farahheron.com and on Twitter at @FarahHeron and on Instagram at @FarahHeronAuthor
Elena Armas can be found at www.authorelenaarmas.com and on Instagram at @thebibliotheque and on Twitter at @elenaarmasbooks

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Mire and Katy who have submitted their work for critique. They discuss not losing the plot in a quest for being true to the emotionality of the story; making sure that one character isn’t just a vessel for the other in a dual POV story; toeing the line between making the reader curious and leaving them frustrated; making sure that if you focus on one POV in your query letter, you still include who the other POVs will be; giving context so the reader understands certain details; limiting the number of ppl in your opening pages so as not to confuse the reader; and being present with your protagonist.

After which, Bianca is joined once again by Femi Omotade who interviews Marlon James, award-winning and bestselling author of Moon Witch, Spider King, about why Marlon is attracted to fantasy as a genre; how the best stories are about making new myths; how a novel can be born from research into something you’re interested in without knowing it’s going to be a novel; drawing from your mythological history; being careful what resources you pick for your research; how readers can feel like tourists in a work you’re creating but characters needs to be at home there; believing both your protagonist and your antagonist, and leaving it up to the reader to decide who’s telling the truth; and how where you begin writing isn’t necessarily the beginning of the novel.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Marlon James can be found at www.marlonjameswriter.com and on Twitter at @MarlonJames5
Femi Omotade can be found on Instagram at @thebookalert

In today’s BONUS Episode, Bianca chats with three awesome authors writing multi-POV stories across various genres. First up is Kim Fay, author of Love & Saffron, who talks about how being a bookseller influenced her writing; how writing is a craft and every sentence matters; letting the words flow when the magic happens; and including a piece of yourself in the story you want to tell.

Next is Kristen Bird, author of The Night She Went Missing, who talks about writing a successful 4-POV debut novel; the challenges of ensuring the reader can connect with each POV character with limited time on the pages; outlining a published novel to see how the author achieved their scene and chapter goals; treating your previous unpublished novels as practice, not failures; and allowing yourself to be content in the season that you’re in.

Lastly is Eliza Jane Brazier, author of Good Rich People, who chats about opening with a strong prologue; writing unlikeable characters that readers are still compelled to keep reading about; knowing what your villain truly wants; infusing social commentary into your writing; and switching hats from novel writing to screenwriting. 

Find us on our socials:
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com

Kim Fay - Twitter and Instagram: @kimkfay
Kirsten Bird – Twitter: @kbirdwrites and Instragram: @kirstenbirdwrites
Eliza Jane Brazier – Twitter: EJaneBrazier and Instagram: @Elizajanebrazier

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe kick it back old-school to review the same three query letters. During the segment, they discuss avoiding flowery language, especially in a query; avoiding "reviewing" your own work and letting the pages show what kind of work it is; pitching your story rather than your writing; making sure you have the right category/genre, so that the right people read it and judge it accordingly; and getting creative with your POV when you need to write a character that isn't a main character.

After which, Bookstagrammer Femi Omotade joins us again to interview #1 NYT Bestselling Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half. They discuss the writer’s responsibility to their reader; not giving yourself the burden of having to educate the reader; writing with an intelligent reader in mind; imagining that the reader is smarter than you; not trying to be universally appealing; writing as specifically as possible; how reviews are for readers, not writers; finding ways to protect your boundaries; how the book (rather than the author) is the product; and aiming for tonal fluctuations in a book. 

 Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Brit Bennett can be found at www.britbennett.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @britrbennett
Femi Omotade can be found on Instagram at @thebookalert

In today's BONUS Episode, Carly chats with Andrea Dunlop, author of We Came Here To Forget, about comps and why they’re so important; what it feels like to be out on submission; writers not getting what they need in terms of knowing how to market themselves and their books; a day in the life of; and NaNoWriMo goals.

After which, Bianca chats with Nick Petrie, author of The Peter Ash Series, about backstory; being a pantser; internal and external conflict in the opening chapters; circling the building as you find your way into your opening; and how to structure chapters to keep readers turning pages.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Andrea Dunlop can be found at www.andreadunlop.net and on Instagram at @andreadunlop 
Nick Petrie can be found at www.nickpetrie.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @_nickpetrie_

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Kathy and Leila who have submitted their queries for critique.  During the segment, they discuss why it’s important to frame a memoir as ‘why does this book have to be out there for others?’; why it’s okay to not have your hook fully fleshed out in a memoir query because agents are there to help you finish the job; how, in non-fiction, the hook is what you’re delivering to the reader and so it’s something you dig to find, unlike in fiction; how your story can start in multiple places, depending on taste; how starting in story is always the best place to start, even in memoir; using first person to help yourself write third person close; watching out for characters that are too generic/cookie-cutter/cliche; and how to make readers connect with characters in dark stories by making them very human.

After which, Bianca chats with Ashley Audrain, author of The Push, and bookstagrammer, Femi Omotade, about inserting non-typical themes into a thriller; writing about things that could be triggering for an author; writing being a cathartic experience—not therapy, but therapeutic; and the process of having a book get optioned for film or TV.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Ashley Audrain can be found at www.ashelyaudrain.com and on Instagram at @ashleyaudrain and Twitter at @audrain
Femi Omotade can be found on Instagram at @thebookalert

In today's BONUS EPISODE Bianca first chats with Mark Greaney, author of Sierra Six, about writing espionage mysteries, putting your manuscript aside to work on something different so you can come back to it with fresh eyes; using every project as a learning experience;  immersing yourself in your research; writing a series; listing your characters if you have a lot of them; and how to manage the scene arc in shorter chapters.

After which, Bianca chats with Josie Silver, author of One Night on the Island, about writing rom-coms; publishing without an agent; infusing humor into your writing; writing in first person; giving characters a lot of emotional baggage, and using a plot mechanism to create humor; having internal and external conflict in the first few pages; and assigning each POV character to someone from your life or an actor to keep them separate and differentiated on the page.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Mark Greaney can be found at https://markgreaneybooks.com and on Instagram at @Mark GreaneyBooks and Twitter at @MarkGreaneyBook
Josie Silver can be found at www.josiesilver.com and on Instagram at @josiesilverauthor and on Twitter at @JosieSilver_

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each tackle two query letters. In the process, they discuss the importance of not only having internal conflict, but also having external conflict so that you can create a proper hook; the difference between women’s fiction and romance, and a larger discussion of what ‘women’s fiction’ actually is; making sure the types of stakes of your novel match your genre; the best POV when writing a non-human narrator; how women’s fiction queries should be less about feelings and more about plot; and how a good submission is about two main questions for an agent: ‘am I curious?’ and ‘is the writing strong?’

After which, Bianca chats with Fiona Davis, author of The Magnolia Palace, about the difficulty of writing two POVs and timelines within one book; ensuring that each storyline has an inciting incident and key event, and that readers are fully invested in both; Fiona’s ‘w’ story structure and how she plots out her story beats and plotline; and deciding on an author brand and genre. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Fiona Davis can be found at www.fionadavisbooks.com and on Instagram  at @FionaDavisAuthor and Twitter at @FionaDavisBooks

In today's BONUS EPISODE, we do a deep dive into experimenting with structure.

Bianca first chats with Mitzi Angel—publisher of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and editor to publishing phenomenon, Sally Rooney—about the structure and unusual POV that Sally chose for Beautiful World, Where Are You. Mitzi also takes our listeners' questions about Sally's work.

After which, Bianca interviews Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal, about her Agatha Christie-esque novel that's structured entirely out of WhatsApp messages and emails. Janice explains how she stumbled upon this unusual structure, as well as the pros and cons of using it.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Janice on Twitter: @JaniceHallett and Instagram: @janice.hallett

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by Layne and Peter. They discuss the importance of having a clear antagonistic force that the reader is scared of/rooting against; having a uniting factor in multi-POV stories; the difference between a premise and a hook; balancing being literary in a thriller/upmarket novel; and how you can sneak in an effective prologue. 

After which, Bianca chats with Rachel Krantz, author of Open: An Uncensored Memoir of Love, Liberation, and Non-Monogamy, about her advice for memoirists. They also discuss the difference between a reported memoir vs a traditional memoir; how the fallout/revelations of #MeToo affected the way Rachel gathered evidence during her experience; and the importance of the awareness of privilege, and not just acknowledging it, but working to raise awareness in others.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Rachel's website: https://www.racheljkrantz.com/about
On Instagram and Twitter: @rachelkrantz 

In today's bonus episode, Bianca first chats with Seressia Glass, author of The Love Con, about all things romance as Seressia kindly answers listener questions about the genre while sharing invaluable insight.

After which, Bianca chats with Julia from Scrivener about what value the writing software can add while helping streamline your writing process. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com 
Seressia on Twitter: @seressia and on Instagram: @seressiaglass
Scrivener on Twitter: @scrivenerapp
 https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each take on two query letters. They discuss being cognizant of including descriptive features of the characters that don’t actually add any information/teach us anything about the character themselves;  the trick of re-writing a scene in a different POV to really fine-tune emotional feelings within a scene; ensuring that dramatic questions in your plot actually center around your main character; being careful of using descriptions that are too derivative; how sensory details can beef up a description; and being mindful of how many names you throw out in the query letter since you don’t want it to read too much like a synopsis.

After which, Bianca chats with Deesha Philyaw, award-winning author of the short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, about publishing a short story collection;
having an agent that believes in what you want to write and the direction you want to go; not taking rejection personally; getting some short stories published first in reputable magazines/journals before presenting them as a collection to publishers; finding that place of play and experimentation in your writing; and how the most interesting stories can come from a place of discovery.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Deesha on Twitter and Instagram: @DeeshaPhilyaw

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are kicking it back to the old format in which they look at the same three queries together. They discuss how important it is to show that there's enough plot and escalation to merit a whole novel when writing a query; the pitfall of using the term "crossover"; being mindful of when your book is coming off as quiet or too interior to the protagonist; avoiding a recap beginning, where you give too much background info, like a recap on a show; looking out for redundancies during the polishing phase; the difference between telling the reader something versus making the reader FEEL something; and how it isn't enough to just paint a picture - the picture needs to feel real.

After which Bianca chats with Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller, about fictionalizing real people (including the potential pitfalls and how to do it in a meaningful way); the social contract involved in writing/reading historical fiction; how to quiet the doubtful voice when writing, granting yourself permission to write a particular story; and how to frame novels that span a significant period of time.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Kerri Maher on Instagram: @kerrimaherwriter and on Twitter: @kerrimaherbooks

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with two awesome guests. The first is Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart, who discusses querying a book that's ten years in the making when you’re not sure if it has a place in the market; the whirlwind of quickly getting an agent and book deal; turning your NaNoWriMo novel into a successful book; avoiding info-dumping through dialogue; creating a narrative outline; and reading outside your genre.

In the second interview, Bianca chats with Jes Trudel, co-founder of writingcommunity.ca about The Story Endings Matrix. Jes discusses how publishers use a SWOT Analysis to analyze a manuscript; how YOU can use a SWOT analysis to identify areas of weakness in your manuscript; how to ensure you have the proper ending for your book in any genre; and reverse outlining—working back from your ending to the beginning.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Genevieve on Instagram and Twitter: @gengornichec 
Jes on Twitter: @jes_trudel
www.writingcommunity.ca

In today's Books with Hooks, guest agent Veronia Park joins us from Fuse Literary to discuss Joanne's and Gaylen's submissions with them. In the segment, Veronica chats about straddling the line between two age categories; knowing, with MG fiction, who your target parents and teachers are because they're the ones who're going to be putting your book in their children’s hands; writing a dual-POV query letter for a dual-POV novel; letting your characters lie a little, or hold back truths, especially in the beginning; and including the first few pages of each POV character in a dual-POV situation.

After which, Bianca chats with the amazing Tomi Adeyemi, #1 NYT bestselling and award-winning author of Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance about working through rejection to use the feedback you’re given; making the most of opportunities like Pitch Wars; reading new releases in your genre so you know what’s currently doing well; knowing when to give up on a project and move on; getting validation from yourself rather than external sources; how to be inspired rather than intimidated by great work; why trying and failing isn’t a bad thing; and how rejected books can act as your MFA. Tomi also discusses her amazing writer's masterclass called The Writer's Roadmap.  

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Veronica Park on Twitter: @veroniKaboom
Fuse Literary on Twitter: @FuseLiterary
www.fuseliterary.com
Joanne on Twitter: @JoanneKelle
Gaylen on Twitter: @gaylenjoy
Tomi Adeyemi on Twitter: @tomi_adeyemi
Tomi on Instagram: @tomiadeyemi
https://www.thewritersroadmap.net/

In today's Books with Hooks, guest agent Veronia Park joins us from Fuse Literary to review four submissions. During the segment, Veronica discusses having the query vibe matching the sample pages vibe; under-promising and over-delivering with the sample; ensuring you have stakes at the end of each POV paragraph in the query; when not to include the prologue in the sample pages; and the three-part rule: what does your MC want more than anything, why can’t they get it, and what will happen if they do/don’t get it?

After which, Bianca chats with Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur about how there isn’t a ticking clock for publishing; having and listening to external cheerleaders; tooting your own horn; when an MFA is worth it, and when it’s not; five crucial tips for emerging writers; taking time away to recharge and then coming back to appreciating your story; and the importance of knowing the story behind the story.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Veronica Park on Twitter: @veroniKaboom
Fuse Literary on Twitter: @FuseLiterary
www.fuseliterary.com
Alka Joshi on Twitter: @alkajoshi and on Instagram: @thealkajoshi

In today's BONUS EPISODE, Bianca chats with Janet Forbes and Dimitris Havlidis of World Anvil about how the right writing software can take your writing to the next level. Janet and Dimitris discuss how they came up with the World Anvil software and the many ways it can assist with world building for those working in speculative or historical fiction. They also break down the ways in which the software can improve the writing process for those writing in different genres including the aspects like the community building, forums, feedback and writing sprints.

World Anvil is offering a 50% discount on all levels of its software for those attending the The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Virtual Retreat in January.

Find them at www.worldanvil.com
Twitter and Instagram: @worldnanvil

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by writers, Michele and Lynne, who have submitted their work for critique. Carly and CeCe discuss writing a story from the perspective of the other; ensuring you have done lots of research to tell that story properly and sensitively; not starting the opening pages with a lack of curiosity; fear or desire as conveyed through surprise; and having sample pages for different POVs if you’ve written a dual- or multi-POV novel.

After which, Bianca chats with the author of The Way We Weren't, Phoebe Fox, about how editing other writers' work is the best way to learn craft; how to incorporate backstory into your writing; context, memory, and flashback types of backstory; treating backstory like a puzzle; how backward momentum slows the forward momentum; being confined to a character’s perspective when you’re in their POV; and using an author pen name and whether or not to disclose the use of it.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
Phoebe Fox on Instagram and Twitter: @phoebefoxauthor 
Michele on Twitter: @michele_lomb and on Instagram: @michelevlombardo
Lynne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlynnebryant and Instagram: @lynnebryantauthor
Website: www.lynnebryant.com

In today's BONUS episode, Bianca chats with the writer Clarisse Baleja Saidi about everything you've always wanted to know about writing residencies. Clarisse gives her top 5 pieces of advice for applying for residencies, and breaks down why applying for—and attending them—could be the boost you need to finish your WIP. Prepare to be surprised!

Find us on our socials!
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
Clarisse on Instagram: @clarissebaleja and on Twitter: @FreeBaleja

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss starting a book with dialogue; having tension from page one; using sharp visuals from your character’s perspective (specificity); having the right comps for the setting, plot, tone, etc.; using time and character stamps in multi-POV novels; using the story-forward rule to make the reader curious about what’s going to happen next; and reversing stereotypical roles in characters.

After which, Bianca chats with Lindsay Zier-Vogel, author of Letters to Amelia,  and Wayne Ng, author of Letters From Johnny, about epistolary-style writing in novels; how to write this way and not have it be pure exposition; moving through an epistolary scene so that it feels natural; using voice in epistolic scenes; and developing your own authentic diary/letter writing voice so you can nail it in your character’s voice.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
Twitter: lindsayzv
IG: lindsay.ziervogel
WayneNgWrites.com
amazon.com/author/WayneNg
goodreads.com/WayneNgWrites
Instagram.com/WayneNgWrites
facebook.com/WayneNgWrites
twitter.com/WayneNgWrites

In today's Books with Hooks, Emmy Nordstrom Higdon joins us from Westwood Creative Artists to chat with Tyler and Vickie about their work. Emmy unpacks starting with action to get a good sense of voice and character; how the story needs to be front and center with opening pages before digging into issues; starting with something dramatic and compelling; showing the MC out of their depth with internal and external conflict; and dramatizing epistolary parts of a novel.

After which, Bianca chats with Kirthana Ramisetti, author of Dava Shastri's Last Day, about how transitioning from a pantser to a plotter paid off; having your pick of agents and what criteria you can use for deciding on one; writing an ensemble cast and introducing a lot of characters quickly; writing a sweeping family saga; tracking character arcs and timelines; how to choose your POV character for each chapter; writing a story that’s based in the future; making choices about character and plot that work for your story, and incorporating backstory in an organic way.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Emmy Nordstrom Higdon on Twitter: @emmy_of_spines
Kirthana Ramisetti on Instagram: @kirthanaramisetti and on Twitter: @popscribblings
Tyler on Twitter:  @writerthoughts 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by writers, Sally and Katherine, to discuss their query letters and opening pages. We discuss trigger/content warnings in query letters; being specific without being spoiler-y; as well as weaving in emotion. And... wait for it... we actually suggest a prologue! Yes, we do that sometimes!

After which, Bianca chats with Jayne Allen, author of Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, about how rejection doesn't mean your writing isn’t any good; how indie-publishing can lead to traditional publishing; not letting the publishing industry choose what’s relatable and what’s not; reaching your audience; believing in your own story and championing it yourself; and how your journey to publication may take a different route to what you imagined.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Jayne Allen on Instagram: @jayneallenwrites and on Twitter: @JayneAllenSaid
Sally on Instagram: @Sally_Lotz and on Twitter: @SallyJLotz
Katherine on Instagram: @kcaldwellwriter and on Twitter:  @kcaldwellwriter 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, we have Emmy Nordstrom Higdon from Westwood Creative Artists join us as a guest agent to review submissions not directed at Carly or CeCe. In this episode, Bianca and Emmy discuss authorial voice; jumping right into where the action is; how using appropriate comps can help cut down on a query's word count; including sample pages for more than one POV; and carefully choosing your story’s timeline/setting.

After which, Bianca chats with PJ Vernon, author of Bath Haus about the value of art; changing publishers in between books; trusting your gut when it comes to writing a story you want to write; differentiating POV voices; playing around with interesting structures; starting your book with high stakes; and book club conversations you'll be having once you're published.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Emmy Nordstrom Higdon on Twitter: @emmy_of_spines
PJ Vernon on Twitter and Instagram: @pjvernonbooks

In today's BONUS episode, Bianca chats with Ami J. Sanghvi and Patrick Hogan of Gutslut Press about the top ten reasons why indie presses reject submissions even if the writing is really great.

After which Bianca chats with author, Lee Matthew Goldberg, about sharing your drafts with other writers; the writing process when it comes to writing characters whose gender and age are different from your own; using sensitivity readers; muzzling the critical part of your brain, and giving yourself permission to draft; how crowdsourcing information can help generate interest in your book; authoring books in different genres; and using song lyrics in your book.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com
Ami Twitter and Instagram: @HotWraithBones
Ami Website: www.amijsanghvi.com
Twitter and Instagram: @gutslutpress
Email: gutslutpress@gmail.com
Lee Twitter: @LeeMatthewG
Lee Instragram:@LeeMatthewGoldberg

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Liz and Jami join us to discuss their submissions. Carly and CeCe unpack when to put the stakes at the beginning of the query instead of at the end; the Pixar storytelling rules about coincidences; weaving in emotion with explanation to make it more showing than telling; writing a story in first person and then going back with a “you” lens to make it hybrid second person; and giving a character a small but important goal in the beginning of the book that’s tied to the larger arc. 

After which, Bianca chats with world-renowned bestselling author, Ken Follett, about what to do when what you write isn’t coming out the same way the idea played out in your head; having a solid research process including reaching out to experts to ensure authenticity in your story; how to give crucial background information without it sounding like an info dump; tips for stitching unrelated scenes together; and the empathy that’s required to be a historical novelist and a writer in general.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @@ceciliaclyra 
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss whether publishing is ready for Covid stories yet; using an inciting incident that is super specific, but doesn’t give away any spoilers; the importance of having a great, unique hook and a beautiful first line; why emotion needs to be on the page before description in a tense scene; and how a protagonist’s unconscious should also be on the page.

After which, I chat with The Holiday Swap's Maggie Knox, the pen name for writing duo, Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley, about when two writer friends have a wild idea to write a book together; how they facilitated the process; how they seamlessly brought their writing voices and styles together; and what advice they have for writers looking to co-author a project.

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @@ceciliaclyra @maggieknoxbooks
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing @maggieknoxauthor
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Melissa and Stephanie join us on the show to have their query letters and opening pages critiqued. Carly and CeCe discuss the importance of hitting current social and class elements; not missing opportunities to let readers know more about the MC by adding in descriptions and reasons behind their choices; when and why a prologue works; and anticipating readers' questions and answering them at just the right time.

After which, Bianca chats with the author of My Sweet Girl, Amanda Jayatissa about submitting to POC agents/editors vs. non-POC agents/editors; structuring your novel in a linear vs. non-linear way; using old journals if you have them to put yourself in the mindset of a younger character; using Aeon 2.0 Timeline software; and why you shouldn't compare yourself to other writers. 

Find us on our socials: 
Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @@ceciliaclyra @amandajayatissa
Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing @amandajayatissa
Facebook: @tsnotyaw
Website: www.biancamarais.com

In today's revamped Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe each tackle two queries that have been directed at them via the new submission process. They also discuss writing your first scene as if it were being filmed; trigger warnings vs. content notes; deciding what to include in the first five pages, and what to put elsewhere in the story.

After which, Bianca chats with Jesse Q Sutanto, author of the hugely successful Dial A For Aunties about her journey to publication; participating in NaNoWriMo; using the Ginko app for story structure; how a previously small deal can make a big splash later on; and the secret to overnight success.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Emma joins us on the show to discuss her query and opening pages. Carly and CeCe tackle sparking curiosity;  hooking the agent with keywords; repetition with dialogue tags and replacing them with action beats; writing in multiple POVs and making the reader question who’s doing the narrating; as well as homemade pasta!

After which, Bianca chats with Leila Slimani, author of In The Country of Others, about sticking to what you’re good at;  how Moroccans can identify with American Western movies and Southern Lit; finding your distinctive voice; having confidence in your reader; when to break the rules of writing; and dealing with imposter syndrome.

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss putting a fresh twist on a popular trope; taking care not to use titles of novels that are already published; how the present tense offers tension and immediacy; not burying the hook in your query letter; not inadvertently dating your work; and stating specifically what obstacles are getting in your character’s way.

After which Bianca chats with Ella Berman, author of The Comeback about writing a novel that gets swept up in a social or legal movement; moving on from rejection; staying authentic to the characters; having characters experience quiet reckonings; the process of querying agents; dealing with rejection at every stage of your career; going out on submission to publishers; allowing yourself to process your disappointment; developing complex secondary characters; incorporating subplots; and writing as social commentary.

In today's bonus episode, we have three romance/rom-com authors who join Bianca to discuss all things related to the genre. NYT bestselling Lana Harper discusses her queer rom-com, Payback's a Witch, as well as world-building, character development, her inspiration for the novel, and her change of genre. Sarah Echavarre Smith, author of On Location talks about writing those racy sex scenes and the conventions of the genre. Jane Igharo, author of The Sweetest Remedy chats about how romance can tackle serious issues, and her journey to publication. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, we do a lot of brainstorming, which doesn’t necessarily align with the author’s vision for her novel, reminding us all that the author is the one who decides what their story is and isn’t. Carly and CeCe also chat about how editors like unlikely friendship stories; authors not having to give up on manuscripts, but persuing the ones that give you the best chance at publishing; taking care not to give resolutions in the query letter; aiming for a pressure cooker vibe; and how life-tense and story-tense differ.

Bianca chats with Amy Einhorn, President and Publisher at Henry Holt & Company, and editor of Liane Moriarty, Sarah Blake, Jenny Lawson, Laurie Frankel, Min Jin Lee and many other award-winning and bestselling authors. Amy shares a wealth of information about publishing, editing, the qualities of a good story, what makes an author successful, and much more. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss avoiding hypothetical questions; escalating baseline stakes and tension; how authors are the puppet masters of their own universes and need to justify all of their choices; giving the reader something familiar in the opening of a fantasy novel; the difference between head-hopping and omniscient POV; how to format dialogue; how you need to frame your memoir with a hook; and avoiding writing a character's struggles that are all internal.

Bianca chats with award-winning author, Ruth Ozeki, about there being no age by which you need to publish; writing in your own time when you give yourself permission to write; people assuming the main character is based on yourself; how you need to work hard to find yourself in all of your characters and give them a part of you; how the antagonist is the hero of their own story; the creative process vs pathology; writing a book because you have questions you get to act out with your characters; how the author and reader co-create a different book every time a reader reads it; and taking your time and understanding the tension between the poles of patience and impatience.

Host and author, Bianca Marais, talks with the fabulous Courtney Maum, author of Before and After the Book Deal, about writing killer query letters and the ten things Courtney wishes she knew before she published her first book, I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You. The episode is filled with tons of practical writing advice and lots of laughs. Learn from someone who's been there, done that, and wishes they'd known better.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss digging into trauma to reveal the root emotion; how even literary fiction needs a hook; readability and writing in italics in certain fonts; needing to connect with character; how a query letter must include details of a specific climax; always keeping the reader wondering about what’s going to happen next; and tackling certain themes responsibly. Carly also sings a time stamp jingle!

After which, Bianca chats with Christina Clancy, author of Shoulder Season, about the research that goes into writing a novel; thinking about your book even when you’re not able to write; knowing when to stop researching and start writing; how close you need to stick to historical fact and how much can be invention; starting a whisper campaign; finding ancillary resources; when a story needs a prologue; being willing to cut things even during a third draft; figuring out where the beating heart of your story is; and why every writer has to despair at some point of the process.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with Tara Singh Carlson, the first editor to have two of their novels picked by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Book Club. Besides acquiring numerous bestsellers like The Silent Wife, The House at Tyneford and The Light We Lost, she's also edited the publishing phenomenon, Where The Crawdad's Sing by Delia Owens, which has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for more than three years. Tara discusses what it takes to be the next Delia Owens as she shares amazing insight into how bestsellers happen. 

On today's Books with Hooks segment, we have an author come onto the show to discuss her submission with us. In the segment, Carly and CeCe chat with Shari about linking multiple POV stories in a query letter; answering the 'why now?' question; establishing what’s at stake for each POV character; how an offer implies a transaction, and how all of life is about power; being careful who you comp as that creates expectations; explaining the thematic pressures that affect characters; how regret is a passive emotion; and nailing entry and exit points in each chapter.

After which, Bianca chats with debut author of The Tiger Mom's Tale, Lyn Liao Butler, about how to find support as a debut novelist; debuting in a hostile climate; how much is out of your control as a debut author; revising a novel and changing POVs in the process; all the mistakes writers make with their first novels; the evolution of a rejected manuscript on its journey to publication; why reading is so important; how to use feedback and critique; and how to choose the right agent. 

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss thinking of your query letter as real estate with curb appeal; considering what you’re providing for the reader’s sake vs what you’re providing for the character’s sake; being clear with memoir with regards to what you’re working towards as a climax; memoir needing to have a sub-genre; immersing a reader in scene instead of giving a round-up of feelings; and the problem with presenting a character just to immediately kill them off.

After which Bianca chats with award-winning novelist, Lauren Groff, about avoiding perfectionism; laying the groundwork for inspiration; how dialogue should complicate what’s happening on the page and deal with power structures; dealing with characters’ emotionality; how historical fiction has the past speak into the present day; how good art is trying to speak as truthfully as possible; how omniscient POV is the most fun you can have; and how fiction is the art of sculpting time through words.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss how paranormal stories are making a comeback; having YA characters sound like, and have the emotionality of,  teenagers; the difference between loud and quiet novels; always focusing on what’s happening in the present; who is allowed to tell which stories;  and avoiding starting stories that begin with surrender as that doesn't invoke curiosity. CeCe is also forced to eat her words of advice given in a previous episode!

 After which, Bianca chats with the award-winning author of China Room, Sunjeev Sahota, about finding your writing groove; coming up with your own process that works for you; the importance of staring into space; and why chasing a changing definition of success can be dangerous. 

In today's BONUS episode, CeCe chats with Katherine Miller Goldman, an intellectual property attorney, to answer all of your questions! They discuss what an intellectual property attorney does; what intellectual property is; what you can and can’t copyright and trademark; quoting song lyrics in your novel; what permissions you need when writing about real people in a memoir; if a therapist or doctor can write about their patients; what composite characters are; using pen names; offering teasers for free; filing a copyright application; setting up LLCs; writing true crime and getting permissions; considering derivatives; what fair use is; and getting out of contracts.

 www.creativelawcenter.com

Disclaimer:

Nothing on this episode is specific legal advice for any individual's situation. The information discussed on this episode is no substitute for speaking confidentially with a qualified lawyer about your concerns. What you’ll listen to here is intended to help you be more thoughtful about intellectual property and the law when you write your stories, create your art, and build your business.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss leaning into specificity; concerns over white saviorism and teachable moments; dialogue needing to sound exactly like the character would speak; requiring drama outside of parallelism; starting with character and putting the reader in someone’s head right away; how multi-POV books should be pitched; and focusing on plot rather than feelings.

After which, Bianca chats with author of The Family Plot, Megan Collins, about writing limited omniscient third person; getting approval from your publisher; the immediacy of present tense; how every story will tell you what it needs; bringing poetry into any genre of writing; how you should choose your POV character; and coming up with secondary characters based on the purpose you need them to serve.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss focusing on trauma and conflict rather than the perfect life that came before; not taking up too much space for a set up in a query letter; starting with the inciting incident; the problem with objectivity in omniscient POV; how curiosity comes from active emotion; writing well on a line level; pitching plot rather than feelings; and the golden rule of dialogue.

 After which, Bianca chats with  Megan Abbott, author of The Turnout, about the themes writers return to; the research that goes into a novel; how you don’t need to just write what you know, but what you’re curious about; the struggle to write authentic movement and gestures as your characters make their way through the world; making the reader do the heavy-lifting; and writing an unreliable narrator.

In this BONUS episode, we have the author, Ruth N,  join us to chat about her query and first pages. Carly and CeCe discuss giving the characters more agency; describing the plot rather than the ingredients of a plot; and how a query should focus on your hook, inciting incident, and the escalating stakes. 

After which, Bianca chats with Sara Nicolas who gives some pro tips on how to navigate the upcoming #PitMad and Pitch Wars Blog Hop. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss being careful with your verb choices so as not to create misunderstandings; the query letter question test; describing the tone of your book as one thing or the other; being careful not to have characters who just have unrelated drama happening to them; changing locations in opening scenes; what constitutes historical fiction; guarding against overwriting and too much mind wandering; getting to the hook faster, and not repeating what’s in the opening pages in the query letter. 

After which, Bianca chats with  Caitlin Wahrer, debut author of The Damage, about what needs to be in an opening chapter; hooking the reader with immediate questions; writing dual timelines as opposed to flashbacks in the present day; choosing past tense and then struggling with the tenses during flashbacks; structuring stories in a non linear timeline; writing multiple characters in third person close; working with an agent on a revise and resubmit; why writing a query letter for a novel with multiple POV characters is difficult; and the pros of third person close compared to first person.

The query letter can be found on our Ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/post/Caitlin-Wahrers-Query-Letter-with-spoilers-remov-T6T65UBFS

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss not being vague in your query letter; letting us know what’s at stake for a character;  why repetition is your enemy in the first five pages; making the geography and the hook of the novel clearer; inciting specific curiosity; and taking care not to write a hidden protagonist.
After which Bianca chats with Julie Carrick Dalton, author of Waiting for the Night Song about how to know when you're ready to query. Julie discusses being in the query trenches, as well as entering writing contests; taking part in literary idol events and charity auctions; doing workshops run by agents and editors; working with Manuscript Academy; asking for scholarships or fee waivers; entering Twitter contents like #pitmad; studying writing; what climate fiction is; and answering why you’re the most qualified person to tell a story. 

In this bonus episode, Bianca chats with Andrew Wall of Craft Better Books about everything you need to know about worldbuilding. Whether you write adult fantasy, YA fantasy, dystopian fiction or sci-fi, there are many elements of worldbuilding that you need to consider and incorporate into your work in order to make your fictional world come alive and feel authentic. Andrew guides you through the process and what you need to pay attention to. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss what an action prologue is and the pitfalls of using it; telling us what characters like rather than what they don’t like; how if you know someone’s problems and passions, you know their life; entertaining rather than explaining in the opening pages; sharing the details of prior representation; and the process of changing agents. After which Bianca chats with author, Andrea Bartz, about coming up with a hook; how everything is potential material; why the sophomore novel is so scary; having energy around the kernel of an idea; choosing the best POV for your story and navigating the limitations for third person; the challenges posed by dual timelines and POVs; and readers' reactions to less likeable narrators.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with literary agent and author, Cece Lyra, about the 10 harsh truths writers need to know about writing and publishing. In the discussion, Cece drops some truth bombs about the importance of standing out in the market, making a living off of your writing, not being able to please everyone, taking your craft seriously, dealing with rejection and the importance of a platform. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly reveals that she's a bionic super agent! CeCe and Carly also discuss mixing up your sentences so they don’t all begin the same way; aiming for the quirky rather than the generic; ensuring there’s an emotional shift in each scene; the importance of getting dialogue right; choosing a setting that reflects the story's conflicts; plausibility and the domino effect; and giving your characters clear goals in each scene. And then we answer more of your questions! 
Bianca chats with bestselling thriller author, Samantha Downing, about why backstory is bullshit; teasing suspense for as long as you can; writing intuitively without plotting and outlining; learning how to write as you go rather than formally studying writing; not needing any fancy software to write; hiding clues in plain sight; not being predictable; and writing characters that are compelling and relatable. 

In today's jam-packed bonus episode, Carly chats with author, Jael Richardson, and HarperCollins Senior Editorial Director, Jennifer Lambert, about the author/editor relationship. They also discuss having an outline to work with to keep you on track and feeling motivated; creating a fully developed dystopian world; working on one thing at a time during each draft; making the world building rules disappear for the reader; informing and entertaining readers; what a writer’s responsibility is to their audience; characters’ upward or downward trajectories; figuring out who your audience is, and whether that shapes the writing process; writing for young adults vs adults; the FOLD (Festival of Literary Diversity); how acquisitions happen in publishing; how important a platform is for nonfiction; and how the publishing industry has changed during Covid. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss avoiding wordiness in your opening pages; how writing is a dance and you’re leading, but the reader is dancing with you; how important world building is; giving characters emotionality; being careful of writing dialogue of agreement; avoiding repetition and hand holding; the importance of establishing your tone in the opening pages; explaining comps so they clarify things rather than confuse the agent; using active emotions; and listening when a book tells you what it wants to be.

After which Bianca chats with bestselling author, Karma Brown, about why eavesdropping  is an essential writing skill; the importance of avoiding info dumps in dialogue; why flamingos are amazing; paying attention to your instincts; the value in waking up at 5am to write; writing across genres; finding time in the day to write when you are less needed; and breaking down your goals into manageable chunks. 

In this BONUS episode, Carly is joined by her client and indie author, Kiersten Modglin,  to chat about what it takes to be a successful indie author. Carly and Kiersten discuss why an indie author would need an agent; using social media effectively; why persistence pays off; how to get comfortable with TikTok; building an author brand and being consistent with it; interacting with your readers; building buzz as an indie author; running your own business, and capitalizing on the audiobook market. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss giving your characters the opportunity to react to big events; only including what's essential to intrigue an agent in the query letter; not giving away spoilers; and not counting on backstory and secrets to do the heavy lifting in dual timeline narratives. After which, Bianca chats with Anne Bogel (author, the creator of the blog Modern Mrs. Darcy, and host of What Should I Read Next? podcast) about what writers can learn about the craft through reading. 

Bianca Marais, finishes her discussion with Lisa Cron, author of Story Genius and Wired for Story. In this second of two episodes, Lisa unpacks her approach to backstory. Weighing in with an opposing view, is bestselling author, Karen Dionne (The Marsh King's Daughter and The Wicked Sister) with her advice of how to work in backstory without dragging your story backwards. Be prepared to pick sides!

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss quiet plots; using the #MeToo hashtag; deciding what kind of author you want to be; plausibility in fiction; the 'looking back' vibe; and how comps intersect and are in conversation with one another. After which, Bianca chats with Mary Kole, founder and executive editor at Good Story Company, about pitches, loglines and queries; the premise of a story; and the meat of a query. 

Bianca Marais, chats with Lisa Cron, author of Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) and Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence. In this first of two episodes, Lisa discusses the biggest mistake writers make, discovering your character's misbelief, the myth of plotting, and why character profiles don't work. Bianca and Lisa also disagree about backstory! This episode will be continued next week.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss prioritizing plot and character over voice in a query letter; giving an old trope a fresh twist; why love at first sight is so tough to write; how writing is a political act; and avoiding defamation or licensing issues in your writing. After which, Bianca chats with Emily Henry, author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation, about focusing on tension rather than plot; keeping yourself and your readers guessing; backstory being why front story matters; starting with misdirection; and not giving your characters too much self awareness. 

In this BONUS episode, Carly is joined by Dana Murphy, an agent from The Book Group, and Addison Duffy, an agent from UTA, to talk about all things related to film and TV rights, including book to film, and book to TV adaptations; what intellectual property is; how agents get a project ready to shop around; how books get optioned; which books are appealing; how a sales record no longer matters; and why it's an exciting time for writers to be capitalizing on  all of this!

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss the difference between urban fantasy and magical realism; using a scalpel in writing surgery; delivering answers to readers' questions; coming-of-age stories vs YA fiction; and knowing who your audience is.  After which, Bianca chats with May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives, about writing those tricky unlikable characters; making sure your readers know why your characters make questionable choices; the iceberg approach to characterization; firing an agent;  having the right people read your work; and writing the story that keeps you up at night. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss making it clear what's at stake, and what the hook is, in your query letter; how important readability is; not leading the reader too much; pitching plot as opposed to feelings; limiting your use of punctuation; and guarding against white saviorism. After which, Bianca chats with Jessica Payne, the host of #MomsWritersClub about finding your people; the challenges faced by mothers who write; being creative when you're exhausted; drawing on creative reserves; having a sense of community; and keeping your tank full.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss the heartbreak of the querying process; the power imbalance between agents and authors; giving agents an idea of whether your novel is commercial or literary fiction; picking your comps and inciting incident; and avoiding two heroes' journeys in one query. Bianca also challenges Carly to name her nemeses. We all talk and disagree A LOT about Mare of Easttown, and we take more of your questions. After which, Bianca chats with Hannah Mary McKinnon, bestselling author of You Will Remember Me, about plotting, outlining and structuring your novel; skeleton drafts; the 16 beat structure; layering your novel during edits; and choosing POV. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss leaning into unlikable characters but how to make them relatable; avoiding info dumps, especially in dialogue; starting at the right place; and trusting both yourself and your reader.  After which, Bianca chats with Uzma Jalaluddin, author of Hana Khan Carries On about writing rom coms; the tropes and conventions of the genre; choosing the best setting for your story; tackling important themes in all genres; the three-act structure; and keeping your secondary characters in check.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss being more explicit about genre and tone; establishing emotionality in your main characters rather than just having them being observers or vessels; giving your reader access to your character's thoughts and feelings, while balancing show vs tell; setting not just the story stakes, but scene stakes as well; and eliminating wordiness.  After which, Bianca chats with Heather Chavez, debut author of No Bad Deed, about pacing and tension; how long overnight success takes; being stubborn and passionate about your work; how to effectively integrate action/reaction sequences; and using action beats vs dialogue tags. 

In today's bonus content episode,  Bianca, Carly and CeCe take all your questions about agents' and publishers' contracts; finding a reputable agent; being out on submission; the etiquette of querying;  why agents might offer R&Rs; the kinds of revisions you'll be expected to do, etc. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss falling in love with a story before falling in love with an author; what constitutes a memoir and the different types of non-fiction; giving time frames for your manuscripts; and using the present tense for more immediacy.  After which, Bianca chats with publishing phenomenon, Jeffery Deaver, about hooking your reader and keeping them turning pages; and why books are products with your readers being your customers. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss using pseudonyms; the difference between women's fiction and book club fiction; beginning your book with adult characters in adult novels; giving agents trigger/content warnings; how to propose sequels; and how to find the most compelling entry point into your story.  After which, Bianca chats with award-winning and bestselling author, Lily King (author of Writers & Lovers) about the writer's life; scrapping novels halfway through; dealing with rejection; and starting the process all over again with a new book.

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe discuss the issue of swearing in novels; how characters feel about the action playing out on the page; and moving around the puzzle pieces of a story. After which, Bianca chats with Katie Wall, a book coach at Craft Better Books, about what you can learn from your rejections; why patience will pay off down the line; and why you might do better working with a book coach.  

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe fall in love with another submission; discuss writing from perspectives that aren't your own; what the 'arrogant win' is; how to write prologues; and writing second person PoV. After which, Bianca chats with Kristin Beck, author of COURAGE, MY LOVE, about writing and researching historical fiction; how to establish an effective research process; what you can learn from starter novels; and putting off writing your passion project until you're a better writer. 

In today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe fall in love with one submission; suggest using a different PoV for another; discuss how characterization can be revealed through what a character notices, and how a writer is an artist who doesn't get to see their audience. After which, Bianca chats with Daniel Ford, author and podcast host, about what he's learned about writing from his years of interviewing great writers, as well as the benefit of creating a writing playlist, and how patience really is a writing virtue. 

Carly Watters and Cece Lyra are now co-hosts of the podcast (Yay!),  who will be doing the Books with Hooks segment every week, in which they discuss your query letters and opening pages. This week's segment specifically looks at how to trust both yourself and your reader. After which, Bianca Marais chats with author, Kerry Clare, about how to be a human on the internet as you work to raise your author profile ahead of publication.  

In the regular Books with Hooks segment, author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with P.S. Literary agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra about query letters and opening pages that listeners have submitted.  After which, Bianca interviews Traci Thomas, Bookstagrammer and host of the wildly popular podcast, The Stacks,  about the value of Bookstagrammers, the influence of social media, and fighting for the the community who champions authors.

In the regular Books with Hooks segment, author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with P.S. Literary agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra about query letters and opening pages that listeners have submitted.   After which, Bianca interviews bestselling author, Susan Wiggs (author of The Lost and Found Bookshop) about staying relevant; treating your writing like a business; showing up for yourself; and how to combine creativity with making shrewd decisions for your career. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with P.S. Literary agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, in their regular Books with Hooks segment, in which listeners submit their query letters and first pages to get advice on grabbing their dream agents' attention. After which, Bianca interviews South African author, Keletso Mopai, about writing from rage, how to publish a short story collection, social commentary and activism in writing, and the necessity of #OwnVoices in publishing.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with P.S. Literary agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, in their regular Books with Hooks segment, in which listeners send in their query letters and first pages to get advice on grabbing their dream agents' attention. After which, Bianca interviews author, and food and travel writer, Ann Mah, about capturing time and place; how to be inspired by your travels; doing in-depth research; and when setting becomes character. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, in their regular Books with Hooks segment, in which listeners send in their query letters and first pages to get advice on grabbing their dream agents' attention. After which, Bianca interviews bestselling author, Marissa Stapley, about why being a writer is a marathon and not a sprint, and what it takes to be successful. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with agents extraordinaire, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, in their regular Books with Hooks segment, in which listeners send in their query letters and first pages to get advice on grabbing their dream agents' attention. After which, Bianca chats with Alexandria Brown, co-owner of indie publisher, Rising Action Publishing Co, about the pros and cons of  the various types of publishing, and why you might want to consider going with an indie publisher. 

In this jampacked episode, author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with fabulous agents, Carly Watters and Cecilia Lyra, as they launch their exciting new segment, Books with Hooks. In it, Carly and CeCe read the query letters and opening pages of novels that listeners have submitted in order to get useful critique. This will be a regular segment of the show going forward. After which, Bianca chats with freelance editor, Rachel Spence, about everything you need to know about developmental edits and manuscript evaluations.

Author and Host, Bianca Marais, chats with writing team, Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman, authors of Girls with Bright Futures, about how they turned their rejections into a success story, as well as learning to write fiction in your 40s; seeing headlines ripped from the pages of your novel; overcoming adversity; and believing in yourself and your work. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with award winning author, playwright, screenwriter and journalist, Byron Lane — author of the acclaimed A Star is Bored  (which was inspired in part by Byron's time as assistant to beloved actress Carrie Fisher) — about finding your process as a debut author; getting help when you need it; learning your craft; and mining tough times in your life for fictional gold. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with Amherst Writers & Artists method facilitator, Susie Whelehan,  about supercharging your creativity with online writing retreats. These 60-90 minute retreats are a great way to revive your imagination during tough times, and to remind yourself that there's a whole writing community out there; that you're not going it alone. Bianca also does a deeper dive into showing vs telling, exposition vs scene.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with Claire Lombardo, the New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had, about creating characters that feel real, writing scenes that won't ever be used, showing vs telling, writing realistic dialogue, and keeping track of multiple timelines. It's an episode so jam-packed full of useful information that you may have to listen to it twice!

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with bestselling author, Steven Rowley (Lily and the Octopus, The Editor and The Guncle) about writing tearjerkers that are also hilariously funny. Steven gives his advice for writing humor and how to incorporate it when delving into heavy themes.  He also shares many nuggets of wisdom about point of view, writing from life, being a gay writer,  taking a circuitous route to publication, and how to talk about your work. 

In this hilarious episode, author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with Julia Claiborne Johnson, bestselling author of Better Luck Next Time and Be Frank with Me,  about becoming a debut novelist in her 50s, her journey to publication, the challenges she faced with her second novel, juggling writing with being a mother, managing expectations, and the advice she'd like to share with emerging writers. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, discusses the main reasons why writers give up, as well as all the things that get in the way of creativity: the pursuit of perfection; allowing the inner critic too much head space; not prioritizing your writing; procrastination and the fear of failure. Consider this your pep talk to ensure a kick-ass creative year!

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with Putnam editor and adjunct professor of publishing for NYU, Mark Tavani, about all things suspense: techniques on how to create it, how to maintain it, and how to apply these concepts across all genres. Suspense is why we read; it's what keeps us turning pages. A story without some elements of suspense will fall flat. Learn how to avoid making that mistake in your work in progress. 

Author and Host, Bianca Marais, chats with literary agent, Carly Watters from P.S. Literary Agency, about elements of craft and the state of the literary industry. Carly discusses factors you need to consider when choosing the right point of view (PoV) and PoV characters for your novel, as well as what the industry looks like after Covid and the Penguin Random House purchase of Simon & Schuster. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais chats with bestselling author duos, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, as well as Lynne and Valerie Constantine (who write as Liv Constantine) about the pros and cons of writing partnerships, as well as everything you need to know to run one. After this discussion, Bianca is on the search for her bosom writing pal!

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with bestselling author, Samantha M. Bailey, as well as Nita Pronovost, editor and vice president/editorial director at Simon & Schuster Canada, about the lessons all writers can learn from the thriller genre, including coming up with high concept premises; something known and unknown, something hidden and something shown; the labyrinth approach; considering your novel two halves when it comes to pacing; and how to nail your endings.  

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with award-winning British actress, writer, and producer, Katharine Lee McEwan, about all things audiobooks — including producing your own — as well as: scriptwriting, narrative voice, tone, emotional impact, torturing your characters and incorporating humour. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais chats with two members of her BACKSpacers writing group, Alek Trpkovski and Suzanne Dugard, about why writing groups are integral in your writing journey. They tackle issues like: what you should look for in your writing group; how to critique each other's work; effectively managing a group; the highs and lows of getting your work critiqued; how to incorporate feedback; how to start a writing group. NOTE: this episode contains some profanity and mature themes. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais,  chats with author, K.A. Tucker, who's gone from self publishing to traditional publishing, and then back again. Kathleen explores the pros and cons of both kinds of publishing; moving back and forth between genres; building your brand; reader loyalty and Bookstagrammers; and what you need to know if you're considering self publishing. 

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with the effervescent Liara Tamani, author of two YA novels, All the Things We Never Knew and Calling My Name, about writing for the YA market, knowing what young people want to read, getting your message across without preaching, her circuitous route to a writing career after being accepted to Harvard Law School, the importance of timing, as well as barriers to entry that writers of color face in publishing.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, loves booksellers! And she especially loves Rebecca Speas of One More Page Books in Arlington, VA. In this episode, Bianca and Rebecca talk about the power of the bookseller, why authors should foster relationships with their local indie bookstores, how you can be a feminist and love bodice rippers, and how not to write awful, cringeworthy sex scenes. This episode is a bit risqué and a lot funny. 

Author and Host, Bianca Marais, chats with Kelly S. Thompson, an award-winning writer and editor with a broad range of experience and education in the writing and editing field. Kelly is the author of the memoir, Girls Need Not Apply - Field Notes from the Forces, and instructs at several universities and colleges in Canada teaching creative writing and nonfiction. In this episode, Kelly discusses memoirs, creative nonfiction, fact checking, asking loved ones for permission, and various other aspects that nonfiction authors have to consider. CBC Canada Reads shortlisted author, Jesse Thistle, who wrote the memoir, From the Ashes, weighs in on honesty, paying tribute and putting personal stories out into the world.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with the delightful international bestselling author, Jane Green, about her twenty-five year career in publishing. Jane gives insight with regards to rejection letters, bidding wars, bestselling novels, a writer's brand, when it's time to change agents or publishing houses, appreciating success, and the extreme highs and lows that are all a part of the industry.

Author and host, Bianca Marais, takes you behind the scenes of publishing as she chats with editor, Kerri Kolen, about how editors acquire manuscripts; what the acquisition process looks like; how interminable the wait for news is; as well as how advances are calculated, how royalties work and Audible's opportunities that are available to authors.

In today's episode, we're exploring the most important professional relationship that an author will have in their career - the one with their literary agent. Powerhouse author/agent team, Jill Santopolo (bestselling author of the The Light We Lost and More Than Words) and Miriam Altshuler (of DeFiore and Company) , give us a behind-the-scenes look at how to find the perfect agent, how to successfully pitch yourself to them, and how to ensure that the relationship is a successful one going forward.