Lynne and Valerie Constantine, bestselling authors who collaborate under the pen name Liv Constantine, dive into fascinating insights on writing. They discuss their latest novel, the importance of character psychology, and the art of crafting compelling, unlikeable female protagonists. The sisters share tips on balancing suspense with originality while writing sequels and navigating high-stakes motivations that enrich storytelling. Their journey as plotters and pantsers adds an engaging perspective on character development and the craft of writing.
The podcast discusses the importance of crafting multifaceted characters, particularly exploring the psychology and motivations behind 'unlikable' protagonists to enhance storytelling.
Listeners gain insights into the significance of query letters and constructive feedback in the writing process, emphasizing clarity in character motivations and narrative premises.
The episode highlights the challenges and nuances of writing dual perspectives in historical narratives, focusing on maintaining balance and depth in character arcs.
Deep dives
Transitioning Between Seasons
The episode highlights the transition from new 'Books with Hooks' segments to sharing archived episodes during the summer break. The hosts announce their decision to take a break from recording new segments to recharge and prepare for the fall. However, they assure listeners that they will continue critiquing submissions from paid Substack subscribers each week through a newsletter. This approach maintains audience engagement while allowing the team to rest and return revitalized for the upcoming season.
Critiquing Query Letters
In this episode, two authors, Jessica and Kate, submit their query letters for critique, providing insights into their respective projects. Jessica presents her women's fiction novel, which incorporates themes of grief and self-discovery through the story of Brynn, a medical student coping with loss. The hosts provide constructive feedback on Jessica's presentation, focusing on character motivations and ensuring clarity around her novel's premise. This segment underscores the importance of query letters and the role of feedback in the writing process.
The Importance of Character Motivation
Jessica's query letter examines the complex motivations driving her protagonist, Brynn, as she engages in extreme activities to feel alive following a traumatic event. The critiques focus on how to better articulate these motivations to captivate potential readers and agents. Discussions include reshaping character dynamics, particularly concerning Brynn's relationships with Jacob and Caleb, to avoid unintentional implications of boundary violations. Addressing these nuances is essential to portray strong character arcs that resonate with audiences.
Setting the Scene in Writing
As Jessica summarizes the opening pages of her manuscript, the focus shifts to creating a vivid and engaging setting integral to the story. The scene opens high with tension, highlighting Brynn's feelings as she prepares to bungee jump, showcasing not only her risky behavior but also her longing for a connection with her deceased mother. Feedback centers around ensuring the emotional stakes are clear and that the scene serves to establish curiosity about Brynn's internal struggles. Ultimately, setting a compelling scene engages readers while allowing them to experience the protagonist's psychological turmoil.
The Duality of Perspectives
Kate shares her query for a historical novel featuring two perspectives, exploring the lives of Empress Matilda and the other Matilda during a time of political upheaval. The critique emphasizes the need for clarity regarding the dual perspectives and how they contribute meaningfully to the narrative. The hosts discuss the challenge of balancing voice and perspective in a dual narrative, highlighting the importance of ensuring each character's arc carries weight in the story. This dialogue reveals how the interplay between characters can add depth and richness to historical storytelling.
Creating Characters with Layers
The episode demonstrates the significance of developing multifaceted characters through the discussions of Amber's sociopathic tendencies in the sequel to 'The Last Mrs. Parrish.' Valerie and Lynn delve into Amber's motivations and how she justifies her often problematic behaviors, creating a captivating anti-heroine. The analysis explores the balance between making characters relatable and morally ambiguous, allowing readers to engage with their complexities. The hosts encourage writers to examine the psychological depth of their characters, which ultimately drives the narrative forward.
In today's Books with Hooks, we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.
After which, Bianca interviews sisters, Lynne and Valerie Constantine, who write under the pen name, Liv Constantine. The three discuss Lynne and Valerie’s latest bestselling novel, The Next Mrs. Parish; their decision to write a sequel following their Audible prequel; being a ‘plotter,’ ‘pantser,’ or ‘plantser’; the experience of re-immersing yourself in characters and timelines you’ve written before; deciding where to begin a sequel; giving your readers high stakes wants and needs from the jump; causality in plot; character psychology; and how to write unlikeable female characters that are still compelling.
Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.
Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15
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