Author Hannah Mary McKinnon, pen name Holly Cassidy, discusses writing an opening chapter, tips for balancing dialogue and disposition, setting up stakes for the protagonist, and approach to negative reviews. Hosts critique submissions, discuss including hooks in queries, personifying the antagonist, and polished scene-level pages. They also discuss power dynamics in storytelling, changing genres, and balancing information in the opening chapter. Additionally, they address reader reactions to explicit content and promote upcoming events and websites.
