The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comKristen can be found on Instagram @kristenbirdwrites and on Twitter @kbirdwrites. Her website is www.kristenbird.com. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comRebecca can be found on Instagram @rebeccamakkai and on Twitter @rebeccamakkai. Her website is www.rebeccamakkai.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In today’s Books With Hooks, which is our 100th 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comEden can be found on Instagram @edenboudreau and on Twitter @edenboudreauAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comLindsay can be found at @lindsaymwong on Twitter and at @lindsaywong.m on Instagram and at www.lindsaywongwriter.comJennifer can be found at www.grantustomorrow.ca and at @grantustomorrow on InstagramEmilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comKaren can be found at www.karenkatchur.comEmmy can be found at @emmy_of_spines on Twitter and InstagramAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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.Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comGrady can be found at www.gradyhendrix.com, on Twitter @grady_hendrix, and on Instagram @gradyhendrix.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comDeepti can be found on Instagram @deeptikp. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comHank can be found at @hankpryan on Instagram and Twitter, and at www.hankphillippiryan.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comCharlene can be found at @charlenecarrauthor on Instagram and at www.charlenecarr.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingFind us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comOnyi can be found at onyi-nwabineli.com, on Instagram at @onyiwrites, and on Twitter at @OnyiWritesEmilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshop and at www.eastcitybookshop.comFemi can be found at @thebookalert on InstagramAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands