The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.com Jennifer can be found at @AuthorFawcett on Twitter and at @jenniferfawcett_author on Instagram and at www.jenniferfawcett.orgLydia can be found at @lydiakang on Instagram and @LydiaYKang on Twitter and at www.lydiakang.com   Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comJennifer can be found at @jenniferaclose on Instagram and @jenniferclose on TwitterOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comAlisha can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @alishasevigny and at www.alishasevigny.comTJ Alexander can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @tjalexandernyc and at www.tjalexander.comLaynie can be found on Instagram at @thelaynierose and East City Bookshop can be found at @eastcitybookshopOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comDolen can be found at @dolenperkinsvaldez on Instagram, and at www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com  Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comMatt can be found at www.mattbell.com and on @mattbell79 on Twitter and InstagramAmanda Pellegrino can be found at www.amandapellegrino.com and at @amandagpellegrino on Instagram and @amandapellss on TwitterOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 sceneAfter 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comLisa can be found at @LisaScottoline on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.scottoline.com Femi can be found at @thebookalert on InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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.comFind us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comGrant 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 @TraceyWolffEmili can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com and on Instagram at @emiliegsommer Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comGina can be found at @ginasorell on Twitter and Instagram and at www.ginasorell.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comLee Gowan can be found at www.leegowan.com Leo Carver can be found on Instagram at @leo.carverBook Ends can be found on Instagram at @bookendswinchester Emily Schwab can be found on Instagram at @paperbookreaderOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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 InstagramSarah 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 Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands