The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.comRoxana can be found at www.roxanatrabulsi.com and on Instagram at @roxanatrabulsiwritesOur 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, 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.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,  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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Amber and Danielle can be found at www.amberanddanielle.com and on Instagram at @amberanddanielleOur 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 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Brad can be found at www.bradsmithbooks.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 this podcast, the hosts analyze query letters, discuss the importance of character arcs tied to wants, and share tips for writing compelling stories. They also interview author Alexa Martin about her journey to publication and flipping genre tropes.

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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Jeffrey can be found at www.jeffreyarcher.com and on Instagram at @jeffrey_archer_authorOur 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 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Jennifer can be found at www.jenniferhillierbooks.com and on Instagram at @jenniferhillierbooksOur 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 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Amita can be found at www.amitaparikh.com and on Instagram at @amita_parikh 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 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: 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 @elizabethwelkeOur 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, 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 @ceciliaclyraInstagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Susie can be found at www.susiebooks.com and on Instagram and Twitter at @susieyyang 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