The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each take on two query letters. They discuss being cognizant of including descriptive features of the characters that don’t actually add any information/teach us anything about the character themselves;  the trick of re-writing a scene in a different POV to really fine-tune emotional feelings within a scene; ensuring that dramatic questions in your plot actually center around your main character; being careful of using descriptions that are too derivative; how sensory details can beef up a description; and being mindful of how many names you throw out in the query letter since you don’t want it to read too much like a synopsis.After which, Bianca chats with Deesha Philyaw, award-winning author of the short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, about publishing a short story collection;having an agent that believes in what you want to write and the direction you want to go; not taking rejection personally; getting some short stories published first in reputable magazines/journals before presenting them as a collection to publishers; finding that place of play and experimentation in your writing; and how the most interesting stories can come from a place of discovery.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comDeesha on Twitter and Instagram: @DeeshaPhilyawOur 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 kicking it back to the old format in which they look at the same three queries together. They discuss how important it is to show that there's enough plot and escalation to merit a whole novel when writing a query; the pitfall of using the term "crossover"; being mindful of when your book is coming off as quiet or too interior to the protagonist; avoiding a recap beginning, where you give too much background info, like a recap on a show; looking out for redundancies during the polishing phase; the difference between telling the reader something versus making the reader FEEL something; and how it isn't enough to just paint a picture - the picture needs to feel real.After which Bianca chats with Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller, about fictionalizing real people (including the potential pitfalls and how to do it in a meaningful way); the social contract involved in writing/reading historical fiction; how to quiet the doubtful voice when writing, granting yourself permission to write a particular story; and how to frame novels that span a significant period of time.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comKerri Maher on Instagram: @kerrimaherwriter and on Twitter: @kerrimaherbooksOur 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 two awesome guests. The first is Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart, who discusses querying a book that's ten years in the making when you’re not sure if it has a place in the market; the whirlwind of quickly getting an agent and book deal; turning your NaNoWriMo novel into a successful book; avoiding info-dumping through dialogue; creating a narrative outline; and reading outside your genre.In the second interview, Bianca chats with Jes Trudel, co-founder of writingcommunity.ca about The Story Endings Matrix. Jes discusses how publishers use a SWOT Analysis to analyze a manuscript; how YOU can use a SWOT analysis to identify areas of weakness in your manuscript; how to ensure you have the proper ending for your book in any genre; and reverse outlining—working back from your ending to the beginning.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comGenevieve on Instagram and Twitter: @gengornichec Jes on Twitter: @jes_trudelwww.writingcommunity.caOur 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, guest agent Veronia Park joins us from Fuse Literary to discuss Joanne's and Gaylen's submissions with them. In the segment, Veronica chats about straddling the line between two age categories; knowing, with MG fiction, who your target parents and teachers are because they're the ones who're going to be putting your book in their children’s hands; writing a dual-POV query letter for a dual-POV novel; letting your characters lie a little, or hold back truths, especially in the beginning; and including the first few pages of each POV character in a dual-POV situation.After which, Bianca chats with the amazing Tomi Adeyemi, #1 NYT bestselling and award-winning author of Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance about working through rejection to use the feedback you’re given; making the most of opportunities like Pitch Wars; reading new releases in your genre so you know what’s currently doing well; knowing when to give up on a project and move on; getting validation from yourself rather than external sources; how to be inspired rather than intimidated by great work; why trying and failing isn’t a bad thing; and how rejected books can act as your MFA. Tomi also discusses her amazing writer's masterclass called The Writer's Roadmap.  Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comVeronica Park on Twitter: @veroniKaboomFuse Literary on Twitter: @FuseLiterarywww.fuseliterary.comJoanne on Twitter: @JoanneKelleGaylen on Twitter: @gaylenjoyTomi Adeyemi on Twitter: @tomi_adeyemiTomi on Instagram: @tomiadeyemihttps://www.thewritersroadmap.net/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, guest agent Veronia Park joins us from Fuse Literary to review four submissions. During the segment, Veronica discusses having the query vibe matching the sample pages vibe; under-promising and over-delivering with the sample; ensuring you have stakes at the end of each POV paragraph in the query; when not to include the prologue in the sample pages; and the three-part rule: what does your MC want more than anything, why can’t they get it, and what will happen if they do/don’t get it?After which, Bianca chats with Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur about how there isn’t a ticking clock for publishing; having and listening to external cheerleaders; tooting your own horn; when an MFA is worth it, and when it’s not; five crucial tips for emerging writers; taking time away to recharge and then coming back to appreciating your story; and the importance of knowing the story behind the story.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comVeronica Park on Twitter: @veroniKaboomFuse Literary on Twitter: @FuseLiterarywww.fuseliterary.comAlka Joshi on Twitter: @alkajoshi and on Instagram: @thealkajoshiOur 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 Janet Forbes and Dimitris Havlidis of World Anvil about how the right writing software can take your writing to the next level. Janet and Dimitris discuss how they came up with the World Anvil software and the many ways it can assist with world building for those working in speculative or historical fiction. They also break down the ways in which the software can improve the writing process for those writing in different genres including the aspects like the community building, forums, feedback and writing sprints.World Anvil is offering a 50% discount on all levels of its software for those attending the The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Virtual Retreat in January.Find them at www.worldanvil.comTwitter and Instagram: @worldnanvilOur 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 writers, Michele and Lynne, who have submitted their work for critique. Carly and CeCe discuss writing a story from the perspective of the other; ensuring you have done lots of research to tell that story properly and sensitively; not starting the opening pages with a lack of curiosity; fear or desire as conveyed through surprise; and having sample pages for different POVs if you’ve written a dual- or multi-POV novel.After which, Bianca chats with the author of The Way We Weren't, Phoebe Fox, about how editing other writers' work is the best way to learn craft; how to incorporate backstory into your writing; context, memory, and flashback types of backstory; treating backstory like a puzzle; how backward momentum slows the forward momentum; being confined to a character’s perspective when you’re in their POV; and using an author pen name and whether or not to disclose the use of it.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comKofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingPhoebe Fox on Instagram and Twitter: @phoebefoxauthor Michele on Twitter: @michele_lomb and on Instagram: @michelevlombardoLynne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlynnebryant and Instagram: @lynnebryantauthorWebsite: www.lynnebryant.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 the writer Clarisse Baleja Saidi about everything you've always wanted to know about writing residencies. Clarisse gives her top 5 pieces of advice for applying for residencies, and breaks down why applying for—and attending them—could be the boost you need to finish your WIP. Prepare to be surprised!Find us on our socials!Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comKofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingClarisse on Instagram: @clarissebaleja and on Twitter: @FreeBalejaOur 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 discuss starting a book with dialogue; having tension from page one; using sharp visuals from your character’s perspective (specificity); having the right comps for the setting, plot, tone, etc.; using time and character stamps in multi-POV novels; using the story-forward rule to make the reader curious about what’s going to happen next; and reversing stereotypical roles in characters.After which, Bianca chats with Lindsay Zier-Vogel, author of Letters to Amelia,  and Wayne Ng, author of Letters From Johnny, about epistolary-style writing in novels; how to write this way and not have it be pure exposition; moving through an epistolary scene so that it feels natural; using voice in epistolic scenes; and developing your own authentic diary/letter writing voice so you can nail it in your character’s voice.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comKofi: https://ko-fi.com/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingTwitter: lindsayzvIG: lindsay.ziervogelWayneNgWrites.comamazon.com/author/WayneNggoodreads.com/WayneNgWritesInstagram.com/WayneNgWritesfacebook.com/WayneNgWritestwitter.com/WayneNgWritesOur 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, Emmy Nordstrom Higdon joins us from Westwood Creative Artists to chat with Tyler and Vickie about their work. Emmy unpacks starting with action to get a good sense of voice and character; how the story needs to be front and center with opening pages before digging into issues; starting with something dramatic and compelling; showing the MC out of their depth with internal and external conflict; and dramatizing epistolary parts of a novel.After which, Bianca chats with Kirthana Ramisetti, author of Dava Shastri's Last Day, about how transitioning from a pantser to a plotter paid off; having your pick of agents and what criteria you can use for deciding on one; writing an ensemble cast and introducing a lot of characters quickly; writing a sweeping family saga; tracking character arcs and timelines; how to choose your POV character for each chapter; writing a story that’s based in the future; making choices about character and plot that work for your story, and incorporating backstory in an organic way.Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author Instagram: @biancamarais_author @ the_shit_about_writingFacebook: @tsnotyawWebsite: www.biancamarais.comEmmy Nordstrom Higdon on Twitter: @emmy_of_spinesKirthana Ramisetti on Instagram: @kirthanaramisetti and on Twitter: @popscribblingsTyler on Twitter:  @writerthoughts 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