In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe discuss the importance of eliminating any confusion in your query; the distinction between having a 'perfect' query letter and one that does the job; how plausibility issues may or may not be a problem for different agents; the need to be intentional with dates you choose in your novel, rather than just convenient; the art of giving specifics when they are needed; and the need for active rather than passive stakes and inciting incidents.After which, Bianca chats with Julie Chavez about her memoir, Everyone But Myself. They discuss Julie’s untraditional path to publication; understanding the role of an agent and why it’s helpful to have one; working on the next manuscript to distract yourself from publishing the current one; the book coaching process; setting boundaries for yourself; building a community of writer friends and asking published authors for blurbs; creating intimacy with the reader; reading your work aloud; and structuring your memoir so that it reads like fiction.Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Julie can be found at https://www.juliewriteswords.com/. She’s on Instagram @juliewriteswords and Facebook @juliewriteswords.To ask a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAWOur Sponsors:* 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 guest Alicia Clancy, executive editor at Lake Union Publishing. They discuss the need to establish what is real and what is made up in a fantasy query; the importance of physical movement in the opening pages to help with pacing; avoiding vague plot points in your query, especially when relating to the climax; sufficiently explaining why you chose a specific character to focus on in your query letter when writing a multi-POV novel; the importance of including reasons why you're the person to write your story in your author bio paragraph; and being mindful of showing rather than telling.After which Bianca interviews Chelene Knight, author of Let It Go. They talk about Chelene's various literary initiatives, including the Thrive Coaching Program and Forever Writers Club; writing as a marginalized writer and the pressures associated with that; the 360 view that Chelene has of the publishing world; choosing an audience for your book, rather than trying to appeal to everyone; Chelene's intentions with how she outlined and framed her latest book; and advice to writers who want to publish nonfiction. Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Chelene can be found at: https://cheleneknight.com/She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bsc_literary_studio/?hl=enOur Sponsors:* 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, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss an example of an excellent hook and query letter in general; the issues with beginning your novel with a cliched scene; the importance of emotional layers in interiority, especially with big, messy emotions; framing your query letter in a way that gives your protagonist more agency and 'protagonism', or that shows how a character's lack of agency pushes the plot forward; the problem with using self-published books as your comp titles; the difference between third person close POV and omniscient third person; and the difficulties with using an omniscient third person POV.After which, Bianca chats with Estelle Erasmus about her book, Writing That Gets Noticed. They also discuss Estelle’s credentials and experience; writing essays and op-eds; finding your voice; writing your essays for yourself; literary fiction vs purple prose; finding your rhythm and syntax; asking yourself “so what?”; personal universal elements; and revealing vs concealing. Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Estelle can be found at https://estelleserasmus.com/. She’s on Twitter @EstelleSErasmus, Instagram @EstelleSErasmus, TikTok @EstelleSErasmus, and Facebook @Estelle.Sobel.Erasmus.Our Sponsors:* 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 December Bonus Episode, Bianca interviews Sarah Lariviere, YA author of The Bad Kid, Time Travel for Love and Profit, and the upcoming, Riot Act. They discuss Sarah's decision to base her latest novel in her hometown; pinpointing what makes a work fit into the YA category; writing in a way that is authentic to your audience (including the language you use and how you portray certain experiences); the intentionality of choosing a setting and time period; using song lyrics in your work; using curse words in a YA novel; and Sarah's unorthodox approach to limited omniscient POV.After which, Bianca interviews Lucy E.M. Black, author of the historical fiction novel, The Brickworks. They discuss Lucy's non-traditional journey to publication; the inspiration for her latest book; knowing when to stop researching, so as not to fall down a procrastination rabbit hole; reaching out to experts; how to write regional dialects successfully; advice on time-jumping in a novel; and Lucy's experience with indie publishers.We’ll reopen our Q & A and Comps Segment in January!Find us on our socials:X: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Sarah can be found at https://sarahlariviere.com/She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sarah.lariviere/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/sarahlariviereMore information about Lucy can be found at: https://lucyemblack.com/about/She's also on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/lucyemblack/Our Sponsors:* 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, CeCe, Carly, and Bianca are joined by Harvey to discuss his submission. They chat about illustrating plot escalation in a query; boosting SEO through your title choice; stakes that are personally important to the protagonist; the importance of cross-over with characters when you have multiple main characters; the need for causality when it comes to plot points; CeCe shares a 'masterfully written' line; the need for sharp specificity and active emotions in character interiority; and how subjective agent and reader perspectives will always be when reading your material.After which, Bianca interviews Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Wake Up Call and The Flatshare. They discuss Beth’s journey to publication; the appropriate time after which to nudge an agent; overcoming the pressures that come with ‘instant’ success; the universal love of the 'grumpy/sunshine' trope; when to plant curiosity seeds; and Beth's advice for people looking to write romcoms.Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Beth can be found at: https://www.betholearyauthor.com/She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/betholearyauthor/?hl=enOur Sponsors:* 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, CeCe, and Bianca discuss a historical mystery and a women's fiction query. They chat about whether starting from a male or female POV may (or may not) affect how agents request pages; why an author whose work is quite polished may not have received many requests from agents; transforming hooks in ways that will garner the most agent and editor attention; the issues with wanting a romance to be the B plot, but then also having a weaker A plot; and the ever-present importance of planting curiosity seeds.After which, Bianca interviews David Joy, author of Those We Thought We Knew. They discuss the conventions of the 'Appalachian noir' genre; how David's book and the writing of it compare to a traditional procedural; the inspiration for the themes within the novel; working with an authenticity reader and writing a novel in a way that is respectful to the voice you want to embody; getting readers to be actively engaged in your writing; and the importance of specificity and characterization in bringing your novel to life.Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about David can be found at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/226887/david-joy/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/davidjoy_author/?hl=en and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/davidjoy_author?lang=enOur Sponsors:* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ronnie Alvarado, senior editor at Simon Element, joins the hosts to discuss why agents pass on resubmissions, the importance of not info-dumping, and how writing interiority is like squeezing an orange. The podcast also features an interview with debut novelist Anise Vance, who talks about intentional beginnings, worldbuilding in dystopian novels, and techniques to avoid excessive telling.

In this podcast, the hosts critique listener query letters, discuss the importance of character movement and interiority, and give line-level writing advice. They also interview author Jillian Cantor about writing across genres, finding the right agent, and writing retellings. Overall, they provide valuable insights for aspiring writers.

In today's Bumper November Bonus Episode, Emilie Sommer of East City Bookshop kicks us off with suggested comp titles. After which, Bianca is joined by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, co-authors of Three Holidays and a Wedding. They discuss the differences in approach in writing a collaborative project rather than a solo one; the benefits of writing genre-fiction when it comes to creating an outline, and the importance of an outline in a collaborative process; the idea of tackling hard subjects, but with the promise of a 'happily ever after'; and the shift in the tone and subject matter of romance novels and rom-coms in recent times. CeCe then chats with her client, Dr. Tracy Dalgleish, about her book, I Didn’t Sign Up for This. They also discuss how they met and decided to work together; why Tracy wrote this book the way she did; how we learn through stories and how psychological tools can be useful whenwriting fiction; the parallels between relationship challenges and writing; the emotional challenges that come with the intention of being traditionally published; practicing self-care while going through the phases of writing and publishing; and there’s a special giveaway for listeners!Finally, in the Q&A segment, Carly and CeCe answer all yourburning questions!Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingTo connect with Emilie Sommer go to https://www.instagram.com/emiliegsommer/ and you can find East City Bookshop at https://www.instagram.com/eastcitybookshop/More information about Uzma can be found at: https://uzmajalaluddin.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/uzmajalaluddin/More information about Marissa can be found at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2242840/marissa-stapley and https://www.instagram.com/marissastapley/More information about Dr. Tracy can be found at: https://www.drtracyd.com/. She’s on Instagram @drtracyd, andFacebook @DrTracyD.Our Sponsors:* 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, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe are joined by Nicole to discuss her query submission. They discuss the introduction of characters in a query letter to avoid overwhelming the reader; avoiding 'hopping' around in time and switching tenses in a query; ideas to up the stakes within the relationship of Nicole's main characters; examples of how Nicole successfully described a character's appearance using first person POV; advice on how to avoid common turns of phrase; and how to make unlikeable or grumpy characters more likeable. After which, Bianca chats with Erin Pepler about her collection of essays, Send Me Into the Woods Alone: Essays on Motherhood. They discuss how writing essays can help with marketing and publicity as a novelist; the process of putting an essay collection together; selling a collection to a publisher; the power of a single essay; how being specific is often what makes stories feel universal; an essay vs an article vs a longer piece of nonfiction (i.e., a memoir); essays that go viral; and showing vs telling in essays.Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingMore information about Erin can be found at erinpepler.com.She’s on Twitter @erinpepler, Instagram @erinpepler, and Facebook @erinpeplerwriter.Our Sponsors:* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands