Thriller 101

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterLink to full articleGet the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticleBianca Marais' WebsiteConnect with Bianca on Twitter!The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Podcast (& KoFi)Connect with David on Twitter3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Be tenaciousBuild a communityMake sure your first pages show your character, their goal, and what’s at stakeBIOIn this week's author interview, I'll be talking to Bianca Marais. She is the author of Hum If You Don't Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh. She teaches at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies where she was awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing in 2021. She runs an Own Voices Initiative to empower young Black women in Africa to write and publish their own stories, and is constantly fundraising to assist grandmothers who are caring for children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. She is the co-host of the popular podcast, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at helping emerging writers become published.  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptFree Copywriting Training!Nicki Krawczyk BioWhat is copywriting?Filthy Rich Writer Testimonials3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Copywriting can be a game-changer for writersThere's a learning curve - it's a specific type of writingContinue taking actionBIONicki is the founder of Filthy Rich Writer.She's been a copywriter for more than 15 years, working for and with clients including TripAdvisor, Marshalls, Hasbro, Keurig, adidas, and even Harlequin Romance novels.She's worked for agencies both in-house and as a freelancer. And she's made over six figures as a copywriter for several years.She created Filthy Rich Writer because there’s never been a better time to be a copywriter: There are more companies than ever before who need—and are actively seeking—skilled copywriters.She believes it's hard to find top quality, real-world copywriting training so she put together the exact resources and trainings she would give herself if she had to start over in her career.Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may receive compensation for promoting this content. I ONLY promote products and services I have direct experience with. In this instance, I am a Comprehensive Copywriting Academy member and recommend it for anyone thinking about copywriting! Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle & Get SA Sidor's Recommended Books!Connect with SA Sidor on Twitter3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Be willing to take feedbackUse life's experiences to tell great stories - look for stories everywhereTry to hijack your time by whatever means necessaryBIOSA Sidor is the author of supernatural-pulp adventures. He lives near Chicago with his family. His second Arkham Horror novel Cult of the Spider Queen out now!HELP!If you're reading this, can you do me a favor? Punch, slap, or poke that subscribe button! It costs you nothing and goes a long way in supporting this channel. I really appreciate it. See you next week!  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptNurse Papa WebsiteConnect with David on Twitter3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Keep creating work you can be proud ofSometimes the structure comes at the end of the creative processBalance is important in stories (and life)BIO David has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse at UCSF Children’s Hospital for twelve years now. The bravery, laughter, perseverance, and the many smiles of the children and their parents who he has worked with have inspired this project.Nurse Papa is a prescriptive and heartwarming book written from the perspective of a pediatric oncology nurse who is also a father. The meditations within are directed at parents and all people who are looking to ask and answer some of life's big questions. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will learn about yourself.HELP!If you're reading this, can you do me a favor? Punch, slap, or poke that subscribe button! It costs you nothing and goes a long way in supporting this channel. I really appreciate it. See you next week!  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Writerly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptNurse Papa WebsiteConnect with David on Twitter3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Keep creating work you can be proud ofSometimes the structure comes at the end of the creative processBalance is important in stories (and life)BIO  David has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse at UCSF Children’s Hospital for twelve years now. The bravery, laughter, perseverance, and the many smiles of the children and their parents who he has worked with have inspired this project.Nurse Papa is a prescriptive and heartwarming book written from the perspective of a pediatric oncology nurse who is also a father. The meditations within are directed at parents and all people who are looking to ask and answer some of life's big questions. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will learn about yourself.HELP!If you're reading this, can you do me a favor? Punch, slap, or poke that subscribe button! It costs you nothing and goes a long way in supporting this channel. I really appreciate it. See you next week!  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!LINKSWriterly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptGrady Hendrix's WebsiteConnect with him on Twitter3 BIG TAKEAWAYSWe have to make sacrifices for what we want in lifeStudy your genreDark moments can lead to something worthwhile if you push throughBIOGrady Hendrix is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. He’s the author of Horrorstor (which is being turned into a movie). He’s also written My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which is being adapted into a feature film by Amazon Studios), We Sold Our Souls, and the Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (currently being adapted into a TV series). He also wrote the Bram Stoker Award-winning nonfiction book Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the horror paperback boom of the seventies and eighties. And most recently, The Final Girl Support Group about the women who fought back and defeated the killer, avenged their friends, and emerged victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on. What happens to her? HELP!If you're reading this, can you do me a favor? Punch, slap, or poke that subscribe button! It costs you nothing and goes a long way in supporting this channel. I really appreciate it. See you next week!  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!LINKSWriterly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptGrady Hendrix's WebsiteConnect with him on TwitterBIOGrady Hendrix is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. He’s the author of Horrorstor (which is being turned into a movie). He’s also written My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which is being adapted into a feature film by Amazon Studios), We Sold Our Souls, and the Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (currently being adapted into a TV series). He also wrote the Bram Stoker Award-winning nonfiction book Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the horror paperback boom of the seventies and eighties. And most recently, The Final Girl Support Group about the women who fought back and defeated the killer, avenged their friends, and emerged victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on. What happens to her? 3 BIG TAKEAWAYSWriting is hardWriting is really all about the rewritingTreat writing like a jobNext week, Grady and I continue our conversation and will be talking more deeply about the horror genre. We'll also talk about his most difficult moment as a writer and his advice for people listening. You won't want to miss it! If you're reading this, can you do me a favor? Punch, slap, or poke that subscribe button! It costs you nothing and goes a long way in supporting this channel. I really appreciate it. See you next week!  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Welcome to the second and final part of this interview with Amy Elizabeth Bishop.LINKSWriterly Lifestyle Free NewsletterArticle and Full TranscriptAmy's Agency PageQuery ManagerManuscript Wish ListConnect with her on TwitterBIOAmy joined Dystel Goderich & Borret literary agency in 2015 after interning for them in 2014. At DG&B, she's cultivating a wide-ranging list in literary and upmarket fiction, expert-driven narrative nonfiction, and select YA, with a special interest in the voices of BIPOC authors. Her list includes titles such as The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim (a Reese's Book Club selection and NYT bestseller), The Silence of Bones by June Hur (a Junior Library Guild selection and Edgar Award nominee), and Living Brave by Shannon Dingle (published Summer 2021). Before diving into the world of publishing, she graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a degree in Creative Writing. Though she grew up upstate, she currently resides in Astoria, Queens. You can find her on Twitter at @amylizbishop.If you're a writer thinking about submitting to Amy, be sure to listen for what she represents. More importantly, think about what she's looking for because she provides a pretty clear message on what she wants!If you want to be a literary agent, think about how Amy finds her clients. I think it's so interesting when she talks about what she looks for in stories she wants to represent. 3 BIG TAKEAWAYSDiversity in publishing allows everyone to have a seat at the tableMake sure you understand your story thematicallyAgents aren't as scary as they seemFavorite Quote:"...we're [agents] not as scary as we seem...we're all just people who have books and want to have a conversation about books."Next week, I'm going to be talking to bestselling author Grady Hendrix about his new book, The Final Girl Support Group, plus his previous bestseller, The Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires, as well as his multiple projects in production coming to a screen near you! We discuss his projects and film production, what it's like to write the screenplay based on your own book. And what it's like to pass your book on to someone else to be adapted. So make sure you check it out! Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Bennett Pellington is an award winning filmmaker who is hard at work at Part 2 of his award winning short film. He and I talk about storytelling, the struggles with filmmaking, and how to over come them!LinksWriterly Lifestyle Free NewsletterLink to Article and Full TranscriptMiner's MountainMiner's Mountain Part II TrailerBennett Pellington's WebsiteBennett's Instagram3 Big TakeawaysFeel comfortable making things up — but in the right wayLeave your ego at the door.Use whatever you have to make good artFavorite Quote"I think just resilience, just, just don't give up, I know it's so cliche, but you just keep powering through. If you believe in the story you're trying to tell, or, you know if you’re a cinematographer in totally immersing yourself and learning that craft, and then even pushing it further to like, now everyone knows you can shoot something that looks beautiful. But now immerse into the psyche of like story, right, trying to understand why are we pushing in here? Why not use this lens instead of this lens? When to hold in closer? It becomes such a wonderful collaboration that I think if you just really stick it out, and if you can find yourself working alongside others that inspire you are better than you. It can really become a beautiful relationship in many ways because you're going to learn a lot from them."Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now