The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Latest Episodes:

Shooting the Shit...Live from Hawaii! About turning down offers and how best to work with your literary agent. Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

CeCe’s in island mode, Carly’s snowed in—and the publishing chat is heating up. From lost luggage and red-eye flights to turning down book deals and navigating TV/film rights, this week’s episode covers it all. Plus: AI pitch letters (hard no!), why Harper Collins’ “bad quarter” matters, and a little optimism for the analog future of reading.

☀️ Books, beaches, and big opinions—just another week of Shooting the Shit.

Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

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Additional resources:

https://open.substack.com/pub/maybeiovershared/p/why-authors-should-care-about-harpercollins?r=1ufkzj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

maybeiovershared.substack.com

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Murder, Metafiction, and Query Letter Mayhem Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Carly and CeCe are back (with a little Blue Jays banter to start) to dive into two fresh query letters. In this episode, the hosts critique a historical novel featuring Shakespeare, conspiracies, and metafiction—but does the query overshare and under-pitch? Next up is a campus-set thriller with book clubs, murder, and female rage—great hook, but are the comps and execution hitting the right notes? It’s a hilarious episode you don’t want to miss!

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliatepage: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

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Shooting the Shit Live From LA! About Page to Screen and NaNoWriMo Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Carly’s reporting live from Los Angeles and CeCe’s just back from a rom-com-gone-wrong trip to Ottawa (complete with flight chaos and airport bathroom glam). From bribing airline staff with books to rolling up to Netflix, the travel stories are top-tier comedy. Then they dive into Hollywood talk — what’s actually getting adapted from page to screen, why short stories are suddenly hot IP, and how TV’s craving “guys with guns solving problems.” Plus, they tackle listener DMs! Fun, funny, and full of insider wisdom — another classic “Shooting the Sh*t” from two literary pros on the go.

Note: Cece Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliatepage: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Success after 800 Rejections! Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

Author and agent Jenna Satterthwaite joins Bianca to talk about her new thriller ‘The New Year’s Party’, a murder mystery packed with secrets, friendship, and chaos. Jenna opens up about her 800+ rejections, writing through grief, finding joy in storytelling, and why she’s radically transparent about money and publishing. Tune in for real talk about persistence, transparency, and the messy beauty of creative life.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Shooting the Shit About Winning Author Mindsets and Agent Submission Timelines Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

They are back! CeCe’s in Ottawa, Carly’s in LA — but the tea is still hot! They break down Q3 book sales (romance + thrillers took a hit), talk timing for submissions, decode what agent feedback really means, and dive into the “good news comes fast” myth. Plus: AI scam alerts and why rejection is just part of the game.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

https://devonhalliday.substack.com/p/no-news-is-bad-news

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When Reality TV Meets Cli-Fi: Hooks, Depth, and the Dreaded Coincidence Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe hold down the fort while Bianca is away—and things get delightfully silly. The duo dig into two very different query letters.

First up, a reality-TV-inspired contemporary romance about a bisexual woman who falls for siblings on a dating show. Carly and CeCe discuss the strength of the hook, the pitfalls of coincidences, and why adding depth and critique of celebrity culture can make these stories stand out. Lastly a cli-fi mystery set in the high-stakes world of Alaskan firefighting. The hosts explore why climate fiction can be a tough sell, how to strengthen a query’s climax, and why specificity in language matters. From critiques on narrative depth to playful tangents about football analogies and reality TV sadism, this episode is packed with both sharp insights and plenty of laughs.

Note: Cece Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe,

please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

It’s Beta Reader Match Up time again where you can be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs.

For more information and to register, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-

up.html

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

October Bonus Episode Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

In this month’s bonus episode, award-winning author Amber McBride joins Bianca to talk about ‘The Leaving Room’ — a YA novel in verse that unfolds entirely in the space between life and death. Amber opens up about losing and reclaiming her voice, the power of poetry to hold emotion, and what it means to write from the liminal spaces of grief and love. A mesmerizing conversation about craft, courage, and creating beauty out of silence.

Tune in to this special October bonus episode — and let ‘The Leaving Room’ linger with you.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

It’s Beta Reader Match Up time again where you can be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs.

For more information and to register, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-

up.html

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

For The Love of Writing Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

This week on the podcast (listen to it here or watch it on YouTube!), Bianca interviews Hannah Mary McKinnon about her latest thriller, A Killer Motive. They delve into the intricacies of character development, the importance of collaboration in the writing process, and the challenges authors face in the ever-evolving landscape of publishing. Hannah shares her unique approach to creating realistic characters through detailed questionnaires, and discusses the emotional journey of writing and publishing.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

It’s Beta Reader Match Up time again where you can be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs.

For more information and to register, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-

up.html

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Shooting the Shit: About publishing’s ghosting problem and when sales are “not good” Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

It’s Fall in publishing — which means colds, caffeine, and chaos. Carly and CeCe catch up after a whirlwind few weeks to unpack two hot topics from listener DMs: what to do if your agent ghosts you, and what editors really mean when they say “sales aren’t good.” They also get into whether publishing is truly a “retail business,” how to handle AALA membership questions, and whether pitch contests are still worth it.

Get comfy and join them for some honest, funny, and unfiltered talk about the messy, mysterious world of publishing.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

It’s Beta Reader Match Up time again where you can be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs.

For more information and to register, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-

up.html

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Balancing Emotional Depth and Action In Your Story Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Books with Hooks, author Judith Jaeger puts her query letter for ‘The Family We Choose’ in the spotlight. Carly and CeCe dig into what makes a query stand out—clear plot points, layered characters, and that all-important balance between heart and momentum.They offer practical feedback on sharpening present-day stakes and tightening narrative structure, before turning to Judith’s opening pages. With plenty of praise for her writing voice, they also share tips to boost reader engagement and plot clarity—lessons any writer can apply to their own work.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

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.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

It’s Beta Reader Match Up time again where you can be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and/or time zone, so they can critique your work as you critique theirs.

For more information and to register, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-

up.html

Writing Tension Creating Tension, Conflict and Stakes in a Story

Our Sponsors:
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands