The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Latest Episodes:

How to Make Readers Connect With Your Characters Jun 22, 2023

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Today's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to www.hellofrresh.com/tsnotyaw16 and use the code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

In today’s episode, Bryn Turnbull joins Bianca, Carly, and CeCe to critique Books with Hooks submissions while also talking about The Paris Deception. During the episode, they discuss being unlucky in publishing; story inspiration; not having things too neat and tidy (coincidental); morally ambiguous women in history and writing morally ‘grey’ female characters; specificity in query letters; maintaining action in the opening pages; grounding the reader with location and time stamps; layering interiority and sharp specifics; connecting readers experiencing current events with those in historical fiction; and advice for writers from a creative writing instructor.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

More information about Bryn can be found at brynturnbull.com. She's on Instagram @brynturnbullwrites and on Twitter @BrynTurnbull.

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When to Begin With ‘The Big Terrible Thing’ Jun 15, 2023

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Today's episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm. Using the promo code TSNOTYAW offers you a 15% discount on all individual plans! Click here for more info!

In today’s episode, Hazel Gaynor joins Bianca, Carly, and CeCe to critique Books with Hooks submissions while also talking about The Last Lifeboat. During the episode, they discuss different book titles in international locations; the order of paragraphs in a query letter; line-level writing with specificity and varied sentence lengths; how to achieve the right voicey-ness and what that means; opening with a chaotic and dramatic prologue; advice about where to start stories; fact vs fiction in historical fiction; withholding context and backstory; relatability in world building; and how to keep readers invested in both timelines in a dual-POV novel.

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Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

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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

More information about Hazel can be found at hazelgaynor.com. She's on Instagram @hazelgaynor and on Twitter @HazelGaynor.

Doing Everything Wrong in Your First Draft Jun 08, 2023

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Today's episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm. Using the promo code TSNOTYAW offers you a 15% discount on all individual plans! Click here for more info!

In today’s episode, Laura Barrow, joins Bianca, Carly and CeCe to critique Books with Hooks submissions while also talking about Laura's debut novel, Call the Canaries Home.

During the episode, they discuss doing the wrong things in a manuscript; standalone vs series novels; including too much detail in a query letter; character motivations and stakes; how to position a book that’s not easy to define; showing vs telling in various drafts; reading to find out if your hypotheses are right; threading action beats into dialogue, and Laura’s advice for writers.

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.com

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

Laura is on Instagram @Laura.barrow.writer.

Creating Conflict For Your Characters Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm. Using the promo code TSNOTYAW offers you a 15% discount on all individual plans! Click here for more info!

In today’s episode, we’re rolling out a new format wherein our guest authors will help Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique submissions. We’re starting with Carly’s client, Mai Nguyen, author of Sunshine Nails. In this episode, we discuss great query letters; YA word count ranges; world building and personal experience with the built world; creating conflict for characters; character motivations; passion vs ambition; creating books that can cross borders in terms of setting; the right place to start; emotionality vs narration; knowing where to add lots of detail and where it’s not necessary; and anticipation in the character.

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.com

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

More information about Mai can be found at https://www.mainguyen.ca/. She's on Instagram @bymainguyen and Twitter @bymainguyen.

Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

May Bonus Episode: All the Romance & We Answer Your Questions & Give You Comps May 29, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

In today's bumper Bonus Episode, we chat with two internationally bestselling authors in the romance genre before taking your questions and giving you comp titles.

CeCe kicks us off by interviewing Carley Fortune, author of Meet Me at the Lake, about planting curiosity seeds; the editing process; the struggle with negative self-talk when writing; the development of Carley's characters; and creating chemistry amongst characters.

After which, Carly chats with Emily Henry, author of Happy Place about dialogue; facets of success; masculinity in literature; healthy conflict with characters; her book covers; and her potential involvement in the film adaptations of her books.

Carly and CeCe then take all your questions!

Finally, Bianca chats with Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop and RJ Witherow of Parnassus Books as they give comps recommendations.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

More information about Carley can be found at www.carleyfortune.com. She’s on Instagram @carleyfortune

More information about Emily can be found at www.emilyhenrybooks.com. She's on Instagram @emilyhenrywrites.

Parnassus Books can be found at www.parnassusbooks.net and on Instagram at @parnassusbooks

Emilie can be found at @emiliegsommer on Instagram and East City Book Shop can be found at www.eastcitybookshop.com.

Writing Dream Sequences That Work May 25, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh dot com slash tsnotyaw16 and use code tsnotyaw16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping!

In today’s Books With Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe each critique two submissions, discussing query length; having enough of a hook; writing style in a query letter; confusion vs curiosity in a query letter; explanatory vs curiosity seeds; putting the hook up higher in a query; starting with dialogue; and fantastic first lines and opening pages.

After which, CeCe chats with Chanel Cleeton, author of The Cuban Heiress, about POV; being a plotter or pantser; Chanel's different phases of writing; the research process; and writing successful dream sequences.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Chanel can be found at www.chanelcleeton.com and on Instagram at @chanelcleeton

When Not to Give Up! May 18, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm. Using the promo code TSNOTYAW offers you a 15% discount on all individual plans! Click here for more info!

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by special guest, Traci Thomas from The Stacks podcast for a special segment focusing on non-fiction. During the segment, they discuss surprising readers in the first chapter; specificity in memoir; comping non-fiction and memoir; the use of humor in an overview; and the general layout of an overview.

After which, Bianca chats with Meg Tady, author of Super Bloom, who reads the query letter that landed her own agent. Meg also reads and critiques a listener's query, discussing stakes and specificity; making main character's likeable enough for readers to root for them; the art of description; writing a book within a book; and telling yourself 'yes' every day.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Traci can be found at www.thestackspodcast.com and on Instagram at @thestackspod

Meg can be found at www.megantady.com and on Instagram at @megtady

Special Episode: Her Name is Coceka Lubobo May 15, 2023

Show notes

In this short bonus episode, Bianca pays tribute to the bravery of Coceka Lubobo, a young womanwho ended a serial killer's reign of terror in Orlando, Soweto.

Special thanks go to:

the immensely talented English actress, screenwriter and film producer, Katharine McEwan, for narrating this episode.
the brilliant singer and songwriter, Daphne Willis, for composing the music for the piece.
the incredible South African artist, Manuela Gray, for composing the art work.

You can find them on Instagram at:

@kathatinemcewan

@daphnewillismusic

@manuelagray

Being Intentional With Your POV Characters May 11, 2023

Show notes

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/WRITING and get on your way to being your best self.

In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two submissions and cover topics like voice-y queries; using direct and specific terms in a query letter; selecting the right comps for the right reasons; having the query letter match what’s in the opening pages; close third-person POV; having a short and tightly written query; dual timelines vs backstory/flashbacks, series; sneaky prologues; passive framing of the hook; activating your story; and synopsizing the manuscript in the query letter,

After which, CeCe chats with Jenny Jackson, bestselling author of Pineapple Street and Vice President and Executive Editor for Knopf. During the segment, they discuss Jenny's choice of POV characters; writing backstory; the use of a prologue and an epilogue; being an editor and an author; and Jenny's advice for emerging writers.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Jenny can be found on Twitter at @JennyeJackson and on Instagram at @jennyjacksonpineapple

Insights from Caroline Kepnes, Author of the ‘You’ Series May 04, 2023

Show notes

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Bianca and guest agent, Rachel McMillan, discuss the importance of social media presence; tailoring your queries to specific agents; putting your best content forward; and word count expectations.

After which, Bianca chats with Caroline Kepnes, author of the YOU series, about the charming façade of serial killers; how she created her own major in college; how Joe Goldberg is a fascinating contradiction; getting inside Joe’s head; the intentionality of setting; making a villain vulnerable; how to feel what your character would feel; writing physicality; early readers and unlikable characters; and giving a villain backstory to make readers empathize.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Rachel can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @rachkmc and at www.rachelmcmillan.net

Caroline can be found at www.carolinekepnes.com, on Instagram @carolinekepnes and on Twitter @carolinekepnes.