The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Arts:Books
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In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Carly and Cece each critique two submissions, discussing pitching literary vs upmarket fiction; naming non-POV characters in a query letter; head-hopping, interiority and emotionality; mentioning sensitivity/authenticity readers; writing about cultures that are not your own; world building in historical fiction, world building and specificity in a fantasy query letter; having surprise in the opening pages, quiet novels, upmarket fiction, and line-level writing; and Carly suggests a prologue!
In today’s Books With Hooks segment, we try something different! Bianca critiques query letters while guests Maggie Giles, author of The Things We Lost, and Lindsay Maple, author of Not Your Basic Love Story, critique opening pages of romcoms which are the genres they write in. In between, they discuss their own work and advice for writers. They also share their successful query letters with our Kofi monthly supporters!
Topics covered include genre blending; the hook in a query letter; skipping over the mundane; turning a trope around to surprise the reader; misfired meet-cutes; surprise in the opening chapters; mentioning character names in opening pages; having the protagonist alone in the opening pages; how to figure out the central conflict; how to keep raising the stakes; carrying conflict into act II; starting out as an indie author and then getting an agent; a shoutout to Rising Action Publishing Co.; and advice for emerging authors about community and indie publishing.
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
Lindsay is on Instagram @lindsayraemaple and on Twitter @LindsayRaeMaple
Maggie is on Instagram @maggiegiles_ and on Twitter @maggiegiles_
Adding Tension, Conflict and Stakes to a Novel That's Not Working
Inciting Incidents and Key Events
Bonus Episode: We Answer Your Questions, Give You Comp Titles, and Chat with Susie Yang
Why You Don't Need an MFA to Become a Better Writer
The Process When Publishers Acquire a Novel & How to Make Yourself More Marketable
Fleshing Out All of Your Characters, Including the Antagonists
Including Diversity in Your Writing & Always Thinking About Your Reader
How to Know if You're the Right Person to Tell a Story
Bonus Episode: We Answer Your Questions and Give You Comps
How to Stop Talking to Ourselves and Start Talking to Our Readers
Tearing a Story Apart Until the Puzzle Pieces Fit Perfectly
Writing a Successful Book Proposal
How Classic Literature Can Inform Your Own Work
Balancing Character Development, Curiosity Seeds and Plot
Letting the Story Be Bigger Than You
Maximizing the Benefit of Working with a Freelance Editor
From the Archives: Dealing with Rejection
From the Archives: How to Create and Maintain Suspense
From the Archives: Learning Your Craft
From the Archives: Coming Up with A High Concept Premise
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