The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe discuss the target audience for a coming of age novel; the pitfalls of the early 2000s as a setting; the importance of your major dramatic question in a query; the issues with setting your novel up as part of a duology or series; and writing 'leading' dialogue. After which CeCe chats with Jessie Stephens , author of Heartsick: Three Stories About Love,...

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe are joined by Nurin and Layne who submitted their work for critique. During the segment, they discuss a romance query that succeeds in delivering ample stakes; whether you should include mentorship programs in your query; the importance of having movement in an opening scene; needing major dramatic questions for each main character in a novel; and the i...

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe look at two queries each, in the process discussing what is meant when agents want specificity in a query, particularly when it comes to world building; the hurdles of writing a book centered around trauma or featuring particularly traumatic scenes; using fewer comps for greater agent interest; the use of interiority in a query letter; advice on how to...

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe discuss having a strong sense of place in your work; an example of a good prologue; when it can work to put comps at the end of your query;  examples where you can be too detailed in a query; the idea of stakes going in both directions; and the perfect query letter. After which, CeCe chats with Melissa Fu , author of Peach Blossom Spring, about how she...

In today's special Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by guest literary agent, Jenni Ferrari-Adler who represents Susie Yang (whose novel, White Ivy,  was the #BookswithHooksBC pick for June).  Jenni helps Carly and CeCe evaluate three query letters, in the process discussing leaning into specificity;  sprinkling backstory info rather than dumping it in;  setting up your bombshell moments...

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with award-winning and bestselling author, Lily King (author of Writers & Lovers) about the writer's life; scrapping novels halfway through; dealing with rejection; and starting the process all over again with a new book. Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great d...

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with Putnam editor and adjunct professor of publishing for NYU, Mark Tavani, about all things suspense: techniques on how to create it, how to maintain it, and how to apply these concepts across all genres. Suspense is why we read; it's what keeps us turning pages. A story without some elements of suspense will fall flat. Learn how to avoid making...

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with award winning author, playwright, screenwriter and journalist, Byron Lan e — author of the acclaimed A Star is Bored  (which was inspired in part by Byron's time as assistant to beloved actress Carrie Fisher) — about finding your process as a debut author; getting help when you need it; learning your craft; and mining tough times in your life...

In today's episode from the archives, Bianca chats with bestselling author, Samantha M. Bailey, as well as Nita Pronovost , editor and vice president/editorial director at Simon & Schuster Canada, about the lessons all writers can learn from the thriller genre, including coming up with high concept premises; something known and unknown, something hidden and something shown; the labyrinth appro...

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca is joined by guest interviewer Kira Mahoney who interviews Daniel Kalla , author of The Darkness in the Light, about why he addresses important medical issues in his books; when being too medically authentic is not a good idea; finding information but also knowing when not to include it; how to create good dialogue between multiple characters all at once; deciding...

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters. In the process, they discuss stories with magical elements and why the author chooses that specific world as the vehicle for the story; the importance of not revealing too much about a character’s ending state of interiority in a query letter; creating believable inner life; delivering on humor; and writing a dual author...

In today's Bonus Episode, CeCe chats with Zibby Owens , podcaster, publisher, CEO and author of Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature. They play two truths and a lie (the writing version); discuss a  strategy for turning memories into memoir; and Zibby's writing and publishing advice for emerging writers. After which, Bianca chats with Samantha M. Bailey , bestselling author of Watch Ou...

On today's Books with Hooks segment, Carly and CeCe are joined by Caroline and Sammy who submitted their work for critique. During the discussion, Carly and CeCe remind us to lean into specificity in opening pages; the importance of plausibility as well as newer comp titles; the ‘movie trailer’ trick for dealing with interiority; avoiding generic interiority; and advice for researching the speech...

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Lidija Hilje, an Author Accelerator certified book coach about differentiating between genres; how to use her genre guide; the differences between literary, upmarket, book club, and women’s fiction; how literary fiction moves a story deeper, not forward; what “postcard” scenes are and how to use them; as well as Lidija’s editing and book coaching service...

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe look at the same 3 queries, discussing a technique for discerning whether your plot points are too internal; the difficulties of having a very emotional character in an opening scene; and the importance of plausibility in plot. Carly and CeCe also fight over a query in a good way! After which, Bianca chats with May Cobb , author of My Summer Darlings, a...

In today's Bonus Episode , Femi Omotade joins us as a guest interviewer to chat with Ava Wilder , author of How to Fake It in Hollywood, to chat about tropes and elements that are not as prominent anymore in romance; reflecting a world in which there are authentic, diverse characters without appropriating voices that aren’t your own and without it feeling like tokenism; writing sex scenes; what Av...

In today’s Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe evaluate the same three query letters, and in the process, they offer solutions for when your novel doesn’t seem to have any similar comps; remind us of the importance of story-forward curiosity; and explain what’s necessary in historical fiction to ensure the feel of a certain time period. After which, Bianca chats with Isabel Cañas , author of The Hac...

In today’s Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Hannah Orenstein , author of Meant to Be Mine, about drawing on personal connections for characters; getting an opening chapter to work by breaking the rules about interaction and dialogue; and shutting up your inner critic and allowing yourself to write your stories! After which, Bianca chats with Philippa East , author of Safe and Sound, about structur...

In today's Books with Hooks , we're joined by two authors who submitted their work for critique. In the segment, Carly, CeCe and Bianca discuss when it’s appropriate for a character to be a curmudgeon; the difference between situational grumpiness vs global grumpiness; the importance of vulnerability when dealing with an unlikeable character; the need for your query to show multi-dimensionality in...

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Carley Fortune , author of Every Summer After,  about setting a book in Canada; her journey to publication; the importance of reaching out to fellow authors for beta reads and critiques; structuring a dual timeline; upping the stakes and tension when you allude to a secret so readers don’t get bored waiting for the big reveal; and making writing a part o...

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each discuss the same three queries, unpacking why queries are meant to be short and sweet; the difference between a setup and a reveal; agent burnout and pitching the most exciting info about your novel ASAP; and upping tension by subverting character expectations in the first few pages. Also, Carly surprises us by advocating for a prologue, and Carly a...

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Hanny Mary McKinnon , author of NEVER COMING HOME, about how to write characters that we root for even though they’re bad; pacing at a scene or chapter level; adding in “sparkly touches” during the editing/revision stage; how to ensure a reader won’t want to put your book down; and knowing when a scene or chapter isn’t enhancing your story After which, B...

In today's Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters. In the process they discuss closing the distance between narrator and reader; ensuring the reader knows exactly who to root for and what the hook is; how secrets in a query letter must carry inherent stakes with them; voice-y hybrid second person; and planting curiosity seeds. After which, Bianca chats with Stacey Swann ,...

In today's Bonus Episode, Bianca first chats with Jessica Payne , author of Make Me Disappear, about getting "the call"; how long the editorial process can take before going on sub; how publishing is like dating; how to tell when you’re close to getting offers of representation; writing under contract while launching a debut; and establishing relationships with Bookstagrammers and a potential laun...

In today's Books with Hooks , we're joined by Paige and Rianne who submitted their work for critique. Carly and CeCe discuss how to make your query properly voicey and following the ‘language’ of your novel;  cornering your protagonist to create tension; the need for a personified antagonistic force in your query/novel; and the need for active emotions. After which, Bianca chats with Emily Henry,...