✨In a Race You Didn't Even Sign Up For? Anna Mitchael on Getting Back On Track; & Mimi Matthews Says "You're Not a Victorian Woman"...and That's Just Fine✨

Also inside: Written query critiques; a Q&A with 🌶️🌶️🌶️ romance author Katee Robert; writing speculative fiction with Allister Thompson; and an exclusive Riley Sager opportunity ICYMI!

Happy Tuesday, writing friends!

Today’s issue is PACKED. In addition to Carly and CeCe’s written query critiques from last week’s 📕Books with Hooks🪝we have not one but two videos, an essay and a Q&A for you today, along with a reminder about our exclusively-for-subscribers opportunity to pick bestselling Riley Sager’s brain! Keep reading for details…

First up, writer of “unspeakably hot” (according to Entertainment Weekly) romance, author Katee Robert (Rebel in the Deep), is in our Q&A hotseat today and we love her frank, thoughtful answers to our questions, especially her response to “What do you wish you had known about writing before you published your debut?” Almost as much as their publishing success, we envy anyone who has achieved this state of groundedness when it comes to an undertaking so fraught with emotional upheaval.

And speaking of the emotional upheaval that is being a writer…Today’s essay by Anna Mitchael (They Will Tell You the World is Yours) is not so much an advice-packed “steal these sure-fire tricks I’ve used to do X” as it is a wise hug, a voice that says “this is hard, here’s how to not make it harder on yourself,” which is something we all need from time to time.

Are you a historical fiction writer? Do you find the past so incredibly absorbing that it’s hard to know which fascinating details to include in your story (“But surely it’s crucial that my readers know who invented toilet paper…”)? In today’s first video, Mimi Matthews (Rules for Ruin) shares her five tips for writing authentic-feeling historical fiction without losing yourself—and your reader—at the bottom of a research rabbit hole. After all, you’re not writing historical non-fiction here. Or, as Mimi puts it, your history should “sit lightly on the page”—watch her video to find out how! 🪶📃

Allistair Thompson joins us for our second video this week, offering his insights on how to write “idea books” (like his Birch and Jay, which was inspired by his despair about climate change and need to express it in some way) that don’t neglect the elements that make people actually enjoy reading (things like character and plot) in favour of driving home the author’s philosophical or political message. As a long-time editor as well as writer, Allister knows what he’s talking about!

‼️‼️‼️ICYMI: New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager has generously agreed to answer YOUR questions in our June 10th issue! If you’ve got a burning question about writing craft that you’re dying to get Riley’s insights on, send it to us by May 23rd care of AskAnAuthor.TheShitAboutWriting@gmail.com — the five best questions will be sent to Riley, who will answer them in an upcoming Tuesday edition. (If your question is selected and you’re not a paid subscriber, we’ll unlock that day’s newsletter just for you, and we’ve been told there might be a little something extra in store for those five thoughtful questioners…😉) ‼️‼️‼️

Also inside and just for paid subscribers today, we’ve got an important update about Bianca’s launch for anyone who might still be making up their minds about going. Keep reading for the scoop!

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading! ❤️

❤️ The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team