✨Liv Constantine on Writing Characters You Love to Hate; K'Wan Shares the Most Challenging Thing About Success ✨
Plus, more learning opportunities, and The Query Lab is leaving but our Q&A hotline returns!
Happy Friday, writing friends!
It’s that time of year again. You know, that period when it suddenly seems like everyone on your socials is starting to talk about how August is coming to an end (which is bad enough on its own) and that it is now going to take a LITERAL miracle for them to realize their grand plans for finishing [plotting/drafting/editing] their manuscripts by the end of the summer (which is the worst). Sound familiar? Maybe even like you? We here at The Sh*t HQ may not be able to offer you that miracle, but we can give you two other things that should help: one, a reminder of the importance of balancing writing about life with living it so you don’t run out of material (and run yourself down) and, two, another great issue of The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing newsletter! 🤩✨
If one of the challenges you’re facing on the road to completing your manuscript is the creation of multi-dimensional characters, you won’t want to miss Bianca’s interview with dynamic writing duo, Lynne and Valerie Constantine (who you might know by their pen name Liv Constantine), where they chat about their latest, the instant New York Times bestseller The Next Mrs. Parish. Tune in to find out why they waited nearly a decade before deciding to go ahead with the sequel to their debut and Reese’s Book Club selection, The Last Mrs. Parrish, as well as the secret to writing unlikeable characters that readers somehow still root for—and want more of. 😃
In this week’s newsletter we’ve also got a Q&A with K’Wan, whose latest, Passion For The Heist , comes out on Tuesday. K’Wan’s frank response to our questions about what he wishes he’d known early in her writing career are proof that even having the talent to become a bestselling and award-winning author doesn’t make you immune to the same challenges other writers face. 💻
The time has come to bid farewell to The Query Lab, but we’re leaving on a high note with Neely Tubati-Alexander’s query for Love Buzz (sincere kudos to anyone who manages to name drop Lil Wayne and Nirvana in their query letter!). 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 And we’re not quite done yet—stay tuned for a wrap-up essay from Carly that summarizes what we’ve learned from all these great examples and answers your questions about them. 😍
And now for the moment we know a lot of you have been waiting for…The return of The Sh*T hotline! Got a burning question about querying, writing or publishing? Need comp titles for your query letter? Keep reading to find out how to get the answers you’re looking for.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading! ❤️
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team
P.S. Still not sure about upgrading to paid? Check out our Tuesday Teaser below to see what you’re missing!
This Week’s Podcast✨🎙️✨
This week on the podcast (listen to it here!) we’re throwing it back to an early backlist segment of 📕Books with Hooks🪝, after which Bianca interviews sisters, Lynne and Valerie Constantine, who write under the pen name, Liv Constantine. The three discuss:
Lynne and Valerie’s latest bestselling novel, The Next Mrs. Parish;
Their decision to write a sequel following their Audible prequel;
Being a ‘plotter,’ ‘pantser,’ or ‘plantser;’
The experience of re-immersing yourself in characters and timelines you’ve written before;
Deciding where to begin a sequel;
Giving your readers high stakes wants and needs from the jump;
Causality in plot;
Character psychology; and
How to write unlikeable female characters that are still compelling.
“There definitely is that element of really knowing the psychology of your character, how they think, what they want, what they're afraid of, what they are willing, the lengths to which they're willing to go. And I think that once a writer understands that, then going from A to B to C becomes much clearer.”
— – Valerie Constantine
You can find out more information about Lynne and Valerie on their website here. They're also on Instagram. ❤️
You can purchase The Next Mrs. Parrish on our Bookshop.org affiliate page here. Buying books through this link supports a local indie bookstore, as well as The Shit No One Tells You About Writing 📚❤️
Author Q&A with K’wan
K’wan has penned over 2 dozen bestselling novels, including the widely popular Animal series, as well as several paranormal stories written under a pseudonym. He was also the recipient of the 2012 and 2013 Street Lit Book Award Medals (SLBAM) in adult fiction for Eviction Notice and Animal. K’wan currently resides in New Jersey where spends his time writing, cooking and binge-watching reruns of the Vampire Diaries with his teenage daughters.
TSNOTYAW: Do you have a go-to mantra or pep talk for the days when writing feels hard?
K’wan: Write 2 Eat
What would you say you’ve done right to build a strong and supportive writing network?
The way I’ve gone about this is by reciprocating energies with other writers I encounter. Some are really nice and some aren’t. I do my best to be respectful of people and this great craft of ours. Especially the newer writers. I remain an open book for them because it’s important to their development. Writers who had been around before me tended to be standoffish and I remember how that felt, so I’m the opposite. I look at us, writers, as one tribe.
How do you ensure you have enough time to write amidst so many obligations competing for your time?
Honestly? Sometimes I skimp on sleep. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get things done. So there are times when I sacrifice my body to compensate.
What's one writing "rule" or commonly followed piece of advice that you decidedly break?
Writing schedules. I’m always setting schedules but I never stick to them. I write when I’m moved to. Scheduling feels restrictive.
What is the most challenging part of being a successful author? And how do you mitigate its effects?
To constantly keep reinventing yourself. Character development is not easy, at least for good characters. I have to tap into different parts of my brain so it doesn’t feel like my characters are being recycled.
How important do you think it is for writers to be on social media?
Social media is a gift and a curse. It’s great because you can reach readers all over the world and spread the word about your work, but it’s really easy to get caught up. There are times I may pop on to post something, then something else will catch my eye and the next thing I know that ten minutes I planned to spend on socials has become an hour.
What do you wish you had known about writing before you published your debut?
How to structure a story properly. I survived off raw talent in those early years. Now, I’m better at world building.
If you could travel back in time and meet your past self in the year after the publication of your debut, what words of encouragement and/or warning would you give yourself?
I would tell myself to be mindful of whom I trust moving forward. This can be a dirty business.
You can purchase Passion For The Heist on our Bookshop.org affiliate page here. ❤️
The Last Query Lab 📝🖊
Today we are sharing our last query letter from Neely Tubati-Alexander, author of Love Buzz 😍:
<Personalized greeting>
I am pleased to share LOVE BUZZ, (complete at 82,000 words, contemporary romance). This novel is an exploration of love at first sight, in the vein of Josie Silver's ONE DAY IN DECEMBER that toes the line of women's fiction and romance, similar to Rebecca Serle’s IN 5 YEARS.
Serena Khan has it all. A well-paying job. An almost-fiancé. She has built her life atop her late mother's wishes: stability above all else. In a few short weeks, she will officially be able to say she has made it when her "Life at Thirty" feature for her college newspaper, which she deems the pinnacle of achievement, is published. But before this happens, her sturdy life is thrust into chaos by one chance encounter.
On the last night of her cousin's Mardi Gras bachelorette party, Serena meets Julian. Their five minutes together make her feel things she has not felt, perhaps ever. When their interaction is cut short, she decides she must find him—if for no other reason than to prove what she felt with him was nothing more than alcohol-induced infatuation. The list of clues for finding him is pretty short, though: His name is Julian. He lives on Chamber Hill. He works at a tech company. He is a fan of Lil Wayne and Nirvana.
As she strips away the perfectly curated life that would have made her late mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it, and fast, before her alma mater turns her into a cautionary tale and before she destroys the life she is supposed to want.
I am a first-generation Indian-American mother of two who resides in Arizona, married to the man I met at a bar, though not on Bourbon Street. Originally from the Seattle area where this book is largely set, I am an active member of two critique groups and seek to tell stories with diverse characters, specifically BIPOC stories where race isn't the driving force of the novel, rather we get to see BIPOC characters celebrating love for love's sake.
Per your submission guidelines, the first ten pages of my manuscript are below. May you enjoy it like a fine bourbon.
Neely Tubati Alexander
You can learn more about Neely here ❤️ Love Buzz is out now and available on our Bookshop.org affiliate page here. 🥰
Click below for the downloadable version of Neely’s successful query!
The Sh*t Q&A is Back!
As much as we’re sorry summer is nearly over, it does have at least one upside: our Q&A hotline has reopened! Got a question for our hosts or our comp wizard, Emilie? Submit by September 9 to have it answered on the show!
Tuesday Teaser 😉
Next week’s newsletter exclusively for our paid members includes an Author Q&A with Bessie Flores Zaldivar whose debut Libertad is out Tuesday. If Libertad is half as honest, genuine and thoughtful as Bessie’s responses to our questions, we’re predicting big things. Don’t miss the writing advice Bessie has found most helpful on their journey—it’s a game-changer.
We’ve also got a compelling essay by Lucy E.M Black, on the subject of writing stories that hurt. These stories can be wildly popular, with devoted legions of fans (think A Little Life), while others consider them “trauma porn.” If you’re writing something emotionally challenging and are looking to find the balance between “addressing difficult topics” and “traumatizing readers” you will definitely want to read Lucy’s insightful piece.
And, of course, as always on Tuesdays, we’ve got two new written query critiques from Carly and CeCe just for you!
Not yet a member? For just $8USD a month or $80USD a year you get:
an exclusive newsletter on Tuesdays featuring bonus author Q&As and other exclusive content from industry experts
weekly access to Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra’s written notes on queries from the podcast’s Books With Hooks feature
monthly bonus podcast episodes, AND
regular Ask Me Anythings / Q&As with Carly, CeCe, and Bianca Marais.
If that doesn’t kickstart your writing journey, we don’t know what will!
Learn All About Fantasy with Bianca and Friends!🧙🏼🪄🧙🏼♂️
Join Bianca Marais on the 28th of September from 9am-5pm ET as she hosts a one-day virtual retreat specifically aimed at fantasy authors!
Whether you write YA Fantasy, Romantasy, Adult Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Dystopian Fantasy, or any other variation of the genre, you won’t want to miss out on this amazing day of learning dedicated especially to you and those writing in your genre.
The retreat will be taped, and the recording and materials will be sent out to all registered delegates the next day. Each session that includes a Q and A will allow you to ask the speakers all your burning questions.
A closed Facebook group will be created so that delegates can interact with one another before and after the retreat as a way of building and maintaining community.
The registration fee is US $ 149.00.
For more information, and to book your spot, click below:
Be Part of Carly’s Masterclass 😍📝
Carly’s class includes 10+ hours of writing and publishing video lessons you have lifetime access to, monthly Q&A sessions, and fresh content every quarter.
Did we mention there’s an app, too? You can keep learning on the go. Don’t miss a minute of Carly’s top career advice for aspiring, emerging and published writers. Get the writing career you’ve always dreamed of.
That’s all for this week’s news! If you enjoyed it, why not share the love? 🥰
Tune in again next week for more invaluable wisdom from our wonderful hosts! Until then, happy writing! 😍
❤️ The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team
Our work takes place on land now known as Toronto and Ottawa and we acknowledge that these are the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples as well as the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. Toronto is covered under Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. We respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures, languages, and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada. We invite you to learn more about the land you inhabit, the history of that land, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together at Native Land or Whose Land.
Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work in this newsletter is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe in this newsletter are solely that of themselves and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.
Plotter, pantser or plantser... I'm not sure what I am. My writing usually happens in my head while I'm half-asleep, walking in the woods, or working in the garden. I rehearse it and rewrite it in my head over and over until I have an entire story or chapter memorized, and when I'm happy with it, I write it down (or dictate it using text to speech). Sometimes I make changes as I write, but not always.