✨You're Invited to a Special Event with the Hosts!; and Marcy Dermansky Shares Her Hilarious Writing Motivation✨
Plus, CeCe Shares the "Micro to Macro" writing hack; and Starting it Right starts in just a little over two weeks!
Happy Friday, writing friends!
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: When is a reader’s brain like a baby duck?
Anyone? No?
For the answer, you’ll have to tune into this week’s 📚Books with Hooks🪝, where first CeCe will shock you by saying that the stakes in one of the queries discussed aren’t enough because “it's just the end of the world [the protagonist’s] trying to prevent” (just?!?), then she’ll blow your mind when she explains why, and shares the Micro to Macro storytelling hack. It’s one of those things that you might recognize on an instinctual level when you hear it, but being able to name and define it is a writing game-changer. 🤯🦆
In this week’s author Q&A, Marcy Dermansky (whose latest, Hot Air, is out March 18) gives one of the most relatable answers ever to the question of what she does when the writing is hard. It may not be the key that unlocks your writers’ block, but it sure will make you feel better about having one. Her answers are open, insightful and often hilarious, like when she shares the motivation behind so much of her writing (which we won’t spoil for you here, but which manages to involve Trader Joe’s). 😂
We’ve also got a BIG announcement for you this week: Tickets are now available for Bianca’s A Most Puzzling Murder book launch in June, and this event is going to be EPIC. We’re talking prizes, special author guests, and the opportunity to mingle with bestselling authors, agents, influencers and other emerging writers just like you! Bianca’s last launch was THE literary party of the season, so believe us when we say you don’t want to miss it! Keep reading for more details and to buy your ticket before they’re all gone! 🎟️🎉📕
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✨🎙️✨
In this episode 📚Books with Hooks 🪝(take a listen here or watch it on YouTube!), hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into the intricacies of fantasy submissions for young readers. They discuss a query about a middle grade fantasy novel featuring a cat protagonist, exploring themes of family, sacrifice, and the stakes involved in the narrative, and one for a contemporary young adult speculative novel that intertwines friendship and premonitory visions.
Their discussion of the two ranges from stakes and character motivations, to narrative perspectives and the significance of grounding readers in the emotional experiences of characters.
“I always hesitate to say ‘we're not starting in the right place’ when the writing's beautiful, because you can get away with a lot when you have really, really good writing.”
-Carly
Q&A with Marcy Dermansky
Marcy Dermansky is the author of the novels Hot Air, Hurricane Girl, Very Nice, The Red Car, Bad Marie, and Twins. She has received fellowships from MacDowell and The Edward F. Albee Foundation. She lives with her daughter in Montclair, NJ.
TSNOTYAW: Do you have a go-to mantra or pep talk for the days when writing feels hard?
Marcy Dermansky: I don't have one specific thing. There are days that I have to force myself to leave my house and go write in a cafe. There are days when I will sit in front of my computer for over an hour and do nothing, not even open the file, and this is painful. Just open the file, Marcy, I tell myself. It's not that hard. But it really can be that hard. And then, some days, I just sit down and do the work, and it makes me feel so HAPPY. I love to write, to hear the characters whisper in my ear, say things, do things. I feel silly about how hard it can be for me to start, because I love to write. The dread, how to begin, sadly always returns.
Were you ever close to giving up on writing and, if so, what stopped you?
I totally have days where I think I want to do something else. But I keep going because I honestly don't know what I would do. I don't have other skills. Honestly, I must also love it. I was in a hard place before I started writing Hot Air. My previous book had come and gone, my events were over and I hadn't actually written in a over a year, when I received an email to come write at a potential new friend's house. This felt tremendous to me. I wanted to sit in her house and write, but I was worried because I wasn't working on anything. I went and I found myself sitting at a desk and I knew that in two hours we were going to meet for lunch and I desperately wanted to say that I, too, had written. So I pulled up a short story I had finished more than a year ago. My agent suggested I turn it into a novel and I said no, but there I was, I needed to write something. And so that it was I did. I went back to that story, revised it, and then kept going. I truly never felt like it was going to turn into anything, but I felt good because I was writing and I got to go to this friend's house twice, sometimes three times a week, and before long, I had a draft of the novel. This turned out to be my novel Hot Air. So much of my writing, I am sad to admit, stems from desperation. If I don't write, I won't sell a book and if I don't sell a book, I won't have any money, and then I will have to get a job. but I am not qualified for any jobs and so I am going to have to work at Trader Joes but I would get fired, because I would be rude to customers and bad at the cash register. The good thing is that I love to write. I am kind of amazed that Hot Air is a book now with the most beautiful of all of my book covers.
What would you say you’ve done right to build a strong and supportive writing network?
I have met so many writers using social media. Often, the writers that I meet online, I later meet in real life. I have made lasting friendships this way. I often blurb books, and I write glowing good read reviews for books that I love. I believe it's important to only be kind, to support other writers in the way that I want to be supported. And then, it comes back around.
How do you ensure you have enough time to write amidst so many obligations competing for your time?
Honestly, if I write for two hours I consider that an incredibly productive day. I can get so much done in a couple of hours. I am always pleased with myself when I write in the morning. The whole day, after that, is a win. Any day that I open my file is a win. And some days, I don't write. I feel like it is important to forgive myself the days I don't write when I had told myself I would.
What's one writing "rule" or commonly followed piece of advice that you decidedly break?'
Shitty first drafts. Writers are often told to write shitty first drafts with the knowledge that they can then rewrite. I don't adhere to that policy. I can't keep writing on in a novel if I feel that the pages leading up to it don't work. Before I can move forward, I have to start from the last scene and fix it, make sure the sentences work, that the story makes sense. Sometimes, in the middle of the book, I come up with an idea that feels important to incorporate early on and so I will go back and revise again. I am constantly revising as I work. And so by the time I get to the end of my first draft, I hope that it's pretty good.
What is the most challenging part of being a successful author? And how do you mitigate its effects?
While I know that I might be considered to be a successful author, I don't feel like a successful author. I definitely could be a whole lot kinder to myself. One thing I love is getting emails from readers who have loved my books. Or a glowing review on Goodreads. When I write, I am my first audience, creating a story that means something to me and so I am thrilled when my work resonates with other people. Its beyond gratifying.
Writer’s block: myth or unfortunate reality? If you experience it, how do you overcome it?
So real. Here is the thing: If I don't write for a long time, I start to hate myself. This is what happens to me in between books. Sometimes, I literally have to start feeling really awful and then I still start writing again.
How important do you think it is for writers to be on social media?
For me, it has been very important. It is the best way for me to spread news about my book. To share good reviews, book covers, exciting things. I also love to post pictures of small paintings that I make or my cats. It is a way for me to support my other friends who are writers and to stay up to date in the literary landscape. That said, I definitely have days when I go onto social media and it seems like everyone else is winning prizes and getting selected for fancy bookclubs and selling another book and I do get just jealous. I am still looking for that perfect balance. I am also feeling tormented that the social media websites that I use are owned by Republican billionaires. But it will hurt me more than it will hurt Mark Zuckerberg, if I take down my Facebook or Instagram account, so I will keep it up. For now.
Do you have any regrets about your journey so far? Do you wish you had done anything differently?
I genuinely believe that I had to go through all the bad hard parts to get to where I am right now. The other day, I actually asked a friend to tell me that I was doing great. Without missing a beat, she said, "What would your college self think if she knew that one day you would have published six novels." That made me feel good, really fast. I am aware that my journey has led me to a good place.
You can pre-order Hot Air 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 📚❤️
You’re Invited! 📨🧩📕
Join Bianca on June 9th from 6-10pm ET as she launches her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder, at The Young People’s Theatre in downtown Toronto in this not-to-be-missed literary event of the season!
It’s not a party without friends, and Bianca will have a LOT of them there to help her celebrate, including Carly and CeCe who’ll be joining her for the hosts’ first ever in person event together!! Not to mention Canadian national treasures, Erica Ehm, Marilyn Smith, and a whole host of talented Canadian authors!
What to Expect:
incredible insights and discussions, as well as a hilarious Books with Hooks segment;
book signings by amazing guest authors: Nita Prose (The Molly the Maid Series), Samantha M Bailey (Hello, Juliet), Uzma Jalaluddin (Detective Aunty), Sue Hincenbergs (The Retirement Plan), Elizabeth Renzetti and Kate Hilton (Widows and Orphans) and Farah Heron (Meet Me on Love Street);
rubbing shoulders with fabulous authors like Marissa Stapley (the first Canadian author to be a Reese’s Book Club pick!), and many, many more;
informal chats with agents, editors, and publicists;
mingling with fellow readers, influencers, podcast listeners, and emerging authors;
chatting with the podcast hosts;
a musical number from Sandra Margolese, a fabulous member of the TSNOTYAW community, who has written an original song for the book;
literary-themed stand-up comedy;
writing contests; and
the chance to win incredible literary prizes!
For just CAD $45+tax you get access to all the fun, a signed copy of A Most Puzzling Murder, and snacks before and after the main event. Seats are unassigned so you can book separately but still sit with all your writing besties.
Drinks as well as many other books will be on sale.
For more information about prizes and who else will be attending, keep an eye on the podcast's socials as well as the newsletter—we’ll be sharing more in the weeks ahead.
Doors open at 5:30pm. Further details will be emailed to registrants closer to the event date.
P.S. When you purchase your ticket, please select ‘pick up at store’ as your option (because the book will be given to you upon arrival) and prepay your ticket as opposed to paying upon collection.
Exciting New Learning Opportunity with CeCe!
The beginning—that’s the most important part of your story. It’s the part that must hook the reader. That must make them fall in love with your characters and your world. It’s the beginning that must convince the reader to buy your book, or stay up late and ignore real life in favor of reading your story. The beginning is more high stakes than your climax, because if the reader doesn’t love the beginning they won’t stick around for the rest.
So all you’ve got to do is nail that first chapter? Well that shouldn’t be too hard, right? Wrong. The bad news is that it’s actually very difficult to write a compelling beginning. The good news is that it’s a skill that can be mastered, and literary agent and podcast co-host CeCe Lyra’s got a workshop for that!
This four-day workshop will cover various aspects of how to start your story right, including:
different types of beginnings and how to choose the best one for you;
how to frame your inciting incident in an irresistible way;
elements that go into every effective beginning;
common mistakes made by writers when beginning a story;
how to balance exposition and mystery;
how to make readers fall in love with your protagonist;
how to make readers want to turn to chapter two;
Q&A session;
Surprise bonus session.
Here’s when we’ll meet via Zoom:
March 20 at 7pm Eastern Time (Day One)
March 27 at 7pm Eastern Time (Day Two)
March 30 at 1pm Eastern Time (Cozy Q&A session, cameras on (optional)).
April 3 at 7pm Eastern Time (Bonus Session)
This webinar will also feature an interactive component. Everyone who is registered will have the option of submitting the opening scene of their work by March 20th (submissions received after this date will not be considered). Instructions on how to submit will be sent to you automatically after registration (look for an email from Zoom). Please note that this submission does NOT constitute a query to a literary agent—it is a submission to an educational webinar. You are NOT querying CeCe by submitting to this webinar.
Writers of all categories and genres are invited to attend.
If you cannot attend one or more of the sessions live, please sign up as the recording will be emailed to you 24hr later. Recordings will be available to the viewer for 60 days. Recordings will NOT be sold after the fact.
Note: Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this webinar is not affiliated with P.S. Literary Agency, and the views expressed are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or positions of P.S. Literary Agency.
Tuesday Teaser 😉
Paid members will find Carly and CeCe’s written critiques of the 📚Books with Hooks🪝 queries discussed on this week’s podcast in next Tuesday’s newsletter, along with a fantastic video by Colleen Oakley (USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise), who offers her tips for getting your inner self-critic to just shut up already (including an important reminder about the perils of comparison—it’s not just other people’s book deals/tours/film adaptations you need to stop worrying about if you want to actually be productive)!
We’ve also got a great essay by award-winner and bestseller, Rosie Danan (Fan Service)—believe us when we say you won’t want to miss her 3-step process for making sure your story ideas have what it takes to be both creatively inspiring over the long-term and commercially marketable. Picking the right idea—the first time—will make your writing process more efficient and less painful.
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
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!
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.