✨Meet Your Dream Agent. Plus, Your Book Isn't Boring - Your Pitch Is; & Query Critiques Inside!✨
We also take a closer look at genre snobbery, overusing adjectives, and the power of comp titles!
Happy Tuesday, writing friends!
Last week was 📕Books with Hooks 🪝week on the podcast, so you can find Carly and CeCe’s written query critiques below.
Yesterday was March’s Bonus episode and it’s chockfull of three incredible interviews, as well as our usual comps segment with the brilliant Emilie Sommer. Keep scrolling to see what you missed!
In today’s Meet Your Dream Agent Segment, we profile a podcast favourite, Eric Smith from Neighborhood Literary Agency. Not only is he one of the sweetest people in publishing, he also has a ton of knowledge to share. You don’t want to miss a word of it!
Alyssa Matesic, author of the upcoming The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents pens an unmissable essay about why Your Book Isn’t Boring - Your Pitch Is:
“I’ve heard thousands of book ideas over my 10+ years as a book editor. Some of them were brilliant, some were just OK, and some, frankly…were so boring I forgot about them instantly.
But that doesn’t mean those books were actually boring! They might’ve been the next mega bestseller, for all I knew.
Most writers don’t have a problem coming up with a viable story idea. They have a problem crafting an exciting pitch.”
Keep reading for her amazing advice on how to write a killer pitch!
Garrett Curbow, author of Whispers of Ink and Starlight shares the rule that transformed his writing: only use an adjective if the noun can’t be imagined clearly on its own. Sometimes cutting excess words can trim tens of thousands of words from a manuscript—without changing the story at all. Make sure you don’t miss this insightful video, especially if you’re over on your word count!
Caitlyn Paxson, author of A Widow’s Charm, pens a great essay titled I Wrote a Romance and Fell for the Genre:
“The romantic elements of whatever story I’m consuming have always been my favorite part. I love seeing relationships develop as people navigate their feelings and their foibles. Every little hint or glance or pause that pushes a romantic sub-plot forward is a dangling carrot that keeps me reading late into the night in the hope that love will overcome.
As a writer, realizing this about myself was the catalyst that finally got me published.”
Finally, we have a wonderful Q&A with Tamika Thompson, the author of The Curse Of Hester Gardens:
“I teach a query-writing workshop for early-career and indie authors, and when we get to the comp title section, I explain to them that the work will already be complete if they’ve been reading within their genre. I read within the genres I write in, so finding comp titles has never been a struggle. I know which authors move me and which works share similarities with my own. The agent and editor might add titles to my list, but so far I’ve never changed my comp list. The books I choose are recent (within three years) and relevant.”
Plus, you only have a few days to sign up for the next Beta Reader Match Up!
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading! ❤️
❤️ The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Team
March’s Bonus Episode!
March’s bonus episode is jam packed. We start off with an engaging conversation where Bianca speaks with author Kerry Clare about her latest novel, Definitely Thriving. They explore the inspirations behind the book, including the influence of Barbara Pym and Rebecca Solnit, and discuss the complexities of writing, character development, and the importance of community and female empowerment in literature. Kerry shares her experiences of writing during the COVID-19 pandemic and reflects on the challenges of marketing unconventional narratives. The discussion highlights the joy of storytelling and the significance of living life on one's own terms.
“It’s hard to market books that don’t fit into the conventional boxes. And I really feel grateful to be working with a team who have been kind of creative about situating the book in a slightly different way and letting it shine.”
-Kerry Clare
More information about Kerry Clare can be found here. She’s also on Instagram!
Part two of the episode shifts to Bianca connecting with actor-turned-author Summer N. England. Summer shares her unconventional path to publishing—going from storytelling on TikTok to landing a literary agent (without ever writing a query letter) and ultimately selling The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne at auction. In this lively conversation, she breaks down her character-first writing process, how her background in acting shapes immersive, physical storytelling, and why platform built from joy—not strategy—can open unexpected doors.
“Acting helps… it is a priceless tool in my kit as a writer because every rehearsal process, you are building stories with people that you do not know. And writing as the author, whether I’m writing from first person POV or not, I am building a story with a reader who does not know these characters.”
-Summer N. England
More information about Summer N. England can be found here. She’s also on Instagram!
Part three turns to publishing insider Chris Houston from The Idea Shop who pulls back the curtain on what actually sells books today—from why traditional publicity timelines are shrinking to just a few months, to the surprising truth that legacy media (like CBC, The Globe and Mail, and the New York Times) still moves the needle more than social media alone. Chris shares candid insights on why most great books go unnoticed, how platform and consistent online presence can build long-term momentum, and why authors must actively partner in their own publicity (no “set it and forget it” allowed). He also shares why investing in publicity is really an investment in your entire writing career.
“Books should have a much longer lifespan… Someone buys your new book because they’ve seen some publicity. That’s why it’s worth investing in publicity. They go back, they discover the back catalog. And it’s such a big win for an author to build that audience.”
-Chris Houston
More information about Chris Houston can be found at The Idea Shop!
And don’t forget to stick around for another comps episode with Emilie Sommer of East City Bookshop! Listen to the episode here or watch it on YouTube!
