✨The Query that Made CeCe Use Words Like "Brilliant" and "Perfectly Baked"!; and Fiona Davis on Adverbs, First Drafts & the Importance of Chocolate Croissants✨

Plus, a VERY exciting Deep Dive contest announcement!

Happy Friday, Shitlets!

We don’t know about you, but here at The Shit No One Tells You About Writing we’re hearing from a lot of our writer pals that they’re struggling to get going after the holiday break. We feel their pain—and yours, if you’re in the same boat. It’s easy to feel like the stars need to align just so in order to be able to write. Like there’s a magic combination of software, noise levels, mood lighting, etc. which, if discovered and dialed in, will unlock all that we know is inside us.

Invariably, though, whenever The 💩 asks an established author how they get themselves back on track when they’re stuck or feeling unmotivated, they never say, for example, “I became a bestseller by using ScrivWordWriter on my MeeMaw’s antique roll-top desk while inside my personal sensory deprivation chamber after twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep two weeks in a row.” They say things like the answer Fiona Davis gave in our Q&A this week (and as she’s the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels, including The Spectacular and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, we think she knows a thing or two about getting words on a page). So how does Fiona get unstuck? You’ll have to keep reading to find out…😉🥐

Over on the podcast it’s 📕Books with Hooks🪝time again and it’s a juicy one this week! If you’re not a regular listener (or viewer—don’t forget you can now watch full videos of our podcast episodes over on our YouTube channel) now might be a good time to fix that!

Trust us when we say you don’t want to miss hearing what made CeCe flip about one of this week’s queries, busting out her highlighter to mark “so many” lines, and calling it “brilliant” and possibly “the best example” she’s ever seen on the podcast when it comes to this very important aspect of writing craft (some of you listeners are #TeamAuthorInterview and some of you are #TeamBooksWithHooks and we get it, we do, but if you’re skipping query critique weeks because you don’t think they’re relevant to you, you’re missing out on some great writing insights from our hosts. Just sayin’). 🤩

You also don’t want to miss this week’s BIG Deep Dive news—it’s a real winner! 😉

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!

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This Week’s Podcast✨🎙️✨

In this week’s📕Books with Hooks🪝 segment (listen to it here!), hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome listeners to a new year of writing before diving into two query letters, and a discussion focusing on the importance of connection, character motivations, and cinematic elements in storytelling. The conversation also explores the dynamics of campus novels and compelling hooks in narratives.

“Psychological acuity is the child of interiority and emotionality. Psychological acuity refers to moments in the story where the author zooms out and offers a larger insight into the protagonist's psyche, into what the protagonist is observing about other people, about themselves.

It reveals layers and layers of consciousness and unconsciousness. It's juicy. It's interesting. It's the why people do what they do in the moment. It's so, so important to novels and…the greats all do it. And it's so hard … yet it's so important to do. And I’ve got to tell you, this might be the best example of psychological acuity I've ever seen in a query letter in The Shit No One Tells You About Writing.”

— CeCe

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Want to Attend the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat for Free? We’ve Got a Contest for That!🎉🎉🎉

Better still (because, let’s face it, is there anything more annoying than, say, your bank suddenly offering iPads to new customers while you, dedicated patron for decades, get diddlysquat for your loyalty?), the contest is open to both people who haven’t yet signed up AND those of you who already have!

The Musts:

• Post about the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat on your socials

  • Use the graphic below (simply right-click the graphic and select “save image as…” to download) or create your own image, video, etc. Feel free to get creative!

• You must use the hashtag #DeepDiveOrBust

• You must tag The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

• You must post before midnight on January 23^rd

Other Stuff:

• Post as many times as you like

• Each post counts as one entry

• The winner will be announced on January 24^th

• If you win and have already paid the registration fee, your money will be refunded!

Good luck!

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Q&A with NYT Bestselling Author Fiona Davis🤩 🙌

Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Spectacular, The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine.

She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.

TSNOTYAW: Do you have a go-to mantra or pep talk for the days when writing feels hard?

Fiona Davis: If you write one thousand words today you can go to the bakery and buy a chocolate croissant. That always does the trick when I'm stuck in a rut.

What would you say you’ve done right to build a strong and supportive writing network?

I'm lucky in that New York City is chock full of authors, and I've met so many writers who are wonderful and understand what this crazy life is like. When you're about to toss the manuscript out the window, it's helpful to know someone who can give it a read and point out what the issue is. Early on, I went to conferences and readings, and that was crucial in terms of making new friends. Generation Women at the Public Theater is also a fun, monthly event where writers tend to gather.

What one piece of advice (craft- or publishing industry-related) has always resonated with you?

As Stephen King says, avoid adverbs. My early attempts at writing were way too flowery, the prose got in the way of the plot. Sometimes the most impactful sentences are the simplest.

How do you ensure you have enough time to write amidst so many obligations competing for your time?

I try to add a lot of padding to my deadlines, as the last thing I want is to leave my publisher in the lurch. I schedule out how long it will take for research, for writing the first draft, and for revisions, and work backwards from there. That way, if there are days that I simply can't fit it in any desk time, I don't panic.

Writer’s block: myth or unfortunate reality? If you experience it, how do you overcome it?

I come from a journalist background, and if you don't write the article you've been assigned, you don't get paid, so I've never considered writer's block to be an option. When I'm having a bad writing day (and they happen a lot), I just remind myself that it's the first draft and to do my best, that I'll fix it later, and that gives me permission to get something down on the page and then step away from it.

How important do you think it is for writers to be on social media?

Social media is very helpful in terms of seeing what other authors are doing and engaging with readers, for sure. But it doesn't take the place of writing a compelling story, so I try to minimize time spent scrolling. I also think it's OK to pull back from social media when you're in research/writing mode, and then post more frequently as you ramp up to a book launch. There should be a natural ebb and flow so that it doesn't seem as if you're yelling "Buy My Book" every two days.

What is something you’ve learned about yourself later in your writing career that would have surprised your younger self?

That I enjoy talking in front of crowds. I was an incredibly shy kid, and as an adult whenever I had to speak in public I was a mess for weeks beforehand. But I realized after giving a few book talks that the give-and-take from readers in real time is incredibly satisfying. Now, if I get nervous, I remind myself that I'm an expert in this subject - after all, I wrote the darn thing - and that takes off the pressure.

You can purchase The Stolen Queen 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 📚❤️

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Remembering Andrew Pyper

We were saddened to learn of the death of acclaimed Toronto-based horror novelist Andrew Pyper (1968-2025) earlier this month. Andrew’s writing career spanned a quarter century and earned him accolades for his literary, genre-defying approach to horror. He was also known for his support of the writing community, and is remembered with great fondness by those who had the pleasure of knowing him personally (as this article in Quill & Quire makes clear). We think these words Andrew shared in our September 13th issue are ones he’d like for you to remember:

“Hold steady! The answer is always in the work!”

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The Ultimate Planner for Writers! Finish Your Novel in 2025 😍

Have you been frustrated with the limitations of your daily planner which, while allowing for hour-to-hour scheduling of your usual appointments, doesn't allow you to include all the myriad activities associated with your rich writing life?

This planner allows you to:

• Keep track of your daily word count, as well as assign and monitor time spent on brainstorming, researching, drafting, editing, etc.

• Log and track your agent queries

• Brainstorm and make editorial notes

• Outline your WIP

• Create character profiles

• Outline your plot/scenes

• Complete scene cards

• Keep all your ideas in one place

• Keep a record of your research and material sources

• Make notes of inspiration

• Track the books you've read

The Ultimate Planner for Writers has all the monthly, weekly and daily functionalities of a usual planner, but with added features designed specifically for writers. It’s available for purchase either as a hardcopy or as an e-planner that's been designed for use on an iPad or similar touch screen tablet, and makes the ultimate gift for the writer in your life.

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Tuesday Teaser 😉

Next week’s newsletter exclusively for our paid members is for all the writers out there valiantly juggling notebooks and nappies (or, frankly, anyone struggling to find time to focus on words in the face of life’s many competing priorities).

With an essay by Asia Mackay (A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage) and Q&A from bestselling Chloe Liese (Once Smitten, Twice Shy), two writers who’ve given birth to multiple books and babies, Tuesday’s issue is loaded with advice on everything from time management (and protection!), to dealing with feelings of isolation and guilt, to knowing when to take a break to recharge.

Like we said, issues all writers face at one time or another, even in the absence of midnight feedings and hockey practice pick-ups. Ready to stop struggling? Subscribe now!

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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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