An Ingenious Query Hack
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
4.8 • 733 Ratings
🗓️ 24 April 2025
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this informative author interview, Bianca connects with debut novelist Sarah Damoff to discuss her novel, ‘The Bright Years’ which explores the complexities of family dynamics and addiction.
Sarah shares her journey through the publishing landscape, the challenges of finding the right agent, the ingenious query hack she used, and the evolution of her novel's structure. The conversation touches on the themes of generational trauma and the impact of addiction, as well as the importance of line-level writing, including the use of similes and metaphors. Sarah's insights provide valuable lessons for aspiring writers and readers alike.
Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It's beta reader matchup time again, where you can be matched up with those writing in the same genre and or time zone so they can critique your work as you critique theirs. |
| 0:10.3 | Your manuscript doesn't have to be completed to sign up for this 3,000 word evaluation. |
| 0:15.7 | This particular matchup will be open to registrations from now until the 4th of May, with the matchup emails going out on the 5th of May. |
| 0:22.9 | Because my new novel, A Most Puzzling Murder, pubs in early June, and will be keeping me very busy, |
| 0:29.3 | this will be the last matchup until the fall. |
| 0:32.2 | Please spread the word, even if you aren't signing up this time. |
| 0:35.3 | The more writers we have registered, the better the matchups |
| 0:38.2 | will be, which means you'll be paying it forward to your fellow authors. And hopefully they'll do |
| 0:43.5 | the same when the time comes for you to register. For more information, head to Bianca Moray.com |
| 0:49.8 | and go to the Beta Re reader matchup page. |
| 1:01.3 | Hi there and welcome to our show. |
| 1:04.1 | The shit no one tells you about writing. |
| 1:11.6 | I'm Bianca Murray and I'm joined by Carly Waters and C.C. Lira from PS Literary Agency. Hi everyone. Today's guest lives with her husband and children in Texas, where she is a social worker. |
| 1:18.6 | Her writing has appeared in Porterhouse Review, Ruminate Magazine and Open Global Rights, among other publications. |
| 1:26.6 | The Bright Years is her debut novel. It's my pleasure to welcome, and Open Global Rights, among other publications. |
| 1:29.6 | The Bright Years is her debut novel. |
| 1:32.7 | It's my pleasure to welcome Sarah Damoff. |
| 1:34.2 | Sarah, welcome to the show. |
| 1:35.9 | Thank you, Bianca. |
| 1:37.9 | Thank you so much for having me today. |
| 1:40.9 | I'm excited to talk about the shit no one tells you about writing. |
| 1:44.4 | Yeah, we're excited to have you as well because we have a bit of a history with you and the show, which we will discuss shortly. Before then, for our listeners, |
... |
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