4.8 • 733 Ratings
🗓️ 28 March 2024
⏱️ 68 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
In today's Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss keeping your author bio paragraph concise; the need for causality in a plot paragraph; paying attention to the language you use in a query so you don't create confusion surrounding the book's premise; knowing who your protagonist is and highlighting their interiority and inner life over other characters'; the stakes in rom-coms; centering your protagonist's experience; making plot details realistic so your readers are on board with them; avoiding pages that seem crafted for the reader; and the 'blank canvas protagonist' issue.
After which, Carly interviews award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Jo Piazza. They discuss Jo's upcoming novel, The Sicilian Inheritance; how she decided on a dual POV/dual timeline structure; whether Jo is a plotter or a pantser, and how she approaches her first draft; mirroring current themes in historical fiction; what a 'book club' book is; weaving elements of personal life into her work; how Jo views herself as a creator; the idea of letting fiction lead the way; the process of film and TV adaptations; and Jo's advice for emerging writers.
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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
To ask a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
More information about Jo can be found at https://www.jopiazza.com/
She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jopiazzaauthor
and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jopiazza
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
0:00.0 | It's a new year and time to get fresh eyes on your work in progress. |
0:04.8 | Are you looking for beta readers, some of whom might potentially become writing group members |
0:09.2 | down the line? |
0:10.2 | Are you wanting to be matched up with those writing in a similar genre and or time |
0:15.0 | zone so they can critique your work as you critique theirs at the same time? |
0:19.5 | Your manuscript doesn't have to be complete to sign up |
0:22.1 | for this 3,000 word evaluation. This matchup will be open to registrations from now until the |
0:28.5 | 2nd of March with the matchup emails going out on the 3rd of March. Always such an exciting day. |
0:35.4 | For more information and to register, go to Bianca Moray.com and go to |
0:39.7 | the beta reader matchup tab. And please spread the word, even if you aren't joining the matchup this |
0:45.7 | time. The more writers we have signed up, the better the matches will be. Hello from CC. |
0:52.6 | I'm so excited to announce an all new class called Starting It |
0:56.4 | Right, which is all about how to begin your story in the best place and in the best way. Now, |
1:01.6 | this is going to be a four-day class, so come prepared to take lots of notes. We'll cover the different |
1:06.9 | types of beginnings and how to choose the best one for your story, how to frame your |
1:11.6 | inciting incident in a compelling way, common mistakes writers make when starting a story, |
1:17.3 | how to balance exposition and mystery, how to make readers connect with your protagonist, and how |
1:23.6 | to make the reader want to turn to the next chapter and so much more. |
1:28.3 | And guess what? |
1:29.3 | For the first time ever, there will be an interactive component to my class. |
1:34.3 | Everyone who is registered will have the option of sending in the opening scene of their work |
1:40.3 | for a chance to be critiqued during the webinar. |
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