How to Write a Cult Novel: Christopher J. Yates on His Bestselling Dark Academia Thrillers

LEAVE YOUR MARK: Freshly Brewed Career Advice with Aliza Licht

Aliza Licht

Business, Careers

5.0 • 585 Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What makes a novel go from page-turner to cult classic? Aspiring novelists: This one’s for you. In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I sit down with Christopher J. Yates, a British-American novelist known for his works in the dark academia genre. His first novel, Black Chalk, was named best book of the year by NPR, and continues to haunt readers 10 years later. In his latest masterpiece, Yates delivers for his fans with his new novel, The Rabbit Club, which follows an American student at Oxford. Add a secret society with a sinister streak, and it has an unexpected twist you won’t see coming. But what’s the secret to writing psychological thrillers? Christopher shares his writing process, the evolution of his novels, and the cultivation of a dedicated fan base. The conversation delves into character development, the significance of plot twists, and the challenges of navigating the publishing industry, including rejection and reader feedback. Tune in to discover Yates’s insights on storytelling and learn how you can elevate your own writing. 00:00 Introduction to Leave Your Mark Podcast 00:24 Exploring Dark Academia with Christopher J. Yates 02:13 Cultivating a Fan Base: The Black Chalk Experience 04:39 The Writing Process: From Black Chalk to The Rabbit Club 06:35 Character Development and Dialogue 09:58 Writing Timelines: Black Chalk vs. The Rabbit Club 11:24 Daily Writing Routines and Overcoming Writer's Block 13:47 Plotting and Puzzles in Storytelling 15:39 The Role of Secret Societies in The Rabbit Club 19:02 Target Audience and Themes in The Rabbit Club 22:18 Navigating Plot Twists and Character Development 24:45 Feedback and the Writing Process 28:01 The Journey to Finding an Agent 29:54 Dealing with Rejection and Reader Feedback 33:46 Leaving a Mark in the Literary World

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, this is Elisa Likt, and this is Leave Your Mark the podcast, where I brew fresh career advice with some of my most inspiring and successful friends.
0:09.5	It's professional advice that you can action immediately, whether you're just starting out in your career or well on your way.
0:16.5	With a massive to-do list and a large cup of coffee, I promise that you can get it all done and still
0:22.5	have time to post about it. Welcome back to Leave Your Mark, everyone. I'm Alisa Lick,
0:28.7	your host, and today is a real fun one. We're going to dive into the shadowed halls of dark
0:35.3	academia with Christopher J. Yates, the British American novelist,
0:38.7	whose debut, Black Chalk, became a cult phenomenon, thanks to its ingenious, psychological puzzles,
0:45.2	and Oxford setting. NPR praised it as the smart summer thriller you've been waiting for,
0:50.1	and it earned a spot on their best books of the year list. His follow-up, Briss Mill Road, proved his knack for dark, multi-perspective storytelling.
0:59.1	And now, in his latest release, The Rabbit Club, Christopher ventures back into that familiar Oxford universe,
1:06.1	but this time he leaves a dark, Allison Wonderland-insp inspired thriller about an American student infiltrating
1:13.3	a secret society.
1:15.4	And today, which I'm very personally excited about because I'm working on a fashion novel,
1:20.9	we're going to explore Chris's unique writing process, the art of the plot twist, the
1:26.2	unfolding of this shared literary universe,
1:29.5	and the secrets behind the devoted fandom that sprang from Blackchalk.
1:33.9	So Chris, welcome to leave your mark.
1:36.0	I'm so excited to have you here.
1:38.3	Hi, Elisa.
1:39.0	I'm really excited to talk to you about all of that exciting stuff.
1:43.1	I don't even think we can be in the same sentence in
1:45.9	terms of novelists because you are like the real deal. I'm like the junior trying to like figure it out.
	...

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