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The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Insights from Caroline Kepnes, Author of the ‘You’ Series

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

How To, Books, Education, Fiction, Arts

4.8733 Ratings

🗓️ 4 May 2023

⏱️ 69 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today’s Books with Hooks segment, Bianca and guest agent, Rachel McMillan, discuss the importance of social media presence; tailoring your queries to specific agents; putting your best content forward; and word count expectations.

After which, Bianca chats with Caroline Kepnes, author of the YOU series, about the charming façade of serial killers; how she created her own major in college; how Joe Goldberg is a fascinating contradiction; getting inside Joe’s head; the intentionality of setting; making a villain vulnerable; how to feel what your character would feel; writing physicality; early readers and unlikable characters; and giving a villain backstory to make readers empathize.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing

Facebook: @tsnotyaw

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.comwww.biancamarais.comwww.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Rachel can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @rachkmc and at www.rachelmcmillan.net

Caroline can be found at www.carolinekepnes.com, on Instagram @carolinekepnes and on Twitter @carolinekepnes.



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Transcript

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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