Using the 'Micro to Macro' Hack

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

How To, Books, Education, Fiction, Arts

4.8 • 733 Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into the intricacies of middle grade fantasy submissions. They discuss a query about a fantasy novel featuring a cat protagonist, exploring themes of family, sacrifice, and the stakes involved in the narrative. The conversation shifts to critiques of character development, emotional stakes, and the importance of world-building in storytelling. The hosts provide valuable insights into writing style, narrative perspective, and the significance of grounding readers in the emotional experiences of characters. The episode concludes with a new query submission, focusing on a contemporary young adult speculative novel that intertwines friendship and premonitory visions, prompting discussions on stakes and character motivations.

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	Hello from CeC. I'm so excited to announce an all new class called Starting It Right, which is all about how to begin your story in the best place and in the best way.
0:10.0	Now this is going to be a four-day class, so come prepared to take lots of notes.
0:15.0	We'll cover the different types of beginnings and how to choose the best one for your story, how to frame your inciting incident in a compelling
0:22.4	way, common mistakes writers make when starting a story, how to balance exposition and mystery,
0:29.3	how to make readers connect with your protagonist, and how to make the reader want to turn to the
0:35.0	next chapter, and so much more. And guess what? For the first time
0:40.0	ever, there will be an interactive component to my class. Everyone who is registered will have the
0:46.2	option of sending in the opening scene of their work for a chance to be critiqued during the
0:51.7	webinar. Writers of all categories and genres are invited to attend, and there are limited spots.
0:57.0	So if you're interested, sign up now.
1:00.0	And don't worry if you can't attend one or more live sessions
1:03.0	because the recording will be sent to everyone who is registered.
1:07.0	This class will begin on March 20th, and like I said, we'll go on for four days.
1:13.2	For more details, check out the link in my bio on Instagram. I hope to see you there.
1:19.2	Would you like to do some good in the world while also standing in line to win amazing literary
1:24.4	prizes? Of course you would. I'm hosting a fundraiser for a cause that's
1:29.3	close to my heart, which is literacy in South Africa. The Masana Library Project aims to make the
1:35.6	future of South African learners brighter by improving the education and supplying a South African
1:40.9	high school with the kind of basic resources that we take for granted
1:45.2	in North America. Of course, there are a host of amazing literary prizes up for grabs if you
1:51.8	donate to this wonderful cause. They include developmental edits, coaching packages, manuscript critiques,
1:59.3	and so much more. To learn more about the cause, as well as the
	...

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