In today's extra special bonus episode, I'm going to answer some questions from my listeners! Here's a quick overview of what we talk about in this episode: [01:15] Ame says, “Would you be able to talk more about the coming of age genre, specifically how to develop a good plot and the aim of the book?” [02:50] Emme says, “I have a really compelling story ide ... Show More
Yesterday
#266. How to Get Back Into Writing Your Novel After a Long Break
If you’ve stepped away from your novel for a few weeks, or even a few months, getting back into writing can feel a lot harder than it should.Maybe you open your draft, scroll through a few pages, and wonder where you were even going with the story. Maybe you feel like you need to ... Show More
17m 26s
Sep 29
#265. What Is Cozy Fiction? 10 Characteristics Cozy Writers Need to Know
Learn what makes cozy fiction work—and how to balance warmth, tension, character growth, and community to create the hopeful reading experience cozy readers expect.You know the feeling a cozy book gives you—warm, safe, like a world you don't want to leave. But when you sit down t ... Show More
26m 8s
Sep 22
#264. First Draft Mistakes: Jessica Brody & Savannah Gilbo Compare Notes
What are the most common first-draft mistakes writers make—and which ones actually need your attention while you’re drafting?In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Brody, author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and Page One to Done, to compare the mistakes we see writers make when ... Show More
29m 58s
Mar 2023
Bumper Edition March Bonus Episode
In today's bumper Bonus Episode, Bianca chats with Amy Tector, author of three novels which have all been released in the last year, including Speak for the Dead, now available this month. They discuss finding and prioritizing writing time; rewarding ourselves for hitting our goa ... Show More
2h 22m
Nov 2024
The Challenges of Writing in the First Person
In today’s Books with Hooks segment, the hosts, Bianca, Carly and CeCe, analyze two query letters submitted by aspiring authors, one of which is a memoir and the other a YA steampunk query. They provide detailed feedback on the structure, content, and emotional depth of the lette ... Show More
28m 9s
Dec 2023
DZ-106: How do you know if you have enough story?
Listen you're not sure whether your idea has enough fuel for 90 pages. In this episode, Chas, Stu and Mel attempt to answer a listener question: “In your own pre-writing process, how do you know you have enough for a feature? And do you have a specific pre-writing method you're g ... Show More
1h 36m
Jun 2016
Ep. 2.5 | Fangirling Is an Art
Bonus Book Rec Show!!
So how this works is that you, our listeners, send us requests for book recommendations, and we give you our answers. For example, if you have no idea what to get your father-in-law for Christmas or what book to read after Fates and Furies, we’re here for y ... Show More
33m 49s
Nov 2020
Episode 9: NaNoWriMo-1 How to Plan Your Novel
In this episode, I'm interviewing Sarah Nicole Nadler - 5x author and certified Life Coach, about how to choose the right story to tell, plan your novel, and how to deal with writer's block. For resources & links mentioned in the episode, go to: www.sarahnicolenadler.com/show25
20m 19s