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The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
Query Letters
Publishing Industry
Character Development
Writing
Literary Agents
Publishing
Writing Process
Literary Fiction
Mental Health
Books With Hooks
Young Adult Fiction
Writing Craft
Creative Writing
Women's Fiction
Grief
Self-Publishing
Women In Literature
Psychological Thriller
Writing Advice
Family Dynamics

This is a podcast for emerging writers who want to improve the quality of their work and learn more about the publishing industry. Your one host, Bianca Marais (the bestselling author of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor') interviews authors, agents, editors and just about anyone and everyone who's involved in bringing a book to market. She's joined by her cohosts, literary agents Carly Watters and ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes411Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Latest Episodes

On this week’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe talk about TWO standout queries hit the table this week—and the bar is high. One delivers a polished, compelling YA pitch with strong writing and commercial appeal, but raises a big question. The other ... more

In this week’s episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe dive into a viral story about ChatGPT allegedly derailing a $50M deal and unpack what it means for writers relying on AI—warning that outsourcing your thinking can cost you your creative pow... more

In part one of this week’s triple author interview, literary agent Carly Watters sits down with Mai Nguyen to discuss her deeply personal novel ‘Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead’. Mai shares the heartbreaking real-life loss that inspired the book and h... more

This week on Books with Hooks, Bianca CeCe and Carly unpack what makes a query actually work—and where things quietly fall apart. From a gripping friends-to-lovers premise with a dark past to a stranded-on-an-island YA romance, they dive into high-st... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Mai Nguyen
Vietnamese Canadian author, debut Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
Author
Episode: Author Insights from Mai Nguyen, Lindsay Wong and Laurie Frankel
Lindsay Wong
Author of Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies
Author
Episode: Author Insights from Mai Nguyen, Lindsay Wong and Laurie Frankel
Laurie Frankel
New York Times best-selling author of Enormous Wings
Author
Episode: Author Insights from Mai Nguyen, Lindsay Wong and Laurie Frankel
Miranda Shulman
Debut author of Harmless
Episode: How to Build a Protagonist Who Actually Makes Sense
Beth O'Leary
internationally best-selling author; author of The Name Game, Swept Away, etc.
Author
Episode: Insights from Beth O'Leary and Kate Hilton
Kate Hilton
bestselling author; co-author with Elizabeth Renzetti of the Colin Packett Mystery Series
Author
Episode: Insights from Beth O'Leary and Kate Hilton
Holly Gramazio
Game designer, curator, and writer, author of 'The Husbands'
Episode: March Bonus Episode
JR Ward
Author of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series
Author
Episode: The Secret Behind Immersive Worlds
Lisa Unger
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author
Author
Episode: Insights from Lisa Unger

Hosts

Bianca Marais
Bestselling author and host with deep publishing industry experience; leads discussions on writing craft and author journeys.
CeCe Lyra
Co-host and literary agent with focus on querying, manuscript development, and industry insights.
Carly Watters
Co-host and literary agent; leads discussions on agenting, submissions, and publishing timelines.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Can’t recommend enough!

    A wealth of information and delivered in an entertaining manner. And free to listen! Haven’t noticed the things the negative reviews have mentioned with advertising breaks or audio quality. And some of the negative reviews are ridiculous, the podcast regularly promotes underrepresented voices and the informal conversational tone is one of the best aspects. Enjoy your writing journey and best of luck!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flygirlwest
    United States10 days ago
  • Anti-Capitalist

    “I don’t necessarily love that we live in a capitalist system.” Excuse me? Would you rather be starving? Maybe she’s worried about her weight? As my Venezuelan friends said: the only down side of living in America is the weight gain.

    They also are worried about book bans for children. Unless you’re writing smut and marketing it to children you don’t have to worry about a book ban. Or writing anything with a conservative message.

    And they spend most their time complaining about AI.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Richelle85
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great show

    I love the podcast but what is Cece’s problem. Why is she so rude to Carly? She speaks over her and talks down to her frequently. It’s very awkward

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tahmeka
    United Statesa month ago
  • Amazing! Incredibly Helpful!

    I am thrilled I discovered this podcast. I am a few years late to the party, but I am binge listening their back catalogue and loving every episode and learning so much. Truly, if you are trying to break into traditional publishing, this is a must-listen. A goldmine of helpful advice. I recommend it to all my writer friends! Thank you, Cece, Bianca and Carly for all the energy you pour into this. Your insights and encouragement have helped me so much.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JoyceElizabethN
    United States3 months ago
  • Excellent!!

    I love all the wonderful writing advice!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Heather LAD
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience appreciates deep dives into query letters and first pages.
Listeners value practical, actionable publishing guidance and honest industry takes.
Fans note audio issues as a recurring improvement area, primarily mid-roll placements and consistency.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#15
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#56
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#12
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#19
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#44
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#56
United Kingdom/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

When Intrigue Turns Into Confusion
Q: How does the team view the balance between interiority and plot in literary fiction?
They agree that interiority is crucial but must be complemented by enough plot points and clear narrative drive to keep readers turning pages, especially in longer works.
When Intrigue Turns Into Confusion
Q: What was the word count of the sample pages?
The pages read about 428 words in the sample, considered short but with a strong interior focus, suggesting depth but a need for more action or plot elements to sustain longer reads.
Insights from Beth O'Leary and Kate Hilton
Q: What's your advice on balancing research with storytelling?
The guest suggests avoiding overloading readers with facts; instead, use the research to create momentum and payoff, letting the reader learn enough to feel informed but not overwhelmed.
Insights from Beth O'Leary and Kate Hilton
Q: How do you differentiate voices between two protagonists across timelines?
She emphasizes hearing the voices and using distinct narrators (first person for the past, third person for the present) and crafting unique verbal quirks for each character.
Insights from Beth O'Leary and Kate Hilton
Q: How did you decide on the dual timeline structure from the start?
Kate explains she always envisioned a dual timeline because it lets present-day investigation unfold alongside older discoveries, with the past feeding the present and keeping momentum alive.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

What is The Shit No One Tells You About Writing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A candid, practitioner-focused show for emerging writers aiming to publish. Across episodes, listeners hear practical guidance on writing craft, querying, and agent dynamics, interwoven with interviews from bestselling authors, literary agents, and editors. Segments like “Books with Hooks” bring real query letters and first pages under the microscope, while episodes frequently tackle industry trends, timelines, and marketing realities with a sharp, no-nonsense viewpoint. The hosts blend actionable feedback with behind-the-scenes insights, including debates on AI in submissions, royalties, and author promotion, making it a go-to resource for writers navigating the path to publication. A notable strength is the long-running, collaborative dia... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Shit No One Tells You About Writing:

1. Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips
2. Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
3. Writers on Writing
4. Helping Writers Become Authors
5. Writing Excuses

How many episodes of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing are there?

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing launched 6 years ago and published 411 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Recent guests on The Shit No One Tells You About Writing include:

1. Mai Nguyen
2. Lindsay Wong
3. Laurie Frankel
4. Miranda Shulman
5. Beth O'Leary
6. Kate Hilton
7. Holly Gramazio
8. JR Ward

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