Rephonic
Artwork for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
Query Letters
Writing
Character Development
Publishing Industry
Publishing
Writing Craft
The Social Worker
Conflict In Storytelling
Police Procedural Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
Writing Contests
Partition Of India
Love Stories
Acts Of Forgiveness
Women's Fiction
Literary Agents
Harvey
Voice In Writing
Middle Grade Fantasy
The Night Diary

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 weeklyEpisodes387Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksHow ToEducationArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Latest Episodes

In this special Books with Hooks segment, the team sits down with author Sarah Miller-Adams to workshop her query letter for Bilateral Breathing, an upmarket, literary-leaning novel about three mid-career women in medicine on the brink of personal an... more

Carly and CeCe are Shooting the Sh*t About what’s driving them crazy (and cracking them up) in publishing this week — from “quiet quitting” on option books and editors who ghost, to why a brilliant nonfiction expert ultimately chose not to write a bo... more

In part one of this week’s double author interview, Bianca sits down with executive by day and dark-fiction writer by night, Marisa Walz. They talk about her chilling debut novel ‘Good Intentions’ and the long, emotional road it took to get there. Th... more

On this week’s segment of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe talk about publishing layoffs, surprising Canadian bestseller stats, and a viral article questioning the state of publishing. They break down how auctions actually work, what “private” submi... more

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Writing Excuses
Writing ExcusesMary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
Bad On Paper
Bad On PaperBecca Freeman & Olivia Muenter

Recent Guests

Marisa Walz
Federal Reserve Executive and author
Self
Episode: The Long Game of Publishing
Leodora Darlington
A writer from London with Ghanaian heritage, awarded a distinction for her Masters in Creative Writing.
Episode: When the Past Won't Stay Buried: Building Dark Psychological Thrillers
Jami Attenberg
New York Times bestselling author of the memoir "I Came All This Way to Meet You" and seven fiction books, founder of the hashtag #1000WordsofSummer.
Episode: January Bonus Episode
Simone St. James
New York Times best-selling author
Episode: The Mechanics of Great Storytelling
Rhiannon Harvey
Author of "Mara's Call" and a marine biology nerd whose stories feature the ocean.
Episode: Perfecting the Page One Experience
Katie Bernet
Author of Beth Is Dead, a modern reimagining of Little Women as a mystery thriller.
Episode: Big Auction Debuts and What Brings You Back to the Page
Sarah Lariviere
Author of The Bad Kid and Riot Act
Episode: December Bonus Episode
Gráinne O'Hare
Writer based in Newcastle upon Tyne, recipient of Northern Debut Award for Fiction
New Writing North
Episode: The Evolution of a Novel
Tracy Dobmeier
Co-author of "10,000 Light Years from OK"
Episode: Plotting With Fate

Hosts

Bianca Marais
Bestselling author and host with experience in guiding aspiring authors on navigating the publishing industry. Bianca's background also includes a focus on the emotional aspects of writing.
Carly Watters
Literary agent and co-host offering expertise in query letter critiques and the publishing process, ensuring a practical approach to getting published.
CeCe Lyra
Literary agent and co-host known for her insights into the publishing world and her role in critiquing aspiring authors' query letters.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • 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.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Richelle85
    United Statesa month ago
  • Wealth of information horrible audio

    Guys, I genuinely love this podcast and I’m learning so much but the audio quality is so rough it sometimes overshadows the content. There’s noticeable clipping, reverb and huge volume differences all in the same episode. Please, for the sake of everyone’s ears tighten up the audio. This show deserves it!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Cherished bones
    United States2 months ago
  • Audio issues

    Good content with abrupt ad breaks. Please work on the audio issues. The latest episode is unlistenable because the audio is so tinny. It makes the podcast sound amateurish when it really isn’t.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    sweetestgale
    United States2 months ago
  • Great pod with truly random ad breaks

    I love this podcast for some real talk about querying and writing.

    That said… it feels like the ad breaks are placed at random. Often it’s in the middle of a sentence or question. So strange for an otherwise relatively professionally produced product!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Podreviews1369
    United States2 months ago
  • Thank you!

    I have learned so much from only a few months of listening. Thank you for all the amazing content!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JoyandStuff
    Canada3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some feedback points out issues with abrupt ad breaks that disrupt the listening experience.
Many enjoy the humor and relatability brought by the hosts, which enhances the learning experience.
Listeners praise the podcast for its valuable content aimed at emerging writers, emphasizing its practical advice, engaging hosts, and supportive environment.
Overall, the majority finds the insights shared on writing and publishing to be invaluable, with many referring to the show as a must-listen resource for their writing journeys.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#31
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#83
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#33
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#35
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#90
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#97
Canada/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Long Game of Publishing
Q: Can you explain what digital first means?
Olivia Jackson explained that digital first means the book is released as an e-book and audiobook before the physical copies are available.
The Long Game of Publishing
Q: What was your journey to publication?
Marisa Walz described her journey from wanting to be an author since childhood, writing multiple books, to finally securing an agent and having her debut novel accepted for publication.
When the Past Won't Stay Buried: Building Dark Psychological Thrillers
Q: How did you choose the agent that would represent you?
Leodora explained she looked for an agent who was editorially hands-on and could prioritize submissions, as not all agents carry the same weight in the industry.
When the Past Won't Stay Buried: Building Dark Psychological Thrillers
Q: Can you describe your journey to publication?
Leodora shared that her path was unique because she works in publishing; she submitted under a pseudonym and went out accidentally due to scheduling emails for agents during her recovery from illness.
Shooting the Shit About The Easiest Genres to Sell and How Agents Impact The Outcomes of Book Deals
Q: How much does a specific agent actually matter when it comes to the deal that the author gets?
An agent's reputation significantly influences outcomes in the publishing industry. Agents have reputations, and the reputation of an agent heavily influences the decisions made by publishers.

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?

This podcast focuses on the journey of emerging writers, offering invaluable insights into the writing process and the publishing industry. Through engaging discussions and guest interviews with authors, agents, and editors, listeners gain practical advice on how to enhance their writing and navigate the complexities of getting published. The hosts bring a mix of expertise and humor, dissecting query letters and critiquing story openings while also shedding light on the emotional and technical aspects of the writing life. With its welcoming atmosphere, the show not only educates but inspires aspiring authors to refine their craft and pursue their publishing goals.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Shit No One Tells You About Writing and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Shit No One Tells You About Writing get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Shit No One Tells You About Writing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Shit No One Tells You About Writing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. Writing Excuses
4. The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
5. Bad On Paper

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

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing launched 5 years ago and published 387 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

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. Marisa Walz
2. Leodora Darlington
3. Jami Attenberg
4. Simone St. James
5. Rhiannon Harvey
6. Katie Bernet
7. Sarah Lariviere
8. Gráinne O'Hare

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days