Emotions—But Make It Messy

Listen to this episode from The Shit No One Tells You About Writing on Spotify. In this exciting episode of Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe, and Carly sit down with Casey, winner of the Masana Literary Project Fundraiser, to chat about her debut novel, ‘The Break of Light.’ The hosts dive deep into Casey’s query letter, unpacking the story’s emotional layers, compelling plot, and rich character dynamics. CeCe and Carly offer sharp insights on upping the narrative stakes—with tips on mastering causality, embracing messy emotions, and building a vivid, believable world. From the protagonist’s urgent quest to save her best friend to the crucial first pages, this episode is packed with craft takeaways for writers at every stage.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.Find us on our socials:Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writinghttps://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_authorhttps://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agentInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAWWebsites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.comBookshop.org affiliatepage: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwritingTo sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/Our Sponsors:* Check out Aeropress and use my code TSNOTYAW for a great deal: https://aeropress.com* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com* Check out Wayfair: https://wayfair.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands