Podcast Title: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, and CeCe Lyra
Episode Title: Ann Napolitano on Overcoming Rejection and Despair as Part of the Writing Life & Kirthana Ramisetti on The Art of Foreshadowing
Release Date: April 10, 2025

Introduction

In this insightful episode of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, host Bianca Marais engages with two remarkable authors, Ann Napolitano and Kirthana Ramisetti, to delve deep into the often unspoken challenges and techniques in the writing journey. Joined by literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, the discussion spans overcoming rejection, maintaining perseverance, mastering foreshadowing, and crafting compelling narratives.

Part 1: Ann Napolitano on Overcoming Rejection and Despair

Background and Journey

Ann Napolitano, the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward, shares her tumultuous path to success. Napolitano's journey is marked by resilience in the face of repeated rejections and personal struggles:

• Early Struggles: Napolitano wrote her first novel during her MFA at New York University in the 1990s, only to face 80 agent rejections (05:10). Undeterred, she continued writing, eventually publishing Within Arm's Reach at 31, followed by A Good Hard Look at 39. Despite limited readership initially, her persistence paid off.

• Turning Point: It was her third novel, Dear Edward, written over eight years, that garnered widespread acclaim and unexpected success. Napolitano reflects, “I didn’t think it was going to be published... I am able to really appreciate it and feel extremely grateful and not believe it at the same time” (09:12).

Overcoming Despair

Napolitano discusses the emotional toll of sustained rejection and the strategies that kept her writing:

• Stubbornness as a Virtue: “One of the predominant characteristics I have that kept me going for so long is I'm very stubborn” (14:54). This innate stubbornness fueled her determination to continue writing despite obstacles.

• Writing as Healing: Writing provided an escape and a means to lift herself out of depression. Napolitano emphasizes that writing is central to her sense of self and well-being: “...I have to write in order to feel whole and to feel engaged and to be alive and not depressed” (09:58).

Practical Strategies

• Five-Minute Rule: To combat writer's block and despair, Napolitano implemented a simple yet effective strategy: writing for just five minutes a day. “If you keep doing five minutes a day, the work stays alive and something. The thing inside of you stays alive as well” (14:54).

• Support Systems: Her long-standing writing group from NYU provided essential feedback and kept her grounded. She notes, “We need someone standing on the bank of the river who can look down at it and be like, oh, there's a fork coming up ahead” (21:23).

Craft and Process Insights

• Foreshadowing and Narrative Focus: Napolitano explains her method of maintaining narrative focus, ensuring that each POV aligns with the story’s engines. “The most effective thing is to stay with the engines” (37:08).

• Navigating Multiple POVs: Balancing multiple viewpoints without overwhelming the reader was challenging. She advises focusing on characters that drive the plot forward, enhancing the story’s coherence (26:48).

Notable Quotes:

• “The joy of writing dies on this mountain of despair when it comes to querying and trying to turn it into a viable, marketable book.” - Ann Napolitano (09:58)
• “If you can’t do anything else other than be a writer, then it was a wonderful and wild ride that you were in on.” - Ann Napolitano (18:10)

Part 2: Kirthana Ramisetti on The Art of Foreshadowing

Background and Writing Approach

Kirthana Ramisetti, acclaimed author known for Advika and the Hollywood Wives and Darva Shastri's Last, discusses her innovative approach to storytelling, particularly her mastery of foreshadowing:

• Narrative Structure: Ramisetti employs a “looking back” narrative, starting her novel with a reflective past tense and shifting to present tense as the story unfolds. “It felt so natural and it felt so right” (43:45).

• Foreshadowing Techniques: By having the protagonist reflect on past events, she seamlessly integrates foreshadowing. Ramisetti explains, “It's her thinking back. I'm like, if I had done this, maybe something else would have happened.” (48:48)

Genre Blending and Storytelling

• Fluid Genres: Ramisetti embraces genre fluidity, blending elements of thriller, romance, and family drama. “I feel like it covers more than one and hopefully again in a fun way.” (57:05)

• Pop Culture Integration: Incorporating pop culture references enhances the relatability and vibrancy of her narratives. She shares, “I love how the things I kind of use in the background and company while I write kind of filter their way into my work.” (58:07)

Characterization and Empathy

• Complex Characters: Ramisetti crafts multi-dimensional characters, ensuring they possess agency and depth. She emphasizes, “I didn't want that. I wanted to let that. To fight back earlier in the story.” (64:19)

• Antagonist Empathy: She fosters empathy for her antagonists by revealing their motivations and inner turmoil. “Every character is the main character in their story.” (64:19)

Writing Process and Efficiency

• Rapid Drafting: Ramisetti wrote her novel one Zara in just one month through NaNoWriMo, followed by intensive revisions. “I wrote it pretty much in a month... Four to five months for revisions.” (67:24)

• Pre-Structured Plotting: Having a detailed synopsis beforehand streamlined her writing process, allowing for focused and efficient storytelling. “Because I sold this novel on proposal... it made it much easier.” (46:31)

Notable Quotes:

• “You have to have agency, when they know something bad is happening to them or something they don’t want to happen to them, but they kinda just have to stand back and take it.” - Kirthana Ramisetti (64:19)
• “It's just having that company with me while I'm working. And so when I was coming up with this third novel, Project Runway was just the whole series is available to stream.” - Kirthana Ramisetti (58:07)

Key Takeaways and Insights

1. Persistence Through Rejection: Both Napolitano and Ramisetti highlight the importance of perseverance in the face of rejection and setbacks. Writing is an arduous journey that requires unwavering dedication.

2. Emotional Strategies: Techniques such as the five-minute rule and maintaining a supportive writing community are crucial for overcoming despair and sustaining a writing career.

3. Craft Mastery: Effective storytelling involves strategic use of foreshadowing, maintaining narrative focus, and ensuring characters possess agency. Ramisetti’s approach to blending genres and integrating pop culture enriches her narratives, making them both engaging and relatable.

4. Character Complexity: Developing multi-dimensional characters with clear motivations and emotional depth fosters reader empathy and investment in the story.

5. Efficient Writing Processes: Pre-structuring plots and maintaining a balance between rapid drafting and thorough revisions can enhance productivity without compromising quality.

6. Embracing Change: Transitioning between different narrative perspectives and experimenting with storytelling techniques can lead to fresh and compelling narratives.

Conclusion

This episode offers emerging writers a wealth of knowledge from seasoned authors who have navigated the challenges of the writing world. Ann Napolitano’s story of resilience and Kirthana Ramisetti’s innovative narrative techniques provide invaluable lessons on overcoming adversity, crafting engaging stories, and developing complex characters. Listeners are encouraged to apply these insights to their own writing endeavors, fostering both personal growth and professional success.

For those inspired by this episode, consider purchasing Ann Napolitano’s hello Beautiful and Kirthana Ramisetti’s one Zara through the podcast’s Bookshop.org affiliate links to support independent bookstores and the podcast community.