Episode Summary: "Leaning into Illustrator Notes & CeCe Not Minding a But, But"

Release Date: May 15, 2025
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Waters, and CeCe Lyra
Title: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Introduction

In this engaging episode of "The Shit No One Tells You About Writing," host Bianca Marais, alongside literary agents Carly Waters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency, delve deep into the intricacies of crafting compelling query letters and opening pages. The episode features their "Books with Hooks" segment, where they critique actual query letters submitted by listeners and offer invaluable advice to emerging writers aiming to navigate the competitive publishing landscape.

Books with Hooks: Critique of "Job Code 13" by Nicole Cabrera

Reading the Query Letter

Time Stamp: [01:44]
CeCe Leera kicks off the segment by presenting the query letter for "Job Code 13," written by Nicole Cabrera. The letter outlines a Young Adult (YA) fantasy romance plot where the protagonist, Margaret, grapples with life after being drafted into the "extended life," a realm where she must work to maintain the balance between hope and hate among the living.

Carly Waters' Feedback

Time Stamp: [05:00]
Carly offers a thorough critique, highlighting several areas for improvement:

• Genre Consistency: She questions the choice of comparison titles, noting that "Blue Sisters" by Coco Mellors is more literary fiction than YA, which may not effectively position the manuscript within its intended market.

  "I don't think that Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, a fantastic book, just isn't going to cut it as a YA comp." – Carly Waters [05:10]

• Plot Clarity: Carly identifies confusion in the plot description, specifically regarding Margaret's romantic involvements and the mechanics of the "extended life."

  "When she said falls in love with a high school crush along with her instructor, I'm like, has she fallen in love with two different people?" – Carly Waters [05:25]

• Stakes and Conflict: She emphasizes the need to escalate the stakes beyond Margaret's internal conflict, suggesting that external dangers facing Evie need further development.

  "If you start a book with Evie needs me... the stakes need to be higher by the end of the book." – Carly Waters [07:00]

• Author Bio: Carly advises condensing the author bio to focus on the most relevant achievements, omitting specific years to present the manuscript as a "hot property" ready for market.

  "Take out the 2018. Take out the 2020... make it a bit more like, I've won these awards." – Carly Waters [11:16]

Bianca Murray's Observations

Time Stamp: [09:43]
Bianca echoes Carly's concerns, particularly about the potential red flags in the author bio and the need for clearer plot development.

CeCe Leera's Insights

Time Stamp: [13:33]
CeCe acknowledges the subjectivity of agent feedback, sharing that personal experiences lead her to view the manuscript differently. She underscores the importance of not being deterred by varied opinions and emphasizes the need for authenticity in querying agents.

Books with Hooks: Critique of "Rocking Rita" by Megan T.

Reading the Query Letter

Time Stamp: [27:43]
Carly presents her own query letter for "Rocking Rita," a children’s picture book about a 7-year-old girl aspiring to be a rock star. The story explores Rita's journey as she navigates new social dynamics in her music class, balancing her passion with emerging anxious feelings.

Carly Waters' Self-Critique

Time Stamp: [27:47]
Carly provides an in-depth analysis of her query letter, focusing on:

• Age Range Specification: She suggests narrowing the target age range to make the manuscript more marketable.

  "I would look up your comps and probably narrow it a bit more to 4 to 7." – Carly Waters [30:06]

• Kid-Centric Focus: Emphasizing the importance of making the story more child-centric, Carly advises shifting the narrative to highlight the protagonist's experiences and emotions from a child's perspective rather than adult-centric descriptions.

  "We need to make this more kid centric and a little bit less adult centric." – Carly Waters [30:38]

• Hook and Conflict Enhancement: She stresses the necessity of a stronger conflict to engage young readers, drawing parallels with successful picture books like "Box Attacks" by Kim Smith.

  "There is learning that happens, but it's really driven through the hook and the portmanteau of box attacks." – Carly Waters [32:02]

• Illustrator Notes: Carly highlights the importance of effective illustrator notes to complement the narrative, allowing visuals to enhance storytelling without overloading the text.

  "Illustrator notes just do the job of, like, relieving the pressure of the writer to spell everything out." – Carly Waters [39:22]

CeCe Leera's Reflections

Time Stamp: [42:34]
CeCe concurs with Carly's critiques, particularly on the need for a more authentic child’s voice and clearer plot points. She suggests incorporating layers of the protagonist's emotions to make Rita more relatable and multidimensional.

"I felt it too, when I was reading. And now I'm like, oh, that's what it was." – CeCe Leera [42:49]

Upcoming Features and Announcements

• CeCe Leera’s Writing Course:
  Time Stamp: [00:00] & [46:45]
  CeCe announces her upcoming four-day class titled "Writing Emotion and Relationships," commencing on June 18th. The course promises over 10 hours of content covering crucial aspects like active versus passive emotions, leveraging emotions into tension, creating character chemistry, and more. An interactive component allows participants to submit scenes for live critiques.

• Next Week’s Episode Teaser:
  Time Stamp: [44:58]
  Bianca previews the next episode featuring listener Jessica Guerreri, who will discuss the evolution of her work following a critique on "Books with Hooks." Her book, "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," will be the focus of the upcoming discussion.

Memorable Quotes

• Carly Waters on Genre Consistency:

  "I don't think that Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, a fantastic book, just isn't going to cut it as a YA comp." – Carly Waters [05:10]

• Carly Waters on Stakes Enhancement:

  "If you start a book with Evie needs me... the stakes need to be higher by the end of the book." – Carly Waters [07:00]

• CeCe Leera on Emotional Writing:

  "The best stories are the ones that make readers feel... mastering writing relationships effectively." – CeCe Leera [00:00]

• Carly Waters on Kid-Centric Focus:

  "We need to make this more kid centric and a little bit less adult centric." – Carly Waters [30:38]

Conclusion

This episode of "The Shit No One Tells You About Writing" offers a treasure trove of insights for emerging writers. Through meticulous critique of real query letters, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe provide actionable feedback that underscores the nuances of genre alignment, emotional depth, and audience-centric storytelling. Whether you're refining your YA fantasy romance or shaping a children’s picture book, the hosts equip you with the knowledge to elevate your writing and successfully engage with literary agents and editors.

Stay Tuned: Don’t miss next week's episode featuring Jessica Guerreri's journey post-critique of "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." Subscribe to their Substack Newsletter for exclusive content, bonus videos, and more expert advice.