Podcast Summary: "Playing to Your Strengths as a Writer"
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, CeCe Lyra
Guest: Kate Fagan
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Introduction
In the episode titled "Playing to Your Strengths as a Writer," Bianca Marais is joined by literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency to welcome Emmy Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, Kate Fagan. Kate is renowned for her book What Made Maddie Run?, a semi-finalist for the PEN ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing, and her latest novel, The Three Lives of Kate K.
Kate Fagan’s Connection to the Podcast
Bianca opens the conversation by highlighting Kate’s unique relationship with the podcast. Kate shares a heartfelt story about how her late mother influenced her writing journey through the show.
Notable Quote:
“I found out about your podcast probably about two to three years ago. My mom and I... we would listen to all of the episodes of the Shit No One Tells you About Writing.”
[05:25]
This personal connection underscores the podcast's impact on emerging writers, serving as a source of inspiration and guidance.
The Query Process and Interaction with Carly Waters
Kate discusses her experience querying literary agents, specifically her decision to query Carly Watters. Despite being initially represented by CAA, Kate found herself back in the querying process when CAA declined to take on her book.
Notable Quote:
“I queried Carly, but she also represented The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which was a comp I was using. And so both because I think Carly's amazing, and also because I think it would really have tickled my mom.”
[06:55]
Bianca emphasizes the unpredictability of the publishing journey, highlighting that even successful authors like Kate may face setbacks and the necessity to cold query again.
Bianca’s Insight:
“You can have huge success like Kate did... but there’s another marathon after that.”
[08:36]
Sharing the Query Letter
Kate reads her original query letter to Carly, showcasing her approach to pitching The Three Lives of Kate K. Her letter effectively blends personal passion with professional credentials, aiming to capture Carly’s attention.
Notable Quote:
“Anonymous is the fictional memoir of Anne Marie Callahan, the 31-year-old writer behind the mysterious pseudonym Kate King...”
[09:19]
This segment provides listeners with a concrete example of how to craft a compelling query letter, integrating comparisons to successful works and clearly outlining the manuscript's premise.
Navigating Agent Responses and Securing Representation
Kate recounts the journey post-query, detailing the responses from Carly's team and her eventual representation by Katie Greenstreet at Paper Literary. She highlights the importance of finding an agent whose values and interests align with her own.
Notable Quote:
“The way she talked about the book very much aligned with how I saw the book... made it clear that Katie at Paper was definitely the way to go.”
[15:49]
Bianca reinforces the significance of chemistry in the agent-author relationship, likening it to a personal connection essential for successful collaboration.
Crafting The Three Lives of Kate K: Structure and Strengths
Kate delves into the ambitious structure of her debut novel, a blend of fiction and memoir that employs multiple points of view and metafictional elements. She explains her initial strategy to leverage her strengths in nonfiction to navigate the challenges of writing fiction.
Notable Quote:
“The structure of this book exists as it does simply because I was trying to write to my strengths... I was like, what if I just structure it as a fake memoir?”
[20:07]
This approach allowed Kate to create a nuanced narrative that explores different perspectives, enhancing the depth and authenticity of her characters.
Overcoming Structural Challenges
Kate discusses the complexities of maintaining distinct voices for multiple narrators within a memoiristic framework. She explains her use of footnotes to provide alternative viewpoints and maintain the integrity of the protagonist's narrative.
Notable Quote:
“We wanted to: This is not a book about unreliable narrators. This is a book about where people are giving you their genuine perspective of things...”
[27:21]
Bianca appreciates the authenticity this structure brings, comparing it to everyday communications where multiple interpretations exist.
Excerpts and Character Development
Bianca reads several excerpts from Kate’s novel, highlighting her ability to create multi-dimensional characters. The excerpts feature Sydney, a lawyer whose perspective provides a contrasting viewpoint to the protagonist.
Notable Quotes:
“Lawyers, we get a bad rap. We're just storytellers...”
[35:40]
“My piano teacher once asked me if I could feel the music... I couldn't understand what she meant.”
[37:11]
These passages exemplify Kate’s skill in crafting distinct voices and revealing character motivations, making her antagonists relatable and complex.
Final Thoughts and Encouragement
As the episode concludes, Bianca and Carly commend Kate’s intricate storytelling and encourage listeners to explore her work for inspiration in their own writing endeavors. They emphasize the importance of leveraging one's strengths and adapting to challenges within the writing and publishing process.
Bianca’s Closing Remarks:
“There is so much, so much to unpack here. I absolutely loved it, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.”
[38:19]
Conclusion
"Playing to Your Strengths as a Writer" offers invaluable insights for emerging writers navigating the complexities of the publishing industry. Through Kate Fagan’s experiences, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the importance of resilience, strategic querying, and embracing one’s unique strengths to craft compelling narratives.
Key Takeaways:
- Persistence in Querying: Success often requires re-querying and resilience in the face of setbacks.
- Finding the Right Agent: Chemistry and shared vision are crucial in forming a productive agent-author partnership.
- Leveraging Strengths: Utilizing one's inherent strengths, such as Kate’s nonfiction background, can enhance creative projects.
- Innovative Storytelling: Experimenting with narrative structures, like fake memoirs and multiple POVs, can add depth and authenticity to storytelling.
For more detailed discussions and further insights, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing.