Podcast Summary: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Episode Title: Shooting the Shit Live From LA! About Page to Screen and NaNoWriMo
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, and CeCe Lyra
Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively, advice-packed episode is a live “Shooting the Shit” session with literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra. Fresh from their respective book industry events in LA and Ottawa, Carly and CeCe trade travel stories, then dive deep into the current state of page-to-screen adaptation trends, with a focus on what Hollywood is hungry for. The conversation also spotlights empowering advice for writers tackling NaNoWriMo, balancing artistic vision with market demands, and navigating the ever-daunting process of querying agents.

Main Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. Tales from the Road: Bookish Travel Misadventures

(04:18 – 15:17)

CeCe regales listeners with a rom-com-worthy odyssey trying to reach a book launch in Ottawa, ending with a clever use of books as bartering currency:

• Flight cancellations, nail anxiety, and book bargaining: CeCe’s flight woes are compounded by her anxiety over her grown-out gel nails and the assumption that the airport agent is judging her – when in fact, the woman is eyeing CeCe’s book (“You, Your Husband, and His Mother” by Dr. Tracy Dalglish).
• Key Quote:
  • “So I open up my book, I show my author photo, and I go, you don’t want to disappoint this person. ...Bribe people with books. This is the moral of the story. It works.” – CeCe (08:44)
• Travel tips for literati: Books can open doors—and sometimes gates—if you know when to offer them.

Carly jumps in with her own publishing-world travel tale:

• LA car rental woes: Early in her career, Carly rented a bright green Ford Fiesta (with crank windows!) for agency meetings in LA, a sharp contrast to the luxury vehicles around her. This time, she gets upgraded to an oversized Mercedes SUV.
• Funny Moment:
  • “I felt kind of like I was a bit of a clown car...The valet comes up to me and he’s like, ‘put down the window.’ I reach over and crank the window down. He was like, oh my God, this is so embarrassing.” – Carly (13:50)

2. Page-to-Screen: What Hollywood Wants Right Now

(15:35 – 25:04)

Current Trends:

• Short Stories in Demand:

  • Both agents report a surge in interest for unpublished short stories as adaptation material. CeCe teases a film/TV panel at their upcoming Deep Dive retreat where execs are “hungry for short stories.”
    • “She says, will they send me short stories? Because I am so hungry for short stories.” – CeCe (16:50)
  • The short story doesn’t even need to be published anymore—simply being compelling and quick to read helps IP make the rounds in Hollywood.

• Shift Toward Masculine Content:

  • Despite traditional publishing being female-focused, film/TV buyers are craving more “uber masculine adaptations”—spy thrillers, “guys with guns solving problems” shows like Sons of Anarchy and Jack Reacher.
    • “What people want are very uber masculine adaptations right now, which is interesting...Push for hyper masculine characters and shows.” – Carly (19:26)
    • CeCe adds: “I’ve heard it being called ‘guys with guns solving problems.’ Like, that’s the genre people want.” (19:57)

• Disconnect Between Book and TV/Film Trends:

  • There’s growing divergence between what’s hot in publishing (“romantasy,” female-driven book club fiction) and what’s hot in TV/film (action, masculine genres).
    • “This is the time where she feels like the book world and the TV/film world are at their most disparate ends.” – Carly (17:55)

• Caution on Adapting Romantasy and Dark Romance:

  • Hollywood is hesitant to green-light major romantasy (romantic fantasy) adaptations until current titles (e.g., Fourth Wing, ACOTAR) prove they work on screen.
  • Dark romance is tricky to translate to visual medium—what’s “imaginative” and internal on the page may be “icky” or too explicit onscreen.

What’s Saturated and What’s Selling:

• Saturation:
  • Domestic suspense and rom-coms are over-represented; projects need to have a unique angle or feel “truly fresh” to break through.
  • “There’s just too many that feel like the same.” – CeCe (23:17)
• In Demand:
  • Legal thrillers, spy/espionage, “big sweeping love stories,” and high-concept, voice-driven book club picks are still of interest.
  • Time travel stories and escapism also remain strong.

3. Writer Q&A – Audience DMs Answered

(29:28 – 47:02)

a. Balancing Vision vs. Market – “How Do I Know If My Book Is ‘Too Much’ for Publishing?”

(29:34 – 36:28)

• Question: Writer wants to write a gritty, intense novel about body image and fatphobia for NaNoWriMo, but fears it might be “too much” for traditional publishing.
• Advice:
  • Carly: “Sometimes when, like, something feels uncomfortable or you’re uncovering something, that’s actually a good thing...In publishing all that matters is eventually you kind of like finding that perfect fit.”
  • CeCe’s Palate Analogy:
    • Writers need to develop a market "palate" the way chefs train their taste buds: “Have you studied the market? Most writers skip this step, and in skipping the step, they shoot themselves in the foot...You balance your vision by being really intentional about studying the market.” (35:25)
  • Read and analyze comp titles to understand where and how boundaries are pushed; originality grows from “a twist,” not from abandoning the market entirely.

b. NaNoWriMo: Is It Really Useful?

(36:28 – 41:36)

• Agents love... and fear NaNoWriMo:
  • Both Carly and CeCe praise NaNoWriMo for encouraging writers to prioritize their craft, make time for writing, and immerse themselves in community.
  • BUT:
    • “You cannot write a fantastic publishable book in a month...Please, dear God, manage your expectations and just, no, don’t have that be the expectations.” – CeCe (37:13)
  • Tips for NaNoWriMo Success:
    • Meal prep or outsource daily chores.
    • Build a buddy system to maintain momentum and accountability.
    • “Claiming that energy, claiming that space for yourself, for your passion, is very important.” – Carly (38:19)

c. When Is the Right Time to Query Agents?

(41:38 – 47:02)

• No “Right” Time – Focus on Readiness:
  • There’s no magic querying deadline or dead zone except when agencies are literally closed.
  • “The best agents know when they see something great...So the timing that works for me as an agent is when I see something great.” – Carly (44:25)
• Batch Processing:
  • Agents check queries in batches, often weekly or when in the right headspace.
  • “It’s kind of like laundry day...I have the worst analogies today.” – CeCe (45:14)
• Focus on preparing the best possible package, and send it when it's truly ready—not when you’re trying to game trends or moods.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CeCe on using books as bribes:
  • “Bribe people with books. This is the moral of the story. Always have a book for bribes.” (08:48)
• Carly on LA car rentals:
  • “So my little bright green Ford Fiesta didn’t have power windows...I reach over and crank my window down. He was like, oh my God, this is so embarrassing.” (13:50)
• CeCe on developing a market ‘palate’:
  • “There’s a difference between having eaten out your whole life as a consumer and eating out your whole life as someone who is studying to become a chef...You balance your vision by being really intentional about studying the market.” (35:25)
• CeCe on NaNoWriMo expectations:
  • “You cannot write a fantastic publishable book in a month...One month is a starting point. Great.” (37:13)
• Carly’s advice on querying:
  • “Now is always the right time when it is ready.” (44:47)
• CeCe on writer anxieties:
  • “Going in with a headset to win versus going in with the headset not to lose are two different things.” (46:36)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Travel and Book Launch Stories: 04:18 – 15:17
• Hollywood Meetings & Adaptation Trends: 15:35 – 25:04
• DMs: Balancing Vision & Market: 29:34 – 36:28
• DMs: NaNoWriMo (Is It Useful?): 36:28 – 41:36
• DMs: Querying Timing: 41:38 – 47:02

Tone & Style

The episode is irreverent, witty, conversational, and packed with practical wisdom. CeCe and Carly keep things relatable with personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes humor, and honest, up-to-date industry insights—offering not only answers but frameworks for writers to think smarter about their paths to publication.

For Emerging Writers

• Stay curious and always study the market—don’t just consume books, dissect them.
• Celebrate progress but manage expectations (especially with NaNoWriMo).
• Don’t agonize over querying windows; focus on making your manuscript irresistible.
• Bonus: Always have a signed book handy for emergencies.