Podcast Summary: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Episode: "The Job of a Disruption"

Date: December 25, 2025
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, CeCe Lyra

Episode Overview

This episode, released on Christmas Day, features the popular "Books With Hooks" segment, where the hosts read and critique two real query letters and opening pages submitted by aspiring novelists. The main theme revolves around the importance of "disruption" in opening pages—making sure the story hooks readers not only with its premise but with compelling narrative problems, power dynamics, and precise, evocative writing, right from the start. The hosts deliver in-depth feedback, industry insights, and candid advice for writers on how to structure their queries, establish stakes, avoid vague premises, and ensure their fiction stands out in a crowded marketplace.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. First Query: Reality TV Whodunit with Romance

Query Premise

A debut novel pitches itself as "ABC's The Bachelor meets Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile," following Diana, who joins her favorite reality TV dating show only to discover the host is her estranged father. After a murder occurs on the cruise ship set, Diana becomes both suspect and sleuth.

Host Feedback

Comps and Query Structure

• Carly praises the inclusion of word count and comps but feels there are too many and they're not all apt. She urges the writer to stick to "reality TV" comparables and drop Agatha Christie and The Maid, unless the book genuinely reflects those elements.

  "We have a lot of comps going on here... I would keep the Golden Spoon... and find something else that gets at the whodunit." (Carly, 03:15)

Mamma Mia! Comparison

• Carly jokes about a similarity to Mamma Mia! regarding the "missing dad," but CeCe and Bianca clarify differences—namely, the protagonist already knows who her father is.

Clarity and Hook

• Carly finds the murder element buried at the end and too vague, wanting clearer stakes upfront:

  "We need to make sure that this is way more clear what is happening with this dead body." (Carly, 06:05)

• Both agents emphasize the lack of "romance" details if the book is marketed as such.

  "If it can't fit in the query letter, then it's clearly not important to the book. So then why are we calling this a romance?" (Carly, 07:14)

Author Bio

• Carly advises not mentioning editorial interest unless it's from a "Big Five" publisher.

Writing and Voice

• CeCe compliments the atmospheric writing but wants more focus:

  "They're really great atmospheric lines... but they're not adding plot points." (CeCe, 09:03)

• Both want clearer integration of love story and central conflict, ideally interwoven with the murder plot.

Originality and Appeal

• CeCe praises the fresh motivation for entering the reality show and the closed, tension-rich setting.

  "I haven't seen that. That's fresh, that's original... Fun closed setting, forced proximity." (CeCe, 10:17)

Opening Pages Critique

• Carly describes the prologue, with Diana finding a body, as "dramatic" and effective at focusing the lens on performance and reality TV themes.

  "I liked that it kind of grounded us in the concept of performance and reality TV." (Carly, 13:17)

• However, Carly finds the shift from the prologue to a "bland," predictable first chapter jarring—nothing unexpected happens after the initial shock:

  "We have a very dramatic prologue followed by incredibly bland opening pages... nothing surprising is happening." (Carly, 14:56)

• She suggests introducing a problem immediately (e.g., character breaking a heel) to create narrative tension.

• CeCe agrees. She underlines that the "job of disruption" is not just about surprise, but revealing power dynamics and layering tension:

  "If there is no link to power dynamics, there will not be threat, temptation, tension, curiosity." (CeCe, 17:40)

2. Second Query: Literary Horror Set in Alaska

Query Premise

A literary horror novel where a troubled marriage is tested in an isolated Alaskan town that harbors supernatural secrets.

Host Feedback

Structure and Focus

• CeCe immediately notes the query is too "theme-forward" and not "hook-forward":

  "Query letters should be hook forward, not theme forward." (CeCe, 25:13)

• She highlights excess focus on marital status quo and vague supernatural elements; urges more specifics:

  "When I see vagueness in a query letter, my instinct tells me the writer doesn't want to get too specific about the plot points because they don't want spoilers. But remember, everything up to the climax is fair game." (CeCe, 28:29)

Pacing and Specificity

• CeCe and Carly both find it confusing how the couple ends up at the mysterious town, feeling the scene transitions are abrupt and ungrounded.
• Carly writes a model hook on the fly, emphasizing why the specifics matter:

  "You need to rewrite this hook... I don't actually know what is sinister about this town." (Carly, 30:54)

• Both are frustrated by the lack of detail about what actually threatens the couple, making it hard to pitch or be intrigued.

Character Depth and Stakes

• Carly points out the query is too focused on the protagonist's feelings about his marriage and the town, instead of concrete events or threats.

  "There is so much ambivalence in this query letter." (Carly, 33:02)

• Both agents want to know what's actually at stake beyond broad "menace."

Opening Pages Critique

• CeCe recaps: The couple hikes in Alaska, argue over pace and navigation, and consider camping overnight.
• Both hosts note the "conflict" is underwhelming—more a bland marital tiff than real tension or threat.

CeCe’s Micro and Macro Impressions

• She takes issue with repetitive references to the wife's "non-traditional beauty":

  "This man won't stop talking about how his wife isn't traditionally beautiful. Like, twice in two pages... It makes me go, ugh, I hate this character. Like, shut up about your wife's non traditional beauty. Go look in the mirror." (CeCe, 36:19)

• CeCe calls for more depth and psychological insight to match the literary horror promise, wanting memorable backstory, hints of past drama, or tension layered into the present moment.

Carly’s Critique

• Carly diagnoses "blank page syndrome": the sense that the characters didn't exist before this scene, lacking lived-in history or marriage detail.

  "I actually don't believe that these characters existed before this moment... I was really missing a shared history." (Carly, 42:03)

• She suggests adding flashes of backstory, specifics about prior fights or hiking mishaps, and tying any disruption to the supernatural/horror element to create engagement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Query Writing:

  "You need your query letter to really convey a specific fear. Or it's going to just be like, okay, well, what's special about this scary town? And I don't know what that is." (CeCe, 29:59)

• On Opening Pages:

  "When your prologue is juicy, that just means your chapter one has to be just as juicy, if not more. You don't get a pass because of the prologue. No, no." (CeCe, 17:53)

• On Holding Back in Queries:

  "Nobody's doing themselves justice by holding back the juiciness. You have to tell us what's happening in your book, because if you don't, then we won't request it." (Carly, 31:09)

• On Characterization:

  "If you're married to somebody for a long time, their face is just their face… I just feel like these guys are newlyweds, and so I'm like, what are these guys fighting about if they're newly married and they don't have the depth of backstory together." (Carly, 42:24)

• On Books With Hooks Segment:

  "The job of the disruption is not just to catch the protagonist off guard. The job is to then reveal layers of power dynamics." (CeCe, 17:33)

• Classic CeCe Rant:

  "All of life is projection. That is what every human being does all day long." (CeCe, 36:54)

• A Memorable Exchange:

  CeCe: "I love frustrated Carly. It's the best Carly. It doesn't happen very often, and when she's frustrated, she's hilarious." (CeCe, 34:01)

Important Timestamps

• Query 1 Reading & Discussion: 01:00–19:12

  • Query read: 01:00–03:09
  • Feedback on comps and clarity: 03:09–08:05
  • CeCe discusses atmospheric writing: 08:09–10:59
  • Opening pages summary & critique: 11:04–15:51
  • On effective disruptions: 15:57–19:12

• Query 2 Reading & Discussion: 22:40–45:16

  • Query read: 22:40–25:09
  • CeCe's feedback: 25:13–30:17
  • Carly's feedback & hook example: 30:21–34:01
  • Opening pages summary: 34:34–35:37
  • Critique on depth and blank-page syndrome: 35:43–45:16

Takeaways for Writers

• Be Clear and Specific in your queries about genre, conflict, and stakes. Agents can't get excited without a compelling hook and real plot events.

• Make Your Opening Pages Juicy. If you begin with a dramatic prologue, chapter one must maintain or heighten the tension, not let it fizzle out.

• Show Depth in Characterization. Characters should feel lived-in, with a palpable history, especially when marital or relational drama is key.

• Integrate Disruption and Power Dynamics. Effective disruptions in early pages reveal social and personal conflict, power shifts, or stakes—not just surprise.

• Embrace Vulnerability in Pitches. Don’t hold back the “juicy” details for fear of spoilers. Agents need specifics to gauge interest.

Episode Tone and Language

Lively, supportive, and at times sassy, the hosts engage with empathy and humor—even as they deliver sometimes hard-hitting critiques. Their candor about query pitfalls and the realities of publishing makes the advice approachable and memorable.

For more writing insights and critique submissions, check out future episodes or visit the podcast’s website.