What are the building blocks of a heist? Caitlin Schneiderhan chats with Caitlin (two of us! Correct spelling and everything!) to chat about her debut book Medici Heist and how she went about planning it.

Caitlin Schneiderhan is a genre-loving writer on the hit Netflix show STRANGER THINGS. Originally hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland, Caitlin hatched from a cocoon of Terry Pratchett novels when she was 13. She spent her teenage years scribbling stories during class instead of paying attention (you can’t prove she wasn’t just taking notes). Eventually, she decided to chase that storytelling bug all the way out to sunny Los Angeles, where she spent a few years scribbling scripts at assistant jobs instead of paying attention (you can’t prove she wasn’t just taking notes). She has been named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch, and has projects in development with multiple production companies around Hollywood.

 

More about Medici Heist:

A sharp-witted teenage thief leads a team of skilled misfits in a dangerous and daring heist for fortune, freedom and revenge against a corrupt Pope in Renaissance Italy in Caitlin Schneiderhan's clever YA debut, Medici Heist. Welcome to Florence, 1517, a world of intrigue and opulence, murder and betrayal. Seventeen-year-old conwoman Rosa Cellini arrives in the city the same day that the Medici Pope, Leo X, returns to take up the reins of power. This is not a coincidence. The new Pope is extorting a mountain of indulgence money from the people of Florence to bolster his power and standing, and Rosa has a plan to take it back. To pull off the Renaissance’s greatest robbery, she’ll recruit a team of specially-chosen, highly-skilled misfits: Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise. To top it all off, and to smooth their entrance into the fortress-like Palazzo Medici, Rosa even enlists the reluctant help of the famed artist Michelangelo. But as the authorities draw closer and the Medici’s noose pulls tighter around the land, old secrets resurface and tensions in the group start to flare. What began as a robbery could be the key to saving the city itself—if Rosa and company don’t destroy each other first.

Tricia Levenseller joins Caitlin to talk about how she plots romance, including a fun twist on Dan Wells' Seven Point Plot structure specifically for romance. (Here's Dan's original presentation, which is worth a watch and an easy-to-use template of the non-romance version)

Tricia is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eight YA romantasies, including the Daughter of the Pirate King duology and The Shadows between Us. Her books have been translated into twenty languages and counting.

Tricia grew up in Oregon, where she spent her childhood climbing trees and playing make believe. She now lives in Utah with her bossy dog, Rosy, where she writes full time. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing video games, and finding tasty restaurants to frequent.

The Darkness within Us is a companion novel to The Shadows between Us. It can be read without reading the first book, but you probably will enjoy it more if you read The Shadows between Us first.

Chrysantha Stathos has won.

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha’s lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face. Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers . . . No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

Kristen, Caitlin, and Aliah chat about what goes into the middle of a book.

Nicki Pau Preto, author of Crown of Feathers shares the query that got her an agent along with thoughts from her agent about why it worked.

Nicki Pau Preto lives just outside Toronto, Canada. After getting a degree in visual arts, a masters in art history, and a diploma in graphic design, Nicki discovered two things: she loves to escape the real world, and she isn’t interested in a regular 9-5 life. Luckily, her chosen career covers both. She is represented by Penny Moore at Aevitis Creative Managment.

Livia Blackburne joins the Lit Service crew to discuss beta readers, who you should ask, and, most importantly, how to politely follow up with them. They also critique a bit of fantasy involving elven warriors, magic, and myths. 

As it turns out, writing contemporary novels requires just as much worldbuilding as writing fantasy! Kate Watson and the Lit Service crew discuss the process of researching the real world for your writing.

Caitlin, Cameron, and Kristen discuss the Horcrux Principle (closely related to the objective correlative) with Lisa Mangum. Enjoy fun jokes, references, and a little Regency romance!

People like characters who move, who make decisions, who want things. Caitlin, Cameron, and Kristen discuss how to make this happen on the page.

Books and media we talk about:

Harry Potter

The Hunger Games​

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Great Gatsby

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

If you'd like a first chapter critique from the podcast, please check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

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Charlie Holmberg reads the query that got her an agent (and some feedback from her agent about why it worked!)

Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie N. Holmberg was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and finally adopted a dog. Her fantasy Paper Magician series, which includes The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician, and The Master Magician, has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Her stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance, and her novel The Fifth Doll won the 2018 Whitney for Speculative Fiction. She is a board member for Deep Magic Ezine and lives with her family in Utah.

Charlie is represented by Marlene Stringer of the Stringer Literary Agency.

 This week we talk to Nicki Pau Preto about how she approaches world building and how to keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed and also how to create a lush secondary world.

Nicki Pau Preto is the author of Crown of Feathers. She lives just outside Toronto, Canada. After getting a degree in visual arts, a masters in art history, and a diploma in graphic design, Nicki discovered two things: she loves to escape the real world, and she isn’t interested in a regular 9-5 life. Luckily, her chosen career covers both.

Some books and media we talk about in this episode:

Books and Media: Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto  Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien  The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

If you'd like a first chapter critique from the team, follow our social media or check our website to see who will be coming on the show to critique with us and when we're open for submissions.

Caitlin and Cameron chat with Ben Grange from the L. Perkins agency and Amy Jameson from A+B Works about how to craft the perfect query.

Bonus episode! Listen to our our fabulous guests at FanX (Charlie Holmberg and Brian Lee Durfee) answer questions from the audience.

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author, whose debut series, The Paper Magician, has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Her stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance, and her novel The Fifth Doll won the 2018 Whitney award for Speculative Fiction. She is a board member for Deep Magic Ezine. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.

Brian Lee Durfee is an artist and writer raised in Fairbanks Alaska and Monroe Utah. He has done illustrations for Wizards of the Coast, Tolkien Enterprises, Dungeons & Dragons, Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust (Denali National Park) and many more. His art has been featured in SPECTRUM: Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art #3 and Writers of the Future Vol 9. He won the Arts for the Parks Grand Canyon Award and has a painting in the permanent collection of the Grand Canyon Visitors Center-Kolb Gallery. Brian is the author of the fantasy series Five Warrior Angels. He lives in Salt Lake City. 

Have you started a novel you've never finished? Wanted to write a novel and never started? Award winning authors Charlie Holmberg and Brian Lee Durfee join us to talk about their first novels and share tips and strategies for actually finishing. 

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author, whose debut series, The Paper Magician, has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Her stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance, and her novel The Fifth Doll won the 2018 Whitney award for Speculative Fiction. She is a board member for Deep Magic Ezine. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.

Brian Lee Durfee is an artist and writer raised in Fairbanks Alaska and Monroe Utah. He has done illustrations for Wizards of the Coast, Tolkien Enterprises, Dungeons & Dragons, Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust (Denali National Park) and many more. His art has been featured in SPECTRUM: Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art #3 and Writers of the Future Vol 9. He won the Arts for the Parks Grand Canyon Award and has a painting in the permanent collection of the Grand Canyon Visitors Center-Kolb Gallery. Brian is the author of the fantasy series Five Warrior Angels. He lives in Salt Lake City. 

 

Books and media we talk about:

The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg

The Forgetting Moon by Brian Lee Durfee

A Night of Blacker Darkness by Dan Wells

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

Safehold by David Weber

We all hit moments where a shiny new project suddenly feels more like work. Aliah, Caitlin, and Kristen discuss strategies that allow the slog to become a little easier.

You have your fabulous main character, their deliciously dark past, their wealth of relationships, habits, memories, and everything else that makes them who they are-- and then you have to write the first chapter. What can you put in, what should you leave out, and how do you make it interesting? Listen in as we discuss how to best drop your back story in a way that is natural and interesting.

Some books and media we talk about:

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

The Last Jedi (movie)

Animorphs (series) by H. A. Applegate

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Isabel: Taking Wing by Annie Dalton

Powerful themes and well-explored issues often make the difference between a good story and a great one. However, many writers struggle to find the balance between exploring issues and sounding "preachy". In this episode, Emily R. King talks with us about how to help our writing have a heart.

Emily R. King is a reader of everything and a writer of fantasy. Born in Canada and raised in the USA, she has perfected the use of “eh” and “y’all” and uses both interchangeably. Shark advocate, consumer of gummy bears, and islander at heart, Emily’s greatest interests are her four children. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and an active participant in her local writers’ community. She lives in Northern Utah with her family and their cantankerous cat.

Books and media we talk about:

The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King

Before the Broken Star by Emily R. King

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

 

Tricia Levenseller is the author of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology and standalone Warrior of the Wild. She likes to describe her books as young adult alternate–world historical fantasies with heavy romantic subplots.

One thing that a lot of new writers struggle with is writing a good fight scene that moves quickly and makes sense. In this episode, Tricia Levenseller breaks things down to give us ideas on what to pay attention to and how to make our fight scenes have an extra dash of awesome.  

Some things we mention on the podcast:

Star Wars (movie series)

The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Zombies Run (Mobile App)

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

The Swan Princess (Movie)

The Harry Potter Series

 

If you want to read the text of this week's submission, check out our website at https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/ 

Kelly Barnhill received the Newbery Medal in 2017, won the World Fantasy Award, the Parents Choice Gold Award as well as many other honors. She is a New York Times bestseller, and the author of THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, THE WITCHES BOY, IRON HEARTED VIOLET, and THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK as well as the novella, “The Unlicensed Magician”.

In this episode, we chat about using misunderstandings between characters as a plot point that rings true rather than frustrating readers.

 

Check out the text of the submission we critique on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation 

We're back with an all new season of Lit Service!

Announcement!! We are going to be doing live shows at the Life the Universe and Everything Symposium in Provo, Utah, Saturday February 16th. If you haven't been to a writing conference yet (and you really should go...) this is a relatively inexpensive one, espeically if you are a student. We'd love to meet up and see you at our show!

The last time we tried to talk about writing a good villain on the podcast, we got distracted and talked about the difference between antagonists and villians instead. This time, we really get into what makes villains interesting, how to incorporate those things into your work, and whether or not we need our villains to be interesting at all.

Some things we mention: 

 

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Kim Possible

If you'd like a first chapter critique from the podcasters, check our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

You can find out more about the podcaster, see the submissions we critique with all our notes, and listen or watch the video feed of the podcast on the same site.

Thanks for listening!

For our final episode of the season we chat with Dan Wells about how to incorporate horror elements into our work. Because Dan is really smart, we let this one go a little long.

Some of the things we mention:

Zero G by Dan Wells (available for free on audible for the month of December!! https://www.audible.com/pd/Zero-G-Audiobook/B07K4VYQ5X)

Holly Black's collective work

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

Sand Kings by George RR Martin

Steven Spielberg's Jaws

 

If you'd like to look at the chapter critiqued during this episode, the text with our notes is available on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

 

If you'd like a first chapter critique, our submissions will open again in January! Keep an eye out for guest announcements!

Ben mentioned during the podcast that this is one of the most important topics for newer writers to learn about. #1 NYT bestseller Kathryn Purdie joins Ben, Caitlin Sangster, Aliah Eberting, Kristen Evans, and Cameron Harris to talk about what it means to put your characters in a crucible in order to increase tension in a story and how to go about doing it.

Some books and movies we mention:

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

The Office (TV series)

Star Wars

Dr. Who season 4 episode 10 "Midnight"

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Avatar: the Last Airbender

 

Thanks for listening, and please remember that if you'd like to read the submission (along with our notes) we critiqued in this episode, you can find it on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-19

If you'd like a first chapter critique, you can find the guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

Remember to follow us on social media and to leave us ratings, likes, and comments because it helps others to find the show. And makes us love you more :)

 

Literary agent Ben Grange joins the Lit Service crew to chat about how to approach writing original characters.

Some things we mention:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Scarlet Pimpernell by Baroness Orczy

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

If you'd like to see the text of the submission we critique, you can find it on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like a first chapter critique, check out our submission guidelines!

Thanks for listening!

The Lit Service Crew chats with Literary Agent Ben Grange about what goes into a fabulous first chapter and how to approach getting yours into that fabulous category, red flags and things that make Ben pass over people in his query slushpile, and some of our own favorite first chapters.

Some of the things we mention in this episode:

5 Writing Tips: Barbara Kingsolver 

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/78305-5-writing-tips-barbara-kingsolver.html

Author Mentor Match http://authormentormatch.com/

Holes by Louis Sachar

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

If you'd like to see the submission we critique in this episode along with all of our notes, you can find it here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Please subscribe so you can automatically get dodgy writing advice every two weeks and keep up on who our guests will be so you can submit your work! We love comments and reviews, they help others find the show! Thanks for listening!

The Lit Service Crew chats with Karen M. McManus, author of NYT Bestselling One of Us is Lying, about the rise of the YA thriller and the elements that go into writing a good thriller (and thriller elements that you can apply to any other genre you write.)

Some of the books and other media we mention: 

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Sadie by Courtney Summers

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

 

I mentioned Serial the podcast (which, if you haven't listened to, go do it!) It's YA true crime, if that's a thing.

 

If you want to look at the submission we critique along with our notes, you can check it out on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like to submit a first chapter for critique, you can find submission guidelines on the same website.

 

Thanks for listening, please don't forget to like, subscribe, leave comments and reviews!

 

Aliah, Caitlin, and Kristen discuss how to keep writing when the ideas aren't coming.

This week the Lit Service crew chats with literary agent Ben Grange about brainstorming techniques.

Some things we mention:

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

 

Struck By Lightning https://beta.prx.org/stories/176346-struck-by-lightning

 

Cameron's writing deadline game https://4thewords.com/

 

Fear and Writing, with Emma Newman from the Writing Excuses Podcast https://writingexcuses.com/2018/05/20/13-20-fear-and-writing-with-emma-newman/

 

If you'd like to see the text of the first chapter we critique, you can find it on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Submission guidelines can also be found there, as well as a place to find other authors in search of a writing group :)

 

Thanks for listening!

The Lit Service crew chats about subplots, what they are, how to use them, and when you don't need them. Some of the books and movies we talk about are:

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Jurassic Park, the movie based on the book by Michael Crighton

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Solo the movie

Infinity War movie

Chuck the TV series

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

 

If you'd like to see the first chapter we critique with our notes, you can find it here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Want a first chapter from the podcasters and our guests? You can find submission guidelines on our website. Soon we'll have a schedule up for the Fall so you'll know who is coming on when.

 

Thanks for listening, please don't forget to comment, like, subscribe, and write reviews!

This week we chat with Rosalyn Eves about rhetorical devices and how to go about learning and using them (and maybe when not to use them). Some of the things we mention in the podcast worth checking out:

Soundbite from Ira Glass on "The Gap" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbC4gqZGPSY&ab_channel=Getoutthebox1

Slyva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric, provided by Dr. Gideon Burton. A list of rhetorical devices with examples: http://rhetoric.byu.edu/

We also mentioned Austenland by Shannon Hale

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Thank You For Arguing by Jay Heinrichs

 

If you'd like a first chapter critique from the crew, you can find submission guidelines on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

You can find the text of the first chapter we critique during the episode here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-13

 

Please remember to give us ratings and reviews! It helps others to find the show. Thanks for listening!!

Ben Grange and the Lit Service Crew chat about what it means to "hang lanterns" in your writing, and how to go about doing it.

Some books we mention: The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater

The Office (the TV show)

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Belles by Dhionelle Clayton

Moby Dick by Herman Mellville

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Our first chapter critique is about a boy named Cole who is a guardian angel. The text for this submission (including in-line notes by Caitlin and Ben, as well as general notes at the end) can be found here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-12

If you would like a first chapter critique, please refer to our submission guidelines.

Please remember to like, subscribe, comment, and share the podcast so others can find the show!

 

Caitlin chats with Charlie Holmberg (who is published through Amazon's traditional publishing arm, 47 North as well as indie published), Jolene Perry (who has worked with Simon Pulse, Albert Whitman Teen, Entangled, Cedar Fort, as well as indie publishing), and Abel Keogh (Cedar Fort and indie published) about the differences between working with a big publisher, small publisher, and doing it yourself.

Charlie's book that we keep mentioning that just came out is called Veins of Gold, and if you would like to see the beautiful cover, please refer to the video feed on YouTube :)

If you want to know more about Charlie, Jolene, and Abel, you can find out more here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-11

The submission we discuss is also available at the above website if you'd like to see the text.

If you'd like a first chapter critique, check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

Ben Grange from L. Perkins agency joins the Caitlin, Cameron, and Aliah to discuss some things that authors ought to research and think about before they begin querying agents, including awareness of genre, researching agents, word count, titles, and submission guidelines.

This episode is pretty heavy on the agent-businessy side of things. Don't feel like you have to bend over backwards and cut your work to shreds just to meet publishing norms--agents and editors don't want projects that are exactly like everything has come before. These are just some things to think about that will give you the best chance you have to get agent attention.

If you'd like a first chapter critique from us, check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

Please remember to like, subscribe, and share! Thanks for listening!

Guest Caitlyn McFarland shares her tips and tricks to making the romance in your writing crackle. There are several methods she uses that help authors to avoid romances that start too quickly, escalate too quicly, and allow things to flow naturally.

Check out the submission we critique here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like a first chapter critique, you can find out submission info on the same website.

The Lit Service crew chats with Emily Suvada about science, technology, engineering, and math, it's importance in literature and how to write it through research, creating believable characters and craft.

Be sure to check out the submission on our website: litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

That's also where you can find info on how to get a first chapter critique from us.

Some of the books we highlight in this episode:

Jurrasic Park by Michael Crichton

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

Cinder by Marrisa Meyer

The Martian by Andy Weir

Back to the Future (which is not a book, but is a good example of using fake science in a good way)

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

Star Wars, as usual.

Literary Agent Ben Grange joins the podcast to tell us why plot twists will make or break your book...but not for every genre. We discuss how to go about setting up plot twists and some ideas as to why the do or don't work for readers.

In this episode we discuss

10 Cloverfield Lane (AGAIN. Anyone see number three?)

The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

The Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty

ALL THE M. NIGHT SHAMALAN

And briefly mention A Quiet Place and Arrival.

 

If you want to submit your first chapter for a critique, come check out our website: litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like to see the video feed from this episode, you can find it here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAwCuuXgxfAfIlSFCSNyOA?view_as=subscriber?&ab_channel=LitService

Aliah, Cameron, Caitlin, and Kristen discuss what is most important at the beginning of a book and how to go about approaching it in your own stories.

 

Don't forget to check out our special edition books we've done for past guests!

This week Kristen, Caitlin, and Cameron talk about rising tension and how to use it in your writing and announce our special publishing industry professional guest for April. Some books we mention: 

Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Out of the Dust by Karen Hess

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Also, we talk about the movie While You Were Sleeping

Check out our youtube channel if you want to watch this episode (or...the first half of it, anyway, we're still new to youtube): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAwCuuXgxfAfIlSFCSNyOA?view_as=subscriber?&ab_channel=LitService

Also, if you are interested in submitting your work for us to critique, come check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

 

Erin, Caitlin, Cameron, and Kristen chat about how character and plot fit together, and how, as you are engineering your character, to choose flaws and strengths that suit the sort of plot you want to write. Erin talks about the emotional core of a book and how oftentimes conflict is internal rather than external.

 

Please check out the submission we critque here: litservice.wixsite.com/podcast

If you want to submit your first chapter for us to critique, check out the submission guidelines on our website!

Remember to listen in two weeks to find out who we are having as a guest for the month of April!

In which Caitlin, Kristen, and Cameron examine the correct pronunciation of the words "latrine" and "Yosemite". We also talk about our own writing habits and how to cultivate the consistent sort of habits both with writing and editing.

Please come visit us on Twitter https://twitter.com/LitService, facebook https://www.facebook.com/LitServicePodcast/ or on instagram https://www.instagram.com/litservicepodcast/

Come visit our fledgling forum, talk about writing, publishing, look for potential critique partners and generally have a good time! https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/forum

If you want to check out the actual text from the chapter we critiqued in this episode with our notes and everything, you can find it on our website. This is also the place you can find our submission guidelines: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

 

Thanks for listening, and we hope you'll join us for our special guest next week!

The Lit Service crew chats about what makes a compelling antagonist or villain with Simon Pulse assistant editor Sarah McCabe.

We highlight some of our favorite examples of antagonists such as Mayor Prentiss from Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness, Jackal and Cassius from Red Rising by Pierce Brown, as well as the choices main characters are forced to make as a result of their interactions with these antagonists.

If you'd like to check out the text of the submission critiqued during the show, it can be found on our website, https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Are you querying author in need of a critique? You can find our submission guidlines on our website.

Don't forget to check out the forum if you want to chat about writing or find a critique partner who likes our Sandersonian rules about what is and is not helpful feedback. You can also talk to us and other querying authors on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In this episode we talk about some changes to the podcast. We have a new website: litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation where you can find our shiny new forum, a place you can chat about your own work and find craft-savvy querying authors like yourself with whom to form writing groups.

We also announce that in two weeks we'll have special guest Sarah McCabe, an editor at Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse. If you'd like a chance to have her give your first chapter a gander, check out the submission guidlines on our website!

Please follow us @litnation on Twitter, and @litnationpodcast on Instagram and facebook to see more from us and join the new community forming around the Lit Service podcast.

This week we talk about Young Adult and Middle Grade and how they differ.

Inciting incidents: what they are and how to effectively choose one. Kristen, Cameron, and Caitlin discuss their own writerly inciting incidents (how they started writing) and then talk about they ways inciting incidents affect the rest of the story, specifically using examples from RED RISING by Pierce Brown, THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas, ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr, ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman and Jay Krisoff, LAST STAR BURNING by Caitlin Sangster, and JURASSIC PARK the old and fabulous movie that Cameron has been fixated on for a few episodes now :)

If you'd like to submit your work to be critiqued by the Literary WIP team . . . hold your horses. This is the last episode of the season, and we're going to be changing some things next year. Please stay tuned for announcments about how and when to submit. We're really excited about next season and can't wait to share!

The submission featured in today's podcast (as well as tons of other writing tips and writing advice to help polish your first chapter so it's beautiful and sparkly enough to catch agent attention) can be found on our website: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

Peace out, happy holidays, and good luck in the trenches!

Romantic Subplots! The best AND the worst! How do you keep your romantic subplot from feeling like...a plot point? We talk about building relationships in books and how to help your characters come together instead of shoving them together.

We talk exhaustively about the relationships in Maggie Steifvater's THE RAVEN BOYS, Leigh Bardugo's THE SIX OF CROWS, THE WINNER'S CRIME, by Marie Rutkoski, Stranger Things, Firefly and lots of other awesome books and TV shows.

For this week's submission or to submit your own work to be critiqued, check out our website: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

To learn more about our guest, visit her website: http://www.erinbeaty.com/

Want to know where your book fits on a bookshelf? We do too, and so do the agents and editors reviewing your query letters. With guest Kate Watson, we chat about why it's important to know where you fit into your genre and how it can help your writing.

You can find out more about Kate Watson and her books here: http://www.katewatsonbooks.com/

If you're interested in Blake Snyder's Save the Cat beat sheets, you can find them here: http://www.savethecat.com/beat-sheets-alpha

If you'd like to see Jami Gold's beat sheets adapted for different genres, they're here: https://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/

 

Want to see today's submission? It's on our website: https://literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

If you'd like us to review your first chapter, check out our submission guidlines on the website.

Enjoy today's episode? Leave us a rating in comment in iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Thanks!

With special guest Mckelle George, the Literary WIP team talks about how to make a story move forward by establishing stakes and motivation.

We had some technical difficulties on the recording for this week...so, sorry in advance.

You can check out this week's submission or submit your own work to be critiqued on our website: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

Caitlin and Cameron talk tropes with Emily R. King, author of THE HUNDREDTH QUEEN and Karen M. McManus, author of ONE OF US IS LYING.

 

This is our first submission which has officially SURVIVED THE QUERY PROCESS. If you'd like to follow the author's journey now that she's agented, you can follow her on Twitter here: @CassaCassaCassa or check out her website: https://ginger-and-sage.org/

 

If you'd like to submit your first chapter for some advice on how to attract agent attention, you can check out our submission guidelines here: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

Caitlin, Cameron, Kristen, and Aliah chat about how to begin writing and how to overcome some of the difficulties writers struggle with when starting a project.

 

Don't forget to check out our special editions!

The Literary WIP crew discusses our own approaches to world building during the planning process as well as thoughts on how to keep things consistent and thought out if you are a discovery writer.

You can see the submission featured in this podcast or submit your own work to be critiqued here: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

Caitlin is up to no good, Cameron works too hard, Kristen makes a mean sweet potato fry and Tracey will not fold laundry for a kingdom. Tracey Neithercott joins the Literary WIP team to discuss what it means to make promises in your first chapters and how to make sure you're making the right ones.

If you want to look at the submission from today, you can find it here: https://literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast/episode-8

If you'd like to submit your work, you'll find guidlines on the Literary WIP website: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast

Find out much more about Cameron Harris than he wants you to know! Caitlin, Kristen, Dan, and Cameron chat about what concrete details are and why they're important. We then critique a submission about a boy who has a little trouble with hallucinations.

If you'd like to submit your work for a critique, check out our website: literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast