About this episode
In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe critique three query letters during which they discuss the 'hook, book, cook' method; the importance of layering emotionality and depth; writing a narrator that starts as a child and becomes an adult; and the line between emphasis when writing, and not being confident in what you're writing. They also critique a query that was previously submitted to the podcast and discuss the changes that the author made. After which, Bianca chats with Heather Dixon about her debut novel, Burlington . They discuss the various paths to publication; Heather’s querying process; how she found her indie publisher; pitching your book in a 3-line social media pitch event; the query letter that got her requests for fulls; incorporating the personal universal element; beta reader feedback and revisions; the intentionality behind POV choice; the emotional rollercoaster of debuting; managing contracts without an agent; and her advice for writers currently in the query trenches. Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com , www.biancamarais.com , www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting More information about Heather can be found at www.ramonaausubel.com . She's on Twitter @hdixonwriter and Instagram @heatherdixonwriter . Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands