About this episode
In this episode of Books with Hooks, literary agents Carly and CeCe get nit-picky with an almost ‘Pitch Perfect’ query submission. They offer insider tips on how this particular query grabbed their attention from the very first line. They dish on what makes a query irresistible, why killer opening pages matter, and how to nail tension and character depth—especially in the thriller genre. Whether you're drafting your first pitch or polishing your tenth, this episode is packed with must-know advice to level up your submission game. Note: Cece Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency. Find us on our socials: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent 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 To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com Sign up for CeCe’s Fall Course: Writing Tension Creating Tension, Conflict and Stakes in a Story 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