arts
arts · EN-US · 457 episodes
This is a podcast for emerging writers who want to improve the quality of their work and learn more about the publishing industry. Your one host, Bianca Marais (the bestselling author of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor') interviews authors, agents, editors and just about anyone and everyone who's involved in bringing a book to market. She's joined by her cohosts, literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency, who read and critique query letters as well as opening pages in their Books with Hooks segment. Expect good advice, honest insights, and a few laughs along the way.
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Contact path
Public web form
Booking probability
37%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchThis is a podcast for emerging writers who want to improve the quality of their work and learn more about the publishing industry. Your one host, Bianca Marais (the bestselling author of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor') interviews authors, agents, editors and just about anyone and everyone who's involved in bringing a book to market.
Recent episodes include "Shooting The Shit About Author/AI Pain Points With NYT bestseller Andrea Bartz" (15 June 2026, 43 minutes), "Writing Dialogue That Carries the Entire Scene and How Voice Can Make or Break Your Novel" (11 June 2026, 56 minutes), and "Shooting the Shit About Agent Financial Details, Imprint Mergers and Risks of a Top Heavy Industry" (8 June 2026, 35 minutes).
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing publishes roughly a few times a week, with episodes averaging 48 minutes across 457 episodes.
Booking probability for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing is 37%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing requires a Pod Score of 88 or higher. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing's contact route on record: public web form.
The strongest fits for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing are News, Magazine & Book Publishing. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing has an arts audience and around 2,800 subscribers on YouTube.
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing is an arts show with 457 episodes published.
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this special episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe are joined by bestselling thriller author and journalist Andrea Bartz for a wide-ranging conversation about publishing, AI, and the current state of the...
Episode #6
<p>In part one of this week’s double author interview, Carly Watters sits down with debut author Lara Stokes to discuss her novel ‘Midsummer Nights’ — a contemporary, theater-filled spin on William Shakespeare’s ‘A...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this week’s episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe chat about the ever-expanding role of literary agents—from event support and career coaching to navigating emerging challenges like AI, fact-checking, and...
Episode #5
<p>In this milestone 225th Books with Hooks segment , Bianca, Carly and CeCe break down two wildly different submissions to dissect what’s working (and what’s not). First up is a high-concept Western horror with...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this week’s Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe tackle some of the biggest conversations shaping publishing right now. They discuss the recent consolidation of Simon & Schuster and what fewer submission...
Episode #4
<p>Landing a book deal isn’t about one manuscript—it’s about persistence, growth, and strategy. In this week’s author interview, Emma White shares how writing three novels, facing nearly 90 rejections, and refining her...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In part one of this month’s May Bonus episode, Steven Rowley joins Bianca Marais to discuss his latest novel and return to magical realism. Together, they explore identity, grief, reinvention, and the emotional truth...
Episode #3
<p>This week on Books with Hooks, Carly, Bianca and CeCe dive into a satirical body horror query with a killer premise: an aspiring influencer’s transformation takes a dark—and literal—turn. CeCe highlights the strong...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe dive into the rise of publishing scams targeting hopeful writers, sharing major red flags to watch for and why scammers are preying on authors’ dreams. They also...
Episode #2
<p>Debut author Alessandra Ranelli joins the show to share the wild, real-life story behind Murder at the Hotel Orient — from a disastrous week that sparked the idea, to turning a legendary Vienna love hotel into the...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe dive into the power of “fit” in publishing — from finding the right agent-author relationship to understanding how passion, advocacy, and instinct shape a literary...
Episode #1
<p>On this week’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe talk about TWO standout queries hit the table this week—and the bar is high. One delivers a polished, compelling YA pitch with strong writing and commercial appeal, but...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>In this week’s episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe dive into a viral story about ChatGPT allegedly derailing a $50M deal and unpack what it means for writers relying on AI—warning that outsourcing your...
Episode #10
<p>In part one of this week’s triple author interview, literary agent Carly Watters sits down with Mai Nguyen to discuss her deeply personal novel ‘Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead’. Mai shares the heartbreaking real-life...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>Debut author Canwen Xu joins Bianca to talk about ‘Boring Asian Female’—the dark, addictive novel that began as women’s fiction and evolved into a razor-sharp psychological thriller. They discuss, turning personal...
Episode #9
<p>This week on Books with Hooks, Bianca CeCe and Carly unpack what makes a query actually work—and where things quietly fall apart. From a gripping friends-to-lovers premise with a dark past to a stranded-on-an-island...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>What do literary agents actually do all day—and what does that mean for you as a writer? This episode pulls back the curtain on the reality: constant code-switching, shifting priorities, and a job driven by urgency...
Episode #8
<p>Debut author Miranda Shulman joins literary agent CeCe Lyra to talk about turning a childhood dream into her literary suspense novel ‘Harmless’—and why the stories we tell ourselves about adulthood don’t always hold...
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
<p>This week, Carly and CeCe dive into major shifts in publishing—from quiet updates to the ‘New York Times’ bestseller list to growing concerns about editors using AI behind the scenes. Carly and CeCe unpack what these...
Episode #7
<p>This week on Books with Hooks, Bianca, CeCe and Carly break down two query letters—and pull no punches. From missing plot lines to overstuffed author bios, they highlight the biggest mistakes writers make when...
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