Sneaky Prologues That Sizzle
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Have you been sitting on the fence about signing up for the Beta Reader matchup? Or have you signed up before but haven't yet found your writing soulmates? The next matchup is the last one for the summer, so don't snooze on it. Get matched up with those writing in a similar genre and or time zone so they can critique your work as you critique theirs. Your manuscript doesn't have to be complete to sign up for this 3,000 word evaluation. This particular matchup will be open to registrations from now until the 1st of June with the matchup emails going out on the 2nd of June. For more information and to register, go to BiancaMarie.com and go to the Beta Reader matchup page.
What's up, everyone? This is Cece. So I recently grabbed lunch with an acquiring editor from HarperCollins who told me that the number of submissions she's been getting has nearly doubled. And I wasn't surprised at all because every agent and editor I know has been talking about how the volume of submission keeps increasing. So personally, that is a wonderful thing, because it's more reading for me, but it also means I have more chances of matching with authors. I consider it a privilege to review queries on Books with Hooks, and of course, in my submissions inbox. But at the same time, I talk to writers who tell me that they wish agents would read more than a few pages because... And I quote, my story gets better in chapter two.
I have to be honest, this kills me. It's like me wanting chocolate chip cookies to have the nutritional value of kale. It's just not realistic. Like it or not, no agent, no acquiring editor is going to stick around to see if a submission gets better. It's not because we're mean. It's because we get dozens and dozens every day. I know it's harsh, but ambitious writers embrace harsh realities. So here it goes. It's your job to make your opening pages irresistible, to make agents crave it, to make agents want to read more. That's why I'm so excited about my upcoming course, Starting It Right. How to begin your story in the best place and in the best way. I created this course after studying hundreds of books.
I've mapped out elements that are present in the beginning of all successful novels and memoirs. And I've designed checklists, actual checklists, that you can use to ensure that your story's beginning is seducing your reader. we'll cover how to write a great first line different types of beginnings and how you can choose the best one the best place to start and the best way to start yes these are totally different things when it makes sense to add a prologue and when it doesn't how to frame your inciting incident in an appealing way how to balance exposition and mystery, how to include context but not weigh it down with too much backstory, and what to do if your story has more than one POV or timeline.
Most of all, I'm going to show you how to make readers want to turn to chapter two. Join me for this multi-day course designed to help you break through the noise. You'll leave with a clear, actionable breakdown of exactly what goes into a terrific beginning. If you've already signed up, come prepared to take lots of notes. We're talking hundreds of slides with real-world examples and specific techniques, plus a super fun surprise that I can't wait to share. I hope to see you there.
Hi everyone, welcome back to another Books with Hooks segment. As per usual, we're diving straight in. Cece, will you kick us off please?
Let's do it. Dear Cece, I am delighted to submit to you my satirical body horror debut, Mouthpiece, complete at 65,000 words based on your interest in acquiring fiction with morally ambiguous protagonists. Mouthpiece is like the weird girl lit fic love child of R.F. Quang's Yellowface and Rachel Yoder's Night Bitch. But with Sheena Patel's I'm a Fan as an older sister.
What is the premise of the satirical body horror query?
Blanca Moore, quickly nearing 30 and stuck in a soul-sucking job to afford her even more soul-crushing debt, wants to be an influencer. When her long-term boyfriend dumps her for not paying enough attention to him, I guess the male loneliness epidemic is real, she's determined to enter her 30s as a new woman.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–4:42
2
What is the premise of the satirical body horror query?
4:42–7:14
3
How do agents view the increasing volume of submissions?
7:14–9:49
4
What makes an opening page irresistible to agents?
9:49–14:11
5
What are the crucial elements in writing a compelling query letter?
14:11–16:47
6
How does the author balance exposition and mystery in their story?
16:47–23:00
7
What are the specific stakes of the protagonist's transformation?
23:00–29:26
8
How do the characters' motivations drive the narrative?
29:26–55:15