Caitlin Sangster - Podcast Details

Shows

Lit ServiceWriting Disability From Experience with Crystal SeitzCrystal joins Caitlin and Aliah to chat about her experience writing a main character that shares her own disability, and gives some thoughts that could help other authors attempting to do the same. Crystal mentioned another book in the podcast that features a protagonist with Crohn's disease, though we don't mention the title, we will here: Of Wolves and Stags by Ria Parisi Crystal Seitz is a young adult contemporary fantasy writer. A Viking at heart, Crystal battles Crohn’s disease and raids libraries for all the books on Norse mythology she can find. She work...2024-10-1720 min

Lit ServiceHow to Write a Good Haunting with Lily AndersonCaitlin and Aliah chat with Printz Honor winning author Lily Anderson about how to write hauntings and horror, tempering scary stories with humor, and her newest book Killer House Party. Lily Anderson the author of several novels for young adults including The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, Not Now Not Ever, and Undead Girl Gang. A former school librarian, she is deeply devoted to Shakespeare, fairy tales, and podcasts. Somewhere in Northern California, she is having strong opinions on musical theater. More about Killer House Party: Red Solo cups? Chec...2024-10-0314 min

Lit ServiceHeists 101 with Caitlin SchneiderhanWhat 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...2024-08-2814 min

Lit ServiceSeven Point Plot Structure: Romance Edition with Tricia LevensellerTricia 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 belie...2024-07-1022 min

Lit ServiceWriting Characters with Marie LuMarie Lu is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Legend trilogy and The Young Elites trilogy (and lots of other fabulous books!). She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a Flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin’s Creed, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one husband, one Chihuahua mix, and two Pembroke Welsh corgis. Her newest book is Icon and Inferno. Marie joi...2024-06-1221 min

Lit ServiceCharacter Building with Holly BlackCaitlin chats with Holly Black about building characters and her newest book The Prisoner's Throne. Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels, including the Novels of Elfhame, THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and her adult debut, BOOK OF NIGHT. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a hous...2024-03-0618 min

Lit ServiceHow to Start Writing a Second DraftWhat do you do once you've finished your first draft? Immediately send it to every agent and publisher you can find contact info for? Put it in a drawer? Maybe something in between. Caitlin, Aliah, and Kristen chat about how they approach a second draft. Don't forget to check out Caitlin's newest release, He Who Breaks the Earth 2023-06-2112 min

Lit ServiceHow to Write a Killer EndingCaitlin, Aliah, and Kristen chat about how to approach writing a satisfying and exciting ending. Don't miss Caitlin's new release from Simon and Schuster, He Who Breaks the Earth 2023-06-0711 min

Lit ServiceRaising the Action, Raising the Stakes with Margaret OwenMargaret Owen joins Caitlin, Aliah, and Kristen to chat about how to help your action to rise naturally and how to raise stakes. Margaret is the author of The Merciful Crow, The Faithless Hawk, Little Thieves, Painted Devils which releases May 16th, and A Grimoire of Grave Fates which releases in June. The "How Dire Is It" chart Margaret mentions can be found here. 2023-05-1016 min

Lit ServiceWhat Needs to be in the MiddleKristen, Caitlin, and Aliah chat about what goes into the middle of a book. 2023-04-1211 min

Lit ServiceHow to Stay Excited About Your WritingWe 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. 2023-03-2911 min

Lit ServiceWhat to Do with Writer’s BlockAliah, Caitlin, and Kristen discuss how to keep writing when the ideas aren't coming. 2023-03-1511 min

Lit ServiceWhat Needs to Be in a Beginning?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! 2023-03-0114 min

Lit ServiceHow to Start Writing a First DraftCaitlin, 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! 2023-02-1511 min

Lit ServiceNovel Worthy IdeasAliah, Kristen, Caitlin, and Cameron kick of season seven with a new series on how to write a novel from start to finish beginning with how to come up with a good idea. For updates and information on upcoming guests, subscribe to our newsletter! To check out our special editions, go to Caitlin's store. 2023-01-1110 min

Lit ServiceMaking Old Stories New with Marissa MeyerMarissa Meyer joins Caitlin and Kristen to chat about how she approaches an adaptation, how to choose what to keep, what to get rid of, and where she gets inspiration for the unique new worlds and characters that go into her new story. Her newest book, CURSED, the second in the Gilded Duology came out on November 8th, be sure to check the series out. We did a signed hand-painted edge design here, if you like your books special :) which you can find here. Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar...2022-11-0920 min

Lit ServiceAll the Ways Your Liver Will Betray You with Tamsyn MuirTamsyn Muir joins Kristen and Caitlin to chat about alternative POV choices, non-consecutive timelines, meme culture, Women Who Suck, and all the other fun things that went into the Locked Tomb series. TAMSYN MUIR is the bestselling author of the Locked Tomb Series. Her fiction has won the Locus and Crawford awards, and been nominated for the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Dragon Award, and the Eugie Foster Memorial Award. A Kiwi, she has spent most of her life in Howick, New Zealand, with time living in Waiuku...2022-10-0624 min

Lit ServiceSpinoffs with Chloe GongChloe Gong joins Aliah and Caitlin to discuss the anatomy of a spinoff, how to approach writing an extension of your own world and stories that still feels familiar while also being new. Chloe is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights, its sequel Our Violent Ends, and the first in a new duology set in the same world, Foul Lady Fortune. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in Ne...2022-09-2821 min

Lit ServiceRomantasy 101 with Stephanie GarberStephanie Garber joins Caitlin and Aliah to chat about "romantasy" and how to make it (or a developing romance in the book you are writing!) really sing. A resource Stephanie mentions, Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes, can be found here. Stephanie is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and the Caraval trilogy. Her books have been translated into thirty languages. To find out more, you can follow her on social media. To check out our signed, hand-painted editions of Once Upon a Br...2022-09-1422 min

Lit ServiceSurrealism with Britney LewisBritney Lewis joins the cast to chat about adding surreal elements to our stories in order to better articulate things that words can't quite describe. Britney is the author of The Undead Truth of Us (which just came out!! Get it here!). She has a B.A. in corporate communications with an emphasis in business and art. She strongly supports We Need Diverse Books, and she’s an avid follower of #DVpit and #BVM. When Britney isn’t daydreaming about new stories, she can be found binge-watching TV shows with her husband and her pup or pr...2022-08-1029 min

Lit ServiceUpping a Story’s IQ with Erin BeatyErin Beaty joins Caitlin, Kristen, and Aliah to talk about how to write stories and characters that are smarter than we are. Erin was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which means she can't drive a tractor but won't eat veggies that come from a can. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2000 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering (Astronautics) and German, then served in the fleet as a weapons officer on a combat destroyer and later as an instructor the Center for Naval Leadership. After a few years as a s...2022-06-2925 min

Lit ServiceSuspension of Disbelief with Emily X.R. PanCaitlin, Aliah, and Kristen chat with Emily X.R. Pan about magic in contemporary books and suspension of disbelief (as well as throwing down a gauntlet in the never-ending prologue debate!). To find the signed and stenciled edge edition the podcast put together for her new book An Arrow to the Moon, visit our shop. Emily X.R. Pan is the New York Times bestselling author of THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER, which won the APALA Honor Award and the Walter Honor Award. It was also a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize, longlisted for the...2022-04-1330 min

Lit ServiceThe Publishing Rollercoaster with Kristen CiccarelliKristen Ciccarelli joins Caitlin, Kristen, and Aliah to talk about how publishing journeys look from the inside and how to manage the rough moments and celebrate the good. Kristen was born and raised on her grandfather’s grape farm. She spent her childhood running amok through his vineyards and adventuring in the deep, dark woods behind his house. Before writing books full-time, Kristen was an artisanal bread baker, an indie bookseller, and a ceramic artist. Her first novel, The Last Namsara, was an international bestseller and has been translated into 12 languages. Her new contemporary fantasy, Edgewood, released on...2022-03-0128 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: A Baker’s Guide to Robber Pie with Liana TanActress extraordinaire Liana Tan joins Caitlin for a special reading Caitlin's middle grade fantasy debut, A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie, which is out now! Liana has been involved in all sorts of fun acting projects and is a radio personality in Idaho. You can find her on instagram and follow her cool lifestyle show here. If you want to see the episode Caitlin did (about writer's block!) it's here. 2022-02-0908 min

Grab the Top Full Audiobooks in Kids, Mystery & FantasyA Baker's Guide to Robber Pie by Caitlin SangsterPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/566136 to listen full audiobooks. Title: A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie Author: Caitlin Sangster Narrator: Sandy Rustin Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 8 hours 57 minutes Release date: February 8, 2022 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Mystery & Fantasy Publisher's Summary: Evie Baker has always dreamed of going on adventures like those in her favoritestories, and tonight she’s putting her plan into action.With her best friend, Cecily, by her side, Evie sets off into the Old Forest in search of a Fel. She is certain a carefully crafted deal and he...2022-02-0805 min

Grab the Top Full Audiobooks in Kids, Mystery & FantasyA Baker's Guide to Robber Pie by Caitlin SangsterPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/566136to listen full audiobooks. Title: A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie Author: Caitlin Sangster Narrator: Sandy Rustin Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 8 hours 57 minutes Release date: February 8, 2022 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Mystery & Fantasy Publisher's Summary: Evie Baker has always dreamed of going on adventures like those in her favoritestories, and tonight she’s putting her plan into action.With her best friend, Cecily, by her side, Evie sets off into the Old Forest in search of a Fel. She is certain a carefully crafted deal and her fa...2022-02-088h 57

Listen to Top Full Audiobooks in Kids, Fairy Tales & FolkloreA Baker's Guide to Robber Pie by Caitlin SangsterPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/566136to listen full audiobooks. Title: A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie Author: Caitlin Sangster Narrator: Sandy Rustin Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 8 hours 57 minutes Release date: February 8, 2022 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Fairy Tales & Folklore Publisher's Summary: Evie Baker has always dreamed of going on adventures like those in her favoritestories, and tonight she’s putting her plan into action.With her best friend, Cecily, by her side, Evie sets off into the Old Forest in search of a Fel. She is certain a carefully crafted deal and he...2022-02-088h 57

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: A Deep Dive into ArcaneJoin Caitlin, Kristen, and Aliah as they discuss some of the cool storytelling elements used in Netflix's new series, Arcane. If you want to read twelve pages of Caitlin and Kristen lauding/arguing/not understanding/beings stupid about some of the things the writers, animators, and others involved did, you're welcome to it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mQrrDsc9pBwvPFDv_flGj7nELO1UZ9XcQpqtzmrEjjw/edit?usp=sharing 2022-01-1130 min

Lit Service5.22 Working with a Publicist with Morgan RathMorgan Rath, senior publicist at Macmillan Children's publishing, joins Caitlin this week to talk about what a publicist actually does, what authors can expect while working with one, and things authors can do on their own or to help a publicist get the word out about your book. No first chapter critique this week! Let us know on social media or e-mail to let us know why you listen to the show--do you like the critiques? Do you prefer the behind the scenes in publishing episodes or the craft discussions? Who would you like to h...2021-11-2417 min

Lit Service5.21 Fake PoliticsAliah, Caitlin, Cameron and Kristen talk about constructing fake political intrigue in stories and how to make it interesting and peak amounts of "intrigue-y". The chapter we critique is here. Find out how to support Lit Service on our Patreon. 2021-11-1025 min

The Happy Writer with Marissa MeyerWriting a Multi-POV Fantasy Heist with Caitlin Sangster - She Who Rides the StormMarissa chats with Caitlin Sangster, host of the Lit Service Podcast, about her new fantasy novel - SHE WHO RIDES THE STORM - as well as writing that complex, multi-POV fantasy heist novel, and why Caitlin starts with the characters and their motives; determining the "aboutness" of your story, and how to dig deeper into the heart of your book to uncover the themes you most want your readers to come away with; some things to keep in mind when switching from writing young adult to middle grade; how to use action and stakes to get your reader asking...2021-09-2046 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: A Special PreviewThe Lit Service crew does a full cast reading of a chapter from Caitlin's upcoming book, SHE WHO RIDES THE STORM, out September 21, 2021. If you'd like to get a copy of the book, please consider supporting your local independent bookstores! For a signed copy, you can pre-order from The King's English (before September 19th) Or from Anderson's Bookshop (whenever!) Both bookstores can ship to you wherever you are and each signed copy will come with a special bookmark. For either bookstore, be sure to put in the comments that you want it signed...2021-09-1511 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Conlang with John BlackhamJohn Blackham joins Caitlin in talking about constructed languages authors create for their sci-fi and fantasy worlds. Resources and other tidbits John mentions: Caillou clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiSLxeszVCo&ab_channel=tovaeditshttps://www.cnn.com/2021/07/17/health/sunscreen-recall-cancer-wellness/index.html Instant conlang generator: https://gwistix.github.io/ling/conlanger Mark Rosenfelder’s Language Construction Kit: https://www.zompist.com/kit.html For fun, some of John’s conlang, The Lord’s Prayer in Hellish-Latin creole: Bader noṣerum, qui eḷwet in ǧevu Saṇificátus...2021-08-0411 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Hot Seat Query Critique with Tricia LevensellerTricia Levenseller joins Caitlin Sangster and Kristen Evans to live critique a few queries. Tricia Levenseller is the author of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology, Warrior of the Wild, The Shadows Between Us, and forthcoming Blade of Secrets. She writes young adult high fantasies with heavy romantic subplots. You can find more about Tricia and her books here, or preorder her new book (do it!) here. If you'd like us to do more episodes like this or have suggestions about what would help you the most, let us know! You c...2021-04-0720 min

Lit Service5.06 The Mentor Always Dies: How to Write Mentor FiguresCaitlin, Kristen, and Aliah chat about the roles mentors take in (mostly!) fantasy and sci-fi narratives, their purpose and the shape of their place in a story. For the chapter we critique with all our notes go here! To find out how to support the podcast, go here! (We're about to do a live q&a, so if you want to come as us questions in person, now's the time to join our Patreon!) For more about the podcast and how you can submit your work for a critique (and our next upcoming...2021-03-2429 min

Lit Service5.04 Author - Editor Relationships with Sarah McCabeSarah McCabe joins the Lit Service crew to talk about the publication process once a book has been acquired and what to expect from editing and collaborating with an editor. Sarah is an editor with Simon & Schuster/McElderry (which is pronounced "mackle-derry", who knew). For a look at the chapter we critique (with our notes!) go here. Don't forget to check out our Patreon for extra content (want to hear Caitlin's story about the haunted house she came very close to renting? It's up now!) here. If you'd like a first...2021-02-2426 min

Lit Service5.03 Author - Agent Relationships with Ben GrangeEver wondered what happens after you start working with an agent? Listen in while Ben and Caitlin discuss what happens behind the scenes, using one of her projects as a frame of reference from when she finished it to when it was sold. The chapter we critique can be found here. Submission guidelines if you'd like a first chapter critique from us are here. If you like the show, please remember to check out our Patreon 2021-02-1037 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Hot Seat Critique with Caitlin and CameronTo round out the year we're doing one last bonus hot seat critique! We also did a bonus episode with our reactions to the newest season of the Mandalorian now that the last episode finally landed--to listen, head over to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/litservicepodcast 2020-12-3020 min

Lit Service4.25 Getting Your Characters to Squad UpAliah, Caitlin, and Kristen chat about how to get your characters to squad up. The chapter we critique can be found here. Don't forget to check our Patreon for video versions of episodes and other bonus episodes and content! 2020-12-2330 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Hot Seat Critique with CaitlinCaitlin live reads and critiques a submitted chapter, digging into why it isn't quite working (though the concept is pretty fun! A little embarrassed romance goes a long way!). Some episodes Caitlin recommends to think about the questions she brings up: 4:19 with Aminah Mae Safi and 4.11 with DongWon Song If you want to hear more Hot Seat Critiques (and support the podcast!!) check out our Patreon. 2020-11-0423 min

Lit Service4.17 ToneCaitlin, Cameron, and Kristen chat about what tone is and how to utilize it to tell your story to a specific audience or to elicit a specific response in a reader. 2020-08-2633 min

Lit Service4.16 Perseverance with Darcie Little BadgerDr. Darcie Little Badger joins the Lit Service Crew to talk about how to survive the ups and downs of the publishing world both as an aspiring writer and as a published one. Darcie is an Earth scientist, writer, and fan of the weird, beautiful, and haunted. Her debut novel ELATSOE will be launching on August 25th and you can find it here. 2020-08-1229 min

Lit ServiceBonus: Hot Seat Critique with Caitlin and CameronJoin Cameron and Caitlin as they read a past submission out loud and do a live critique as they go. let us know if you like this on social media! If you do, we'll do more of these! 2020-07-2921 min

Lit Service4.15 Author-Agent Relationships with Holly RootHolly Root, the founder of Root Literary and agent to many a New York Time Bestseller, joins the Lit Service crew to chat about what author-agent relationships look like. 2020-07-1529 min

Lit Service4.14 Monkey Closets with Samantha HastingsSamantha Hastings joins the Lit Service Crew to talk about how to approach writing a historical romance. Samantha is the author of The Last Word, The Invention of Sophie Carter (which is available for pre-order now! It will be available July 14) which is a Jr. Library Guild Selection. Her next book A Royal Christmas Quandary will arrive October 6, 2020. 2020-07-0131 min

Lit Service4.13 Bookstagram with Bridget HowardCaitlin, Cameron, Aliah, and Kristen chat with Bridget Howard about building a social media platform. Bridget owns the bookstagram account @darkfaerietales_ which has over 116,000 followers. She is also part owner of Storygram Tours, a Bookstagram Tour company that has run over a thousand successful instagram tours. She works closely with publishers like Harper, Little Brown, Disney, Macmillan, Scholastic, Random House, and many more on a weekly basis. Storygram has also run tours for many authors such as Kendare Blake, Kerri Maniscalco, Tricia Levenseller, Adrienne Young and others. 2020-06-1732 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Q&A with Marissa Meyer and DongWon Song 2020-06-1217 min

Lit Service4.12 Collaboration with the Lady JaniesThe Lit Service crew chats with the Lady Janies (Jodi Meadows, Cynthia Hand, and Brodi Ashton, NYT bestselling authors of My Lady Jane, My Plain Jane, and My Calamity Jane) about how to collaborate on a project. 2020-06-0328 min

Lit Service4.11 Twenty Questions with DongWon SongLiterary agent DongWon Song joins the Lit Service crew to chat about what authors can do to get an agent's attention and why some stories work and some don't. DongWon Song is an agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency representing science fiction and fantasy for adults, young adult, and middle grade readers as well as select non-fiction. He was formerly an editor at Orbit and a product manager for the ebook startup, Zola Books and has taught as an adjunct instructor in the publishing program at Portland State University. He lives in Brooklyn, NY. 2020-05-2036 min

Lit Service4.10 Keeping it Grounded with Lauren SpiellerLauren Spieller joins the Lit Service Crew to chat about the differences in tension in stakes between grounded, realistic, contemporary novels vs genre fiction. Lauren is an agent at TriadaUSA, and the author of She's the Worst and Your Destination is on the Left. If you'd like a first chapter critique from the podcast, be sure to check out our guest schedule and submission guidelines on our website, https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation 2020-05-0630 min

Lit Service4.9 Juggling Multiple POVs with Marissa MeyerMarissa Meyer joins the Lit Service crew to chat about how to make different points of view in a story sound distinct, how to best utilize your different points of view, and how to avoid common pitfalls that go with having more than one point of view character. Marissa Meyer is the NYT bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, and the Renegades series. If you would like to see the text of the chapter we critiqued along with all our notes, you can find it on our website, https://litservicepodcast.wixsi...2020-04-2233 min

Lit Service4.8 Unlikable Characters with Kiersten WhiteKiersten White joins the Lit Service crew to chat about how to help readers identify with and root for characters who aren't exactly shiny white souls. Kiersten is the New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken trilogy, the Paranormalcy trilogy, Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Slayer, and many other novels. 2020-04-0827 min

Lit Service4.7 Dispatches from the Closet with Ben GrangeJoin Lit Service for their first socially distanced--wait no, we're almost always socially distanced--episode about how to write good dialogue. Ben Grange is an agent at the L. Perkins literary agency. 2020-03-2535 min

Lit Service4.6 It's Complicated with Misa SugiuraThe Lit Service crew chats with Misa Sugiura about creating flawed characters, why we like flawed characters, and how flaws can drive a story. Misa Sugiura is the author of the award-winning It's Not Like It's A Secret (2017) and This Time Will Be Different (2019) Our next two guests will be Kiersten White and Marie Rutkoski. If you'd like a first chapter critique from the either of these NYT bestelling authors, check out our submission guidelines here. 2020-03-1132 min

Lit Service4.5 Layers of Tension with Katherine ArdenThe Lit Service crew chats with Katherine Arden (NYT Bestselling author of The Winternight Trilogy: The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower, and The Winter of the Witch as well as the two middle grade horror books Small Spaces and Dead Voices) about how to create layers of tension in your story in order to keep it from feeling flat. Sorry about the beeps. We were recording in a new space and . . . well, that's what happens sometimes. If you'd like a first chapter critique (and to see who we have coming up on...2020-02-2624 min

Lit Service4.4 Authentic Kid Voice with Tae KellerThe Lit Service Crew chats with middle grade author Tae Keller about how to approach writing from a child's perspective and what we owe to the audience for whom we're writing. Tae Keller is the author of The Science of Breakable Things and When You Trap a Tiger. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she danced hula and subsisted on kimchi and spam musubis. Now, she writes about biracial girls trying to find their voices, and lives in New York City with a multitude of books. 2020-02-1226 min

Lit Service4.3 Characters Are Like Onions with Rebecca RossRebecca Ross joins the Lit Service crew to chat about layering characters (like onions! Imagine the Scottish accent) and how that relates to plot. Rebecca is the author of The Queen's Rising, The Queen's Resistance, and the forthcoming Sisters of Sword and Song. 2020-02-0531 min

Lit Service4.2 Pitch Wars 101 with Sarah NicolasOnline pitching and mentorship contests can be kind of confusing. Sarah Nicolas breaks down Pitch Wars for us. Sarah Nicolas is a recovering mechanical engineer, library event planner, and author who lives in Orlando with a 60-lb mutt who thinks he’s a chihuahua. Sarah writes YA novels as Sarah Nicolas and romance under the name Aria Kane. Sarah has published both traditionally and independently, and has also worked in the publishing industry as an editorial intern, editorial assistant, publicist, publicity director, cover artist, and art director. Sarah is the current Managing Director for Pitch Wars. 2020-01-2927 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Reactions to The Rise of Skywalker with Emily DuncanThe Lit Service Crew chats with Emily Duncan about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the Mandalorian. Spoilers abound (though not so much on the Mandalorian front!) so be forewarned. 2020-01-2913 min

Lit Service4.1 I Made It All Up with Emily DuncanThe Lit Service crew chats with NYT Bestseller Emily Duncan about how she approaches researching high fantasy. Emily A. Duncan is the New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints. She was born and raised in Ohio and works as a youth services librarian. She received a Master’s degree in library science from Kent State University, which mostly taught her how to find obscure Slavic folklore texts through interlibrary loan systems. When not reading or writing, she enjoys playing copious amounts of video games and dungeons and dragons. She is represented by Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary...2020-01-1531 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Behind the Scenes in Publishing with Tony DanielDue to a recording snafu, we are posting a bonus episode early! Tony Daniel, who is a senior editor at Baen publishing, chatted with the podcasters about some things that go on behind the scenes when it comes to books being acquired and published. The chapter we critiqued with Rebecca Ross is available on our website with all our notes. 2019-12-2614 min

Lit Service3.21 Getting Those Hobbits Out the DoorCaitlin, Cameron, and Kristen talk in depth about how inciting incidents relate to character and how people accidentally mess them up. 2019-12-1132 min

Lit Service3.20 Character is Setting with Tony DanielThe Lit Service Crew chats with Tony Daniel about how to approach building a character and how that interacts with setting. Tony Daniel is a senior editor at Baen Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. He is also an award-winning author (a few of his titles: Guardian of Night, Metaplanetary, Superluminal, Earthling, Warpath, and the two Star Trek Original Series novels, Devil’s Bargain and Savage Trade), a co-writer of screenplays for monster movies that appear on the SyFy and Chiller Channels, and the founder, writer, and director of theatrical and audio drama group Automatic Vaudeville, wi...2019-11-2729 min

Lit Service3.19 How to Not Discover WitchesCameron, Kristen, Aliah, and Caitlin chat about POV usage and how to best make your choices fit the kind of story you want to tell. 2019-11-1328 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Kate Watson Query and FanX Q&AAnother in our series of query letters that succeeded (and then went on to become published books) Enjoy Kate Watson (author of Seeking Mansfield) reading the query that landed her an agent, and then some questions we answered at Salt Lake ComicCon/FanX this last September. 2019-11-0606 min

Lit Service3.18 The Emperor King's Assassin with Ben GrangeBen Grange, agent at the L. Perkins agency, joins the Lit Service crew to talk about what "high concept" means, why everyone talks about high concept books, and why it's important to be able to put together a high concept-ish pitch for your book even if it isn't a high concept story. 2019-10-2332 min

Lit Service3.17 Save the Dragons with Jodi MeadowsCaitlin, Cameron, and Aliah discuss with Jodi Meadows why books need themes, where themes come from, and how to make the ones that creep up on you seem intentional. Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE (HarperTeen).2019-10-0927 min

Lit Service3.16 Heebie Jeebie Research with Susan R. MatthewsThe Lit Service Crew chats with Susan R. Matthews about seeking out in person experiences that inform the sensory detail, blocking, and the plausibility of your planned plot. Extra points that in person experience gives you the heebie jeebies. Special welcome to our guest Susan R. Matthews, whose debut novel An Exchange of Hostages was nominated for the 1997 Philip K. Dick Award and for the 1998 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer; She’s since written eight other books in this dystopian space opera series, plus many other books. If you'd like a first cha...2019-09-2533 min

Lit Service3.15 Magic Systems 101 (and when to throw them out)The Lit Service crew recorded live at FanX Salt Lake City ComiCon with Sara B. Larson and Kathryn Purdie. Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed YA fantasy DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE) and the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology (DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and BRIGHT BURNS THE NIGHT). She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Kathryn Purdie is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Burning Glass series and the forthcoming Bone Crier’s Moon duology...2019-09-1137 min

Lit Service3.14 The Jack Skellington EffectOur guest, Stacy Whitman, is the founder and publisher of Tu Books, an imprint of Lee and Low that focuses on diverse middle grade and YA books. Stacy was a founding member of the CBC Diversity Committee. She is also currently looking for submissions for their #NewVisionsAward, but submissions close on August 31st, so act fast. Some media we talk about: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. If you'd like to submit your work for us to critique, you can find our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions 2019-08-2837 min

Lit Service3.13 The Weeds in Frodo's GardenThis is our fiftieth episode!!! The Lit Service crew discusses when to go "into the weeds" with your writing and when to stay out and summarize 2019-08-1430 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Query Examples with Nicki Pau PretoNicki 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. 2019-08-0702 min

Lit Service3.12 Beta Readers (and how to get them to email you back)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. 2019-07-2528 min

Lit Service3.11 Contemporary WorldbuildingAs 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. 2019-07-1024 min

Lit Service3.10 The Horcrux PrincipleCaitlin, 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! 2019-06-2631 min

Lit Service3.9 Protagging 101People 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 2019-06-1222 min

Lit ServiceBonus Episode: Query Examples with Charlie HolmbergCharlie 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...2019-06-0502 min

Lit Service3.8 Brick by Brick (but only the bricks that matter) with Nicki Pau Preto 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 medi...2019-05-2930 min

Lit Service3.7 The Query MonsterCaitlin 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. 2019-05-1541 min

Lit Service3.6.5 Bonus Q&A with Charlie Holmberg and Brian Lee DurfeeBonus 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...2019-05-0316 min

Lit Service3.6 Surviving your First NovelHave 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 i...2019-04-2427 min

Lit Service3.5 Pacing your BackstoryYou 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...2019-04-0526 min

Lit Service3.4 Writing from your Heart with Emily R. King 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 ar...2019-03-1519 min

Lit Service2.19 Crucibles with Kathryn Purdie and Ben GrangeBen 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 2018-11-3029 min

Lit Service2.12 Hanging Lanterns with Ben GrangeBen 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...2018-08-0835 min

Lit Service2.11 Publishing Models with Charlie Holmberg, Jolene Perry, and Abel KeoghCaitlin 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...2018-07-2636 min

Lit Service2.10 Before You Query . . . with Literary Agent Ben GrangeBen 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...2018-07-1234 min

Lit Service2.5 Building TensionThis 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 yo...2018-04-1439 min

Lit Service2.4 Matching Character and Plot with Erin SummerillErin, 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 w...2018-03-1726 min

Lit ServiceBuilding Good Writing HabitsIn 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 t...2018-03-0330 min

Lit Service1.14 Inciting IncidentsInciting 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...2017-12-1823 min

Lit Service1.10 Tropes with Karen M. McManus and Emily R. KingCaitlin 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.wixs...2017-11-2633 min

Lit Service1.8 Making Promises with Tracey NeithercottCaitlin 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 2017-11-0633 min

Lit Service1.7 Why and How to Use Concrete DetailsFind 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 2017-10-3023 min

Lit Service1.6 Character Sympathy with Tricia LevensellerCaitlin, Kristen, Cameron, Dan, and Tricia discuss how to make characters sympathetic (and why that's a thing you want to have happen), then critique a submission about a girl who isn't too fussed about super villians destroying her city. 2017-10-2331 min

Lit Service1.5 Yes, You Really Do Need A Writing GroupCaitlin, Kristen, Cameron, and Dan discuss why writing groups are so helpful, and ways you can avoid having a toxic experience. They then critique a submission about a young man who runs away from home to develop his illegal Lakewalking talent. You can find today's submission or find out how to submit your own work to be critiqued by the Literary Work In Progress Team on our website: https://literarywip.wixsite.com/podcast 2017-10-1630 min

Lit Service1.4 Show, Don't Tell with Emily R. KingCaitlin, Kristen, Cameron, Dan and special guest author Emily R. King chat about how to show instead of tell. They then critique a submission in which a young lady stows away on a train only to find out it's a circus train, and the circus knife-thrower needs a new assistant. 2017-10-0926 min