Lit Service

The Lit Service Crew chats with Literary Agent Ben Grange about what goes into a fabulous first chapter and how to approach getting yours into that fabulous category, red flags and things that make Ben pass over people in his query slushpile, and some of our own favorite first chapters.

Some of the things we mention in this episode:

5 Writing Tips: Barbara Kingsolver 

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/78305-5-writing-tips-barbara-kingsolver.html

Author Mentor Match http://authormentormatch.com/

Holes by Louis Sachar

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

If you'd like to see the submission we critique in this episode along with all of our notes, you can find it here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Please subscribe so you can automatically get dodgy writing advice every two weeks and keep up on who our guests will be so you can submit your work! We love comments and reviews, they help others find the show! Thanks for listening!

The Lit Service Crew chats with Karen M. McManus, author of NYT Bestselling One of Us is Lying, about the rise of the YA thriller and the elements that go into writing a good thriller (and thriller elements that you can apply to any other genre you write.)

Some of the books and other media we mention: 

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Sadie by Courtney Summers

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I mentioned Serial the podcast (which, if you haven't listened to, go do it!) It's YA true crime, if that's a thing.

If you want to look at the submission we critique along with our notes, you can check it out on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like to submit a first chapter for critique, you can find submission guidelines on the same website.

Thanks for listening, please don't forget to like, subscribe, leave comments and reviews!

This week the Lit Service crew chats with literary agent Ben Grange about brainstorming techniques.

Some things we mention:

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Struck By Lightning https://beta.prx.org/stories/176346-struck-by-lightning

Cameron's writing deadline game https://4thewords.com/

Fear and Writing, with Emma Newman from the Writing Excuses Podcast https://writingexcuses.com/2018/05/20/13-20-fear-and-writing-with-emma-newman/

If you'd like to see the text of the first chapter we critique, you can find it on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Submission guidelines can also be found there, as well as a place to find other authors in search of a writing group :)

Thanks for listening!

The Lit Service crew chats about subplots, what they are, how to use them, and when you don't need them. Some of the books and movies we talk about are:

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Jurassic Park, the movie based on the book by Michael Crighton

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Solo the movie

Infinity War movie

Chuck the TV series

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

If you'd like to see the first chapter we critique with our notes, you can find it here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

Want a first chapter from the podcasters and our guests? You can find submission guidelines on our website. Soon we'll have a schedule up for the Fall so you'll know who is coming on when.

Thanks for listening, please don't forget to comment, like, subscribe, and write reviews!

This week we chat with Rosalyn Eves about rhetorical devices and how to go about learning and using them (and maybe when not to use them). Some of the things we mention in the podcast worth checking out:

Soundbite from Ira Glass on "The Gap" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbC4gqZGPSY&ab_channel=Getoutthebox1

Slyva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric, provided by Dr. Gideon Burton. A list of rhetorical devices with examples: http://rhetoric.byu.edu/

We also mentioned Austenland by Shannon Hale

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Thank You For Arguing by Jay Heinrichs

If you'd like a first chapter critique from the crew, you can find submission guidelines on our website: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

You can find the text of the first chapter we critique during the episode here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-13

Please remember to give us ratings and reviews! It helps others to find the show. Thanks for listening!!

Ben 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 Caitlin and Ben, as well as general notes at the end) can be found here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-12

If you would like a first chapter critique, please refer to our submission guidelines.

Please remember to like, subscribe, comment, and share the podcast so others can find the show!

Caitlin 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 you want to know more about Charlie, Jolene, and Abel, you can find out more here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/2-11

The submission we discuss is also available at the above website if you'd like to see the text.

If you'd like a first chapter critique, check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

Ben 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 the best chance you have to get agent attention.

If you'd like a first chapter critique from us, check out our submission guidelines here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation/submissions

Please remember to like, subscribe, and share! Thanks for listening!

Guest Caitlyn McFarland shares her tips and tricks to making the romance in your writing crackle. There are several methods she uses that help authors to avoid romances that start too quickly, escalate too quicly, and allow things to flow naturally.

Check out the submission we critique here: https://litservicepodcast.wixsite.com/litnation

If you'd like a first chapter critique, you can find out submission info on the same website.