Literary Prospects

Could a random scroll through Instagram turn into a debut novel? That's exactly what happened to Michelle Merrick when she spotted an Etsy ad for a 1920’s martini glass and immediately thought, "What if a person died holding this…and left their energy in the glass?" Four months later, she had a complete manuscript for her debut speculative thriller The Found Object Society.  

In this episode, Michelle gets real about the writing life—the good, the messy, and the terrifying. She talks about waking up every morning to face the blinking cursor with a bit of terror, writing 2,000 words before lunch, and trusting her acting improv background to let the story unfold without rigid outlines. Her approach? Write the first draft fast and messy, take notes in your phone constantly, don't overthink it, and never give up.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•    How to trust your creative instincts even when you don't have it all figured out

•    How Michelle wrote a first draft in 3-4 months without burning out (and why messy is better)

•    Why attending writing conferences is the single most important thing Michelle did for her career

•    How to build genuine relationships in the writing community (even if you're an introvert)

•    How to keep going after rejection and use each manuscript as a stepping stone

•    How to balance research with momentum so you don't get stuck in the details

•    Why your supernatural or speculative idea might be exactly what readers need right now 

This episode is an invitation to stop second-guessing yourself, release the pressure to write "the right way," and remember that you don't need an MFA or a perfect outline to build a writing career.

*To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop at https://shop.literaryprospects.com 

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org, Literary Prospects Books: https://bookshop.org/shop/literaryprospects

*More good stuff for writers and readers: https://literaryprospects.com

Topics Discussed:

•    [0:00] Introduction and book blurbs from Julia Barts, Fiona Davis, and Danielle Tristani

•    [2:04] Plot overview: Greta Davenport and the mysterious Found Object Society

•    [4:52] The spark: How a vintage Etsy martini glass inspired the entire novel

•    [7:16] Character development and choosing historical objects (French perfume bottle, Elton John sunglasses, 1920s cigarette lighter)

•    [12:04] Writing structure: Experiencing voyages chronologically with Greta

•    [14:17] Research process for different time periods and 1920s slang

•    [17:30] Childhood obsession with the supernatural and influence of her father

•    [22:23] Themes of privilege, addiction, and wealth disparity in New York City

•    [25:17] Daily writing process and using Scrivener

•    [29:06] Origin story: From childhood poems to "I Hate Tuna" to short stories

•    [31:49] Road to publication: Writing conferences, querying, and signing with an agent

•    [37:30] Cover design process and fighting for the perfect visual

•    [38:17] Best advice: Get out of the writing cave and attend conferences

•    [40:33] Theme song choice: "New York Narcotic" by The Knocks

On this episode of Literary Prospects, we're talking with author Karen Winn about her sophomore novel, THE SOCIETY, the sordid Boston history behind the story; the secret society she, herself, may or may not have been a part of (wink, wink); balancing nursing and writing careers; the challenges of selling a novel before it’s written; and much more.

* To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Comedian and writer Aaron Leidecker talks with Kelley about his debut children’s book BOWIE’S BACKYARD, his beloved blind dog that inspired the book, self-publishing and marketing children’s books, dealing with imposter syndrome, how his stand-up comedy informs his writing, and much more. 

*Purchase a copy of BOWIE’S BACKYARD here

* To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

On our 99th episode, I sit down with the brilliant Marisa Silver to talk about her new novel, At Last, the strange interaction with her own grandmother at age 4 that sparked the novel, leaving film for literature, writing about “ordinary” moments, the enduring importance of art, and so much more.

* To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Author Margaux Eliot (aka Julia Fine) talks with Kelley Vick about her new novel Honeymoon Stage, the early aughts reality TV culture that inspired the story, creating a literary alter ego, publishing in the post-covid age, and much more.

* Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Author Kristin Bair talks with Kelley Vick about her uproarious new novel, Clementine Crane Prefers Not To, the mental load women carry, finding her voice as a writer, giving ourselves permission to write, and much more.

* Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Amy Gallo Ryan talks with Kelley Vick about her new memoir, You May Feel a Bit of Pressure, the struggles with infertility that inspired the book, structuring a memoir in essays, learning which feedback to pay attention to and which to ignore, and much more.

* Support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Author Nick Medina talks with Kelley Vick about his latest novel, The Whistler, the Native American superstition that inspired the novel, blending folklore with modern social issues, finding a home for indigenous horror, and much more. 

* In continued recognition of BANNED BOOKS WEEK we’re donating proceeds from all of our “Read Banned Books” merch to the American Library Association. Plus, FREE and REDUCED SHIPPING. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Author Kristen Loesch talks with Kelley Vick about her new novel, The Hong Kong Widow, her family history and the haunting Hong Kong urban legends that inspired the book, braiding timelines and writing the same character from multiple POVs, reclaiming the joy in writing after it becomes a career, and much more.

* It’s BANNED BOOKS WEEK! We’re donating proceeds from all of our “Read Banned Books” merch to the American Library Association. Plus, FREE and REDUCED SHIPPING. Check out the Literary Prospects Shop.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.

Kelley Vick talks to anthropologist and author Danilyn Rutherford about her new book, Beautiful Mystery: Living in a Wordless World; her experience raising her multiply disabled daughter, Millie, who inspired the book; why, as an anthropologist, she no longer thinks language is essential to human experience; the place for creativity and story in academic writing; and much more.

*For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org,  Literary Prospects Books.

*More good stuff for writers and readers at LiteraryProspects.com.