Marissa chats with Jill Tew about her debut dystopian romance, THE DIVIDING SKY. Also discussed in this episode: making the transition from the corporate world to writing sci-fi inspired by the corporate world, sci-fi worldbuilding, sci-fi as a cautionary tale (“if this goes on”), plotting out romance to make it feel organic, the irony of promoting a book about taking time and not getting caught up in social media—on social media, Jill’s Afronauts podcast, and so much more!

The Afronauts Podcast: https://www.afronautspod.com/

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Melanin in YA
Your source for all things Black in traditional Young Adult publishing.

Amplify Marketers
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Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

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Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Hari Conner about their queer regency graphic novel rom-com, I SHALL NEVER FALL IN LOVE. Also discussed in this episode: a non-typical (is there such a thing as typical?) road to finding an agent, mining real world history and Jane Austen texts for influences, using comics to make historical stories feel relatable, historical research for both text and illustration, the process of drafting a graphic novel, being the mastermind behind creating game books, and more!

Note: The release date for this book has been pushed back to 11/19. 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Amanda M. Helander about her debut romantasy, DIVINE MORTALS. Also discussed in this episode: how keeping diaries can be a first step in a writing career, publishing timelines and how there’s no such thing as typical, the frustration of fitting books into age categories and writing books in their margins, worldbuilding, planning for a duology, mining breadcrumbs from book one to create threads in book two, embracing limitations in characters, writing to make yourself happy, and so much more!

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Sabaa Tahir about the first book in her new YA fantasy duology, HEIR. Also discussed in this episode: Yosemite National Park, using the GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) technique, how the final, typeset draft can be a place where momentum requires deeper revisions (much to publishers’ chagrin), adding unexpected twists midway through a book to surprise the reader, the power of self-bribery, using our world to influence world-building and so much more!

Yosemite National Park: https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with A. R. Vishny about her debut paranormal YA romance, NIGHT OWLS. Also discussed in this episode: the popularity of getting started with fanfiction, how much timing can matter in the submission process, the recent trend (again!) of vampires, the inherent challenges of writing vampire romance, the importance of knowing a character’s bagel order, creating a strong sense of place using real locations for inspiration, and so much more!

Cinder winery: https://cinderwines.com/ 

Village East by Angelika:  https://angelikafilmcenter.com/villageeast 

Sleep No More https://mckittrickhotel.com/events/sleep-no-more/ 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

In this bonus craft episode, Marissa shares her steps and processes for revisions. Hint: they begin in the drafting process! Also discussed: celebrating milestones and accomplishments, the importance of letting a project simmer, how to know when to jump back in, making a plan to tackle revisions and the different methods, how many rounds of revisions are typical, things to watch for in each pass, crutch words and how to get rid of them, and so much more!  

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Tigest Girma about her debut, a YA romantic vampire novel, IMMORTAL DARK. Also discussed in this episode: struggling with the young adult/new adult/adult labels, making the change to age down a book and characters and what that entails, writing morally gray characters, crafting an extreme enemies to lovers romantic storyline, creating a found family ensemble, planning subsequent books in a trilogy (second book syndrome is a thing!), and more!

Bonus: a new book announcement from Marissa!

We Could Be Magic - https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250379399

Joelle Murray: https://joellemurrayart.com/

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Adalyn Grace about WISTERIA, the conclusion to her Belladonna trilogy. Also discussed in this episode: the love of and uses for Pinterest, the phenomenon of finishing a book and forgetting having written it, writing a series with differing POVs, the rare book that’s “easy” to write, turning concepts into characters, favorite tropes, lush worldbuilding, and so much more. Bonus: A new book announcement!

Neopets: https://www.neopets.com/

MW definition of reify: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reify

MW Word of the Day: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day 

 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Julian Winters about his latest YA romance, PRINCE OF THE PALISADES. Also discussed in this episode: how fanfiction is a great way to get started in writing, the sometimes difficult elements of crafting a contemporary royal story, writing romance and the importance of creating moments when characters are vulnerable, how challenging it can be bringing conflict to a contemporary story, creating relatable and lovable secondary characters—including badass female characters, and so much more!

Big Joe Roma Pool Floatie Chair: https://buybigjoe.com/products/roma-pool-float-chair

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Melanin in YA
Your source for all things Black in traditional Young Adult publishing.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Remy Lai about her new illustrated sketch diary, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Also discussed in this episode: why kids relate to horror, the importance of capturing the tone of the book on the cover and determining appropriate content for a young audience, making important design choices like font and color, deciding on a story’s format, Ouija boards, and so much more!

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/