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Episodes
Writers talk craft, agent hunt, query trenches, publishing industry, and more. Hosted by Mindy McGinnis.
Episodes
Aug 20, 2018
Aug 20, 2018
35 min
Today’s guest is Lamar Giles, a two-time Edgar Award finalist for his YA thrillers FAKE ID and ENDANGERED His third YA thriller, OVERTURNED received a glowing New York Times review. Lamar is a contributor to the YA anthology THREE SIDES OF A HEART and the editor of the forthcoming We Need Diverse Books YA short story anthology FRESH INK.
Lamar joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the over confidence he had as a young writer, and how he took the time to reflect on 8 years worth of rejection before landed his agent in 2010 with his sixth novel. Also covered: diversity in publishing and how genre writing can be looked down upon, and the complexities of writing a book set in a city you are unfamiliar with, and how research can help you get… most things… right.
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Aug 13, 2018
Aug 13, 2018
36 min
Today’s guest is Jessica Verdi, author of the YA contemporary novels My Life After Now, The Summer I Wasn’t Me, What You Left Behind, as well as And She Was. Jess received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School and is a freelance editor of romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, YA, and kid lit
Jessica joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying a first novel, landing her agent, and breaking out of writing only one genre. Also covered: how Jessica handles hot button issues in her books, and the pushback that can come from writing about such topics, as well as the pros and cons of getting an MFA and why everyone needs an editor.
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Aug 6, 2018
Aug 6, 2018
6 min
Today’s guest is Lori Rader Day, winner of both the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the Anthony Award. Lori joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the work that goes into a novel before you ever query it, the benefits of joining professional writing organizations, as well as the moving rung of what we deem success after being published. Also covered: how genre writing can be looked down upon, and how genre tags can build walls between readers and books they might enjoy.
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Jul 30, 2018
Jul 30, 2018
11 min
A roundup of the month's guest and topics, as well as advice from host Mindy McGinnis on how to self-edit, whittling down your word count when your manuscript has become bloated.
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Jul 23, 2018
Jul 23, 2018
41 min
Today’s guest is Kit Frick, author of psychological thrillers for teens, as well as a poet and editor. Kit joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about not only the querying process, but the process of knowing her writing was ready to query – and how she got to that place, as well as how different structures can be illuminating for particular stories, and how those same structures are challenges to write.
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Jul 16, 2018
Jul 16, 2018
32 min
Today’s guest is Sara Crawford, the author of the YA novels WE OWN THE SKY and HURRY UP WE’RE DREAMING. She graduated in 2008 from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in English and in 2012 from the University of New Orleans with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (emphasis in Playwriting). Currently, in addition to working as a freelance writer and internet marketer, she is also a creative writing professor in the graduate program at Southern New Hampshire University, teaching online classes. Sara joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the pros and cons of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, as well as how to stay healthy emotionally, physically and mentally as a writer. Also covered; how freelancing can be lucrative for a writer.
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Jul 9, 2018
Jul 9, 2018
32 min
Today’s guest is Abigail Johnson, author of the YA contemporary titles EVEN IF I FALL, THE FIRST TO KNOW and IF I FIX YOU. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, and becoming a published author. Abigail speaks with host Mindy McGinnis about the process of getting an agent, how branding can limit your writing in some ways once you have a career, the ease of world building when writing contemporary – not to be confused with the idea that writing YA is easy - and how Abigail’s accident shapes her unique perspective of life and people, and where to find her online.
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Jul 2, 2018
Jul 2, 2018
34 min
Today’s guest is Rachel Pudelek who joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying, the agent hunt, and how heavily trends impact both. Other topics inlcude common writing advice they both hate, as well as tempting the possibility of creative burnout when you write every day.
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Your Destination Is On The Left by Lauren Spieller
All For One by Sophia Beaumont
Jun 25, 2018
Jun 25, 2018
10 min
The June roundup episode features a rundown of this month's guests and topics, as well as a quick tutorial on word counts for all categories and genres of children's books.
Jennifer Laughran's "Word Count Dracula"
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Jun 18, 2018
Jun 18, 2018
34 min
Today’s guest is Lauren Spieller debut author of YOUR DESTINATION IS ON THE LEFT, which releases from June 26th Lauren joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the querying process, how finding your people will keep your sane in the writing world, how a writing routine can be a good thing… or a bad thing, and the difference between writing on your own and writing on a contract. Also covered: life choices, and experiencing stories across different mediums.
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