Layers of Psychological Processing
From The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
June 4, 2026 · 46 min · Season 31 · Episode 5
About this episode
The hosts analyze two different writing submissions, discussing their strengths and weaknesses in terms of concept and craft.
In this milestone 225th Books with Hooks segment , Bianca, Carly and CeCe break down two wildly different submissions to dissect what’s working (and what’s not). First up is a high-concept Western horror with cannibals, ghosts, and immortal outlaws. They discuss a strong premise, which can be made stronger by clearer stakes, as well as the author being aware of a romance that readers won’t necessarily root for. Second up: a killer AI-meets-family-drama concept that hooks instantly—though opening pages could do more heavy lifting. Why? Listen to find out. A lesson on concept vs. craft—and why both need to be firing. Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency. Find us on our socials: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing…
People in this episode
Hosts: Bianca Marais, Carly Watters, CeCe Lyra
Topics covered
- writing
- literary analysis
- submission critique
- psychological processing
- concept vs. craft
Keywords
- writing submissions
- literary critique
- Western horror
- AI family drama
- psychological processing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Wendy Sherman Associates, P.S. Literary Agency
More episodes of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
- Shooting the Shit About Agent Financial Details, Imprint Mergers and Risks of a Top Heavy Industry · June 1, 2026 · 48 min
- Successfully Pitching at Conferences · May 28, 2026 · 28 min
- May Bonus Episode · May 25, 2026 · 1h 16m
- Sneaky Prologues That Sizzle · May 21, 2026 · 45 min
- Shooting the Shit About Agent Scams and When A Book Is Truly Ready To Go · May 18, 2026 · 24 min
- Taking Big Risks That Pay Off & Breaking the Rules With Intentionality · May 14, 2026 · 59 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast page.