Basic Pitches

Anna chats with rom-com writer Meredith Schorr, AS SEEN ON TV, about twisting rom-com tropes, dealing with feedback when a book hits the shelves, and... GASP sex scenes. Somehow, Anna stays entirely mature through most of it.

So you've stopped comparing yourself to others, you've made healthy goals, and you're ready to write. Except... the words aren't flowing! What do you do? Anna and Lyssa chat about reasons why the writing isn't happening plus ways to help encourage them to start!

Anna chats with Susan Bishop Crispell about the winding journey to publication, the necessity of following your heart, and ways to keep yourself going with the going gets tough.

Today, Anna and Lyssa dive deep into one main joy thief: broken goals. They discuss the differences between goals and dreams and why it's important to distinguish the two for a long, healthy, and happy writing career.

Anna chats with debut middle grade author Erik Jon Slangerup about nostalgic settings, the helpful necessity of genre, and... dare we say, author age in publishing?! It's heartwarming and funny just like MOLLY AND THE MACHINE, his new 80s adventure middle grade book.

Anna and and Lyssa Mia Smith continue their exploration of the balance between mental health and writing by looking at things in the publishing industry that try to steal your happiness: comparison, doubt, guilt, and more!

While Emily is away doing debut events with THIS VICIOUS GRACE, Anna chats with future-debut author and podcast veteran Lyssa Smith. This episode marks the start of their special segment: Finding the Joy. Today, they chat all about deliberate practice, how to make the most out of every ounce of feedback, and how to study the pros in the most effective ways.

**REMEMBER** Leave a review for THIS VICIOUS GRACE on GoodReads or Amazon!

Anna chats with Emily about her debut book THIS VICIOUS GRACE. Out now and available for purchase wherever books are sold!

Anna chats with Tracy Badua, author FREDDIE vs. THE FAMILY CURSE, about studying comedy, how to keep MG (and all audiences) turning the page, as well as how to use emotions to dive deep into character. Plus, she gives excellent advice on how to build in time for yourself when schedules get hectic!

Write every day! Kill your darlings! Don't you dare think about a sequel! Anna and Emily debunk these writing myths and so much more. Also, they talk about zombies and serotonin.

Anna chats with Sonora Reyes, debut author of THE LESBIANA'S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, about how our writing process evolves for the better, how to make scenes irreplaceable, how there's power in finding people who believe in YOU, and how revision is truthfully the key to unlocking a book's true potential.

Anna chats with Maggie Giles, debut author of THE THINGS WE LOST. They discuss women's fiction, taking chances on independent presses, and the importance of a supportive community.

Anna chats with Catherine Bakewell, debut author of WE ARE THE SONG. Together they chat about coping with a long writing journey, using character arcs as a method for plotting, how musicals are perfect examples of character beats, and... garlic bread with god.

Anna and Emily answer listener questions about whether to think about sequels, how to move onto another project when you're querying, and... why we are so cute????

Anna chats with debut author Lillie Lainoff about bringing modern themes to retellings, changing up the pacing of novels to represent chronic illness, and the importance of research!

Emily has an insightful chat with Taylor Harris about memoirs, the crossover of fiction to non-fiction writing, and the power of telling personal stories.

Anna sits down with Alexandria Rogers to talk about her MG debut THE WITCH, THE SWORD, AND THE CURSED KNIGHTS as well as how to use worldbuilding as more than a backdrop and when to let go of a project that doesn't resonate anymore.

Anna and Emily spend time talking about Pitch Wars and their latest projects.

Emily chats with debut middle grade author Katryn Bury about her book DREW LECLAIR GETS A CLUE, out March 1st!

Welcome to season 2, Pitches!

Anna and Emily sit down with Meg Long, debut author of COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES, and chat about sci-fi, adventure stories, and where ideas come from!

While there weren't any interviews during the event, Anna sat down and chatted with several writers after YALLFest. There are plenty of great pieces of information throughout including advice from Lyssa Smith about not comparing yourself to others, finding joy in reader experience from Lauren Blackwood, information about a writing workshop from Jamye Smith, and do's and don'ts from fellow podcaster Jenna Devillier.

Anna and Emily talk about the promises we make in a first act and query letter and how making good on those promises make your book sparkle!

Anna and Emily talk about... snacks??? Yes, but we also talk about the truths of submitting to writing contests which is basically a giant pep-talk!

Anna and Emily discuss dialogue and all the ways it can help pacing, character development, and even scene setting.

Anna and Emily chat with debut author Lyndall Clipstone about her gothic romance LAKESEDGE, writing romance beats, and how to craft an aesthetically gorgeous gothic setting.

Anna and Emily tackle the benefits and tricks to writing multiple points of view.

Anna and Emily discuss the essential ingredients for a stellar act four as well as how to go about crafting one.

Using the four act structure, Anna and Emily break down the basic components of those messy middles.

Anna and Emily discuss how to write and revise a gripping opening chapter, and they came prepared with examples!

Anna and Emily start breaking down basic novel structures and discuss what they think are essential ingredients to a great first act!

Anna and Emily chat about what the publishing process is like after you sell a book.

Anna and Emily chat with Lauren Blackwood about her Ethiopian inspired retelling of Jane Eyre, WITHIN THESE WICKED WALLS (2021). Preorder it now!

Anna and Emily discuss how tropes are not something to avoid but something to embrace because they're unavoidable, like an inn with only one bed or an arctic cave in which you have to huddle for warmth. 

Anna and Emily chat about Lyssa Smith's journey as a returning Pitch Wars mentee. She shares advice about conscious practice with writing as well as getting the most out of the Pitch Wars experience.

*WARNING* This week's episode contains drowsiness, lots of good advice, and some audio glitches. As such, it's not a "normal" episode. But what IS normal anyway? This week, Anna and Emily discuss when to gauge when to release projects into the hands of trusted CPs, the query trenches, and/or beta readers.

Anna and Emily talk with author E.J. Wenstrom about her new dystopian book coming in August as well as how to build an author platform. Bonus content: ADHD bumpers and a guest dog appearance!

Anna and Emily destroy their friendship... Wait. No. They ALMOST destroy their friendship while talking about writing resources that have helped them explore their craft.

Anna and Emily chat with author Jessica James about surviving the querying trenches, navigating the winding round of publishing, and turning your professional jealousy (yes, we all have it) into something good for everyone!

Between giggle fits and "pew pew pew" attacks, Anna and Emily share their thoughts, tips, and perspectives on worldbuilding for all genres.

Anna and Emily chat with Lyndsay Ely about balancing work, life, and all the side hustles and pressures that come with being a writer. Plus, you get to hear some behind the scenes info about her new book OVERWATCH DEADLOCK REBELS out June 1st, 2021!

Uh, oh. Anna and Emily have their first Happy Hour episode. They talk about finding the right agent as well as red flags to be aware of when searching for someone to query. Also, they laugh... A lot... About pasta.

Anna and Emily chat with KL Burd about his writing journey, his positive spin to the querying process, and the new podcast he's apart of.

Anna and Emily answer a reader question about how to achieve narrative closeness.

Anna and Emily talk with special guest Jade Loren about ways to start new projects!

After discussing the new SHADOW AND BONE trailer, Anna and Emily discuss some clever ways to craft memorable character arcs.

Anna and Emily talk with debut author Sam Taylor about morally gray characters and complex villains, all of which can be found in her book WE ARE THE FIRE-- out now!

Anna and Emily discuss all things revision from what revision is to tips and tricks on how to tackle it!

Anna and Emily welcome their very first, very special guest: the fabulous Ayana Gray, author of BEASTS OF PREY coming September 2021. Ayana talks about writing pitches, taking chances, and even gives us a peek into her upcoming debut BEASTS OF PREY. You don't want to miss this episode!

Agent inboxes are busy, and your book deserves the best! That's why Anna and Emily are digging into into a few ways to make your query letter stand out.

Anna and Emily talk about the pros and cons of pantsing (writing without a plan) and plotting. Spoiler: they're both valuable, and we think you should learn to utilize both!

Anna and Emily discuss where to find critique partners.

Anna and Emily talk about where the idea for the podcast originated plus how to build strong critique partner relationships.

For months, Anna and Emily swapped voice messages about writerly angst. Now they're sharing their angst with you in a brand new podcast! Join them for writing tips, wandering analogies, and plenty of giggle fits.

As you wait for our new episode, help us decide on a podcast name. Take our Survey Monkey below!