The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

With Carly still on vacation, CeCe is getting herself into a little mischief! This week CeCe trades her cup of coffee and pours herself a glass of wine with friend and literary agent Ashley Lopez of MMQA Literary Agency. CeCe and Ashley talk about the rise of AI-narrated audiobooks and AI-generated rejection letters to the struggles facing nonfiction and the case for paperback originals. They also discuss why the agency behind your literary agent matters, the best times to query, and what Ashley is currently looking for in her inbox.
About Ashley Lopez:
Ashley Lopez is an agent with Massie McQuilkin & Altman Literary Agents. She received her MFA in Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and has over a decade of publishing experience. Formerly the Director of Foreign Rights and an agent at WLA Books, she has worked on international and New York Times bestsellers, bringing a global perspective to her authors. An active member of the AALA, she represents literary and book club fiction, grounded speculative, horror, thrillers, narrative and practical nonfiction, as well as select poetry and YA.
As discussed on the podcast:
https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/10/fbf-the-future-of-audio-frankfurt/
https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/10/publishers-use-ai-for-marketing-copy-rejection-letters/
https://thewalrus.ca/nonfiction-is-struggling-publishers-are-making-it-worse/
https://leighstein.substack.com/p/losers-v-victims
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
https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author
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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
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Bianca sits down with author Jonathan Edward Durham to talk about Winterset Hollow, his genre-bending novel that went from self-published hidden gem to cult favourite—and eventually landed a traditional publishing deal. Jonathan shares the unconventional journey behind the book, the power of word of mouth, and how he built an authentic social media following without constantly selling his work. They also dig into craft, from writing a book within a book to blending horror, fantasy, humour, and friendship—and why finding the right story can bring out your best writing.
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
https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author
https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/
https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com
Sign up for CeCe's course:
https://learn-with-cece.thinkific.com/products/courses/cecescoachingcorner

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Quince and use my code TSNOTYAW for a great deal: https://www.quince.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code RosettaStone.com/TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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Will Carly have a serious case of FOMO after this Monday’s Shooting the Shit episode?! In this special episode, CeCe was supposed to fly solo—but instead, she twisted the arms of her former colleagues turned besties, literary agents Eric Smith, Nour Sallam, Adria Goetz, and Claire Harris, to join her for a publishing industry catch-up. This fireside chat amongst besties, covers everything from printing delays and a new children's imprint to the resurgence of bookstores and the latest buzz from the Frankfurt Book Fair. AI…the agents go there. Diving into the increasingly complicated world of AI in publishing, discussing author protections, AI-generated submissions, and the controversy surrounding AI detection tools like Pangram. This episode is packed with loads of laughs, strong opinions, and publishing industry hot takes. Sorry, Carly. You definitely missed a good one!
As mentioned on this episode:
Sign up for Coaching Corner for access to the editorial library with agents' feedback — including feedback from Eric, Claire, Adria, and Nour!
https://learn-with-cece.thinkific.com/products/courses/cecescoachingcorner
The first publisher to issue AI guidelines to authors and illustrators: 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/connect/contact-us/ai-policy-for-authors-and-illustrators/
Supply Chain Issues Threaten Book Sales:
https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/10/as-supply-chain-problems-increase-some-books-miss-on-sale-dates/
What's Hot at the Frankfurt Book Fair: 
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/101287-frankfurt-book-fair-2026-what-s-hot-according-to-agents.html
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
https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author
https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/
https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Quince and use my code TSNOTYAW for a great deal: https://www.quince.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code RosettaStone.com/TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
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It’s Books with Hooks week on the podcast! This week, CeCe and Bianca are joined by acquiring editor Elizabeth Hitti Musicant from Dial Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. As they critique two queries, they break down choosing strong comps, creating specific stakes, trimming an overstuffed query, and making sure your opening pages deliver on your pitch. Plus, they unpack romantasy vs. romantic fantasy, prologues, dual POVs, and what it takes to create romantic chemistry readers can root for.
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
https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author
https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/
https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Quince and use my code TSNOTYAW for a great deal: https://www.quince.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code RosettaStone.com/TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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It’s the first Monday of the month, which means Carly and CeCe are back for another Shooting the Shit! This week, Carly and CeCe unpack the latest from the People of Publishing Conference, from shifting reader habits and publishing trends to what’s happening behind the bestseller lists. CeCe shares what she learned about the return of historical fiction, the pressure on authors to promote their own books, why some books find success long after pub week, and the industry’s ongoing—and complicated—conversation around AI. Plus, Carly and CeCe talk about the power of long-term relationships in publishing and why sometimes it takes 20 years for the right agent-editor-book combination to come together.
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
https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author
https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/
https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW
Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com
Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting
To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Quince and use my code TSNOTYAW for a great deal: https://www.quince.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code RosettaStone.com/TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
* Check out The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and use my code thecca.co/tspodcast for a great deal: https://thecca.co
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands