The Write and Wrong Podcast | Writing Tips, Book Publishing and Literary Agents

Veteran game writer and Netflix Find Your Voice Award winner Max Doty joins us to discuss his debut horror novel, The House that Eats the Dead. Max shares how his viral short stories on the r/NoSleep subreddit caught the eye of a literary agent and led to a two-book publishing deal. He also details his transition from writing interactive mobile game narratives to traditional publishing, and why learning to take collaborative feedback is essential for a long writing career.
In This Episode, We Cover:
The genesis of The House that Eats the Dead, a story about a house that consumes dead things and erases them from existence, and how it evolved from a Reddit post into a full-length novel.
Max's background writing interactive narratives for mobile games like Surviving High School and Choices, and his surreal experience winning a Netflix screenwriting contest.
The differences between the immediate validation of posting on internet forums versus the long, solitary process of traditional publishing.
Actionable writing advice, including how to use spreadsheet gamification to hit a 2,000-word daily goal and why you should never be "Dr. No" in a creative brainstorm.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & The Premise of The House that Eats the Dead
05:37 - Going Viral on Reddit's NoSleep & Landing an Agent
14:55 - Winning a Netflix Screenwriting Contest
20:53 - Writing Advice: Collaboration and Taking Feedback
25:42 - The Cabin Book Choice: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
31:00 - Writing for EA, Surviving High School, and Mobile Games
36:30 - The Rules of r/NoSleep and the Psychology of Internet Publishing
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Literary agent Mia Dakin joins us this week to chat about her start in publishing and building her list of authors from scratch at Greene & Heaton. Mia tells us about finding her first author through Instagram, the specific fiction genres she is looking for, and the influx of AI submissions to the agency. Whether you are an aspiring writer trying to perfect your cover letter or just curious about the literary agenting process, this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights.
In This Episode, We Cover:
How Mia transitioned from a publishing master's at UCL to a full-time agenting role at Greene & Heaton.
What she is actively looking for in submissions, including multi-generational sagas, clever retellings, and locked-room mysteries.
The agency's strict stance on AI-generated submissions, why AI flattens creative work, and how publisher contracts are explicitly adapting to prohibit AI use.
Actionable advice for querying writers, including how to effectively use comparative titles by explaining their relevance, and why you should always have beta readers proofread your cover letter and synopsis.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Getting into Publishing
06:22 - Building an Author List & Finding Writers on Instagram
11:40 - Genres, Retellings, and Manuscript Wishlists
24:43 - The Cabin Book Choice: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
30:00 - AI in Submissions and Publishing Contracts
39:23 - Cover Letter Tips, Comp Titles & Synopsis Advice
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Hugo Award-winning fantasy author Alix E. Harrow joins us this week to chat about her novel, The Everlasting, coming out in paperback on October 8th. Alix talks about how she taught herself to write through short fiction, which lead to landing a two-book deal after one of her short stories caught the eye of an editor, and why authors need to recognise how much luck is involved with publishing.
Whether you are an aspiring writer trying to navigate the submission process or a devoted reader curious about how your favourite fantasy books hit the shelves, this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights.
How Alix uses short stories as "training wheels" to experiment with different tones, perspectives, and concepts before committing to a full-length novel.
The psychological realities of writing, including why first drafts are genuinely bad and how commercial success can actually tighten the internal pressure to perform.
The incredible luck and timing of getting direct messages from an agent and an editor on Twitter that led to her first book deal.
Actionable advice for writers looking to get published, including why you must prioritise improving your craft and forming sincere friendships with fellow authors.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Deconstructing Knighthood in The Everlasting
04:10 - Navigating Author Anxiety and the Writing Process
13:24 - The Freedom and Experimentation of Short Fiction
24:14 - Finding Ambition and Early Sci-Fi Influences
30:35 - Submitting to Magazines and Landing an Agent
52:33 - Final Advice for Writers and Navigating the Industry
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Bookshop owner, publisher, and author Zibby Owens joins Jamie this week to chat about her upcoming essay collection, Between Chapters, out September 22nd. Zibby shares the winding journey of trying to get published since her 20s, building a media empire that started with a podcast in 2018, and why authors need to stop viewing rejection as an indictment of their talent.
Whether you are an aspiring writer trying to navigate the traditional publishing submission process or a devoted reader curious about how your favorite books hit the shelves, this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights.
How Zibby’s podcast, originally started as a side project in 2018, evolved into five episodes a week and a massive literary platform.
The logistical realities and unexpected community responsibilities of opening an indie bookshop in Santa Monica.
Why traditional publishers rely heavily on "lead titles" and how Zibby Publishing aims to disrupt this by treating every book like a priority launch.
Actionable advice for writers looking to get published, including why you should perfect your manuscript before showing it to the industry.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Writing Between Chapters
07:11 - The Entrepreneurial Drive and Starting a Podcast
13:20 - Zibby's Winding Journey to Becoming a Published Author
20:48 - Founding Zibby Publishing to Champion Authors
30:40 - The Truth About "Lead Titles" in the Book Industry
39:05 - Opening an Indie Bookshop and Curating Shelves
49:55 - Final Advice for Writers Trying to Get Published
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Bestselling hybrid romance author, Chelsea Curto joins Jamie this week to chat about her DC Stars hockey series and her traditional publishing debut, In Stormy Weather. Chelsea shares the surreal journey of writing her first book in 2022 to landing a major book deal, and why she believes that publishing is a marathon and not a sprint.
Whether you are an aspiring writer trying to decode the indie publishing world or a romance fan obsessed with forced proximity and sports tropes, this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights.
Why hockey's physicality and 82-game travel schedule make it the ultimate sport for romantic tension.
How Chelsea researched storm chasing and atmospheric science for her STEM-focused rival meteorologists in In Stormy Weather.
The realities of being a hybrid author and balancing the creative control of self-publishing with the collaborative team support of traditional publishing.
The Emily Henry book that sparked Chelsea's love for the genre and led to a magical full-circle career moment.
Episode Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Latest Releases
05:08 - Why Hockey Dominates the Romance Genre
07:50 - Writing Women in STEM & Storm Chasing
14:09 - The Leap into Traditional Publishing
25:17 - The Book That Started Chelsea's Journey
30:40 - From Flight Attendant to Bestselling Author
45:45 - Realities & Advice for Indie Publishing
57:45 - The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Publishing
Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏
For audio listeners:
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Listen to The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes, Jamie's other podcast with Melissa Welliver and Naomi Gibson! 📚
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