Arts

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

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Latest daily rankings: Oct 22. New rankings will appear after the next update.

Recent history only — this show has no current ranking on the Arts, South Africa chart. These are recorded positions from the last 7 days, not current rankings.

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Date	Combined Rank	Apple Podcasts	Castbox
Oct 22	—	—	—
Oct 16	#106	#112	#98

Latest episodes

Shooting the Shit Featuring Guest Literary Agent Ashley Lopez

October 19, 2026 · 56 min

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…
Everything You Write Is Both a One-Star Review and a Tattoo

October 15, 2026 · 29 min

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…
Shooting the Shit With CeCe's Former Co-Workers Turned Bestie

October 12, 2026 · 1 hr 5 min

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…
Delivering on the DNA of the Book

October 8, 2026 · 52 min

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…
Shooting The Shit About People of Publishing

October 5, 2026 · 46 min

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…

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Insights From Imbolo Mbue and Patrick Ryan

October 1, 2026 · 59 min

October is starting with a BANG. And this episode delivers. In part one, Bianca sits down with award-winning author Imbolo Mbue, author of the New York Times bestseller Behold the Dreamers, winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and…
September Bonus Episode

September 28, 2026 · 1 hr 24 min

In part one of this month’s bonus episode, Emily St. John Mandel joins Bianca Marais to talk about Exit Party, the interconnected Mandelverse, and her unconventional writing process. She shares why she writes without a plan, treats first…
When Hell Freezes Over

September 24, 2026 · 42 min

In this extra-special Books with Hooks, Olivia Haberman joins Bianca, Carly, and CeCe to workshop her upmarket novel Nobody Panic—and earns some seriously rare praise. They dig into what makes a query impossible to stop reading, writing…
Shooting The Shit About The AI Creativity Loop And Book Emergencies

September 21, 2026 · 29 min

Carly and CeCe are back for another Shooting the Shit. This week they are talking about the unexpected work literary agents do behind the scenes—from tracking book availability and rights reversions to using sales data to advocate for…
Writing Insights From the Greats: Isabelle Allende and Jodi Picoult

September 17, 2026 · 1 hr 21 min

Bestselling author Isabel Allende joins CeCe Lyra for an incredible interview that touches on storytelling, creativity, and the writing life. From the difference between writing and storytelling to the power of discipline, research…
Shooting the Shit About The End of Nonfiction And Immersive Trends In Fiction

September 14, 2026 · 27 min

Carly and CeCe are back! This week they tackle what’s shifting in the book world—from immersive audiobooks becoming a “movie between your ears” to bookstores proving that reading and community are very much alive. They also discuss the…
An Acquiring Editor on Books With Hooks

September 10, 2026 · 46 min

This week's Books with Hooks welcomes special guest and acquiring editor Kirsiah Depp. Together with CeCe and Bianca, she critiques two fantasy queries, shares what makes a query stand out in today's crowded market, explains why…

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About the show

This is a podcast for emerging writers who want to improve the quality of their work and learn more about the publishing industry. Your one host, Bianca Marais (the bestselling author of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor') interviews authors, agents, editors and just about anyone and everyone who's involved in bringing a book to market. She's joined by her cohosts, literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra from P.S. Literary Agency, who read and critique query letters as well as opening pages in their Books with Hooks segment. Expect good advice, honest insights, and a few laughs along the way.