Nikki Grimes is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of dozens of children’s and young adult books as well as a poet and journalist. Throughout her prolific career, Nikki has highlighted stories and characters from communities that have been largely underrepresented in young people’s literature. Her latest novel, "Between The Lines", is the thought-provoking follow-up to her critically acclaimed "Bronx Masquerade", where readers follow the lives of a group of classmates that School Library Journal calls “a perfect blend of the many facets of American teens’ lives.” It also shows the capacity poetry has to express ideas and feelings, and connect us with ourselves and others.
Nikki received the Coretta Scott King Award for "Bronx Masquerade", and has also received four Coretta Scott King Honors. In 2017, she was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. She has written more than fifty books, including "The Road to Paris", "Jazmin’s Notebook", the "Dyamonde Daniel" series, and the New York Times bestseller "Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope".
In Nikki’s episode, we discuss how writing first became Nikki’s survival tool and coping strategy as a way to express herself during her younger years in and out of foster homes and we get a glimpse into her younger years.
Further into the conversation, Nikki brings us behind the scenes into the inspiration behind “Bronx Masquerade” and “Between The Lines”, and how she is a very character-driven writer. Storytellers, this episode is such a special treat especially for our craft-focused writers who could use some inspiration and advice for creating compelling characters. We dive deep into Nikki’s writing process and even deeper into the way she creates characters. From how she organizes the differences between all of her characters to why it’s important to instill hope in them.
We also kick off the conversation talking all about traveling as y’all know I love my travels, and we wrap up the episode with advice from Nikki about coping with cutting large chunks out of our drafts during the revision process.
Say 'Hi' to Nikki on Twitter! Head over to her shownotes page by clicking here.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“When I had things on my heart or on my mind that I needed to get out, the way I got them out was to write.”
-Nikki Grimes (Click to tweet!)
“There’s always a deep, emotional connection for me with each of my books because, for me, the most important thing about writing is making an emotional connection with my reader and in order for them to go there, I have to go there first.”
-Nikki Grimes (Click to tweet!)
"I had fun pairing various characters to explore one another’s stories because I think you really can’t come in as an adult and tell kids what to think. Really, the stories and the truths have to be revealed from their perspective.”
-Nikki Grimes (Click to tweet!)
“Everything has a place. Nothing is ever, ever, ever really wasted. Even if you don’t use a character or storyline again, you learn so much from the process of doing it that you then are able to apply to the next thing you write. So it’s never wasted.”
-Nikki Grimes (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Rachel Caine is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than fifty novels in a diverse range of genres and categories. She has been honored with multiple awards from RT Booklovers Association and the Texas Library Association, and was honored with two spots on the 2012 “Most Favorite Books of UK Schoolchildren” list. More recently in 2017, she began writing thrillers with the huge bestsellers "Stillhouse Lake" and "Killman Creek". In early July of this year, she’ll also be releasing “Smoke and Iron”, her 4th book in the Great Library Series where she continues the adventures of her unforgettable characters from "Ink and Bone", "Paper and Fire", and "Ash and Quill".
In Rachel’s episode, we discuss how she first fell into storytelling, how her musical background taught her to be in the moment with her writing, and how she met her first editor and then sold her first book. Be sure to pay special attention to the helpful advice on carving out time for your writing around a full-time job from the time management queen herself. We also dive into the details about the inspiration behind her stories that helped establish the urban fantasy genre, how she proactively gets the word out about her novels, advice on navigating the world of conventions, conferences, and school visits to promote your work, and how Rachel and her team packages her different genres to make her series distinct from one another.
Further into our conversation, we discuss how to go about the writing business by taking control of your expectations, the different ways to overcome writing difficult scenes in your story, crafting a plot that interacts naturally with your characters, and advice on how to decide which point of view works best for your story. We also discuss why it’s important to keep the passion with your story alive throughout the entire process.
Say 'Hi' to Rachel on Twitter! Head over to her shownotes page for a list of resources mentioned in the episode by clicking here.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“Writing is unique business in that there is so much of it that you can’t control. You can only control what you do and nothing else.”
-Rachel Caine (Click to tweet!)
“You have to figure out what your expectations are and how you can best apply yourself to the process.”
-Rachel Caine (Click to tweet!)
"You have to learn to balance just like you balance your work and your family life and all that. You’ve got to learn how to balance writing and everything else. If it’s a matter of your health, then I think you have to choose your health.”
-Rachel Caine (Click to tweet!)
“As far as points of view, you pick the person to whom the story matters the most. That’s my general rule.”
-Rachel Caine (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Emily X.R. Pan is the New York Times bestselling author of her debut novel “The Astonishing Color of After”. She is the founding editor-in-chief of Bodega Magazine, and a 2017 Artist-in-Residence at Djerassi, and she received her MFA in fiction from the NYU Creative Writing Program where she was a Goldwater Fellow.
“The Astonishing Color of After” received five starred reviews and is a Wall Street Journal’s top 12 picks of the season. Entertainment Weekly described her first novel as “accessible and compelling.” and was also recommended by other popular media outlets like Buzzfeed, Book Riot, PopSugar and more.
In today’s episode, we get deep into discussion about Emily’s career paths and why and how she made the shift from business to writing. We dive into the details about “The Astonishing Color of After”, from the family story that inspired her to write the novel, to discovering the voice in her story, and to her editing process. Emily also shares what it was like to re-discover Taiwan as an adult for the research phase of her book.
Further into our conversation, we talk about the importance of trusting your instincts when sharing your work with your peers, the role that negative space serves in crafting short stories, and tips on organically marketing your novel.
Say 'Hi' to Emily on Twitter! Head over to her shownotes page for a list of resources mentioned in the episode by clicking here.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I want to have that community. I want to be immersed and surrounded by people who are reading novels and who are talking creatively and talking about the things that they’re creating and the characters they’re making and the stories they’re trying to tell.”
-Emily X.R. Pan (Click to tweet!)
“It’s really crucial to be able to take away and let the negative space speak for itself.”
-Emily X.R. Pan (Click to tweet!)
"I kind of just wanted to create in this cave with just myself which at times is very lonely but I also feel like I sort of needed it for this book. I needed to develop the confidence to trust in my own words and in my own voice again.”
-Emily X.R. Pan (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Rhoda Belleza is a children’s editor at a publishing house and is the author of “Empress of a Thousand Skies” and “Blood of a Thousand Stars”. The New York Times Book Review wrote, “Intergalactic political intrigue, family betrayal and coveted thrones feature in this space opera story…real-world analogues and social commentary make Empress of a Thousand Skies an important and relevant novel.”
In Rhoda’s episode, we chat all about her love for action movies and how that led her to novel writing. We dive into her experiences as an editor at a publishing house and how that helped her explore the other sides of the publishing world, and how being an editor helped to improve Rhoda’s own writing. We dive into the details about her novels “Empress of a Thousand Skies” and “Blood of a Thousand Stars”, from the inspiration behind the characters, to the world building, and to closing out your characters and ending your story.
Further into our conversation, we break down how joining a writing community you trust can help you receive constructive feedback on your writing, why it’s important to separate yourself and your self-worth from the revision process of a first draft, and why we should seek professional opinions during our research process. We chat realistic word counts per week, why we should be writing consistently throughout the week and how that helps us stay intimate with our characters and strengthens our character building. We also cover why it’s crucial to put aside an editing day each week to prevent yourself from editing along the way.
Say 'Hi' to Rhoda on Twitter! She will be taking over our Instagram stories for the release of her episode, be sure to catch her takeover by clicking here.
Head over to her shownotes page for a list of resources mentioned in the episode by clicking here.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“You’re not on anyone else’s schedule but your own.”
-Rhoda Belleza (Click to tweet!)
“There’s nothing to revise unless you write that first bad draft.”
-Rhoda Belleza (Click to tweet!)
“At the end of the journey...you want it to be crystallized and engaging. There’s all these ambitions you have for the draft, but right now it’s just a draft and it needs to get better. The only way that it will get better is for you to be vulnerable.”
-Rhoda Belleza (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Kelly Loy Gilbert is the author of "Conviction", a William C. Morris Award finalist, and her newest novel, “Picture Us in the Light”.
In today’s episode, Kelly brings us behind-the-scenes of “Picture Us in the Light” from discussing the inspiration and catalyst for her new novel to a detailed look at Kelly’s hands-on research process for the story. She walks us through the importance of strong character building when crafting conflict scenes, how to craft authentic characters whose experiences are different from our own, and how to weave empathy into the story by reflecting on personal experiences.
Further into our conversation, Kelly shares advice on coping with and overcoming writer’s block to move forward with your work, how you can work with your support network to strengthen your story’s plotlines, and she also shares why it’s crucial to give yourself permission to step away from your story.
Say 'Hi' to Kelly on Twitter! She will also be taking over our Instagram stories for the release of her episode, be sure to catch her takeover on Instagram by clicking here. We're also teaming up with Kelly and her team to giveaway a copy of "Picture Us in the Light" to TWO lucky winners, so look out for the directions in our Instagram stories.
For our writers, Kelly created a very helpful writing prompt exclusive for our community, head over to her shownotes page by clicking here to download your copy.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I think I always tend to forget how much you just have to end up deleting and how much you have to write and write and write to sort of get to the heart of the story and figure out the characters.”
-Kelly Loy Gilbert (Click to tweet!)
“If you feel like you’re in this rut, nothing is happening, I promise when you step back you will start missing it and I think that is always a good place to be in.”
-Kelly Loy Gilbert (Click to tweet!)
“Thinking about how everything is interconnected and how every action leads to a reaction has been, I think, really useful for me.”
-Kelly Loy Gilbert (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Roshani Chokshi is the author of the instant New York Times bestselling novel, “The Star-Touched Queen”, and “A Crown of Wishes”, and her recently released middle grade debut "Aru Shah and the End of Time".
In today’s episode, we discuss ALL things "Aru Shah and the End of Time", from the story inspiration to the research process and Roshani’s world building. We touch on adapting mythology and folklore into your story and how to craft lush and vivid descriptions.
Further into our conversation, we talk about the importance of sharing your work and being open to critical feedback as a writer, and Roshani shares advice on maintaining your author brand while writing across different age groups.
Say 'Hi' to Roshani on Twitter! She will also be taking over our Instagram stories for the release of her episode and it’s going to be so much fun! Be sure to catch her takeover on Instagram by clicking here. We're teaming up with Roshani and her team to giveaway a copy of "Aru Shah and the End of Time" to TWO lucky winners, so look out for the directions in our Instagram stories.
Roshani also created a wonderful writing prompt exclusive for our community, scroll down to the bottom of this page to download your copy.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I realized I was writing around my own stories trying to write what I saw in the world when what I needed to be doing was write what I didn’t see and what I wanted to see.”
-Roshani Chokshi (Click to tweet!)
“What is the thing that I really want to read and how would I want it presented to me?”
-Roshani Chokshi (Click to tweet!)
“The minute that I waver on the voice, I’ve lost the whole thread of the story. It doesn’t matter if the plot is there. If the voice isn’t there, the soul of it’s gone.”
-Roshani Chokshi (Click to tweet!)
“Find time just to refresh your soul with someone else’s words.”
-Roshani Chokshi (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Roshani’s journey to becoming a bestselling author
The importance of sharing your work and being open to critical feedback as a writer
A discussion on all things “Aru Shah and The End of Time”
How to respectfully adapt mythology and folklore into your story
Advice on maintaining your author brand while writing across different age groups
Tips on crafting lush and vivid descriptions in your stories
Roshani walk us through the research process for her world building
Ashleigh Gardner is the Deputy General Manager, Wattpad Studios, Publishing. She works with Wattpad writers and publishers around the world to turn Wattpad stories into books. Ashleigh creates meaningful promotional and editorial partnerships with the publishing industry by leveraging the data and insights from the more than 400 million story uploads on Wattpad. This also helps publishers everywhere find exciting new voices and transform their business with data-driven decision-making.
In today’s episode proudly brought to you by Wattpad, we get into the nitty gritty about all things Wattpad and how it benefits the writers and readers in our community. We dig deep into Ashleigh’s role at Wattpad and her personal journey that led her there and she shares advice on how to begin a career in the publishing world.
We continue to discuss how Wattpad builds readerships and audiences for their writers, how it’s a space for authors to instantly interact with your audience and receive feedback, how to use Wattpad to help the research and editing process as an author, and how its features can help our community virtually connect with writing groups to share ideas and encourage one another.
Ashleigh unpacks the relationships Wattpad has with publishers to connect users with the publishing world and we discuss the most popular current trends that she sees at the company and how they’re able to discover these trends. She also walks us through the steps you can take to increase your story’s popularity on Wattpad and we discuss the kinds of questions you should ask a publisher when they approach you and your story.
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“You don’t need to wait for anyone to do this with you, you can go out and do it on your own.”
-Ashleigh Gardner (Click to tweet)
“As soon as you get it out and post it, you can go back and change it. Just plowing through that first draft, not spending a lot of time re-editing things you’ve written already, that would be my biggest piece of advice.”
-Ashleigh Gardner (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Arvin Ahmadi is the author of “Down and Across”. From Buzzfeed, “Ahmadi writes with head and heart, captivating readers with passages that leap beautifully from the pages.” Publishers Weekly describes his debut as “witty, smart, and inspiring” and The Washington Post says it’s a “humorous” and “deeply human coming-of-age story.”
In today’s episode, Arvin walks us through the inspiration behind “Down and Across”. We unpack how to manage writing difficult and emotional scenes with your characters, how to maintain authenticity in your story throughout your editing process, and how to improve your craft through reading within your genre.
We also discuss why it’s crucial to seek feedback from your writing community, and Arvin shares tips on writing in a first-person point of view that’s different from your own.
Please say 'Hi' to Arvin on Twitter and he'll be taking over our Instagram stories for the release of his episode and it’s going to be SO much fun! Be sure to catch his takeover on Instagram by clicking here.
We also announce some H-U-G-E 88 Cups of Tea news in the intro of Arvin's episode. Don't forget to respond to the announcement by hitting us up on Twitter by clicking here! And help us spread the word about our announcement by sharing about it on social media!
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
We recently restocked our limited edition 88 Cups of Tea mugs with only ONE box of mugs. We are creating a different line of 88 Cups of Tea mugs each year and they'll be available for a limited amount of time! We first announced this in our private FB group and I can’t believe our last box of mugs are already halfway gone. If you'd love a mug for yourself before they are completely sold out for GOOD, head over here. Our mugs are AWESOME at giving you a boost in morale throughout your day!
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If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“This is the book where I learned to write a book.”
-Arvin Ahmadi (Click to tweet)
“You build out this world in your head. As a writer, why would you crush that for your reader, this world that they’ve imagined and characters that have become so real to them?”
-Arvin Ahmadi (Click to tweet)
“My first draft was very raw and very authentic and kind of poorly written too. Of course I went through ten, eleven, twelve drafts before I even sold to Penguin and a lot of that was trying to maintain that authenticity while fiddling with the structure to make it a better book.”
-Arvin Ahmadi (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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John Boyne is the author of over 15 books and short stories. His New York Times bestselling novel, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", was an international bestseller, selling more than nine million copies worldwide. In today’s episode, we discuss his newest novel, “The Heart’s Invisible Furies”, a New York Times Readers’ Favorite Books of 2017.
We kick off the conversation by having John take us back to the earliest memory of how he first fell in love with storytelling. John shares the inspiration behind “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” and walks us through his unique structure of the novel. We go into detail about the history of human rights activism in Ireland, what his creative research process is like, and how he discovers fresh ideas for his stories.
We also discuss how the important role humor can play in historical novels, how to create emotional distance when writing about darker topics, and advice on finding your own voice and style of writing.
Say 'Hi' to John on Twitter and be sure to download his wriitng prompt exclusive for our 88 Cups of Tea community by heading over to his shownotes and clicking here!
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“Even as a child, the acts of reading and writing were always completely connected to me.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
“I don’t remember a time where I actively decided to be a writer, it was just always a part of who I was.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
“You can be a good mimic, but eventually you have to have your own voice and your own style of writing.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
“Good writing will find its audience.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
“If you are reading and writing all the time, if your brain is engaged with fiction constantly, then you become more attuned to ideas.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
“As hard work as writing novels is, I think we should always enjoy the process of writing them.” -John Boyne (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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You have no idea how excited I am to have Tomi Adeyemi on our show! Tomi is the author of Children of Blood and Bone, a West African-inspired fantasy debut and the first novel in her trilogy that conjures a world of magic and danger, perfect for any of you fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir. It’s been described as “powerful” and “captivating” and Tomi has been hailed as one of the most promising voices in young adult fiction. Entertainment Weekly describes “Children of Blood and Bone” as “a phenomenon” and it landed one of the biggest YA debut novel publishing deals ever. Way before her novel was even released, her entire fantasy trilogy landed a deal to be made into movies produced by the team at Fox 2000 and Temple Hill Productions, the same team who produced the movies “The Fault in Our Stars,” and “Twilight”. “Children of Blood and Bone” releases on March 6th so be sure to grab yourselves a copy to see what everyone’s talking about!
In today’s episode, we discuss ALL things “Children of Blood and Bone”, from the story behind the title, to her research, and writing process. Tomi even shares her resources that helped her world building process in the novel.
We discuss how Tomi’s awareness of poor representation in her earlier stories inspired her to craft strong representation for her readers, why it’s crucial to recognize our responsibility to give younger generations true representation that creates self-love, and the power a story has to create empathy in humanity and to open our eyes to possibility.
For those of you who are currently writing your own manuscripts, you’ll really appreciate all of the helpful and detailed advice Tomi shares for our storyteller community. She walks us through how to craft character descriptions, all about first drafts, how to use rejections to further your story’s success, advice on finding mentors and editors who can help get your story to where you want it to be, and so much more.
Say 'Hi' to Tomi on Twitter and she'll be taking over our Instagram stories for the release of her episode and it’s going to be AWESOME. Be sure to catch her takeover by clicking here!
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“Storytelling became this way to get everything I wanted, so I just kept doing it.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
“Books are amazing. You explain something so internal, but in such a universal way, that everybody can understand it.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
“The best editors help you write the story you thought you wrote the first time.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
“It has been a dream, but it has also been a crazy amount of work, as it should be.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
“The more you write and the more you revise, the more you discover exactly what you need.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
“When you arm yourself with knowledge, everything feels possible.”
-Tomi Adeyemi (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Atia Abawi is an author, foreign correspondent, and award-winning journalist. Born a refugee to Afghan parents in West Germany and raised in the United States, Atia has reported on war, conflicts and international crises in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Egypt, Kenya and Israel. Her first book for teens, The Secret Sky, is a critically acclaimed love story set during the current war in Afghanistan and won an Amelia Bloomer Award. She was also named a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start, honoring debut novelists whose first book shows success and promise.
In today’s episode, Atia shares the story of her parents’ terrifying journey to find refuge in Germany and why it’s crucial for her to humanize the refugee crisis we see today through her latest novel, “A Land of Permanent Goodbyes”. We discuss the pain she felt day-after-day researching this novel, and why she made the specific choice of narrating the novel through the voice of Destiny.
Further into our discussion, we also learn how Atia transitioned from a journalism background of reporting facts to writing a novel where writers normally rely on creativity and imagination.
Atia is also taking over our Instagram stories from her visit to Bangkok so be sure to follow us on Instagram by clicking here!
Say 'Hi' to Atia on Twitter and check out an exclusive excerpt from "American Panda" along with an adorable cartoon that ties in with the excerpt over at her shownotes page by clicking here! For writers, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of Katherine's shownotes page to download her writing prompt for our storytellers!
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I’m glad that I’m nervous when I ask because I feel like that means I still care about the people that I’m talking to.”
-Atia Abawi (Click to tweet!)
“My imagination was gone because of my journalism. What I did do was put in reality as deep and as best as I could. The sparkles on the water that shimmered like diamonds, that’s real.”
-Atia Abawi (Click to tweet!)
“It got to the point where your dreams no longer just belong to you.”
-Atia Abawi (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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Katherine Locke is the author of the Sydney Taylor Honor Award winning debut young adult novel "The Girl with the Red Balloon."
In today’s episode, we dive into how “The Girl with the Red Balloon” was influenced by her Grandfather. She shares advice for writers new to the historical fantasy genre, how technology plays a crucial role when writing historical fiction, how to tell a story that requires emotionally heavy research and overcoming the emotional exhaustion.
Katherine walks us through incredibly helpful tips on drafting, from the first draft to the second draft, and how to work through the dreaded middle of the manuscript. You’ll learn why Katherine always tosses out the first draft and how she accepted this as part of her process. We also touch on different ways to brainstorm, how to simultaneously balance writing for different genres and age groups, and why it’s necessary to have a writing community.
For writers, to download the exclusive writing prompt she created for our community, scroll down till you see a box that says “writing prompt”. Katherine is also taking over our Instagram account and will be showing us behind-the-scenes glimpses of her writing life, from her local coffee shop where she gets her writing done and how she gets through writer’s block, to special footage from her research trip in Budapest, and so much more. We’re also hosting an exciting giveaway of Katherine’s book so be sure to follow us on Instagram by clicking here!
Say 'Hi' to Katherine on Twitter and check out an exclusive excerpt from "American Panda" along with an adorable cartoon that ties in with the excerpt over at her shownotes page by clicking here! For writers, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of Katherine's shownotes page to download her writing prompt for our storytellers!
Happy Listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“It’s very important to have a writing community that cheerleads and then also challenges you.”
-Katherine Locke (Click to tweet!)
“It took me 3 years of writing it to realize it was ok to not find answers in my own book, its ok to come up with more questions. A tough emotional place to be but a really important personal place to be.”
-Katherine Locke (Click to tweet!)
“I have always considered myself a YA writer, I really do think that’s part of my identity as a writer. I just happen to also write books for adults.”
-Katherine Locke (Click to tweet!)
---
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Advice on drafting, from the first draft to the second draft
How to work through the dreaded middle of your manuscript
How to tell a story that requires emotionally heavy research and overcome the emotional drainage
Detailed advice for writers new to the historical fantasy genre
How to simultaneously balance writing for different genres and age groups
Learn why Katherine always tosses out the first draft and how she accepted this as part of her process to help move her forward
Why it’s crucial to have a writing community and support
Different ways to brainstorm and utilizing how your brain works
The importance of writing consistently
How Katherine’s story for The Girl with the Red Balloon was influenced by her Grandfather
How technology plays a crucial role when writing historical fiction
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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We have co-authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner on our show today!
Meagan is the author of "Hunted" and the "Skylark" trilogy, and Amie is the co-author of "The Illuminae Files". Amie and Meagan are longtime friends and they’ve traveled quite a lot together and have even lived with each other. They’re the epitome of friendship goals.
In today’s episode, we discuss how traveling has directly impacted their writings both individually and together as they co-authored their newest book "Unearthed". In our conversation, we dive into all the details of “Unearthed”, how the idea came to fruition from their travels, and what it was like writing the book together. “Unearthed” is the first in a duology and the film rights have been optioned by the production company “Cross Creek Pictures”, the same company that produced “Black Swan”, and has Doug Liman from “The Bourne Identity” attached to direct.
For our listeners who are especially interested in co-authoring, you’ll want to pay special attention to Meagan and Amie when they walk us through why mutual respect is the key foundation to their successful and healthy partnership as co-authors, how they stay aligned with their book’s main goal by assigning primary responsibilities, and how to productively and efficiently work through disagreements as co-authors. They also share really helpful advice on finding writing partners for yourself and what to look out for.
We also talk about how Meagan landed a literary agent and how Amie became represented by the same literary agency. We deep dive into some real talk about finding your fit when it comes to literary representation, and what to be aware of when you’re figuring out which literary agent to work with.
In case you missed our announcement last week, we added Instagram story takeovers for many of our upcoming episodes! Be sure to follow us on Instagram to catch Amie and Meagan’s story takeover where you’ll get a fun behind-the-scenes glimpse at their writing life.
Say 'Hi' to Amie on Twitter and Meagan on Twitter! Click here to check out their shownotes page.
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“You want to make sure that you have somebody with you who’s there for the whole journey, who wants to see you succeed, rather than just sell one book.”
-Meagan Spooner (Click to tweet!)
“You have to be prepared to stand by your work the whole way through.”
-Amie Kaufman (Click to tweet!)
“Traveling, for me, is the one surefire way to get over writer’s block.”
-Meagan Spooner (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
In today’s episode, we discuss the traditional roles of women and the family values ingrained in the Taiwanese culture. Gloria walks us through the details of her revision process and the most important thing she learned about revisions. We also talk about crafting the main character’s voice, the most exciting thing that’s happened during her debut year, and the difficulties she faced trying to market a YA book set in college. We touch on the inspiration for American Panda’s cover design, how much input Gloria had with the design process, and how one of the details inspired Gloria to tweak a part of her story.
We’ve got some exciting things for you below, like an exclusive excerpt from "American Panda" just for our 88 Cups of Tea community and an adorable cartoon to go along with the excerpt. For our writers, look out for Gloria’s writing prompt at the bottom of this page– Also exclusive for our listeners! If you’re particularly stuck with writer’s block, you’ll want to grab your copy of the prompt.
Gloria is also launching our very first Instagram story takeover today, on February 1st. You’ll get a sneak peek of her life as a writer and one lucky winner will receive a signed copy of “American Panda”. To enter for a chance to win, be sure to look out for Gloria’s announcement of her giveaway on her Instagram story takeover and reply to that story by tapping the heart button. You have exactly 24 hours to enter from the time that story is first posted so you’ll want to act fast.
Say 'Hi' to Gloria on Twitter and check out an exclusive excerpt from "American Panda" along with an adorable cartoon that ties in with the excerpt over at her shownotes page by clicking here! For writers, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of Gloria's shownotes page to download her writing prompt for our storytellers!
I couldn’t be more ecstatic to kick off 2018 with Gloria’s episode, happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I knew that this would take a lot longer to get an agent and a book deal if it ever did and I was still ok with going for it because I felt it was important enough to the story to give it a shot.”
-Gloria Chao (Click to tweet!)
“With plotting and drafting, every book is different. You have to re-learn how the process is going to work for that specific book.”
-Gloria Chao (Click to tweet!)
“A lot of revision went into making sure that it [American Panda] was readable for everyone but at the same time it was very honest and it portrayed everything accurately.”
-Gloria Chao (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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Nnedi Okorafor is an international award-winning novelist of African-based science fiction, fantasy and magical realism for both children and adults. She’s most recognized for weaving African culture into creative evocative settings and memorable characters. Some of the titles she has authored are "Who Fears Death", the "Akata" series, the "Binti" novella trilogy, "Zahrah the Windseeker", and many more. Her novel “Who Fears Death” has been optioned by HBO and is in early development as a TV series with George RR Martin from the "Game of Thrones" series as executive producer. As if all these accolades and achievements weren’t enough, Nnedi is also currently writing a Black Panther series for Marvel.
In describing Nnedi and her work, The New York Times wrote, “Nnedi Okorafor has made a name for herself with novels that combine politically complex science fiction and lyrical fantasy.“
In this episode, Nnedi walks us through her research process for the “Akata” series, and she also shares what her writing process was like for the books. We discuss the power of listening and how it helps you with your writing, how to find an ideal editor for your story, and why she encourages writers to have a messy first draft. We also touch on her thoughts about expanding one’s worldview, and how science fiction helps authors craft stories about cultures and politics. Nnedi also shares helpful advice on managing a storytelling career and motherhood.
Say 'Hi' to Nnedi on Twitter and check out the book mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
I’ve been so excited to wrap up 2017 with Nnedi’s episode, happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
For EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to our shop, meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“Science fiction is one of the most effective forms of political writing and it’s because it takes from science and it also takes from the art of storytelling.”
-Nnedi Okorafor (Click to tweet!)
“Even if you only have time to write a paragraph a day, write a paragraph a day.”
-Nnedi Okorafor (Click to tweet!)
“If you are going to write from those points of view that are not natural to you, that are outside of yourself, sitting back and listening is one of the best ways to grab it.”
-Nnedi Okorafor (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Carmen Maria Machado is a fiction writer, critic, and essayist whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, Granta, Tin House, Guernica, Gulf Coast, NPR, and more. Carmen’s debut short story collection, Her Body and Other Parties, was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Kirkus Prize, the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize, and the winner of the Bard Fiction Prize. NPR describes “Her Body and Other Parties” as an abrupt, original, and wild collection of stories, full of outlandish myths that somehow catch at familiar, unspoken truths about being women in the world that more straightforward or realist writing wouldn’t.”
In this episode, we kick it off by discussing Carmen’s earliest memories of a story she wrote as a kid called “The Biggest Turkey Can’t Find The Farm” and you’ll understand why it’s become her famous family story shared at gatherings. We then discuss Carmen’s thoughts about MFA programs and if she thinks they’re necessary for a successful or a stable writing career. We talk about maximizing a productive writing schedule by figuring out a system that works for you, how Carmen organizes her thoughts during her writing process, and why it’s so important to not get fixated on being published to the point where you lose yourself and are unable to provide your best work possible.
Later, we touch on abuse in same sex relationships and how that ties in with her memoir “House in Indiana” releasing in 2019. Carmen also shares how to recognize some warning signs of an abusive relationship. We then wrap up our conversation by talking more about “Her Body and Other Parties” and how her editor played a crucial role in the process. She also shares how to recognize signs of a good editor and how to make yourself visible as a short story writer.
Say 'Hi' to Carmen on Twitter and check out the book mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
For EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to our shop, meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you request to join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
"Publication is not the end all be all in making good art.”
-Carmen Maria Machado (Click to tweet!)
“I think a part of becoming an artist of any kind, writer in particularly, is figuring what kind of obsessions you have.”
-Carmen Maria Machado (Click to tweet!)
“A good editor is worth their weight in gold.”
-Carmen Maria Machado (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Poet, novelist, and essayist, Erika L. Sanchez was a Fulbright Scholar, CantoMundo Fellowship recipient, and Bread Loaf Scholar. Her debut young adult novel, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter”, is a New York Times Bestseller and was named a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
In this episode, Erika walks us through how she pushed through the difficulty of finding a job during the recession. We discuss why it’s crucial to live for yourself and to live truthfully, and for writers, we talk about how to alleviate writer’s block.
Say 'Hi' to Erika on Twitter and check out the book mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
For EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to our shop, meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you request to join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
"Writing is an ongoing conversation with writers of the past and writers of the future.”
-Erika L. Sánchez (Click to tweet!)
“If you’re not surprising yourself, you’re not surprising the reader.”
-Erika L. Sánchez (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Ryan T. Higgins is the bestselling author and illustrator of the picture book “Mother Bruce” which received the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor.
In this episode, Ryan walks us through the storyboarding and editing process of illustrating his children’s books and he delves into the importance of looking at your story in small chunks to avoid overthinking about your book as a whole. Ryan shares tips on breaking into the publishing world and landing representation, and how to self-publish and promote your work. We also discuss ways to prevent writer’s block and why it’s so important to have a critique partner to help grow story ideas.
Say 'Hi' to Ryan on Twitter and follow him on Instagram to check out his awesome sketches! Check out the books and resources mentioned in his episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
For EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to our shop, meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you request to join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
"Every day is Friday for authors and illustrators.”
-Ryan T. Higgins (Click to tweet)
“At the end of the day it’s what makes the story better.”
-Ryan T. Higgins (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
---
Rebecca Green is an incredibly talented illustrator and painter, and is the picture book author of "How to Make Friends with a Ghost". In this episode, Rebecca walks us through what a dummy book is and how it fits into the picture book creation process, how an agent can help manage and protect your creative time, and why it’s crucial to surround yourself with a strong and creative publishing team.
Rebecca also shares the different mediums she uses to create her illustrations, why it’s so important to be realistic about your workload and learning how to say no, and we discuss ways to stay inspired as an artist, writer, and a creative.
Say 'Hi' to Rebecca on Instagram! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
For EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to our shop, meet fellow members in our community and check in about your work-in-progress, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things, join our private Facebook group! You can really feel the love and support in our community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I definitely try to make things a little funnier and play with your expectations a little bit.”
-Rebecca Green
“You’re just sort of filling a pantry with skills and with these skills you’ll be able to pull them out at certain times throughout your life and make use of them.”
-Rebecca Green
---
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Greg Pizzoli is an author, illustrator and screenprinter.He is the author of "Good Night Owl", a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book, "Templeton Gets His Wish", "Number One Sam", and "The Watermelon Seed", which received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.
In this episode, Greg walks us through his writing process, how his method can help you develop your story ideas, and shares advice on creating brevity in your picture books. We discuss the importance of standing out in the publishing market by highlighting your personality and getting your artwork noticed in the industry by sending out postcards of your illustrations to editors and art directors.
We also get into the nitty gritty about preparing your portfolio to be successful at writing conferences, what a picture book dummy is and how it can help you showcase your work to editors and publishers, and how to approach query letters in the picture book world.
Further into the episode, we discuss why diversification is the key to earning money while supporting your storytelling dreams and how Greg creates silkscreen style illustrations.
Say 'Hi' to Greg on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“I definitely try to make things a little funnier and play with your expectations a little bit.”
-Greg Pizzoli (Click to tweet)
“You’re just sort of filling a pantry with skills and with these skills you’ll be able to pull them out at certain times throughout your life and make use of them.”
-Greg Pizzoli (Click to tweet)
---
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
---
Susan Dennard is the author of the Something Strange and Deadly series as well as the New York Times bestselling books Truthwitch and Windwitch. Susan is one our community’s most requested authors for the show and is known for her really helpful and eye-opening resources for writers. And not to mention, she also has a solid reputation of being known as an author who really cares about the writing community.
This episode is a must for listeners who love conversations about the craft of writing. We cover how to create a successful “plan of attack” for your novel’s revision process, how to develop a strong magic system, advice on crafting a believable male point of view who isn’t a stereotype or a personification of female idealism, and Susan shares the three phases of writing that helps her turn ideas into concrete stories.
We discuss ways for writers to overcome perfectionist tendencies and use it to your advantage, how to discover and fine-tune your writing process to help you reach your writing goals, how a beta-reader or a critique partner can help you avoid info-dumping in your world building, and why it’s crucial to distance yourself from your story idea in order to help it grow.
We also talk about how Susan learned to be self-motivated, how to cope with the loneliness that usually comes along with a writing career, and the importance of sharing your experiences with a writing community who truly understands what you are going through.
Say 'Hi' to Susan on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
For NaNoWriMo participants, join Susan's 'The Mighty Pens" fundraiser by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“What one person likes, is not what someone else is going to like.”
-Susan Dennard (Click to tweet)
“If it doesn’t feel right, if the cookie is not there, I can’t write it.”
-Susan Dennard (Click to tweet)
“Be kind to yourself. It’s okay if you don’t write everyday.”
-Susan Dennard (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
Sara Shepard is the author of the popular NYT bestselling series "Pretty Little Liars" and "The Lying Game". She takes us behind the scenes of her newest book, "Follow Me", the second book in "The Amateurs" series.
We unpack how ghostwriting can help hone your craft and develop your own novel, and how ghostwriting created opportunities for Sara to develop the “Pretty Little Liars” book series with Alloy Entertainment. For “Pretty Little Liars” fans, we dive into detail about the book series and Sara’s thoughts on the TV series adaptation.
Further into our conversation, we talk about coping with imposter syndrome as a writer, ways to overcome writer’s block and unlock new plot lines, how outlining can help you keep track of complicated plot lines during your writing process, and how to manage the pressure of strict deadlines.
We also talk about how to protect your emotions when writing about dark and intense scenes or characters, how to create a villain readers won’t forget, and how to write action scenes that will captivate your readers.
We discuss the importance of community and support when you are going through a hardship and the importance of giving back and showing gratitude to your fans and support.
Say 'Hi' to Sara on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
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If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
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Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
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Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
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“Don’t worry about getting it perfect.”
-Sara Shepard (Click to tweet)
“As a writer, you have to put yourself in your character’s shoes and understand what they are feeling and the temptations that go with that.”
-Sara Shepard (Click to tweet)
“There are ups and downs and sometimes what you are doing is really popular and sometimes it’s not. It’s ok when it’s not. You still write what you love and still do what you love to do.”
-Sara Shepard (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
In today’s new episode, we have Maggie Shen King, author of "An Excess Male". In her novel,she explores the marriage plot in a dystopian future and follows in the footsteps of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”. It’s the story of one excess male, the less-than-perfect family he seeks to join, and the fight for their version of home, for the freedom to be their true selves, and for the country they have lost to a totalitarian regime that aims to control sex and define the boundaries of marriage in the name of the public good.
I’ve been really looking forward to this conversation with Maggie as her story is inspired by actual statistics. China’s One Child Policy was originally implemented to control overpopulation and according to stats, by the year 2030, China will have unintentionally created a society which more than 25% of men in their late thirties will never have married.
In our discussion, Maggie shares more insight into China’s One Child Policy, one of the most radical social experiments in history. She walks us through the research process for writing “An Excess Male” and the importance of targeted research to prevent the loss of writing time.
Maggie belongs to two different writing groups and we dive into the benefits of joining one, and how they’ve helped her tremendously in her writing career. We also discuss the importance of having an editor to help move your story forward. For craft-focused writers, we cover how to improve your world building as a linear writer, and what a style sheet is, and how it can help you create dynamic characters.
Say 'Hi' to Maggie on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“It’s adding a piece of the puzzle at a time and once you create it, then there’s a place to add more.”
-Maggie Shen King
“Learning to listen to the criticism and encouragement and suggestions is a really good thing to develop.”
-Maggie Shen King
“Once you have something on the page, you can work on it.”
-Maggie Shen King
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea
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In today’s new episode, we have Holly Black, the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of the popular books that many of you recognize her from are the “The Spiderwick Chronicles” and The Modern Faerie Tale series. She’s also hugely popular for “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” and the Magisterium series. Holly’s been a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award, the Mythopoeic Award and a Newbery Honor.
In the episode, we talk about the importance of understanding your character’s oppositions to move your plot forward, how to make the most out of critique groups and get the best constructive feedback for your story, the importance of being a part of a community that understands the ups and downs of the industry and ways you can find that community for yourself, and the characteristics you want to ideally find in your critique partner.
We also discuss how to overcome self-doubt as a writer and Holly shares a bunch of writing tools that help set writing goals. We dive into what it means to fast draft and how it pushes you past your critical eye to finish your first draft. For listeners especially focused on the craft of writing, you are going to freaking love today’s episode because Holly also shares how she starts a story with a character and a feeling, and how that navigates her to write the rest of the novel with an image in mind that evokes that specific feeling. Holly unpacks why it’s crucial to describe the fantastical elements at the same level of reality when writing contemporary fantasy, and how to craft narrative voices that resonate with your intended audience by thinking about what you cared about during that age.
Heads up: This episode is so good.
Say 'Hi' to Holly on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“A lot of times we are doing things that have nothing to do with our writing until someday it does.” -Holly Black (Click to tweet!)
“Write for your reader-self, not your writer-self.” -Holly Black (Click to tweet!)
“The more real that you can make the real world, the more real the fantasy is going to feel.” -Holly Black (Click to tweet!)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:
E. Lockhart is the author of the New York Times bestseller "We Were Liars". In this episode, we dig deep into her newest novel, "Genuine Fraud", where you’ll learn about the inspiration behind the book and its main characters.
She walks us through how she structured her novel and tackled the challenging timeline, and how she wrote her first action sequence by studying other great action sequences. Further into our conversation, we discuss how E. creates effective and realistic story settings, and how she creates emotional resonance in her writing. Craft-focused writers will love our chat about unreliable narrators and why it’s crucial to never lie to the readers.
On a more personal note, E. walks us through one of the most difficult times in her career and how it became a blessing in disguise that navigated her way to success. We wrap up the episode with actionable advice for you to achieve your writing goals. This episode is packed with some fantastic knowledge bombs and I’m excited for you to dive in.
Say 'Hi' to E. Lockhart on Twitter! and check out the books/resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here!
Happy listening!
Xo,
Yin
PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word!
---
If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page!
---
Would you love to support our show with some 88 Cups of Tea swag? Grab our limited edition mug (signed by yours truly) here!
---
Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you!
---
Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here!
---
“If they [the characters] feel very close to people, it’s because they’re close to me.” -E. Lockhart (Click to tweet)
“Sometimes the door opens but it’s not the door you thought you were knocking on, but it’s still a door.” -E. Lockhart (Click to tweet)
“I’m not going to create my best work if I stay in totally familiar territory.” -E. Lockhart (Click to tweet)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE: