What makes a thriller thrilling? In this episode of Writing Break, we discuss pacing, stakes, suspense, and more. We also look at what, if anything, BookTok can do for you.

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Overthinking Couch Topics:

• The key differences between suspense and thrillers
• How to raise stakes that truly matter
• The secret to pacing that keeps readers hooked without burning them out
• Pitfalls to avoid when writing thrillers
• Thriller and suspense subgenres

• Black British Book Festival born from 'frustration and vision' as festival enters fifth year
• Warsaw opens metro station ‘express’ library to get commuters off their phones | Poland | The Guardian
• The #BookTok Connection: Examining Cultural and Linguistic Identity Expression in Online Reading Communities
• Why I Won’t Quit BookTok | Vogue
• The #BookTok Connection: Examining Cultural and Linguistic Identity Expression in Online Reading Communities
• The Influence of BookTok on Literary Criticisms and Diversity
• BookTok is reviving publishing – but at what cost? | The Week
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Season 8 of Writing Break sets sail with mystery and detective fiction. From archetypal sleuths to red herrings and fair-play clues, learn how to craft puzzles that keep readers guessing. Plus, the latest publishing news, including a $1.5 billion AI copyright settlement and turmoil at the Library of Congress.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

• Why it matters to revisit genre basics in an AI-dominated landscape
• What readers and publishers expect from mystery and detective fiction
• Classic detective archetypes: from loners to gentleman sleuths to amateur nosy neighbors
• The art of fair-play clues, hidden details, and red herrings
• How to reverse-engineer your crime
• Delivering the big reveal without cheating your reader

• New AI text-to-speech audio app launches with '60% of every sale going to authors'
• Anthropic to pay authors $1.5bn to settle lawsuit over using pirated books to train AI - Music Business Worldwide
• AAP Endorses the US$1.5 Billion AI Settlement Proposed in Bartz v. Anthropic
• Who Is in Charge of the Library of Congress? - UnderstandingCongress.org
• Former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Speaks Out on CBS
• Fresh off Trump firings, Library of Congress stares down a proposed cut
• Library of Congress Reaches Major Milestone in Bringing Collections to Users
• Welcome to the New Library of Congress Catalog! - Catalog Help and Documentation - Research Guides at Library of Congress
• Fired copyright chief lawsuit over Trump powers
• Todd Blanche, a Justice Department official, as acting Librarian of Congress
• President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

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In this bonus episode, we’re wrapping up Season 7 with a stitched-together master episode featuring all five segments from our Querying Literary Agent series.

Whether you're just starting your submission journey or navigating the silence after sending your pitch, this complete guide has you covered.

• Part 1: Big Five Dreams or Indie Vibes?
• Part 2: Where the Lit Agents Are and How to Find Yours
• Part 3: Writing Your Query Letter
• Part 4: What Happens After You Hit Send
• Bonus: What to Do While You Wait

This episode is your one-stop-shop for understanding the querying process from beginning to end.

Plus, I give you a sneak peek into what’s ahead:

Season 8: Mastering fiction genres

Season 9: Breaking the rules with experimental and hybrid work

Season 10: Mastering nonfiction, including memoir, journalism, essays, and more

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• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Querying literary agents and not hearing back can feel like shouting into the void. In this episode, recorded mid-recovery from a concussion (yes, really), we’re turning that creative purgatory into purposeful progress. If you’ve sent out queries and find yourself obsessively refreshing your inbox, this is your antidote.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

Overanalyzing the querying blues and becoming better writers for it

Reclaiming control during the waiting game

Reviving your creative energy

Reading like a writer

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Enjoying Writing Break? Rate, review, and share with a fellow writer. Every kind word helps more writers find the podcast.

• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

In the final installment of our four-part series on querying literary agents, we break down what to expect when a literary agent replies to your email. From form rejections and useful feedback to the coveted request for more materials, today’s episode is all about helping you navigate agent responses.

Plus, in publishing news:

• A $44 million scam targeting writers has resulted in federal charges
• Fan fiction hits the bestseller lists with Dramione-inspired debuts
• A bestselling memoir-turned-film faces accusations of fraud and fabrication

Overthinking Couch Topics:

• The 3 types of literary agent responses
• How to recognize a personalized rejection
• What it means when agents request more materials
• The difference between execution and market viability
• What to do next—whether it’s a “yes,” “no,” or radio silence

📫 Also, I share a personal update on my surprise stint in Google Purgatory, and why you may not have heard back from me via email.

🎧 Catch up on the full Literary Agent series:

• Part 1: Should You Query a Literary Agent?

• Part 2: How to Research Literary Agents

• Part 3: How to Write a Query Letter

• The Salt Path Scandal
• Draco-Hermione Fan Fiction Novels Hit Bestseller Lists
• PageTurner's $44 million fraud charges cast spotlight on author services
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

In today’s episode of Writing Break, we’re dog-sitting, dodging deadlines, and diving deep into the dreaded query letter.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

• The classic 3-part structure of a fiction query letter
• What makes a strong nonfiction pitch
• A breakdown of the 7 essential parts of a book proposal
• The 5 most common query mistakes

🎧 Catch up on the series:

• Part 1: Should You Query a Literary Agent?
• Part 2: How to Research Literary Agents

• Querying Literary Agents, Part 2: Where the Lit Agents Are and How to Find Yours - Writing Break
• Querying Literary Agents, Part 1: Big Five Dreams or Indie Vibes? - Writing Break
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Today we’re (finally!) continuing our four-part series on querying literary agents. Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, querying without doing your homework is like picking a random person off a dock and asking them to captain your boat across the ocean. In this episode, I'm sharing how to research literary agents and find the ones most likely to say yes to your book.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

• Tools and databases to help you find agents
• How to vet an agent’s interests, history, and red flags
• An analog method for agent discovery that still hold up
• Why being selective can save your sanity and your story

Plus, there's some essential publishing news about the reality of book bans and a hopeful new UK initiative for working-class writers.

• Querying Literary Agents, Part 1: Big Five Dreams or Indie Vibes? - Writing Break - Episode 121
• 7 Tips for Landing a Literary Agent - Writing Break - Episode 75
• Literary Agents and Bestselling Books - Writing Break - Episode 70
• The Bee - A home for working-class readers and writers
• North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schools
• Book Ban Data | Banned Books
• U.S. Book Challenges Update: March 2025 Edition - I Love Libraries
• PEN America Is Suing against Book Bans in Tennessee
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Welcome to the first installment of a four-part series on querying literary agents. In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of publishing with a Big Five publisher versus an independent press. Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, traditionally publishing or submitting directly to publishers, this episode will help you clarify your publishing goals.

Plus: A roundup of the latest publishing news, including the growing backlash against tech giants using books to train AI.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

• The Big Five publishers: what they offer and what you give up.
• Independent presses: creative freedom and community.
• Why authors might choose commercial reach vs. a passionate niche.
• Important questions to ask yourself before querying.

• Ep 84: Query Letters vs Book Proposals - Writing Break
• Ep 68: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing - Writing Break
• Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts
• Crown Publishing Group Launches Book Imprint Dedicated to Black Voices
• OpenAI copyright lawsuits from authors, New York Times consolidated in Manhattan
• French publishers and authors sue Meta over copyright works used in AI training
• ‘Meta has stolen books’: authors to protest in London against AI trained using ‘shadow library’ | Books | The Guardian
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks.