Querying! It's an essential and frustrating part of the publishing process. Alexa, Kat, and Lainey explain what a query is, how to write one, and their best tips for putting your best foot forward with agents.

What are critique partners and do you need them? How do you find critique partners? Alexa, Kat, and Lainey share how they found theirs, the difference between beta and CPs, and give their best tips for finding and working with critique partners.

In our first minisode, we're chatting about our own writing & publishing updates. Kat finishes a book, Lainey starts querying, and Alexa sells a new book!

How much research goes into writing a book? Where should you start? How much is too much? Alexa, Lainey, and Kat discuss book research, including their favorite resources, and some specific research holes down which they have fallen (whether or not that research has ended up in a book).

Worldbuilding is one of the key ingredients of good fiction. Where do you start? What aspects should you consider or avoid? How much should you prep ahead of time vs. figure out on the go? Alexa, Kat, and Lainey discuss how they approach worldbuilding, and some of the fundamental basics.

Character is one of the essential parts of a good book. But how do you create characters that jump off the page? Alexa, Kat, and Lainey discuss character development and all the essential ingredients of character, including personality types, voice, self-inserts, wants/needs, backstory, and more.

Can you write to the market? Should you? Alexa, Kat, and Lainey discuss the market in publishing, in particular YA publishing, and what it means for writers. What do you do if a genre is dead? Can you predict market trends?

Why the big debate between plotting vs. pantsing? Kat, Lainey, and Alexa break down the two contrasting drafting styles, but find some common ground along the way. Plus, we discuss some famous plotters and famous pantsers who might surprise you!

How do you know if your book is YA? And who are YA books for? Alexa, Kat, and Lainey discuss a (brief) history of YA as a marketing category, shifts in the industry, and the future of YA. Curious about middle grade (MG) and new adult (NA)? Both are covered in this episode, as well.

Writing a book is hard, but not impossible! Kat, Lainey, and Alexa break down the fundamentals of book writing, sharing their favorite tools, tips, and tricks for not only starting, but finishing your first book.