In our final bonus episode of 2025, we uncover what really happens inside a literary agency? This week, we’re giving you a fly-on-the-wall look at a real agent meeting.

CeCe is joined by fellow agents from Wendy Sherman Associates to talk trends, romantasy, cover reveals, editor movement, author marketing pressure, and what agents actually do after a book sells. Honest, funny, and packed with insider insight—this is publishing, unfiltered.

Don’t miss our final comps for 2025 with Emilie Sommers!

Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host ​and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Wendy Sherman Associates, Inc. is the home of award-winning writers and bestselling books. Wendy Sherman (president and founder) loves voice and story-driven fiction that hits that sweet spot between literary and mainstream, as well as non-fiction with a unique twist by authors with a strong, well-developed media platform. Cherise Fisher (vice president) is passionate about working with novelists who have several compulsively readable yarns in their head and are committed to perfecting their craft as storytellers. Laura Mazer specializes in adult nonfiction with a focus on women’s issues, intelligent pop culture, counterintuitive self-help, as well as upmarket fiction. Callie Deitrick is looking for stories with fresh hooks and strong, character-driven plot, with a soft spot for light speculative fiction. And of course you know CeCe Lyra, our co-host, who feels incredibly lucky to have joined the WSA team. If you are interested in querying a WSA agent, please visit https://www.wsherman.com/submission-guidelines/

Follow us on Instagram:

WSA: @wsa_literary

Wendy: @wendysherman

Cherise: @cherisefisher

Laura: @lauramazer

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

In this festive episode, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe unwrap two juicy query critiques! First up: — a whodunit-meets-reality-TV mashup where The Bachelor collides with Death on the Nile. The trio dishes on comps overload, missing love stories, and why “cozy romance” needs more than vibes. Then, a chilling turn with a literary horror set in Alaska. CeCe and Carly dive deep into what makes tension work (hint: clarity, specificity, and stakes), plus a few laughs over maps, marriage, and misfires.

Note: Cece Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host ​and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com

Money. Advances. Royalties. Envy. Agenting. In this no-holds-barred part one episode, Carly and CeCe crack open the money conversations writers are told not to have—and answer your most anonymous, anxiety-inducing questions about the business of publishing. From six-figure deal myths and what “earning out” actually means, to whether writing can be a job, how agents think about money, and why publishing is basically institutionalized gambling, nothing is off-limits. Honest, data-driven, funny, and deeply validating—this is the episode that pulls the financial curtain all the way back. Stay tuned for part two…coming soon.

Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host ​and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing

https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com