How Withholding Backstory and Context Can Actually Elevate A Story

From The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

In this inspiring interview, Bianca connects with debut author Aisling Rawle and dives into ‘The Compound’—a dark, gripping tale set in the twisted world of reality TV. She opens up about her unconventional path to publishing, the pivotal role her literary agent played, and the novel’s central themes of desire, materialism, and social critique. Aisling unpacks her approach to character development and reflects on the lasting influence of Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ on her work. From creative inspiration to industry insight, this discussion reveals the raw truth about writing, ambition, and the unpredictable road to literary success.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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