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Literary ProspectsAuthor: Kelley Vick
Kelley Vick talks to authors and other literary professionals about books, publishing and the writing life. Language: en-us Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Author Joan F. Smith on Soulmates, Extreme Plotting, and Why Great Ideas Aren’t Enough
Episode 110
Tuesday, 5 May, 2026
What would happen if everyone in the world received an email (or telegram) at the exact same time, naming their true soulmate? This is the question Joan F. Smith explores in her thoughtful and original adult debut novel, YOUR SOULMAIL IS ATTACHED. But before Joan sits down to write, she has more than a simple question in mind. A self-confessed “extreme plotter,” Joan grounds wildly speculative elements and keeps readers turning pages with meticulous research and extensive structural outlining. In this episode, Joan gets real about her process, the writing “rules” she refuses to follow, her obsession with TV pilot episodes, navigating publishing's unpredictability, and building a creative life that lasts. Whether you're drafting your first chapter or querying your tenth manuscript, Joan's practical, hard-won insights will meet you exactly where you are.In this episode, you'll learn:•The difference between an idea and a book concept — and why writing before you know which one you have is the most common (and costly) mistake aspiring authors make•How to make wildly speculative premises feel completely grounded — Joan's research-heavy, reader-first approach to world-building in Your Soulmail is Attached•Why extreme plotting works — how writing a 20,000-word outline before drafting a single scene can actually set you free•The unexpected craft lesson from screenwriting — why studying TV pilots and film structure gave Joan a story-shaping toolkit that fiction workshops couldn't•What reading in your genre actually means — and how recent your comps really need to be*To support the podcast and get awesome, bookish merch, check out the Literary Prospects Shop at https://shop.literaryprospects.com *For books featured on the podcast and other curated booklists, check out our online store at Bookshop.org, Literary Prospects Books: https://bookshop.org/shop/literaryprospects *More good stuff for writers and readers: https://literaryprospects.comTopics and Timestamps:0:22 — Introduction & book blurbs for *Your Soulmail is Attached*2:46 — About the book: the premise and Olivia Adler's story3:23 — How Joan came up with the Soul Mail concept 5:05 — Would Joan open her Soul Mail? How her answer has changed6:48 — Making speculative fiction feel grounded10:55 — How Joan draws characters from real life…and then flips them12:28 — Joan's writing process: extreme plotting, 20K outlines, and writing non-linearly14:55 — Why the best ideas come in the shower (and what that says about our attention spans)16:33 — Moving from YA to adult fiction; it’s not a “pivot”19:14 — How a screenwriting course transformed the way Joan thinks about story structure21:10 — Reverse outlining TV and film24:18 — Has Joan always been a writer? (Spoiler: she submitted a story to Cosmo in 5th grade)24:55 — The road to publication: MFA, Pitch Wars, and finding her writing partners27:06 — What made her writing partnership the catalyst for everything taking off29:44 — Dance as storytelling: how being a dance teacher informs Joan’s writing30:28 — The Darling Killers podcast32:07 — The difference between an idea and a book concept (and why it matters)38:14 — What Joan knows now that she wishes she'd known before her debut39:59 — Best advice for aspiring authors: read and reverse outline!43:46 — The theme song for *Your Soulmail is Attached* (the movie/series)
