Write the Damn Book Already

Ep 134: Crafting Complex Narratives with Lauren Oliver

Elizabeth Lyons / Lauren Oliver

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 30:18

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

If you’re the kind of person who devours psychological thrillers but also wants to be emotionally sucker-punched (in the best way), Lauren Oliver’s What Happened to Lucy Vale needs to be on your radar. 

In this episode, Lauren takes us behind the scenes of what might be her most structurally daring novel to date. Set in a small Indiana town with a possibly-haunted house at its core, Lucy Vale unspools two eerie mysteries—one set in the past, one unraveling in real time—using both traditional storytelling and a collective “we” voice (think The Virgin Suicides meets Reddit sleuth thread). 

This book took years to write, and when you hear how the pieces click into place, you’ll understand why. 

Through this book, she challenges us to ask: What if we’re not always the hero in someone else’s story? 

We also dive into Lauren’s writing journey, which is less “neat staircase to the top” and more “rollercoaster meets overgrown hiking trail.” She talks honestly about the pressure to stick to one genre, the heartbreak of writing books that don’t land, and the weird freedom in failure. “I’d rather have a diversified breaking of my heart,” she says. 

So whether you’re obsessed with fresh storytelling formats, fascinated by how online culture is warping our real-life relationships, or just here for the haunted-house vibes, What Happened to Lucy Vale is a must-read and this conversation is a must-listen.

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Get back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING?

Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way.

👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

People on this episode

Podcasts we love

Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Artwork

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra