Ep. 423: No Right Way & Revisiting Whimsy

Ep. 423: No Right Way & Revisiting Whimsy

Author: The Onward Project June 19, 2025 Duration: 25:36
Liz and Sarah discuss how writing the third draft of their pilot has made them realize there’s no right way to do something creative. There are MANY right ways. In Take Two, they revisit “whimsy” and share listener suggestions of whimsical items that bring joy. This week’s tip in The Craft (& Fain) makes a scene better AND shorter — lop off the first few lines and/or the last few lines. Then they share a summer travel Hollywood Hack: buy your airplane snacks before you go to the airport. Finally, Sarah recommends the Gardeners’ Question Time podcast from BBC Radio 4. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s free weekly newsletter at  https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: Midori paper clips:  https://amzn.to/3FZBIEr   Potato Clips: https://amzn.to/4kTtHAg   Shreve, Crump, & Low Original Gurgling Cod https://shrevecrumpandlow.com/product/large-greige-gurgling-cod?srsltid=AfmBOoo72ZMQ0EGNLm6Ri31vzTtU8aq58tIa24Cai-JwRfndEQ1mXJGx   Rifle Paper Co. https://riflepaperco.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopT7dL2l8LH74MEpruph9iwSsI1uHQfkPL_XcofXDbpGv5BWXS8   Calliope Paperie: https://calliopepaperie.com/   DAISO: https://daisous.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop4KFVfceNijVQnSoOQsL4FRff-2UMwTgMaEYZwJK4fdyRQBsS6   Kawaii Pen Shop: https://kawaiipenshop.com/search?q=Toaster+light   Gardeners’ Question Time podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perton-staffs-used-compost-angry-peonies-and-ant-tics/id325945259?i=1000712751136   Photo by Unsplash+ on Unsplash  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over two decades, television writers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain have navigated the unique pressures of Hollywood as a team, and their Happier in Hollywood podcast pulls back the curtain on that journey. This isn't just industry gossip; it's a candid conversation between two friends who have built a career and a life inside a famously tough town. Each episode feels like grabbing a table at the commissary with them, where they translate their personal and professional hurdles into relatable lessons. You’ll hear how a blend of stubborn optimism and pragmatic Midwestern grit helped them thrive in a male-dominated field, offering tangible advice that goes far beyond writing a script. Their discussions tackle everything from navigating office politics and difficult conversations to the small, daily practices that maintain sanity. This Happier in Hollywood podcast, from The Onward Project, transforms specific Hollywood struggles into universal themes about resilience, partnership, and finding your footing in any high-stakes career. It’s about the unglamorous work behind the glamour-the ass-kicking, the occasional ass-kissing, and yes, even the office yoga-that actually makes a sustainable life possible. Tune in for a surprisingly grounded perspective from two veterans who have learned to carve out happiness on their own terms.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Happier in Hollywood
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 417: Going For It & Giving Good Bio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:24
Liz and Sarah discuss how watching their former co-worker, actor Walton Goggins, “go for it” on screen makes them want to go for it in their writing. Letting go of boundaries can lead to powerful art. In The Craft (& Fai…
Ep. 416: Work Albatrosses & AI Family Crests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:47
Liz and Sarah talk about how to figure out if something in your work life is an albatross, and what you can do to get rid of it. One tip? Force yourself to have an uncomfortable conversation. In Take A Hike, they share a…
Ep. 415: Strategic Planning (A.K.A. Our Corporate Vision Board) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:51
Liz and Sarah talk to Hollywood manager, Executive Director of The Julia Child Foundation, and friend-of-the-pod Todd Schulkin about strategic planning. What is it? Why should they do it? And what is a SWOT analysis? Tod…
Ep. 414: Busy Bees & Reframing Imperfection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:48
Liz and Sarah continue to embrace this year’s team theme — Flower & Fly 2025 — by thinking of themselves as busy bees. Their organized buzzing has put them in a state of flow. In Take A Hike, Sarah shares why “art yarn”…
Ep. 413: Networking Event Tips & Our Team Muse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:46
Liz and Sarah share networking event tips for those who don’t particularly like networking events. Some ideas? Look at the guest list beforehand, get there early, and try to connect with deeper conversation. In Hits & Bo…
Ep. 412: Read Like You’re A College Student [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:25
Liz and Sarah are getting ready to pitch a show, and they’re battling the bad feeling that nothing will sell. They remind themselves that no matter the climate in Hollywood, their work stays the same. The outcome will be…
Ep.411: Supercommunicating With Charles Duhigg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:29
Liz and Sarah talk to Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Charles Duhigg, about his fantastic book Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. One piece of advice? Ask the deep question. Then, in Day…
Ep. 410: What The Hell Is Substack & Project Warning Signs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:29
Sarah and Liz are Substack zealots, but they realize many listeners don’t even know what Substack is — six months ago, they’d barely heard of it. So they break down the ABC’s of Substack from a user’s point of view. In T…
Ep. 409: Secrets Of Adulthood With Gretchen Rubin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:55
Liz and Sarah talk to Gretchen Rubin, aka Liz’s sister, about her fantastic new book of witty and thought-provoking aphorisms, Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives. Some favorites: What can be done a…
Ep. 408: Career Transitions With Laverne McKinnon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:33
Liz and Sarah talk to Hollywood veteran and career coach Laverne McKinnon about career transitions, career grief, and the tumult happening in Hollywood. Then, in The Craft (& Fain), they share a tip that will improve you…