Ep. 441: More Notes & Celebrating Steps Along The Way

Ep. 441: More Notes & Celebrating Steps Along The Way

Author: The Onward Project October 23, 2025 Duration: 30:51
Recently Liz and Sarah discussed how the rubber was meeting the road on their Netflix pilot. They were sure they were done with the notes process and were now awaiting some kind of yay or nay on the project. But they were wrong! They’re getting more notes, a reminder that predicting the future in Hollywood is impossible. In Take A Hike, Sarah talks about how making a meal from her garden made her realize it’s important to celebrate steps along the way. Next they answer a Mailroom Question from a listener who does NOT enjoy being inundated by Substack newsletters. This week’s Hollywood Hack will improve your pictures — use the Clean Up feature in Apple photos. Finally, Sarah recommends An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It will come right to your inbox! Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCra 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, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: GreenStalk Garden: https://greenstalkgarden.com/   Orange Theory Fitness: https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us   An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler: https://amzn.to/42Rh8OO 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…