Ep. 460: The Inside Board Is Everything

Ep. 460: The Inside Board Is Everything

Author: The Onward Project March 5, 2026 Duration: 29:54
Liz and Sarah recently learned the concept of an “Inside Board.” From now on, whenever they run a show they’ll be forming one. In Take A Hike, they share how a listener turning Sarah on to a fiber center in North Dakota made them realize the value of leaning into Niche Nirvana. A recent visit with American writer Fannie Flagg led to this week’s The Craft (& Fain) — ask yourself “who are you writing for?” Fannie Flagg is also the source of the Hollywood Hack: To figure out structure, clip scenes to a clothesline and move them around. Finally, Sarah recommends the book Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach.   Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com and Sarah’s Chickening Out Substack at https://happierinhollywood.substack.com. They’ll come right to your inbox! 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, ’S please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!   LINKS: Nome Schoolhouse: https://nomeschoolhouse.com/   Fannie Flagg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Flagg   Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg: https://amzn.to/4spPWRI   Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach: https://amzn.to/4r5ngvU 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. 446: Thanksgiving Listener Hacks Bonanza! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:05
Happy Thanksgiving! Liz and Sarah share a veritable cornucopia of practical hacks from listeners. Some faves? Use a hotel room pants hanger to clip the curtains closed. Put whitening mouthwash in your water flosser. Atta…
Ep. 445: Fighting The War Of Attrition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:04
Every episode, Liz and Sarah refer to winning the “war of attrition.” Today they discuss concrete ways to get IN that war — you can’t win if you’re not in the fight! In Career Lessons With Laverne, they talk to career co…
Ep. 444: HIH 2025 Gift Guide! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:57
‘Tis the season for gift giving! Liz and Sarah share their favorite gifts of 2025 — everything from a Hori Hori Knife to a Hot Potato Shock Game to Sarah’s new favorite hair product. Also? Here’s a special link for anyon…
Ep. 443: How To Be Pitch Perfect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
Liz and Sarah have SO MANY pitches coming up! They decided to hire Pitch Coach, Jordana Oberman, to help them up their game. And they’re so glad they did. In Take A Hike, Sarah shares why a recent L.A. Zoo outing with Vi…
Ep. 442: Sucking It Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:40
After a recent rude encounter related to one of their projects, Liz and Sarah talk about how sometimes you just have to suck it up. (Being able to see your own facial expression on Zoom helps!) In honor of Halloween, the…
Ep. 441: More Notes & Celebrating Steps Along The Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 wer…
Ep. 440: Pitch Decks & Meeting IRL [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:54
Liz and Sarah talk about how they approach constructing pitch decks — finding the perfect photo is Sarah’s superpower! In Take A Hike, they discuss why it’s so important to take the time to meet people in person. Not onl…
Ep 439: Pitch Prep & Define Your Eras [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:20
Liz and Sarah delve into one of the key aspects of prepping for a TV pitch— the questions and answers that follow your presentation. Pro tip? Be ready to drill down on tone. In Take A Hike, inspired by Taylor Swift’s new…
Ep. 438: Convergence & The Control Your Algorithm Challenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:22
Liz and Sarah have been pingponging around on various projects for months. Now several of their projects are converging, and it’s controlled chaos! In Take A Hike, they issue the Control Your Algorithm October Challenge.…
Ep. 437: The Curse Of Hearing Good Things & Pivoting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:50
Liz and Sarah are hearing a trickle of good things about their pilot script, which means… absolutely nothing. They discuss how to regulate their nervous systems and keep expectations low while the waiting continues. Then…