Ep. 469: Putting Our Reading Into Our Writing

Ep. 469: Putting Our Reading Into Our Writing

Author: The Onward Project May 7, 2026 Duration: 33:42
Liz and Sarah talk about how they plan to incorporate what they’ve gleaned from Natalie Goldberg’s book, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, into the next draft of their novel Bad Trip. Inner censor be damned! In Take A Hike, they share whimsy ideas from listeners who are participating in Mimsy May. Then they talk about why Writers Room Pro is one of their favorite HIH WFH tools. This week’s Hollywood Hack comes from career coach Carole Kirschner — spend twenty minutes researching whoever you’re going to meet with. Finally Liz recommends Caro Claire Burke’s buzzy new novel, Yesteryear.  Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It’ll come right to your inbox! Sign up for Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter Chickening Out at https://happierinhollywood.substack.com. It’ll 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. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within https://amzn.to/4umNtbn Writing Down the Bones Deck: 60 Cards to Free the Writer Within https://amzn.to/4tare7B WritersRoom Pro: https://www.writersroompro.com/ Career Coach Carole Kirschner: https://www.carolekirschner.com/  Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke: https://amzn.to/3RkCbWQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: 50

Happier in Hollywood
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 488: No Wallowing Policy & Start In Neutral [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:47
Liz and Sarah have discovered that, for them, productivity is the best medicine. After a major disappointment they thought about taking the day off and wallowing in bed. Instead, they had an incredibly productive work da…
Ep. 487: Killin’ It Killer Bee Style [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
Liz and Sarah check in on their 2026 Team Theme “Be the Bee,” and decide to update it to “Be the Killer Bee.” In Take A Hike, Liz shares a strategy for putting yourself in the right mindset for the day. Then they answer…
Ep. 486: What Will We Do Without Dolly? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:38
In honor of the incredible life and legacy of Dolly Parton, Liz and Sarah are doing an all-Dolly episode! In From The Treadmill Desks Of, they reveal how they wish they’d had Dolly’s backbone when they caved on a busines…
Ep. 485: Chaos Vibes & The Joy Of Rehashing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:38
Liz and Sarah discuss that one of the biggest advantages of having a writing partner is being able to take turns bringing each other up when one is down. Right now, Sarah is feeling the chaos of their career, but Liz is…
Ep. 484: The Talk-Through Step & Monday Morning Steps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:35
Liz and Sarah have added a useful new step to their pitch writing process — the talk-through step. If they’re working with someone they trust, they’ve discovered it’s super helpful to talk through what they’re thinking f…
Ep. 482: Word Count Accountability (& Chuck Dances!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
Liz and Sarah are using a new accountability method to power through the pages of their novel Bad Trip. Every day, they’re writing down their respective word counts in their planners, even if it’s zero, and then reportin…
Ep. 481: AI Work Flow & Plus One With Lisa And Morgan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:57
Liz and Sarah are experimenting with AI to make their work flow more productive. Will their new Chat GPT Work-generated schedule help them keep their project priorities straight? Next they interview Lisa Joyner (married…
Ep. 480: Making It Happen & The Wonder Of A Repertoire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:40
Liz and Sarah are making it happen! They’ve been doing a deep dive into micro-dramas for several months, and now they’re at the beginning stages of Executive Producing their first one. They talk about how they’ve gone ab…
Ep. 479: Summer 2026 Listener Questions Episode: Part Two! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
Liz and Sarah are answering more listener questions! Do they still drink espresso martinis? What advice would they give their college senior selves? Could they have been writing partners if they met as adults? What rando…