The First Draft Club
A podcast to help you overcome resistance and write with more joy, clarity, and confidence. If you’re working on a novel or memoir, stick around. Whether you haven‘t written a word since your 5-paragraph essay days or you have an MFA in Creative Writing, this weekly podcast is now your favorite writing companion on your journey to finish your first draft.
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 139
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
How do I know when my draft is done?
In this episode, Mary talks about how to know when a draft is done, and how even after a book is published, she keeps editing.
S02 E07 How do I know when my draft is done? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 11/13/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
In this episode, Mary talks …
How do I effectively use the devices Red Herrings and Macguffins?
Ever heard of these writing devices? If not, don't worry—you'll learn in this episode.
S02 E06 How do I effectively use the devices Red Herrings and Macguffins? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 11/6/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
Ever heard of these writing …
How do I write when I feel so insecure?
Mary gets trolled, feels insecure, and talks about what insecurity means...and what it doesn't.
S02 E05 How do I write when I feel so insecure? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 10/30/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
Mary gets trolled, feels ins…
How accurate do the real-world places in my novel need to be?
In this episode, Mary navigates the murky world of balancing fact and fiction when your fiction is set in a world like our own.
S02 E04 How accurate do the real-world places in my novel need to be? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 10/23/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
In this episode, Mary naviga…
When should I hit "pause" on writing to research more?
Mary shares her inverted pyramid guide to researching for a novel and talks about why she does all her best research after 3 p.m.
S02 E03 When should I hit “pause” on writing to research more? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 10/16/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
Mary shares her inverted pyr…
Is it bad to start a new book before I finish writing this one?
In this episode, Mary talks about juggling projects, following creativity's lead, and The Bachelorette.
S02 E02 Is it bad to start a new book before I finish writing this one? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 10/9/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
In this episode, Mary talks a…
Help! How do I write good dialogue?
The trick to writing believable dialogue is to remember a key thing about humans: we're bad at it.
S02 E01 Help! How do I write good dialogue? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 10/2/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
The trick to writing believab…
Let's recap our season takeaways.
All the questions answered during Season 1 in one quick-to-digest episode!
S01 E12 Let’s recap our season takeaways [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 8/28/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
All the questions answered du…
Do I need an antagonist?
If you have to have a protagonist, you must need an antagonist, right? No. What you do need is more interesting.
S01 E11 Do I need an antagonist? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 8/21/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
If you have to have a protago…
How do we include background without boring the reader?
All stories have a history. How much of that history you share with the reader, and where you bring it in, can determine whether that reader sticks with your book or not. In this episode, we discuss …
S01 E10 How do we include background without boring the reader? [Reissue]
This episode originally aired on 8/14/2020. Due to a technical issue with Apple Podcasts deleting our episodes, this is a repost. New episodes will not have this notice.
All stories have a history. H…