116 episodes

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.

The First Draft Club By Mary Adkins | Author & Book Writing Coach

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 95 Ratings

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.

    S07 E10 How Much I Was Paid for My First Novel & Why I Don't Think Big Publishing is Dead

    S07 E10 How Much I Was Paid for My First Novel & Why I Don't Think Big Publishing is Dead

    Mary takes on the recent buzz around "Big 5" publishing being a waste of time for authors by sharing her own story and how she views authorial success.
    ---
    Mary's Blog: https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/in-defense-of-big-publishing
    The Elysian Article: https://www.elysian.press/p/no-one-buys-books

    • 23 min
    S07 E09 The #1 Resource for When You're Querying

    S07 E09 The #1 Resource for When You're Querying

    How do you find the right literary agents or publishers to query? There's one resource that's worth every penny (and this isn't sponsored content): Publisher's Marketplace. Here's why, and how to use it.

    • 16 min
    S07 E08 The Lean-In Method for Assessing Feedback

    S07 E08 The Lean-In Method for Assessing Feedback

    How do you get feedback without letting it derail you? The risk is real. Mary shares the single criterion she uses in deciding whether or not to take a piece of feedback.

    • 11 min
    S07 E07 The Real Secret to Writing Your Best Possible Book

    S07 E07 The Real Secret to Writing Your Best Possible Book

    In this short and sweet episode, Mary shares the secret to writing a book that's smarter than you (with some helpful words from George Saunders and Rufi Thorpe).

    • 9 min
    S07 E06 Rufi Thorpe (with Mary) on How to Control Your Reader's Mind

    S07 E06 Rufi Thorpe (with Mary) on How to Control Your Reader's Mind

    In this sneak peek into the private podcast inside The Book Incubator, Mary and Rufi discuss what they label "Newtonian Narratology" (you think we're kidding!), a.k.a. why it's better for your characters to try not to cry than to cry, and why you might not need to learn how to write that one emotion you struggle to write, after all.

    • 39 min
    S07 E05 Interview with Psychologist & Author Joe Sanok on How to Get Your Book Written

    S07 E05 Interview with Psychologist & Author Joe Sanok on How to Get Your Book Written

    Author of Thursday is the New Friday, Joe Sanok speaks with Mary about the neuroscience findings that can help aspiring authors finally finish their drafts.

    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
95 Ratings

95 Ratings

LolPodcast ,

💜 💜 💜 💜

This inspires me to write the best book that I can. I also appreciate the eloquence of the reviews. 😂

AGibsonWriter ,

Useful and actionable advice

I love Mary’s direct style and friendly tone. She makes writing fun and manageable.

LucyHighBaller ,

Just found this and I love it!

I think the information in these podcast is very useful. The podcast subjects are very interesting. I cannot wait to listen to all of them!

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