Stay ConnectedVeteran TV writers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain demystify Hollywood by making career and personal struggles universal. Friends since high school and writing partners for over 20 years, Liz and Sarah have survived and thrived in Tinseltown’s male-dominated entertainment industry, guided by blind optimism and a Midwestern work ethic. Along the way they’ve learned a lot about kicking ass, kissing ass, and office yoga.
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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 to Jon Cryer aka Ducky from Pretty In Pink)and Morgan Walsh (married to Matt Walsh of Veep and UCB fame) from the fascinating new podcast, Plus One with Lisa and Morgan. How do they deal with having a partner who’s (usually) the one in the spotlight? Is it hard to maintain their own sense of self? This week’s Hollywood Hack is practical and pink — the Anker Zolo power bank. Finally, Liz recommends Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America, the new book from Andrew McCarthy (aka Blane from Pretty In Pink.)
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!
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!
LINKS:
Plus One with Lisa and Morgan:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plus-one-with-lisa-and-morgan/id1896944012?i=1000777680587
Pretty In Pink trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLQUGq8eE8
Veep trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Mo61W9e-8
Two and a Half Men trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIP2xlGnOEs
Anker Zolo power bank in pink:
Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America by Andrew McCarthy:
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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 about educating themselves in this new (to them) form of entertainment and ask listeners when they’ve made something happen. Then, in Take A Hike, they discuss the value of having a repertoire of everything from meals to small talk topics. They also share a recent Day In The Life — from dealing with a water outage to writing at the cafe at Godmothers to breaking a new pilot at Bob Dylan concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl. This week’s Hollywood Hack is great for anyone who loves audio — the AirPods Pouch from Bandolier. Finally Sarah recommends Beyond Paradise on BritBox.
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:
Godmothers:
Santa Barbara Bowl:
Airpods Pouch from Bandolier:
https://www.bandolierstyle.com/collections/airpod-series
Beyond Paradise trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgrI_iPsS2o
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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 random photos are on their phones thanks to their adventures in TV writing? They discuss all this and more!
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!
Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/
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We discuss the biggest obstacles to moving more this summer with Sarah Fain from the “Happier in Hollywood” podcast, and share practical strategies for getting regular exercise.
This special episode is part of the Move 26 in ‘26 challenge to help all of us find more ways to move every day.
Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app.
Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com.
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!
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!
LINKS:
Join the Move 26 in '26 challenge here
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today Liz and Sarah are answering listener questions! If they weren’t TV writers, what career would they each choose? (Sarah would like to own a craft store, while Liz’s fantasy self is a birth doula.) What did they think of Caro Claire Burke’s novel Yesteryear? Why don’t they spend more time talking about the negative impact of AI? They discuss all this and so much more!
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:
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke:
https://amzn.to/440S348
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
During a recent trip to the Santa Barbara Bowl, Liz and Sarah felt the universe was sending signs that they’re on the right creative path. One of the signs? A long line for the men’s room. In Career Lessons With Laverne, they talk to executive and leadership coach Laverne McKinnon about the physical reaction they had to a recent meeting misfire. This week’s Hollywood Hack is inspired by Sarah and Liz’s recent stay at The Milo in Santa Barbara — fix the small thing. Finally, Liz recommends the reality competition show Outlast: The Jungle on Netflix.
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!
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!
LINKS:
Santa Barbara Bowl:
Laverne’s bespoke meditation:
https://moonshotmentor.substack.com/p/b9334076-d9ad-47bf-996b-35b929a7d352
Laverne McKinnon:
https://www.lavernemckinnon.com/
Laverne’s Substack — Moonshot Mentor: https://substack.com/@moonshotmentor
The Milo:
Outlast: The Jungle trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnvBoDKSNKg
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Liz and Sarah discuss their recent Bad Trip writing marathon in Santa Barbara. The highlight? Writing outside at Godmothers in Summerland. Then they interview Rina O’Malley, a writer who’s breaking into the industry, about how she managed to do the impossible — get representation! This week’s Hollywood Hack will improve your next meeting: have a preliminary call. Finally, Sarah recommends the Stray Kids Survival Show.
LINKS:
Rina O’Malley:
https://blcklst.com/profile/Rina-OMalley
Rina’s recs:
1. Darcy Fowler’s TV & Film Writing Workshops https://www.tvwritersrefuge.com/
Darcy is very good at helping writers find the actual story beneath the story they think they’re writing, and is also a truly amazing human. Generous, brilliant, and intuitive.
2. Script Anatomy https://scriptanatomy.com/
I’m a big fan of their instructors (all working writers) and their curriculum. I especially love the draft intensive classes, which are a great structured way to get a draft written fast.
3. Jen Grisanti https://www.jengrisanti.com/
Jen's annual workshop is magical. She brings in incredible guests, showrunners you can pitch and get feedback from. She also has free interviews online where you can learn a lot about story.
4. Lee Jessup https://leejessup.com/
One of the best people to learn from about the industry -- where you fit in it, your brand, your strategy, and how to think about your career like an actual career. You can work with Lee directly, but she also has a great YouTube channel where she breaks down the state of the industry and interviews reps: https://www.youtube.com/@leejessup5299
5. Roadmap Writers https://www.roadmapwriters.com/
A great place to learn about both craft and career, and connect with other writers. Tons of events, webinars, and classes. The team really cares about helping emerging writers.
Bonus: Events where you can learn and network
Storytelling360 https://storytelling360.com/
In-person panels and networking events in LA, NYC, and London.
Austin Film Festival Writers Conference https://austinfilmfestival.com/festival-and-conference-aff/conference/
Definitely worth going if you can. Thousands of screenwriters packed into downtown Austin for panels, roundtables, tacos, drinks, and mild chaos. Basically spring break for screenwriters.
Stray Kids Survival Show:
https://strayksubs.com/videos/survival-show/
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!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Liz and Sarah had a Week of Yes! After months (years) of hearing “no” they’re finally starting to get some “yeses.” Yay! Next, Liz and Sarah each offer a Take A Hike suggestion. Sarah reveals why it’s a good idea to go down a rabbit hole that’s NOT “you,” and Liz discusses the value of “friendworking.” This week’s Hollywood Hack is great for commuters: car cupholder coasters. Finally, Liz recommends two TV shows on Amazon Prime that are perfect for summer — Off Campus and Every Year After.
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:
Car Cupholder Coasters:
https://nomeschoolhouse.com/products/nome-schoolhouse-car-coasters-4-pack
Off Campus trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAozjf2frxw
Every Year After trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5SpqQ8dNa8
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Liz and Sarah are suffering from Summeritis! They’re managing to stay productive — but it’s not easy. In Take A Hike, they talk about the value of going on a learning retreat. Sarah just did a fiber retreat in Nome, ND and it rocked her world! This week Sarah has a Hit for Violet’s former nanny, Dawn. And Liz gives herself a tech Bomb for not knowing how to operate her TV. This week’s Hollywood Hack is liberating and a power move— ditch your handbag! Finally, Sarah recommends Christina Applegate’s memoir, You with the Sad Eyes.
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:
Bandolier Mila Crossbody Phone Case:
Bandolier Expanded Pouch:
Cozy Earth Sheets:
You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Liz and Sarah dive into the new draft of their novel, they’re experimenting with tense. They each wrote a scene in past tense, and now they’re going to write the same scenes in present tense. Which will they prefer? In The Craft (& Fain) they share a listener’s suggestion to assign every project its own theme song. Then they discuss their favorite parts of Mimsy May in Take Two. One takeaway? Whimsy should not be effortful. This week’s Hollywood Hack is on trend — a Mahjong mat with game instructions as part of its design. Finally, Liz recommends the show Firefly Lane on Netflix.
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!
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!
LINKS:
Taylor Swift’s “The Man” video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0
Annie Lennox:
Mahjong Mats:
Firefly Lane trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdHwNt4GXfM
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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