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You've heard me say it before: feedback too early in your writing process is useless at best and derailing at worst. But at some point, feedback from readers you trust becomes absolutely critical. In this episode, I'm sharing two concrete examples from my memoir You Might Feel a Little Pressure—one story I was resistant to cutting and one I almost cut but didn't. Both taught me something important about when feedback matters, how many people you need to hear from before making big decisions, and why reasonable people can disagree about what belongs in your book.  If you've ever gotten conflicting feedback or weren't sure whether to take someone's advice, this episode is for you. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ ======================== Hi, I'm Mary! I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025. My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!).  When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV. ======================== Social: + Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator ======================== #writingtips #bookwriting  #writer #authortube

Ever get feedback that makes your stomach drop? Like when someone says "I don't know what your book is about" or "I didn't relate to this character"—and suddenly you're convinced you need three months to fix it? Here's the truth: most "big" feedback requires WAY less work than it sounds like. Sometimes it's one paragraph. Sometimes it's literally one sentence. In this episode, I share a story about a writer who got devastating feedback—and how we fixed the entire problem with about 12 words. Then I break down why feedback feels so overwhelming and what it actually takes to implement it. You'll learn: • Why feedback packaged in generalizations feels bigger than it is • The actual writing required to fix common "big" issues • How to assess what feedback really means in terms of work • Why figuring out character motivation in fiction is SO different than in real life • Concrete time estimates for common feedback (from "3 minutes" to "a few weeks") Download the free Feedback Reality Check Guide: https://prodigious-inventor-6525.kit.com/c778014a10 This spreadsheet shows you the actual estimated time commitment for 7 common pieces of "feels big" feedback.  Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator (  / book.incubator  ) Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ

In this Season 10 premiere of The First Draft Club, I'm sharing about times when I've encountered "expert" advice that sounded smart but felt wrong—and why I now think trusting that feeling is one of the most important skills you can develop as a writer.   You'll learn: • Why impressive credentials don't always mean good advice • The problem with "show don't tell" and other condescending writing rules • How to recognize when advice will empower you vs. make you feel small • Why your gut instinct is more valuable than you think (especially as a beginner) • The difference between advice that sounds smart and advice that actually helps you write   If you've ever felt paralyzed by writing advice that made you feel like you'll never get it "right," this episode is for you. It's time to trust yourself.   Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator (  / book.incubator  ) Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/nove... Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ

Tired of being told you're either an "outliner" or a "pantser"? In this episode, Mary introduces a revolutionary new framework that recognizes writers exist on a spectrum—not just at two extremes.  Based on years of teaching novelists through The Book Incubator™, she reveals five distinct writer types that help you find your perfect writing process. From her own journey discovering that neither pantsing nor outlining worked for her (leading to 13 rewrites over six years!), Mary developed this new typology that helps writers identify their ideal level of planning versus creative freedom. If you've ever felt like existing writing advice doesn't fit your natural creative process, this episode will help you discover where you fall on the spectrum and how to optimize your approach for the best possible writing experience. 🎧 What you’ll learn: ✅ Why the outliner vs. pantser binary doesn't serve most writers ✅ The five distinct novelist types and what each needs to succeed ✅ How to identify your writer type based on what "lights you up" ✅ Why having a "Big Question" is crucial for every writer type ✅ The tools each type uses ✅ How to move along the spectrum as your needs change ✅ Why finding the right process dramatically increases your chances of finishing your book RESOURCES MENTIONED • The Book Incubator™ Program: https://www.thebookincubator.com/  • The Four Notebooks Method - full training available after application & acceptance to The Book Incubator: https://maryadkinswriter.com/podcast/the-four-notebooks-method • Podcast episode about A Novel in 52 Prompts PLUS the first 3 prompts free: https://open.spotify.com/episode/34hNY3NH794fg6fNumO4wo?si=mmq4XjA5SBC9VTm1EK3Yjw  • A Novel in 52 Prompts: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts • Take the Five Novelist Types Assessment: https://writertypes.thebookincubator.com/ ======================== Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Let’s connect!  Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator (https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/) Happy writing! — Mary ======================== I’m Mary Adkins, author with HarperCollins and book writing coach (for novels and memoirs). I’m so glad you found me!  + Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template:  http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc  + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for my program The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE):  https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ    ======================== Mary Adkins is a recovered lawyer, mom to a goofy kid, novelist, and writing coach.  She moved from the hectic world of corporate law into novel-writing…and has published 3 novels (and counting!) with HarperCollins. During her career transition, she learned a whole bunch of stuff about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to writing, revising, landing an agent, and getting published. She created www.thebookincubator.com to help aspiring writers on their journey.  Want to improve your craft, get your book done, and—most importantly—make it FUN again?  Learn more about The Book Incubator™ at https://www.thebookincubator.com/

Sometimes the best creative advice comes from the most unexpected teachers. In this episode, Mary shares three powerful insights about artistic confidence and creative decision-making—learned from watching her 7-year-old son navigate art ownership and musical performance. If you've ever found yourself seeking permission for creative choices or writing by committee instead of trusting your vision, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on artistic ownership and creative confidence. 🎧 What You'll Learn: ✅ Why treating art as conversation (not sacred object) transforms your creative process ✅ How to develop the confidence to make creative decisions without seeking permission ✅ The difference between artistic confidence and writing by committee ✅ The power of pure trust in your creative vision Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

How do you motivate yourself to work toward big, overwhelming goals when gratification feels impossibly far away? In this episode, Mary shares her summer reality check: facing an entire house to organize, French lessons to restart, and a secret new watercolor hobby—all while running a business and raising a kid. Drawing from her experience writing five books, Mary reveals the counter-intuitive secret to achieving long-term goals. She shares how she went from writing zero short stories to publishing her first novel, why she's skipping watercolor exercises to paint portraits, and what her French tutor taught her about the futility of "homework." If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer scope of your writing goals, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on how to stay motivated when the finish line is nowhere in sight. 🎧 What you’ll learn: ✅ Why willpower alone isn't enough for long-term goals ✅ The mindset shift that makes big projects sustainable ✅ How to find motivation when gratification is months away ✅ Why skipping the "basics" might be exactly what you need ✅ How to let your mood guide your writing choices ✅ The overlap between "hard" and "fun" in creative work ✅ Real strategies for staying excited about your writing process Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Ever started researching for your novel only to get so overwhelmed by everything you learned that you couldn't write at all? In this episode, Mary introduces the "marginalia method"—a simple but powerful technique that prevents research overwhelm while making the process more fun and efficient. Mary breaks down the two common research traps writers fall into: research overwhelm (feeling paralyzed by too much information) and research fanaticism (trying to include everything you've learned). She then shares her practical solution that keeps research manageable and actionable. If you've ever felt stuck because your research made your story feel too complex, or if you want to make your research process more productive, this episode will give you a game-changing tool. 🎧 What you'll learn: ✅ Why starting with a "Big Question" is crucial for novel success ✅ The two research traps that stop writers from finishing their books ✅ How the marginalia method prevents research overwhelm ✅ Why constraints actually make you more creative, not less ✅ How to make research feel like a treasure hunt instead of homework ✅ The practical steps for implementing this method today       Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

What happens when a bestselling author annotates her own 25-year-old novel? In this episode, Mary shares what she discovered reading Ann Patchett's newly annotated edition of "Bel Canto"—and why it taught her something crucial about how we treat our past creative work and ourselves. Ann Patchett's handwritten notes in the margins revealed something unexpected: even successful authors can be too hard on their younger selves.  Mary breaks down the three types of annotations Patchett made and shares a personal story about memoir feedback that changed how she thinks about self-compassion in writing. If you've ever cringed at your old writing or been too critical of your past creative work, this episode offers a mindset shift that every writer needs to hear.  Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Let's settle this once and for all: Can novelists use AI ethically? In this episode, 3x HarperCollins novelist Mary Adkins shares exactly how she's integrating AI into her writing process WITHOUT letting it do the actual writing. Mary breaks down three specific applications that genuinely enhance her productivity while maintaining complete creative control. From multi-dimensional research queries to cleaning up dictated manuscripts, she shows how AI can handle the tedious tasks so writers can focus on what they do best: the creative work. If you've been wondering how to navigate AI as a professional writer—or whether it's even worth using—this episode gives you a practical roadmap for ethical AI integration. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why Mary chooses NOT to use AI for actual writing ✅ How to use AI for complex research queries ✅ The exact prompts Mary uses to clean up dictated scenes without changing her words ✅ How AI can synthesize key takeaways from messy brainstorming sessions ✅ Which AI platform Mary uses and why ✅ How to maintain creative control while still benefiting from AI efficiency Resources Mentioned iPhone Notes app for dictation Claude AI Descript - audio/video recording and transcription The Book Incubator writing program https://www.thebookincubator.com/ What's Next Next week: How Mary is ethically using AI as a novelist, including post-dictation editing techniques. Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Ever wondered if you could write your novel while taking a walk? In this episode, Mary shares her honest experiment with dictation writing—how she wrote nearly half of her latest manuscript (around 50,000 words) using nothing but her iPhone and daily neighborhood walks. Mary breaks down her journey from being "dictation curious" to discovering a writing method that increased her productivity without sacrificing quality. She shares the exact tools she tested, the surprising learning curve, and whether dictated prose actually sounds different from typed writing. If you're a busy writer struggling to find time for your creative work, this episode might just revolutionize your approach to novel writing. In This Episode Why Mary became interested in dictation as a writing method The challenge of balancing writing with parenting, work, and exercise Testing different dictation apps and why the free option won How to handle character names and punctuation while dictating Overcoming the social conditioning around silence and pauses Real productivity results: words per hour comparison Whether dictated writing differs from typed writing in tone and quality Tips for integrating dictation into your existing routines Key Takeaways ✅ The best dictation app turned out to be free (iPhone Notes app) ✅ Dictation can produce significantly more words per hour than typing ✅ Speaking punctuation becomes automatic after about a week ✅ Extended silences while walking actually improve the creative process ✅ Dictated prose can be indistinguishable from typed prose in the final draft ✅ Dictation allows writers to maintain other important life routines while still being productive Resources Mentioned iPhone Notes app for dictation The Book Incubator writing program https://www.thebookincubator.com/ What's Next Next week: How Mary is ethically using AI as a novelist, including post-dictation editing techniques. Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.  

In this episode of The First Draft Club, Mary shares the best advice she’s ever heard about balancing writing with parenting, courtesy of Nora Ephron. If you've ever felt like you're constantly dropping the ball—on your book, your job, or your family—this episode will speak directly to you. Mary breaks down the concept of “glass balls vs. plastic balls,” how it changed her perspective, and how it can help you make space for your writing without guilt. Spoiler: creativity gets to be a glass ball too. You’ll learn: • Nora Ephron’s brilliant advice for managing priorities • How Mary balances parenting, writing, and running a business (and what she lets slide) • A simple mindset shift to help you protect your writing time, guilt-free Links & Resources: • Apply to The Book Incubator & learn my Four Notebooks method for writing your book: thebookincubator.com • Follow The Book Incubator on Instagram: @book.incubator • Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WKb8589G8Ro • Check out my blog post: Top 10 Tips for Authors: Advice from Bestselling Writers https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/10-writing-tips-from-bestselling-authors

In this episode of The First Draft Club, Mary Adkins dismantles the elitist myth that plot is somehow “lowbrow” or optional in literary fiction. Drawing from her own experience and actual Big 5 rejection letters, she explains why plot is essential—not just for publication, but for reader satisfaction. Plus, she shares her favorite low-pressure, free method for making sure your story works, no matter where you are in your writing journey. Whether you’ve been told your prose is beautiful but “the pacing is off,” or you’re trying to finish a draft that just won’t come together, this episode is your permission slip to prioritize plot—and a guide for how to do it well. 🎧 What You’ll Learn: • Why plot gets unfairly dismissed in some writing circles • What real editors say when they pass on beautifully written manuscripts • The difference between compelling writing and a compelling story • A free and easy story-development strategy you can try today (no downloads, no critique groups) 📌 Links and Resources: • Apply to The Book Incubator to get access to the full Four Notebooks training: thebookincubator.com • Listen to the Four Notebooks Method episode: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc • Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SAmFiIYVEEw 🖊 Want writing support that respects your voice and your story? Apply to join The Book Incubator, Mary’s 12-month MFA-alternative for writers who want to finish their books...without writing them by committee.

There’s one mistake I see writers make over and over again—and it’s the reason so many great books never get finished. It’s called premature optimization, and while it’s a term from computer science, it applies perfectly to writing a novel. In this episode, I break down what premature optimization looks like for writers, why it’s so dangerous in a first draft, and how it’s connected to the failure of a now-forgotten Google product (RIP Google Wave). I also share real rejection letters from Big 5 editors that highlight the number one thing publishers are actually looking for—and why beautiful writing isn’t enough. If you’re in the early or messy middle stages of your book, this episode will help you shift your focus to what really matters: story. What You’ll Learn: What premature optimization is and how it derails writing progress Why polishing your sentences too early can backfire The difference between writing a book vs. writing a book by committee What Big 5 editors actually say in rejections—and what you can learn from them Links & Resources: • Read the blog post version: https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/how-to-not-ruin-your-novel • Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/krT6XdRC3TE?si=QrorxAu-SZuu6nUQ • Apply to The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/  Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a writing friend who needs to hear it. Your support helps more writers find this show—and finish their books.

BIG NEWS! ---------- Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thirdrailpress/third-rail-press-for-the-untold-stories-of-womens-lives Third Rail Press: https://www.thirdrailpress.org/

How much can you actually make from your book? Should you consider foreign rights or just stick to the US? What can you expect to make after your advance? In the season finale, Mary gets personal and answers your questions.  ---- Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins