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If your draft comes in under the standard word count for your genre, you've probably heard some version of the same advice: don't think about length, just find where the story's thin and fix that. I get why people say it, but I don't love it. So in this episode, instead of the vague "just improve the story" advice, I wanted to hand you something more concrete: an actual process for figuring out where to add length, and how to do it without the whole task feeling impossibly huge. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

In her bestselling 2025 memoir The Tell, written with ghostwriter Sam Lansky, Amy Griffin describes having no memory of her childhood sexual abuse until an MDMA therapy session. But in a recent interview with New York Magazine, Griffin reveals she'd not, in fact, fully repressed it. Mary is joined by her Third Rail Press co-founder Alle Mudrick, author of the award-winning memoir Blue Hour Homecoming (https://www.thirdrailpress.org/books/blue-hour-homecoming), to talk about what that choice means for the book, for readers, and for Griffin herself. We discuss:  - The difference between minor and major changes in memoir - The role and obligations of a memoir ghostwriter - How this mischaracterization has likely enabled the massive backlash Griffin has received You can find Jessica Bennet's article in The Cut here: https://www.thecut.com/article/amy-griffin-the-tell-defends-herself-against-new-lawsuit.html Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

This is part two of my conversation with memoirist Greg Marshall. In our conversation, we cover how to write a better paragraph, a technique Greg calls "literary Mad Libs," and how nonfiction writers should use all the same tools that fiction writers do.  About Greg: Greg Marshall is the author of Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It (2023) and The Book Incubator's current memoirist-in-residence. He's a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Prose and a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers, and his work has appeared in The Best American Essays and been supported by MacDowell and the Corporation of Yaddo. Greg grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and now lives in Austin, TX, with his husband, novelist Lucas Schaefer (author of The Slip, winner of the Kirkus Prize), their son, and their dog. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

This week I'm talking with my dear friend Greg Marshall, our memoir instructor inside the Book Incubator. Greg talks about how he wrote his own memoir, Leg, and how he didn't abandon the material in early drafts when it wasn't working. He just kept circling the same stories and recombining them until they found their shape. We also get into one of my favorite ideas from this conversation: "narrative perch," the question of exactly who is telling the story you're reading. We also talk about how nailing that down lets a memoirist time-travel through their own life without losing the reader.  Make sure to come back next week for part two of this conversation, where Greg breaks down how to write a better paragraph. About Greg: Greg Marshall is the author of Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It (2023) and The Book Incubator's current memoirist-in-residence. He's a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Prose and a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers, and his work has appeared in The Best American Essays and been supported by MacDowell and the Corporation of Yaddo. Greg grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and now lives in Austin, TX, with his husband, novelist Lucas Schaefer (author of The Slip, winner of the Kirkus Prize), their son, and their dog. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

Register for my free workshop, How Much Money Can You Make On Your Book?, at workshop.thebookincubator.com. Live on Sep 10th or register to get the replay! Publishing is a black box for aspiring authors. You don't know what you don't know about the industry. But Publishers Marketplace is an aspiring author's best untapped resource — the most useful resource you don't know you're missing until you have it. In this episode, I'm showing you what it is, how to use it, and why this website where publishing professionals report their book deals can be your most useful tool when preparing to get a literary agent and a book deal. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

In this episode, I'm sharing six ways I've found to make my own writing more pleasurable—the actual habits that get me into the story faster and with less friction. Some are practical (like why I don't write sitting at a desk). One of them has been the single biggest game-changer for my writing life recently. Interested in dictation for your writing process? Here's the podcast episode I mention, How I'm Using Dictation to Write My Next Novel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB8d5vF0AVg  Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

For years I've said the reason I'm not an outliner is that once I've outlined a story, I feel like I've already written it—and it stops being fun.  But a writer in the Book Incubator recently brought me a more specific version of this problem: what happens when you love your outline, don't want to change a single thing about it, and you've still lost all your excitement to actually sit down and write it? In this episode: + Why losing interest in your own outline doesn't always mean the story itself needs to change + How to get to the part you're actually excited to write (and what to do with the rest) + The real reason writing while bored hurts both you and the reader Related episode: What to Do with Scenes You Don’t Want to Write but Think You Have to → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOqQkkqhk3A&t=4s Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

I was talking recently with a writer in The Book Incubator who'd hit a very specific kind of revision fear, and that conversation (along with being mid-remodel and thinking about load-bearing walls) led to today's podcast episode. I walk through a quick exercise for how to revise character arc in your own manuscript without unraveling the whole plot — and how to tell when it's actually a sign you need the bigger structural rewrite after all. In this episode: + Why deepening your character's arc can feel like it's about to topple your whole plot + The load-bearing wall metaphor I can't stop thinking about mid-renovation + How the Enneagram taught me that two characters can make the exact same choice for totally different reasons + A 10-minute exercise to test whether your revision needs a full rewrite — or just an interiority pass Mentioned in this episode: S11 E2: Not Only Do People Change, They ONLY Change: https://youtu.be/FZMMOoseCTQ  Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

There's a scam going around publishing right now, and I couldn't stop thinking about it until I made an episode about it. A few months ago I got targeted. Then three different writers emailed me asking if an email they'd received was real. Then I got targeted again—and that time I actually clicked the link. Here's the shape of it: an email lands from someone who sounds exactly like a real editor, agent, or fellow author—real name, real title, sometimes even a real-looking corporate signature. The one thing that gives it away every single time: it's coming from a Gmail address, not a business one. I'm reading you some of the actual emails writers have forwarded me (including one "from" a very famous author who was very much not writing it) and breaking down the exact red flags in each—because if you're putting yourself out there as a writer at all, you're a target too. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts ======================== 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

This is Part 2 of Mary's conversation with Rufi Thorpe, where they finally try to take on the question everyone in this world pretends is already settled: can writing actually be taught?  Mary and Rufi get into what they think genuinely is teachable — permission to chase your obsessions, the "rules" of story that work more like physics than commandments, the tools of craft — and what isn't: taste, the courage to sit in the mess of a bad first draft, whatever it is that gives a story its blood and heart. Rufi also makes the case that teaching craft this way, stripped of mystique, is actually a feminist act — that refusing to treat writing as some untouchable, born-with-it talent is its own kind of empowerment, especially for the writers (moms, career-changers, anyone without three years and $100k for an MFA) that traditional programs weren't built for.  And they get honest about the fear that comes with being someone's teacher: how do you hand a writer tools without accidentally handing them your taste instead? Rufi Thorpe is the author of the novels The Knockout Queen (a PEN/Faulkner Finalist), Dear Fang, With Love, The Girls from Corona del Mar (longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the First Novel Prize), and Margo's Got Money Troubles (a finalist for the 2024 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, winner of the Clark Fiction Prize, and now an Apple TV+ miniseries).  She grew up in Southern California, got her MFA in Creative Writing from UVA, and taught academic writing before joining The Book Incubator, where she and Mary share the belief that writing is a teachable skill — not a rare gift, but something anyone who loves stories can learn. She lives in California with her husband, two sons, and a highly opinionated bull terrier named Coco. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts ======================== 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

If you've ever wondered whether creative writing can actually be taught—or felt discouraged by a workshop, MFA program, or critique group—this conversation is for you. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Mary Adkins sits down with bestselling novelist and Book Incubator instructor Rufi Thorpe to unpack the writing education they wish they'd had. They discuss why traditional workshop models often fall short, what makes great writing instruction, and why no teacher can tell you whether you "have what it takes" to become a writer. Whether you're just starting your first novel or deep into revisions, this episode offers an honest look at what actually helps writers grow. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why many creative writing workshops fail to teach craft • How teaching has made both Mary and Rufi better novelists • Why talent is overrated—and persistence matters more • How to identify what makes your writing uniquely yours • Why commercial and literary fiction have more in common than most people think This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss Part 2, where Mary and Rufi discuss what *can't* be taught about writing, the biggest fears they have as writing teachers, their favorite writing advice, and why revision isn't what most writers think it is. Rufi Thorpe is the author of the novels The Knockout Queen (Pen/Faulkner Finalist); Dear Fang, With Love; The Girls from Corona Del Mar (long listed for Dylan Thomas Prize & First Novel Prize); and Margo’s Got Money Troubles (finalist for the 2024 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, winner of the Clark Fiction Prize, and now an AppleTV mini-series). She's also the revision instructor inside The Book Incubator. Come learn from Rufi! thebookincubator.com Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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 ========================

Mary Pauline Lowry is a crime writer and fellow Texan who just published her debut novel LAST NIGHT WAS KILLER. In this interview, we talk about what success actually looks like when you're a working writer. In this episode, Mary Pauline shares: • The messy reality of publication week • How she found a funny voice in crime writing • What "literary citizenship" actually means  • Why having a writer community is everything • The honest truth about writing visibility and "platform" If you're writing because you think success looks a certain way, this episode might change your mind...in a good way. You can find Mary Pauline's new book, LAST NIGHT WAS KILLER, here: http://harpercollins.com/products/last-night-was-killer-mary-pauline-lowry Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts  ======================== 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

I used to hold two competing ideas in my head. I believed "people don't change"—I sort of prided myself on this vaguely cynical outlook. But then I'd teach the definition of story, which is that a story is about someone changing.  So I harbored this two-clause belief: people mostly don't change, but stories are about when they do. But in practice, it meany that making a character change on the page was always uphill. It felt like dragging a kid who refuses to walk. If you believe people don't change, but your job as a writer is to make them, there's always inertia. Then I had an epiphany on the train, which is what brought about this episode. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator  Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + 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 with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training! https://www.thebookincubator.com/ ======================== 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

Let’s talk about what all of us face as writers, all the time: disappointing reactions to our work. I'm talking about more than just rejections from agents or publishers. I mean ALL of it—the negative feedback from people who read our work as we’re writing it. The negative reviews that come in after it’s published. And yes, the rejections that come as we’re pitching it. All over the internet, you'll find admonishments to aspiring authors and authors to have thick skin, reminders that rejection is part of the process. And it IS. Rejection and negative feedback are baked into the process at ALL stages of being writer, which is why, today, I wanted to do a deep dive into how to actually deal with it, psychologically. Not “let it roll off” or “cultivate thick skin,” because honestly, those have never worked for me. How do we handle all the disappointing responses to our work when we are thin-skinned writers who will always keep putting our work out there, because we love it, and we love the work and connecting with people and aren’t going to give up our dream? THAT’S what I want to talk about today. • Why "having thick skin" is overrated advice • The difference between feedback that matters and feedback you can ignore • How to tell if a critique actually has something legitimate in it (and what to do if it does) • The cost of every creative choice • The bigger reason we write books in the first place Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins 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

This is the season finale of The First Draft Club—and we have huge news. The Book Incubator has a new in-house literary agent! Her name is Hannah Brattesani. She's worked at the Friedrich Agency and Folio Literary Management and is now at Simon & Schuster. She's represented some of the best writers writing today. And now she's on our team to help you turn your manuscript into a sellable pitch. In this episode, Hannah reveals: • The #1 mistake she sees in query letters (and how to fix it) • Why your comp titles matter more than you think • A framework from Pixar that will change how you write your logline • How to figure out if your book is "commercial" or "literary"—and why it matters • What agents actually look for when they open your email • The truth about rejections • The one piece of querying advice she disagrees with If you're thinking about querying agents, or you will be someday, this episode is essential listening. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins 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