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Still Writing

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
9 reviews
This podcast has
11 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2026/03/01
Latest episode
2026/10/14
Average duration
62 min.
Release period
23 days

Description

Corey Ann Haydu and Sara Zarr are two mid-career novelists who have lived through industry shifts, burnout, reinvention, and the constant recalibration that comes with staying in a creative career. They get together every couple of weeks to ask each other: are we still writing?

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10. Diversifying One's Streams of Hope
2026/10/14
Send us Fan Mail It's our 10th episode! Thank you for listening! Leave a review or tell a friend! If you want! In this episode, we talk about how projects change as we change and the world changes, the joys and perils of being on submission, and Sara asks a secret question.  Some Margin Notes: Trust by Hernan DiazSentimental Value, a movieSee One, Do One, Teach One, a graphic memoirSnowy Campbell, an artistTales of the City & The Celluloid Closet, gay stuffBees!This episode was recorded on 9/23/26. More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
9. Protecting the Magical Mystery
2026/09/23
Send us Fan Mail This episode was recorded on 8/12/26, when we found a day in the middle of our hiatus to connect, and we thought we'd be posting it sooner but then we didn't. We talk about if and what we've been writing, check in with what the publishing industry is up to when it come to A.I. (it's not good!) and how that impacts the magic of the process, and have an extended Margin Notes section.  Some of Them Margin Notes: Obsession, a movieValley of the Dolls & Call Me AnnaRehab: An American Scandal by Shoshana Walter The Fountain by Casey ScieszkaWe Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony JohnstonMaddie's Secret, a movieFellowship Point by Alice Elliott DarkNorth by Northwest, the playMore about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
8. Mid-Season Finale
2026/07/06
Send us Fan Mail Before the podcast goes on summer hiatus, Corey turns in a book and Sara is overwhelmed and recording at the co-working space with a respectfully low voice. Also: a new secret question.  Some Margin Notes: Goodbye from Nowhere by SaraMaking Pretty by CoreyThe Correspondent by Virginia Evans - book.Disclosure Day! It's a movie.The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman. Another book!First America with Rebecca Nagle / American Hysteria with Chelseas Weber-Smith - podcasts.Couples Therapy - TV show!Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life on repeat) More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
7. Making Meaning, Trusting Timing
2026/06/22
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, a sudden death reminds Sara of the idea of vocation, we discuss if there's a perfect time to send a project to your agent (or trusted reader), and Corey goes to the theater. Some Margin Notes: Warren Farha and Eighth Day Books in the NYTIndian Princesses by Eliana Theologides RodriguezThe LibrariansSucker Punch by Scaachi KoulPartially Devoured by Daniel D. KrausThe Comeback Season 3 (HBO)More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
6. False Dichotomies for Simple Minds
2026/05/25
Send us Fan Mail In this episode: The joys of multiple POVs, Sara asks a secret question, and a robust current events section in which we fail to solve a centuries-old problem in literary discourse. Some Margin Notes: The Recovering & Splinters by Leslie JamisonTom Lake by Ann PatchettKlara & the Sun by Kazuo IshiguroOne Crazy Summer by Rita Williams GarciaWidow's Bay & DTF St. LouisAlice Doesn't Live Here AnymoreThe Most Important Book of Every Year (part I) More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
5. A Reader Walks Into a Hair Salon...
2026/05/04
Send us Fan Mail Discussed in this episode: How the answer is in the work, Colson Whitehead, Lena Dunham, and summer camp. Also, we think we've successfully enabled Buzzsprout "fan mail," so if you ever have a response to our questions to the universe and listeners, click that to send us a message! Errata:  Sara says Altan when she meant AlyanNot really an error but we talked quiiiite a bit about Famesick and edited some out, but if it's still too long use the Chapters feature to escape! First time doing chapters and I hope it is showing on your podcast app! If not, the Famesick discussion runs from 47:46 - 1:08:34.Some Margin Notes: Shout Her Lovely Name by Natalie SerberMidwives by Chris BohjalianPluribus on Apple TVI'll Tell You When I'm Home by Hala AlyanThe Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson on NetflixFamesick by Lena Dunham More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
4. Does "Feels Bad" = "Is Bad"?
2026/04/20
Send us Fan Mail Don't let the low energy intro fool you--in this one, we have so much to say. Along with our regular writing updates, we have reports from the field: Corey is our Threads correspondent, and Sara brings us the AI discourse. This was recorded several weeks before publishing, when all this was fresh out of the oven! Also: Corey asks her first Secret Question. Some Margin Notes: The Outrun (Netflix)A Marriage at Sea by Sophie ElmhirstMan on the Run (McCartney/Prime)Heart the Lover by Lily King More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
3. In Which Corey Sells a Book, or, Story of an Agent
2026/04/06
Send us Fan Mail We go on the journey of how Corey's newest novel, Mothers and Other Strangers, came to be. Also: how and if we share work in progress, and Sara's Song Sung Blue crisis. Approximate chapters: 0:00 - 29:00: Intro and still writing check-in 29:00 - 45:00: The tale of Corey selling her adult debut and why your agent matters so much. Plus bonus weird instrumental transition! 45:00 - end: Margin Notes Some of those Margin Notes: Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults (HBO) Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter Little One by Olivia Muenter Focus: Adults in the Room (Slate) Anastasia Krupnik series, Lois Lowry More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
2. The First Secret Question
2026/03/23
Send us Fan Mail We talk about if, how, and what we're still writing, and the inaugural Secret Question is asked. Also, once again we don't stick the landing. Some Margin Notes: Being Gordon Ramsay on NetflixThe Hypocrite by Jo HamyaLinkater's Blue MoonWelcome to the Moon and Other Plays by John Patrick ShanleyAll the President's Men as read by Richard PoeHate Radio, Milo LauPre-order Corey's new book, Mothers and Other Strangers More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
1. The Pilot
2026/03/09
Send us Fan Mail We record our very first full episode and are bad at ending it! Topics covered: What we've been doing the last 20 years, and what we'll be doing the next 2 weeks. Some Margin Notes: Safekeeping: Some True Stories From a Life by Abigail ThomasKidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (Netflix)I Love L.A. (HBO)Secret Mall Apartment (Netflix)Pre-order Corey's new book, Mothers and Other Strangers More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Still Writing Trailer
2026/03/01
Send us Fan Mail We introduce ourselves ever so briefly! For more about the origins of this podcast, check out This Creative Life, the podcast Sara hosted for a decade, and its version of this trailer. More about Sara Zarr More about Corey Ann Haydu Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 More about Sara Zarr + Sara's Letterboxd More about Corey Ann Haydu + Corey's Substack Still Writing is produced by Sara Zarr and Corey Ann Haydu, and edited by Sara Zarr. Find it wherever you get podcasts. If you like it, consider leaving a review and sharing with a friend, or giving it a mention where you mention stuff. Theme music: Creative Commons Deep Friendship by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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