In this final (!) episode of the Happy Writer podcast, Marissa and Joanne chat about the past almost five years and 224 episodes of the podcast: favorite moments, what they learned, what they will (and won’t!) miss, how many people tuned in, and more fun facts and stats. Also discussed: THE HAPPY WRITER book – how it came about, what changed thanks to the podcast, what’s inside, what Marissa hopes readers take from it, a giveaway, and more! 

Show Notes: 

Happy Writer free downloads: https://www.marissameyer.com/the-happy-writer-book/

Enter the giveaway! https://forms.gle/1sYqAJ4mV6mo55Mp9 

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Marissa chats with J. Ann Thomas about her new adult gothic ghost novel, THE SPIRIT COLLECTION OF THORNE HALL. Also in this episode: the unpredictability of being a podcaster with children, how publishing can be a roller coaster of a career, creating love interests that are not perfect but are perfect for the character, using a real house and its blueprints and diagrams to keep track of ghosts (!), using real people (alive and dead) to inspire characters, character names, narrating your own audio books, and so much more!  

Show Notes: 

Ventfort Hall Museum in Lennox, MA: https://gildedage.org/ 

MOMA Mourning Clothes exhibit: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/death-becomes-her

Child Ballads: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Ballads 

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Marissa chats with Trisha Tobias about her debut gothic YA, HONEYSUCKLE AND BONE. Also discussed: creating author signatures, writing fanfiction across fandoms, writing from a place of grief and vulnerability and using writing to help process, researching a far-off setting through family and the internet, flawed and unreliable characters, militant outlining, fearing the blank page, how becoming a published author can make for a more empathetic editor, and so much more!

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In this first episode of 2025, Marissa chats with Paul Coccia about his upcoming YA romance, RECOMMENDED READING. Also discussed in this episode: Glitterature, projects taking time to find the perfect home and market, feeling confident enough to follow your own path, intellectual property (IP) projects and the audition process, working to a provided beat sheet, prologues and opening scenes, writing great banter and love confessions, and so much more!

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Marissa is joined by repeat podcast guest, author, longtime critique partner, fellow Sailor Moon fanfiction writer and now, cowriter, Tamara Moss. Discussed in this episode: Tamara and Marissa’s writing accomplishments for 2024 and how they celebrated (hint: Tamara shares the kind of ‘celebration’ we don’t recommend), the benefits of cleaning and decluttering, looking forward to what’s ahead for 2025, Parkinson’s Law, goal-setting and breaking down goals to be manageable, being kind to yourself, SMART goals, staying motivated, and more! 

Show Notes: 

Tamara’s other episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/4229966-epic-world-building-advice-with-tamara-moss-lintang-and-the-pirate-queen 

The Deadbolt Mystery Society: https://deadboltmysterysociety.com/ 

Getting Things Done: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780143126560

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Marissa and Joanne are joined by Rebecca Soler and Gabi Epstein – the narrators for the LET IT GLOW audiobook (You may also recognize Rebecca’s voice from most of Marissa’s other audio books!). Discussed in this deep dive episode all about audio books: the similarities and differences between audiobook narration and stage acting, how much interaction narrators have with authors and co-narrators, the process of recording and editing, what typical recording days look like, narrator voice tips and tricks, narrator pet peeves (hint for writers: read your books out loud!), how song lyrics work in audio (includes a behind the scenes [not] fun fact about the song in LET IT GLOW), how to get started as an audiobook narrator, and so much more!

Ahab voice collaboration website: https://www.ahabtalent.com/ 

Thank You for Listening: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780063095588 

Mark Thompson’s audio catalog: https://libro.fm/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Mark+Thompson 

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Marissa and Joanne chat all things holiday gifting in this special bonus super-sized episode where they share their favorite presents received and offer their suggestions, along with a few submitted by listeners (thank you!). From free ideas to the lavishly spendy, items to services, you’re sure to find the perfect something for the readers and writers on your list. 

 

Pentel Energel Pens: https://www.pentel.com/collections/energel

Waterproof notepad: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LID8V54 

Writing prompt cards: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PICKDS 

Books are Magic Book club (options for adults/kids/teens and across genres) https://app.table22.com/product/books-are-magic-book-club 

The Book Drop: options for various ages https://www.thebookdrop.com/all-monthly-mailings 

The Banned Book Box: https://www.bannedbooksbox.com/ 

Book of the Month (adult popular hardcovers): https://www.bookofthemonth.com/ 

Libro.fm audiobook gift subscription: https://libro.fm/gift 

Fairyloot Fantasy Book Box subscriptions (YA, Adult, Romantasy): https://us.fairyloot.com/ 

Litjoy: https://litjoycrate.com/collections/special-editions-books 

Bose noise-cancelling headphones: https://www.bose.com/c/headphones/noise-cancelling 

A cozy reading blanket: Topsy Farms: https://www.topsyfarms.com/collections/wool-blankets-1 

Retro keyboard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2BJK52J 

Ergonomic keyboard https://kinesis-ergo.com/products/ 

 

Jennifer Nielsen’s Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/8094293-nerding-out-over-cryptology-with-jennifer-a-nielsen-rescue 

Lisa McMann’s Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/5299816-school-visits-and-morally-gray-characters-with-lisa-mcmann-the-un

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Marissa chats with Marisha Pessl about her new YA thriller, DARKLY. Also discussed in this episode: avoiding the trap of feeling like you have to publish a book a year, how planning and outlining can be essential for writing great twists that fool the reader, keeping a names database, finding inspirations for writing gothic and atmospheric novels, challenging yourself even if you’re not sure you can pull it off, writing both YA and adult and deciding between the two, refilling the artistic well, the benefits of boredom, and so much more!

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Marissa chats with Alyssa Colman about her Gilded Magic middle grade fantasy duology and her upcoming WHERE ONLY STORMS GROW in this jam-packed middle grade focused episode. Also discussed: the hallmarks of middle grade (themes, tone, voice), word counts, heavy and difficult themes in middle grade books, voice, humor, creating sympathetic characters, how middle grade characters defeat their villains, magic systems, standing out in a crowded market, and so much more!

Jennifer Laughran’s post about word counts: https://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html

Lisa Cron’s Story Genius: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781607748892

Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780399579745

Dan Wells on Story Structure: https://youtu.be/KcmiqQ9NpPE?si=jVamtqLH3YPFYBub

 

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Marissa and Joanne get together to tape this special episode (less than 24 hours after they met in person for the very first time!) as they embark on their LET IT GLOW tour! They answer listener-submitted questions on topics like their origin stories, the origin story for LET IT GLOW, writing fanfiction, the inside story on their collaboration, what they love about the characters, their favorite scenes and what they loved best about the process, how they started working together, a couple favorite holiday reads, and so much more.

For Lunar Chronicles and Renegades questions see Episode 200: Marissa’s AMA episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/15212600-ask-me-anything-marissa-meyer-talks-writing-books-life-and-more-for-our-200th-episode-celebration 

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781952119613

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780394800790 

The LET IT GLOW playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0putR6JHGHk0dcLwmEutqu 

 

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Marissa chats with Jill Tew about her debut dystopian romance, THE DIVIDING SKY. Also discussed in this episode: making the transition from the corporate world to writing sci-fi inspired by the corporate world, sci-fi worldbuilding, sci-fi as a cautionary tale (“if this goes on”), plotting out romance to make it feel organic, the irony of promoting a book about taking time and not getting caught up in social media—on social media, Jill’s Afronauts podcast, and so much more!

The Afronauts Podcast: https://www.afronautspod.com/

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Melanin in YA
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Marissa chats with Hari Conner about their queer regency graphic novel rom-com, I SHALL NEVER FALL IN LOVE. Also discussed in this episode: a non-typical (is there such a thing as typical?) road to finding an agent, mining real world history and Jane Austen texts for influences, using comics to make historical stories feel relatable, historical research for both text and illustration, the process of drafting a graphic novel, being the mastermind behind creating game books, and more!

Note: The release date for this book has been pushed back to 11/19. 

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Marissa chats with Amanda M. Helander about her debut romantasy, DIVINE MORTALS. Also discussed in this episode: how keeping diaries can be a first step in a writing career, publishing timelines and how there’s no such thing as typical, the frustration of fitting books into age categories and writing books in their margins, worldbuilding, planning for a duology, mining breadcrumbs from book one to create threads in book two, embracing limitations in characters, writing to make yourself happy, and so much more!

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Marissa chats with Sabaa Tahir about the first book in her new YA fantasy duology, HEIR. Also discussed in this episode: Yosemite National Park, using the GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) technique, how the final, typeset draft can be a place where momentum requires deeper revisions (much to publishers’ chagrin), adding unexpected twists midway through a book to surprise the reader, the power of self-bribery, using our world to influence world-building and so much more!

Yosemite National Park: https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm 

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Marissa chats with A. R. Vishny about her debut paranormal YA romance, NIGHT OWLS. Also discussed in this episode: the popularity of getting started with fanfiction, how much timing can matter in the submission process, the recent trend (again!) of vampires, the inherent challenges of writing vampire romance, the importance of knowing a character’s bagel order, creating a strong sense of place using real locations for inspiration, and so much more!

Cinder winery: https://cinderwines.com/ 

Village East by Angelika:  https://angelikafilmcenter.com/villageeast 

Sleep No More https://mckittrickhotel.com/events/sleep-no-more/ 

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In this bonus craft episode, Marissa shares her steps and processes for revisions. Hint: they begin in the drafting process! Also discussed: celebrating milestones and accomplishments, the importance of letting a project simmer, how to know when to jump back in, making a plan to tackle revisions and the different methods, how many rounds of revisions are typical, things to watch for in each pass, crutch words and how to get rid of them, and so much more!  

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Marissa chats with Tigest Girma about her debut, a YA romantic vampire novel, IMMORTAL DARK. Also discussed in this episode: struggling with the young adult/new adult/adult labels, making the change to age down a book and characters and what that entails, writing morally gray characters, crafting an extreme enemies to lovers romantic storyline, creating a found family ensemble, planning subsequent books in a trilogy (second book syndrome is a thing!), and more!

Bonus: a new book announcement from Marissa!

We Could Be Magic - https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250379399

Joelle Murray: https://joellemurrayart.com/

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Marissa chats with Adalyn Grace about WISTERIA, the conclusion to her Belladonna trilogy. Also discussed in this episode: the love of and uses for Pinterest, the phenomenon of finishing a book and forgetting having written it, writing a series with differing POVs, the rare book that’s “easy” to write, turning concepts into characters, favorite tropes, lush worldbuilding, and so much more. Bonus: A new book announcement!

Neopets: https://www.neopets.com/

MW definition of reify: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reify

MW Word of the Day: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day 

 

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Marissa chats with Julian Winters about his latest YA romance, PRINCE OF THE PALISADES. Also discussed in this episode: how fanfiction is a great way to get started in writing, the sometimes difficult elements of crafting a contemporary royal story, writing romance and the importance of creating moments when characters are vulnerable, how challenging it can be bringing conflict to a contemporary story, creating relatable and lovable secondary characters—including badass female characters, and so much more!

Big Joe Roma Pool Floatie Chair: https://buybigjoe.com/products/roma-pool-float-chair

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Melanin in YA
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Marissa chats with Remy Lai about her new illustrated sketch diary, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Also discussed in this episode: why kids relate to horror, the importance of capturing the tone of the book on the cover and determining appropriate content for a young audience, making important design choices like font and color, deciding on a story’s format, Ouija boards, and so much more!

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Marissa chats with author and life coach Lydia Michaels about her craft book, Write 10K in a Day. Discussed in this practical episode: the challenges of being an indie author/entrepreneur, writer burnout, time poverty – particularly for women, why setting boundaries on word counts is a good idea, signs of burnout, paying attention to ROJ (Return on Joy), and so much more!

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Marissa chats with Anna Sortino about her latest YA romance, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE. Also discussed in this episode: who is the ‘real’ audience we write for, deciding on a single vs dual POV and where the points of view intersect, leaving space in outlines for exploration, layering in character traits and details during revision, writing family dynamics, including disability representation and how to provide context for able-bodied readers, how much personal experience to include, and so much more!

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In this bonus craft episode, Marissa shares her seven best tips and strategies for balancing multiple writing projects. Discussed in this practical episode: how many projects she works on at any given time and what stage in the process they are at, how she prioritizes, what she does in the times when she isn’t or can’t be drafting, and so much more! 

 Extra bonus: This episode also includes upcoming book announcements that you may have missed!

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Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with award-winning author of CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, Tomi Adeyemi, about her new third book in the Legacy of Orisha series, CHILDREN OF ANGUISH AND ANARCHY. Also discussed in this episode: the inspiration for Tomi creating The Writer’s Roadmap courses for writers, feeling like you’re finally a career writer, transitioning from a long-term series to something new, the struggle to take breaks when so many ideas are in your brain, imposter syndrome, movie production updates, and so much more!

The Writer's Roadmap: https://www.thewritersroadmap.net/

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Melanin in YA
Your source for all things Black in traditional Young Adult publishing.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with the husband-and-wife writing team of Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka about their latest YA adventure heist novel, HEIRESS TAKES ALL. Also discussed in this episode: the process of cowriting and the division of labor that resembles a marriage, carefully and consciously casting a heist book’s ensemble of characters, benefiting from each other’s writing strengths, the benefits of having a cowriter for marketing and events, and so much more! 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/