Podcast
The First Draft Club
Hosted by By Mary Adkins | Author & Book Writing Coach · EN
A podcast to help you overcome resistance and write with more joy, clarity, and confidence. If you’re working on a novel or memoir, stick around. Whether you haven’t written a word since your 5-paragraph essay days or you have an MFA in Creative Writing, this podcast is now your weekly coffee date on your journey to finish your first draft. Visit maryadkinswriter.com for more resources.
29episodes
Episodes
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S10 E19 Hot Take on Book Marketing Advice that Makes Me Want to Claw Out My Eyes
1w ago00:19:15Tap to summarizeIf you've Googled "how to market my book," you've probably come across the same advice: show up on Instagram, film yourself, build a following, cultivate your author brand. Here's the thing: most of that advice is not going to work. I've sensed this for a long time, but I didn't have a better alternative—until I realized something based on my experience as a reader, an author, and someone who watches other authors promote their books online. Resources mentioned: Book Marketing 101: One Thing You Should Never Do, and What to Do Instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKaH_M8Y2G4&t=5s Jenn DePaula: https://www.instagram.com/jenndepaulabookmarketing/ Our marketing director at The Book Incubator, Stephanie Webb: https://www.instagram.com/heystephwebb/ 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
Transcribe →S10 E18 The Small Thing You Can Ask Beta Readers That Makes All the Difference
2w ago00:12:54Tap to summarizeThere's a kind of feedback that fills you with relief and gratitude, and there's a kind that leaves you with low-grade anxiety—even when the feedback is good and you want to use it. The difference is just one simple thing most readers don't do by default. I've had dozens of readers and editors over the years. And I've realized that even among professionals—agents, editors, trusted writer friends—there's feedback that's incredibly helpful and feedback that makes you want to eat a pint of ice cream and give up. In this episode: • The one rule that separates good feedback from "guess what I'm thinking" feedback • Why my HarperCollins editor was so easy to work with (and I didn't realize it until now) • How a novelist friend sent me notes that made me want to send her 18,000 Crumbl cookies • What to ask your beta readers so you're not playing a scavenger hunt with your manuscript Episode mentioned: Season 10 Ep 2: The #1 Reason Feedback is Stressful Is Not Even a Real Thing (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dCqcaEG6OcVW129sXw1AG?si=cc4NHJS1TcaPBgLyPpHawA) 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
Transcribe →S10 E17 Why You're Burnt Out on Your Book (And How to Fix It)
3w ago00:12:57Tap to summarizeComing in with a hot take today: You're allowed to write what's fun. You're allowed to have a good time, to be silly, to write oddball, funny, quirky stuff that brings you pleasure—even if it isn't what would have earned you an A in your creative writing class or warrants an author photo with an "I'm a suffering artist" expression on your face. 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
Transcribe →S10 E16 The Psychology Trick that Helps Writers Finish Their Books
4w ago00:16:19Tap to summarizeYou're allowed to bribe yourself to finish your book. In fact, you should. In this episode, I'm sharing the story of the Goal Reward—a surprisingly powerful tool I've used to finish three published novels and now teach inside The Book Incubator, my MFA-alternative program for novelists and memoirists. The Goal Reward is simple: Pick something you want (as small as an ice cream cone or as big as a house), decide on it before you finish your draft, and don't give it to yourself until you're done. It harnesses the power of desire to help you show up to write when your creative motivation flags—which it will. Giving an object a role in your creative life can imbue it with meaning you can't even foresee yet. 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: @book.incubator
Transcribe →S10 E15 How to Keep Writing When You Don’t Know What to Write Next
Apr 2900:07:41Tap to summarizeYou're in the middle of writing a scene. Everything's flowing. Then suddenly—you stop. You don't know how your character is going to react to what someone just said. Or you're about to write what you planned to write next, but suddenly it doesn't feel right. So you stare at the blank page. Then you spot your dirty cereal bowl. Might as well rinse that. Next thing you know, you're doing yard work and you haven't written your scene. I've been experimenting with a new way to handle these moments, and it's been working really well. 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
Transcribe →S10 E14 What to Do with Scenes You Don’t Want to Write (but “Have to”)
Apr 2200:10:09Tap to summarizeYou know those scenes you're dreading? The ones that feel like a slog, where you're just "filling in the blanks" between the parts you're actually excited about? Here's what you need to know: just because something has to happen in your story doesn't mean it has to be a scene. In this episode, I'm answering a question from Cynthia, a fantasy writer in The Book Incubator: "Should I write scenes in order, even the boring ones? Or skip to the fun stuff and come back later?" My answer might surprise 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
Transcribe →S10 E13 14 “Out of the Box” Fixes for Your Novel
Apr 1500:17:39Tap to summarizeSometimes the simplest solution to a revision problem is something you've forgotten you're allowed to change. This is the forest-for-the-trees phenomenon. It's normal. It's human. But it can suck a bunch of energy when you're trying to fix problems that require way less effort than you think. In this episode, I'm sharing 14 fixes you might not be thinking about as possibilities—from cutting entire characters to setting your book in a different year to dropping the first third of your draft and starting in the middle. Some of these sound obvious. The whole point is they're not obvious when you're stuck. Here's the link to the episode I mentioned, Season 10 Episode 2: The #1 Reason Feedback is Stressful is Actually Not Even a Real Thing: https://youtu.be/P_6kcB5CU98 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
Transcribe →S10 E12 A New Method for Memoirists: How to Structure Your Memoir Memoir in 3 Steps
Apr 800:19:22Tap to summarizeIf you're writing a memoir, you've probably realized: covering 20, 30, even 40 years of your life in one book feels impossible. Where do you start? Where do you end? How do you fit everything in without writing a 500-page autobiography that no one asked for? Here's what I want you to know: a memoir isn't what happened to you. It's how you changed because of what happened to you. A memoir is a story, which means it's about a shift in perspective—not a play-by-play of your entire life. Once you identify that shift, structuring your memoir becomes so much clearer. In this episode, I'm sharing a new 3-step pyramid method I developed for finding your memoir's time container. This method helps you narrow decades of material into a focused narrative while still including all the backstory and context you want through flashbacks. I break down the difference between memoir and autobiography, how to identify the actual story you're telling, and how to find your beginning, middle, and end using three simple questions. If you're a memoirist feeling overwhelmed by how much you need to cover, this framework will help. 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
Transcribe →S10 E11 The Fine Line Between Brilliant and Confusing: Don’t Solve a Minor Problem by Making Your Draft “Mid”
Apr 100:16:06Tap to summarizeDon't solve a minor problem by making your draft "mid." This comes up when writers are quick to assume something "isn't working" because an early reader expressed confusion or skepticism (which is often confusion by another name). Here's the thing: before a bold and original idea is seen as bold and original, it's often just seen as confusing. Why? Because we haven't seen something quite like it before. Our brains can't categorize it into a familiar template. And because it's a first or early draft, it might just not be fully formed yet. So when a reader says they're confused by the weird thing you decided to try, what's the logical response? You might cut it. Pull back. Go back to following the template of what's been done before. This is the wrong turn. Because yes, we don't want readers confused—but we also don't want to remove the most bold and original elements from our book. That's what's going to sell it. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to navigate this quicksand: how to clear up confusion WITHOUT ditching your bold choices. Plus, how this applies to querying agents and why, in the age of AI, your human distinctive weirdness is more critical than ever. 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
Transcribe →S10 E10 On Earnestness and the Bravery of Making Stuff
Mar 2500:10:55Tap to summarizeThis week's episode is a little different. Less practical craft advice, more mindset. Because something's been on my mind lately: earnestness. A few weeks ago, my friend sent me a meme where women were sharing the most basic things they love—the "least bougie" everyday things they'd be judged for. Things like drip coffee, McDonald's fries, cheap bath towels, spiral notebooks. And when she asked me what mine were, the first thing that came to mind was "earnestness." Which got me thinking: why do we train ourselves out of it? Why do we think earnestness is dorky? And what does this have to do with writing? Turns out, everything. Because when we sit down to write something creative, it's an incredibly earnest act. It's vulnerable. And I think it's brave. In this episode, I'm making the case that writing creatively is an act of bravery, and that bravery—like any hard thing—takes practice. 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
Transcribe →