EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Reviews are precious to an author, but how can you get them? Most casual readers don't leave reviews so you'll have to seek them out. One way to do that is to reach out to book bloggers. This week, we discuss how to pitch your book to them.

In this episode, we cover:

• What to do before pitching your book
• Sending your pitching
• After you send the pitch

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Just how many edit passes do you give your manuscript before sending it off to a professional editor? This is what we are discussing in today's episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• Ari’s editing process

• Rachel’s editing process

• Our thoughts

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

This week, we discuss some of our favorite writing craft books that help us get through our writing. We touch upon mystery, fantasy, and writing in general, plus the career side of it.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why writing craft books are useful
• Rachel's recs
• Ari's recs

Books mentioned:

• Howdunit Book of Poisons: A Guide for Writers by Serita Stevens & Anne Bannon
• Howdunit Forensics by D.P. Lyle
• Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland
• The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder by Martin Roth
• How to Write a Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer
• How to Launch a Successful Series by Helen B. Scheuerer
• Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer
• Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference: An Indispensible Compendium of Myth and Magic by Writers Digest
• Writing and Editing Checklists by K.M. Allan (plus the Authoring Checklists companion)

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

You've finished your story, edited it to within an inch of its life, and now it's time to let a professional take a look! So just what do you need to consider when choosing an editor?

In this episode, we cover:

• Qualifications
• Contracts
• AI clause
• Cost
• and lots more

Bonus

• We created a bonus for our Ko-fi Members on where you can find an editor.

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

An author newsletter, or email list, is important to have for writers to connect with their readers and have a unique platform to promote their books. However, there's many pros and cons to having a list, and is it even still relevant in 2026?

In this episode, we cover:

• What an author newsletter is and its purpose
• Factors and stats to think about before starting an email list
• Conversion rates

References:

• What is a Good Open Rate?
• What is a Click Rate?

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Do you ever come away from a doom-scrolling session and feel energised? Probably not. Our tech devices demand a lot of our time and often leave us feeling drained, down in the dumps and struggling to focus.

If that's you, then maybe a digital detox is in order. Check out today's episode as we discuss just that!

In this episode, we cover:

• What is a digital detox?

• Why do a digital detox?

• Benefits of a digital detox

• How to do a digital detox?

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are currently accepting submissions.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Happy New Year! With a new year comes new goals, of course. This week, we discuss accomplishments and goals for our writing in 2026.

In this episode, we cover:

• Our writing accomplishments in 2025
• Rachel's 2026 writing goals
• Ari's 2026 writing goals

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Since this is the last episode of 2025, we thought we'd do another Rapid Fire Question episode (yes, we know it's seldom "rapid" but just go with it) :)

These questions are not just any questions; we are re-answering ones from way back... in 2020!

In this episode, we cover:

• Are you a planner, pantser or plantser?
• What is your typical writing routine?
• Do you prefer hardbacks, paperbacks, ebooks or audiobooks?
• What is the best / worst thing about writing?
• How do you keep up with your writing goals?
• How do you choose which story to write?
• What do you do if you hit a roadblock in your novel?

As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!

WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?

We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.

If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Ko-fi

You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.

Special Thanks

Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie

Share

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.

CREDITS

Hosts

Ari Meghlen & Rachel Poli

Music

Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0