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Happier in Hollywood

The Onward Project

Veteran TV writers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain demystify Hollywood by making career and personal struggles universal. Friends since high school and writing partners for over 20 years, Liz and Sarah have survived and thrived in Tinseltown’s male-dominated entertainment industry, guided by blind optimism and a Midwestern work ethic. Along the way they"ve learned a lot about kicking ass, kissing ass, and office yoga. Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

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All Episodes

33:51

Ep. 491: Merger Madness & Silent Showers

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/10/08

Liz and Sarah discuss the anxiety surrounding the Paramount/Warner Brothers merger that has all of Hollywood speculating about where the chips will fall. In Take A Hike, Sarah reveals why she’s decided to take silent showers from now on. Then, in HIH WFH (Happier In Hollywood Work From Home), they talk about the downsides of working in bed. This week’s multi-product Hollywood Hack is for anyone with a puppy: Paw Inspired Washable Crate Liners, Woof Pupcicles, Kong Knot dog toys, and Martingale

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31:57

Ep. 490: Define Your (Cup Of) Ambition

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/10/01

Liz and Sarah examine what’s working (and what’s not) over on their HIH Substack. They love live videos but are wary about overloading readers’ inboxes. In their new segment in honor of Dolly Parton, Cup of Ambition, they talk about why it’s important to define your ambition. What is it you actually WANT? Then Liz gives a Hit to the fearless Megan Stalter, and Sarah gives herself a Bomb for being inconsistent with herChickening Outnewsletter. This week’s Hollywood Hack is great for organization and

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31:20

Ep. 489: Feeling Less Fractured & Giving Good Logline

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/09/24

Liz and Sarah often talk about feeling pulled in a thousand directions during their work day. But lately, they’ve been significantly less fractured — and it’s great! The only problem? It won’t last. In Take A Hike, they revisit the subject of Season of Sacrifice. Sarah is in one with her new puppy, Pumpkin Spice. Then, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah talk about what makes a good logline and read a couple of their past favorites. This week’s Hollywood Hack will keep your floors clean: the Tineco

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31:47

Ep. 488: No Wallowing Policy & Start In Neutral

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/09/17

Liz and Sarah have discovered that, for them, productivity is the best medicine. After a major disappointment they thought about taking the day off and wallowing in bed. Instead, they had an incredibly productive work day and felt SO MUCH better. From now on, they’re going to implement a No Wallow Policy. In Take A Hike, Liz shares Jack’s advice to “start in neutral.” Then they answer a Mailroom question about their writing nemeses — both as a team and as individuals. Liz shares this week’s makeup

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33:01

Ep. 487: Killin’ It Killer Bee Style

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/09/10

Liz and Sarah check in on their 2026 Team Theme “Be the Bee,” and decide to update it to “Be the Killer Bee.” In Take A Hike, Liz shares a strategy for putting yourself in the right mindset for the day. Then they answer a Mailroom question about how they battle internal doubt about whether an idea “has already been done.” This week’s Hollywood Hack is for all the bread bakers: the Mercer Culinary Bread Knife. Finally, Liz recommends the dramaDrops of Godon Apple TV.Get in touch on

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29:38

Ep. 486: What Will We Do Without Dolly?

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/09/03

In honor of the incredible life and legacy of Dolly Parton, Liz and Sarah are doing an all-Dolly episode! In From The Treadmill Desks Of, they reveal how they wish they’d had Dolly’s backbone when they caved on a business decision that is having ramifications today. In Take A Hike, they discuss how Dolly lived her values. Then they introduce a new segment, Cup Of Ambition, in which they’ll talk about how to maintain healthy ambition — just like Dolly did. This week’s Hollywood Hack is a summer grown

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34:38

Ep. 485: Chaos Vibes & The Joy Of Rehashing

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/08/27

Liz and Sarah discuss that one of the biggest advantages of having a writing partner is being able to take turns bringing each other up when one is down. Right now, Sarah is feeling the chaos of their career, but Liz is calm and optimistic. Next month? It will likely be the opposite! In Take A Hike, they talk about how their recent visit to KCON made them appreciate the joy of rehashing. Then, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah explore how getting granular with their characters’ wardrobe is

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30:35

Ep. 484: The Talk-Through Step & Monday Morning Steps

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/08/20

Liz and Sarah have added a useful new step to their pitch writing process — the talk-through step. If they’re working with someone they trust, they’ve discovered it’s super helpful to talk through what they’re thinking for a pitch before actually writing it. In Take A Hike, they reveal their new back-to-school plan to carve out every Monday morning for exercise. In The Mailroom, they answer a question from a listener who wants to know whether Liz and Sarah invested in various products they were

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29:29

Ep. 483: A Tough Hollywood Lesson & Making It Happen...

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/08/13

Liz and Sarah discuss how their recent disappointment over a project that went up in smoke has once again taught them not to invest too heavily emotionally (or practically) in something until business affairs is involved. Then, in a new segment, Making It Happen, Liz and Sarah talk to veteran casting director Candice Bernstein about how she set about conquering the world of verticals casting. This week’s Hollywood Hack is great for anyone whose seatbelt drives them nuts: Leather Fixing

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29:02

Ep. 482: Word Count Accountability (& Chuck Dances!)

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/08/06

Liz and Sarah are using a new accountability method to power through the pages of their novelBad Trip. Every day, they’re writing down their respective word counts in their planners, even if it’s zero, and then reporting the number to each other the following morning. And it’s working! In Take A Hike, they discuss the question — how much of your day do you actually enjoy? Then, in Hits & Bombs, Sarah gives Liz a hit for helping Sarah and Violet during a tough time, and Liz gives Chuck a Hit for

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34:57

Ep. 481: AI Work Flow & Plus One With Lisa And Morgan

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/30

Liz and Sarah are experimenting with AI to make their work flow more productive. Will their new Chat GPT Work-generated schedule help them keep their project priorities straight? Next they interview Lisa Joyner (married to Jon Cryer aka Ducky fromPretty In Pink)and Morgan Walsh (married to Matt Walsh ofVeepand UCB fame) from the fascinating new podcast,Plus One with Lisa and Morgan.How do they deal with having a partner who’s (usually) the one in the spotlight? Is it hard to maintain their own sense

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31:40

Ep. 480: Making It Happen & The Wonder Of A Repertoire

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/23

Liz and Sarah are making it happen! They’ve been doing a deep dive into micro-dramas for several months, and now they’re at the beginning stages of Executive Producing their first one. They talk about how they’ve gone about educating themselves in this new (to them) form of entertainment and ask listeners when they’ve made something happen. Then, in Take A Hike, they discuss the value of having a repertoire of everything from meals to small talk topics. They also share a recent Day In The Life —

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31:44

Ep. 479: Summer 2026 Listener Questions Episode: Part...

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/16

Liz and Sarah are answering more listener questions! Do they still drink espresso martinis? What advice would they give their college senior selves? Could they have been writing partners if they met as adults? What random photos are on their phones thanks to their adventures in TV writing? They discuss all this and more! Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It’ll come right to your inbox! Sign up for Sarah’s free weekly

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37:13

Move Happier: Tips for Regular Exercise, How Walking...

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/12

We discuss the biggest obstacles to moving more this summer with Sarah Fain from the “Happier in Hollywood” podcast, and share practical strategies for getting regular exercise. This special episode is part of the Move 26 in ‘26 challenge to help all of us find more ways to move every day. VisitGretchen's websiteto learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and theHappierapp. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com. Get in touch on

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31:48

Ep. 478: Summer 2026 Listener Questions: Part One!

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/09

Today Liz and Sarah are answering listener questions! If they weren’t TV writers, what career would they each choose? (Sarah would like to own a craft store, while Liz’s fantasy self is a birth doula.) What did they think of Caro Claire Burke’s novel Yesteryear? Why don’t they spend more time talking about the negative impact of AI? They discuss all this and so much more! Get in touch on Instagram: ⁠@Sfain⁠ & ⁠@LizCraft⁠ Get in touch on Threads: ⁠@Sfain⁠ & ⁠@LizCraft⁠ Visit our

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33:58

Ep. 477: The Universe Speaks & Career Lessons With...

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/07/02

During a recent trip to the Santa Barbara Bowl, Liz and Sarah felt the universe was sending signs that they’re on the right creative path. One of the signs? A long line for the men’s room. In Career Lessons With Laverne, they talk to executive and leadership coach Laverne McKinnon about the physical reaction they had to a recent meeting misfire. This week’s Hollywood Hack is inspired by Sarah and Liz’s recent stay at The Milo in Santa Barbara — fix the small thing. Finally, Liz recommends the

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36:23

Ep. 476: How To Get A Rep!

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/06/25

Liz and Sarah discuss their recent Bad Trip writing marathon in Santa Barbara. The highlight? Writing outside at Godmothers in Summerland. Then they interview Rina O’Malley, a writer who’s breaking into the industry, about how she managed to do the impossible — get representation! This week’s Hollywood Hack will improve your next meeting: have a preliminary call. Finally, Sarah recommends the Stray Kids Survival Show. LINKS: Rina O’Malley: https://blcklst.com/profile/Rina-OMalley Rina’s

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30:04

Ep. 475: Week Of Yes, Rabbit Holes, & Friendworking

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/06/18

Liz and Sarah had a Week of Yes! After months (years) of hearing “no” they’re finally starting to get some “yeses.” Yay! Next, Liz and Sarah each offer a Take A Hike suggestion. Sarah reveals why it’s a good idea to go down a rabbit hole that’s NOT “you,” and Liz discusses the value of “friendworking.” This week’s Hollywood Hack is great for commuters: car cupholder coasters. Finally, Liz recommends two TV shows on Amazon Prime that are perfect for summer — Off Campus and Every Year After.Sign

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33:57

Ep. 474: Summeritis & Barn To Yarn

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/06/11

Liz and Sarah are suffering from Summeritis! They’re managing to stay productive — but it’s not easy. In Take A Hike, they talk about the value of going on a learning retreat. Sarah just did a fiber retreat in Nome, ND and it rocked her world! This week Sarah has a Hit for Violet’s former nanny, Dawn. And Liz gives herself a tech Bomb for not knowing how to operate her TV. This week’s Hollywood Hack is liberating and a power move— ditch your handbag! Finally, Sarah recommends Christina Applegate’s

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34:14

Ep. 473: Project Theme Songs & A Wrap On Whimsy

Happier in Hollywood ·

2026/06/04

As Liz and Sarah dive into the new draft of their novel, they’re experimenting with tense. They each wrote a scene in past tense, and now they’re going to write the same scenes in present tense. Which will they prefer? In The Craft (& Fain) they share a listener’s suggestion to assign every project its own theme song. Then they discuss their favorite parts of Mimsy May in Take Two. One takeaway? Whimsy should not be effortful. This week’s Hollywood Hack is on trend — a Mahjong mat with game

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