The Merry Writer Podcast
Two chatty authors asking all the ’write’ questions. Hosted by Ari Meghlen and Rachel Poli, The Merry Writer Podcast is a fun, friendly show about all things writing and bookish.
Episodes
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
This week, we’re getting to know author Jill Haymaker. Jill is a contemporary western romance author with several short stories published. She writes the Montana Pines series, which currently has eight books available now.
In this episode, we cover:
- Jill's writing inspiration
- Marketing tactics
- Her self-publishing journey
- and more!
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the...
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A crucial part of prepping your book for publication to ensuring it prints correctly and looks great without any errors. To check that, you need to order an author proof. This week, we discuss how to give your author proof a thorough look over to make sure it's 110% ready for publication.
In this episode, we cover:
- What an author proof is
- Draft2Digital vs IngramSpark vs Amazon KDP
- Checking in interior and ex...
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
EDIT: Apologies for the technical issues. During the recording our connection became unstable and both myself and Rachel ended up out of Zoom for brief periods
Yes, we are back with another editing episode. For those new to writing, the editing process can be quite overwhelming, so we discuss some things that can help you get started and what to consider when editing your first manuscript.
In this episode, ...
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Unfortunately, we need to promote our books when we write them. In a digital world, social media is the way to go. But how can you take enticing book photos for your social channels? That's what we discuss this week.
In this episode, we cover:
- Equipment and lighting to use
- Props you can use
- Editing your photos
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give...
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We are discussing characters and how to develop them a little deeper.
In this episode, we cover:
- Go beyond the basic archetype
- Beginning, middle and end
- Use conflict
- Don't forget side characters
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our content!
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This week, we’re getting to know Sam Weiss. Sam is a sci-fi horror author who’s been published for over ten years, drawing inspiration from 80s horror films and 90s sci-fi films. Her latest release, In the House of Root and Rot, is available now.
In this episode, we cover:
- Sam's writing inspiration
- Weird book research
- Her self-publishing journey
- and more!
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us ...
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We are back with another editing episode. Today, we are discussing when to hire a professional editor.
In this episode, we cover:
-
What you need to have done
-
Who needs to see it first
-
Getting over perfectionism
- and more
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 ...
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Universal links are an excellent way to tell people where you are and what you do with one click of a button. But not as many people seem to use them often, so we decide to discuss it this week.
In this episode, we cover:
- What universal links are
- What to include in your universal link
- How you can make universal links
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments belo...
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Today, we are all about the ISBNs - covering lots of things from pricing to expiry dates. In this episode, we cover:- What is it?
- Where to get them
- How many are needed
- Do they expire
- Costs
- Barcodes
Resources
Kindlepreneur (for free barcodes)
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thou...
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Please help us welcome our first guest of 2026, Jenna Moreci! Jenna is a dark fantasy romance author who also runs a successful YouTube channel. The first installment of her dark fantasy romance series, The Savior’s Champion, was voted one of the best books of all time by Book Depository. The latest installment, book three titled The Savior’s Army, is available for pre-order.
In this episode, we cover:
- Jenna...
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Do you struggle with knowing when to "finish" your writing? Are you stuck in a loop of never-ending edits? Don't worry, you're not alone - we've been there too.
In this episode, we cover:
- Getting outside help
- Acknowledging procrastination
- Setting deadlines
- and more
As always, thanks for listening. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, give the podcast a follow, and share our conte...
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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 y...
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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!
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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. Ly...
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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...
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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
Reference...
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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:
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What is a digital detox?
-
Why do a digital detox?
-
Benefits of a d...
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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 GUES...
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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...
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Happy 300 episodes! This means you've been listening to us talk every week for 300 weeks straight. Crazy, huh? This week, we thought it'd be fun (and horrifying) to listen back to some old episodes and see how far we've come as podcasters and writers. Thanks for listening for so long!
In this episode, we listen to:
- Clips from episode 2
- Clips from episode 6
- Clips from episode 12
As always, thanks for li...
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