Happier in Hollywood

Liz and Sarah delve into one of the key aspects of prepping for a TV pitch— the questions and answers that follow your presentation. Pro tip? Be ready to drill down on tone. In Take A Hike, inspired by Taylor Swift’s new album, they talk about why it can be helpful to define your eras. What do you want your next era to be? Next, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah share their favorite takeaways from their slow read...

Liz and Sarah have been pingponging around on various projects for months. Now several of their projects are converging, and it’s controlled chaos! In Take A Hike, they issue the Control Your Algorithm October Challenge. Stop doomscrolling and get more good in your feed! Next, Liz and Sarah introduce their brand new segment — Disproportionate Joy. Sarah’s getting joy from Violet’s new swim meet times and Liz...

Liz and Sarah are hearing a trickle of good things about their pilot script, which means… absolutely nothing. They discuss how to regulate their nervous systems and keep expectations low while the waiting continues. Then, in Career Lessons With Laverne, they talk to their favorite career coach, Laverne McKinnon, about how to know when it’s time to pivot in your career. One helpful tip? Recognize the difference between ...

Liz and Sarah are waiting for a reaction to the latest draft of their Netflix pilot, and this is when the rubber hits the road. Either something good will happen… or the project will be dead. Wish them luck! In Take A Hike, Sarah shares Finch, a self-care app that’s been making her (and Violet) happier. Who doesn’t love to tend a virtual pet “birb?” Then in The Craft (& Fain), they discuss one of ...

Liz and Sarah discuss the process of writing a new TV pitch and explain why it takes so damn long to get one done. In Take A Hike, they share listener Brandy’s HIH inspired Mahjong journey which exemplifies choosing the bigger life and so many other happiness boosting principles. Then Liz and Sarah vent about their frustration with printers in HIH WFH (Work From Home). This week’s Hollywood Hack will make your house sme...

Liz and Sarah talk about how a recent survey from the WGA prompted them to try using AI to make images for their latest pitch deck. In Take A Hike, they recommend “living vicariously.” They are absolutely living vicariously through Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, and they are loving it! Next, Sarah and Liz give a Hit to the new NYT game, Pips, and a Bomb to the same game for being hard to figure out th...

Inspired by recent conversations with other Content Creators, Liz and Sarah talk about their determination to start “batching,” especially when it comes to all of their non-TV work. In Take A Hike, Sarah reveals why planning a celebration for her recent birthday has made her happier. Spoiler alert: fondue is involved. Then, in The Craft (& Fain), they share listener Kayla’s advice to drastically lower their da...

Liz and Sarah talk to L.A. City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian about what he’s doing to bring production back to Los Angeles — including tax incentives, an easier permit process, and ending price gouging for crew parking. Then, in Take A Hike, Sarah shares why we should all make a Laugh List. This week Liz has a Hit for her recent experience getting blood drawn, and Sarah has a Bomb for the price of dry cleaning. This wee...

Liz and Sarah talk to social media star Kristen Tepper about navigating Hollywood from the point of view of a writer who’s kicking ass and making a name for herself while working toward her first big break as a screenwriter. How did she get her current job as a Showrunner’s assistant? How should reluctant writers approach the use of social media? Then, in The Craft (& Fain), they talk about why you can’t game ...

Liz and Sarah discuss feeling invigorated by the new slate of projects they’re working on. Right now they’re basking in a creative bubble — the hard part comes later. In The Craft (& Fain), they share wisdom from one of their favorite producers, Michael Goldstein — to make  a TV pitch land with executives, the Pilot and Season One should each have two or three “oh shit” moments. Next, Li...

Liz and Sarah talk about how lately their job has been interfering with their career. So many Zooms! They realize that the new Hollywood definitely has its own learning curve. In Take A Hike, they discuss how watching Brook do an amazing pitch made them appreciate the joy of mentorship. Then they Amplify late poet Andrea Gibson’s “Love Letter From the Afterlife.” This week’s Hollywood Hack will help you orga...

Liz and Sarah are answering Listener Questions! How common are writing teams? If they weren’t writers, what other Hollywood job would they like to try? How do they deal with burnout? Has Liz been to Sarah’s house in Minnesota? They answer these questions and many more — Sarah even lists all of her twenty pets! 

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Liz and Sarah talk about why it’s important never to delete anything substantial. They never know when they’re going to want to put something back into a document. It happens! In Take A Hike, Sarah shares why being at her lake house in Minnesota made her realize it’s important to “look down.” Next, Liz and Sarah revisit the topic of crying at work in Take Two. Listeners have so many observations and in...

Liz and Sarah discuss what their career has in common with the annual Ojai Fourth of July Parade. Then, in a Day In The Life segment, they share how they spent their Hive 25. There were many activities, including handing in a script and a trip to Sarah’s favorite stationary shop. In Hits & Bombs, they give two Hits — one to Jocelyn at the Blue Iguana Inn, and another to the people on Sarah’s flight from Los An...

Liz and Sarah share their plan to spend all of July finishing a solid draft of their novel. It’s time to get it done! In Take A Hike, they talk about the upside of the downslide of Hollywood. When everything changes, new opportunities arise! In The Craft (& Fain), Sarah talks about the Poketo Concept Planner that’s helping her make headway on a creative project. This week’s Hollywood Hack is courtesy of Jessic...

Liz and Sarah discuss whether or not it’s okay to cry at work. Does Gen Z feel crying is more acceptable? And what does it have to do with sexism? In their new segment, Career Lessons With Laverne, they talk to Career Coach Laverne McKinnon about the importance of career transition rituals. Laverne reveals why she turned one of her expensive suits into a puppet. This week’s Hollywood Hack will make your summer more fun&...

Liz and Sarah discuss how writing the third draft of their pilot has made them realize there’s no right way to do something creative. There are MANY right ways. In Take Two, they revisit “whimsy” and share listener suggestions of whimsical items that bring joy. This week’s tip in The Craft (& Fain) makes a scene better AND shorter — lop off the first few lines and/or the last few lines. Then they s...

Liz and Sarah discuss the downside of being deadline driven. They love a deadline, but sometimes creative projects need more room to breathe than a deadline allows. In Take A Hike, Sarah suggests growing something. She’s taken up gardening, and it’s making her happier, healthier, and more productive! Then Liz gives herself a Hit for being a connector, and Sarah gives a Bomb to the Ojai trash system. This week’s Ho...

Liz and Sarah talk about why it’s useful to make a list of priorities. They made a project priority list during their recent Hive ‘25, and it’s helped them make important decisions. In Take A Hike, they discuss embracing a slow start to the morning. Sarah’s slow start includes a daily tour of her garden, and Liz can’t get going until she’s done all the New York Times puzzles. Then, in The Craft (...