Ep. 470: Prepping Small Talk & Lazarus Projects

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1. 

   E475 · 18 Jun 2026 · 30 min

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

   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 up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at…

2. 

   E474 · 11 Jun 2026 · 34 min

   Ep. 474: Summeritis & Barn To Yarn

   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 memoir, You with the Sad Eyes. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on…

3. 

   E473 · 4 Jun 2026 · 34 min

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

   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 instructions as part of its design. Finally, Liz recommends the show Firefly Lane on Netflix. Get in…

4. 

   E472 · 28 May 2026 · 34 min

   Ep. 472: Baby Talk & Summer Schemes

   Liz and Sarah are trying out a new pitch technique — instead of writing out their latest pitch word for word, they’re prepping it in bullet points to keep the flow more spontaneous. In The Mailroom, Sarah answers a question from a listener who’s wondering if she should have a baby on her own like Sarah did. The short answer? Do it! Then, in Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah talk about Designing Their Summer. Sarah is going to “move into her house” and Liz is planning a summer of “off-white delight.” Together, they’re going to write their novel! This week’s Hollywood Hack was inspired by a recent…

5. 

   E471 · 21 May 2026 · 37 min

   Ep. 471: Financial Wellness In New Hollywood (Yes, It’s Possible!)

   Liz and Sarah talk to trauma-informed financial wellness coach Katy Chen Mazzara about the connection between money blocks and creative blocks, why it’s never a good idea to negotiate with a “starving artist” mentality, and how making a budget might negatively impact your relationship to your finances. This week’s Hollywood Hack will relieve stress and help you have a better time: Get there early! Finally, Liz recommends the third season of The Comeback on HBO Max. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It’ll come right to…

6. 

   E469 · 7 May 2026 · 34 min

   Ep. 469: Putting Our Reading Into Our Writing

   Liz and Sarah talk about how they plan to incorporate what they’ve gleaned from Natalie Goldberg’s book, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, into the next draft of their novel Bad Trip. Inner censor be damned! In Take A Hike, they share whimsy ideas from listeners who are participating in Mimsy May. Then they talk about why Writers Room Pro is one of their favorite HIH WFH tools. This week’s Hollywood Hack comes from career coach Carole Kirschner — spend twenty minutes researching whoever you’re going to meet with. Finally Liz recommends Caro Claire Burke’s buzzy new novel,…

7. 

   E468 · 30 Apr 2026 · 32 min

   Ep. 468: Schrodinger’s Cat Is Alive! Sort of.

   Liz and Sarah are wrapping their heads around the fact that in New Hollywood previously declared dead projects may come back to life unexpectedly. That’s great — but it can make it hard to gain momentum on new things. In Take Two, Liz and Sarah share all the many things listeners Don’t Feel Bad About Anymore. Then they give a Hit to all the people who have been showing up to the Killer Bee Zoom Work Hour every Friday at 10:30am PT. Liz gives herself a Bomb for her messy office, and Sarah gives herself a Bomb for her out of control nightstand. This week’s Hollywood Hack is good for your gut…

8. 

   E467 · 23 Apr 2026 · 30 min

   Ep. 467: Let’s Celebrate Mimsy May!

   Every week on the podcast Liz and Sarah mention “how they balance a career and friendship.” They usually talk about the career part, but today they’re leaning into friendship. Find out what they’re doing just for fun and female bonding. In Take A Hike, the fun continues with the announcement of Mimsy May. Sarah and Liz are embracing whimsy in May, and they think you should too! Next, in The Craft (& Fain), they talk about the importance of separating the “creator” and the “editor.” This week’s Hollywood Hack is for the birds: the Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain. Finally, Liz recommends…

9. 

   E466 · 16 Apr 2026 · 34 min

   Ep. 466: 10 Things We Don’t Feel Bad About Anymore

   Liz and Sarah are entering Phase Two of working on their novel, Bad Trip. Next up? They have a plan to be done tracking each character through the story by the end of May. In Take A Hike, they each share a list of ten things they don’t feel bad about anymore. Sarah doesn’t feel bad about not being married, and Liz doesn’t feel bad about the gap between her front teeth. This week’s Hollywood Hack will make it easier to dance at weddings this summer — bring along a pair of crocs that match your outfit to fancy parties. Finally, Sarah recommends Serial’s latest podcast, The Idiot. Get in touch…

10. 

    E465 · 9 Apr 2026 · 30 min

    Ep. 465: Help! We Need Book Therapy!

    Liz and Sarah talk to their thriller writing mentor and book therapist, best-selling author Greer Hendricks, about how to approach tense and point of view in their work-in-progress novel, Bad Trip. Their biggest takeaway? There’s no one right answer. This week’s Hollywood Hack will help with those high gas prices: the Gas Buddy app. Plus, Liz had a major celebrity sighting at the iconic Mexican restaurant Casa Vega — rock star John Mellencamp. Finally, Liz recommends the Oscar-winning short film, The Singers, on Netflix. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at…