Feeling overwhelmed by long-term goals? Learn the counter-intuitive strategy that keeps you motivated when gratification feels impossibly far away. Mary shares her summer reality check of tackling house organization, French lessons, and a new watercolor hobby while revealing the mindset shift that makes big writing projects sustainable and enjoyable.

Learn the marginalia method for novel research that prevents overwhelm and helps writers efficiently capture story ideas while reading research books without getting bogged down in unnecessary details.

What happens when a bestselling author annotates her own 25-year-old novel? I discovered the answer in an airport bookstore, and it taught me something crucial about how we treat our past creative work—and ourselves.

Discover how a professional novelist ethically integrates AI into her writing process without compromising her creative integrity. Learn three specific applications for research, grammar cleanup, and brainstorming synthesis that enhance productivity while maintaining complete creative control.

What if you could write your novel while taking a walk? I was skeptical too, until I tried dictating my latest manuscript using nothing but my phone and comfortable shoes. The results completely changed how I think about fitting writing into a busy life.

In this episode, Mary shares a powerful metaphor from Nora Ephron about juggling priorities as a writer and parent. She unpacks how to identify what truly matters—your “glass balls”—so you can protect your writing time without guilt.

Why great writing isn’t enough—and how one free, simple strategy can help you build the strong, plot-driven story your novel needs.

Premature optimization—the tendency to over-polish early pages—can quietly sabotage your novel. Story matters more than perfect prose. If you’re stuck in revision mode or struggling to finish your draft, this episode will help you shift your focus to what truly matters.

Here we are at the Big Kahuna of the 3-act structure: the third act. If you haven't read my last three blog posts on the 3-act structure (an overview and details on Act 1 and Act 2), please go do that now and then come back to this one. (Otherwise, this is not going to make a whole lot of sense.)

Three posts ago, I gave you an overview of the 3-act structure as a simple, powerful way to structure your story.

Then, I walked you through creating a strong Act 1 to hook you and your audience in quickly and effectively.

Next, I talked about how to write an engaging Act 2 by investing emotionally in your story. Now, we’re taking on the third and final act—the last thing you leave your audience with.

I’m sure you’ve been wondering all week how my law school story ends, so let’s wrap it up!