Shows / Happier in Hollywood
Happier in Hollywood
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/
Episodes
Happier in HollywoodEp. 495: It’s Purge November!
A recent pitch reminded Liz and Sarah that there are many ways to win at work. Maybe they’ll sell their project, maybe they won’t. But either way it’s…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 494: Excise A Pain Point
Liz and Sarah discuss excising a pain point from their latest TV pitch — they’ve cut the pilot description WAY down, which is always the hardest to write and…
Happier in HollywoodElizabeth Holmes & Theranos: What the Documentary Left Out | Criminally Online
What did the Elizabeth Holmes documentary leave out about the Theranos scandal? Just 34 days before reporting to federal prison, Elizabeth Holmes invited a…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 493: Free Range Writing!
Liz and Sarah are psyching themselves up for free range writing! They’re about to start a draft of their spec pilot, Angry, Unlikable, Women, and they want to…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 492: Work Joy & The (Good) Grief Of Getting Rid of Stuff
Liz and Sarah discuss the joy they’re getting from their work — which is helping Sarah cope with her puppy-related Season of Sacrifice. Then they talk to grief…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 491: Merger Madness & Silent Showers
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 490: Define Your (Cup Of) Ambition
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 489: Feeling Less Fractured & Giving Good Logline
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 488: No Wallowing Policy & Start In Neutral
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 487: Killin’ It Killer Bee Style
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 486: What Will We Do Without Dolly?
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 485: Chaos Vibes & The Joy Of Rehashing
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 484: The Talk-Through Step & Monday Morning Steps
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 483: A Tough Hollywood Lesson & Making It Happen (Casting Edition)
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 482: Word Count Accountability (& Chuck Dances!)
Liz and Sarah are using a new accountability method to power through the pages of their novel Bad Trip. Every day, they’re writing down their respective word…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 481: AI Work Flow & Plus One With Lisa And Morgan
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 480: Making It Happen & The Wonder Of A Repertoire
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 479: Summer 2026 Listener Questions Episode: Part Two!
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…
Happier in HollywoodMove Happier: Tips for Regular Exercise, How Walking Helps You Think, Plus Can Your Garden Be an Accountability Partner? (Bonus)
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 478: Summer 2026 Listener Questions: Part One!
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 477: The Universe Speaks & Career Lessons With Laverne
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 476: How To Get A Rep!
Liz and Sarah discuss their recent Bad Trip writing marathon in Santa Barbara. The highlight? Writing outside at Godmothers in Summerland. Then they interview…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 470: Prepping Small Talk & Lazarus Projects
Liz and Sarah talk about why it’s helpful to prepare small talk topics before a Zoom meeting. Knowing how to fill that awkward time before everyone arrives…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 464: Meet Our Pitch Coach!
Liz and Sarah sit down with their amazing pitch coach, Jordana Oberman, to talk about how to create and deliver a pitch that will actually sell. One piece of…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 463: Doubling Down On Our Novel Deadline!
Liz and Sarah finally have some momentum on their novel, Bad Trip, about a group of friends who travel to Peru to do ayahuasca. And they’re vowing to finish…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 462: Begone Inner Censor!
Liz and Sarah have decided to confront their inner censors! One way to free their minds? Natalie’s Goldberg’s daily ten minute writing practice. In Take A…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 461: Ebbs, Flows, & “Sheetography”
Liz and Sarah discuss the ebb and flow of Hollywood. Careers here can die and then come back to life bigger than ever. Then they talk to Intimacy Coordinators…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 460: The Inside Board Is Everything
Liz and Sarah recently learned the concept of an “Inside Board.” From now on, whenever they run a show they’ll be forming one. In Take A Hike, they share how a…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 459: The Cat Is Dead, But Verticals Are Alive!
Liz and Sarah got news that their Netflix pilot isn’t moving forward, and they expected to be devastated… but they’re totally and completely fine. Why??? Next…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 458: Find The Fun & The 80% Promise Method
Lately, Liz and Sarah are finding the fun in their work, and today they break down the reasons why — setting priorities, taking ownership, embracing adventure…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 457: Community V. Engagement & Working Outside
Lately, Liz and Sarah have been loving their work community! From the HIH Facebook Group to the Killer Bee Zoom Work Hours and Live BTS: Working Lunches on…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 456: Don’t Water Dead Roses
Liz and Sarah have turned in another draft of their pilot to Netflix, which means once again they’re in a suspended “Schroedinger’s Cat” state. For now…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 455: Remix ‘26 & Zen Gardening
Liz and Sarah are happy to report that a feeling of positivity (at least regarding their life in Hollywood) has descended upon them in 2026. So far the…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 454: Hollywood Hack Jackpot!
Hacks, hacks, and more hacks! Liz and Sarah have been saving up Hollywood Hacks, and today they reveal them all! Looking for an inexpensive Chardonnay? Tired…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 453: Go Behind The Scenes With Liz & Sarah!
Liz and Sarah discuss their recent ChexMix ‘26 at the Emerald Iguana Inn in Ojai. They covered everything from how to tackle getting a draft of their novel…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 452: Buying In & Chickening Out
Liz and Sarah discuss what they learned about New Hollywood in 2025 and how those lessons are impacting their approach to 2026. The key? Buy in! In Take Two…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 451: ChexMix ‘26 — Looking Back & Looking Forward
Liz and Sarah are continuing their tradition of Roar ‘24 and Hive ‘25 with ChexMix ‘26. In a few days, they’ll spend the night at the Emerald Iguana Inn in…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 450: Celebrating 450 Episodes!
Liz and Sarah are celebrating 450 episodes of Happier In Hollywood by sharing listeners’ favorite takeaways (and a few of their own). Some winners? Volunteers…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 449: Winter 2025 Listener Questions!
Liz and Sarah dive into the Mailroom with an all listener questions episode! What are their top tips for making sure your voice is heard in a meeting? Would…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 448: Be The Killer Bee
Before Liz and Sarah dive into the episode, Liz shares the sad news of her dad’s recent death and thanks listeners for the outpouring of love and support. Then…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 447: Networking Up: It’s Scary! (Do It Anyway)
Executive Coach and Friend of the Pod Michael Melcher joins Sarah to discuss the benefits of networking up. Making connections with higher ups is intimidating…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 446: Thanksgiving Listener Hacks Bonanza!
Happy Thanksgiving! Liz and Sarah share a veritable cornucopia of practical hacks from listeners. Some faves? Use a hotel room pants hanger to clip the…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 445: Fighting The War Of Attrition
Every episode, Liz and Sarah refer to winning the “war of attrition.” Today they discuss concrete ways to get IN that war — you can’t win if you’re not in the…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 444: HIH 2025 Gift Guide!
‘Tis the season for gift giving! Liz and Sarah share their favorite gifts of 2025 — everything from a Hori Hori Knife to a Hot Potato Shock Game to Sarah’s new…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 443: How To Be Pitch Perfect
Liz and Sarah have SO MANY pitches coming up! They decided to hire Pitch Coach, Jordana Oberman, to help them up their game. And they’re so glad they did. In…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 442: Sucking It Up
After a recent rude encounter related to one of their projects, Liz and Sarah talk about how sometimes you just have to suck it up. (Being able to see your own…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 441: More Notes & Celebrating Steps Along The Way
Recently Liz and Sarah discussed how the rubber was meeting the road on their Netflix pilot. They were sure they were done with the notes process and were now…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 440: Pitch Decks & Meeting IRL
Liz and Sarah talk about how they approach constructing pitch decks — finding the perfect photo is Sarah’s superpower! In Take A Hike, they discuss why it’s so…
Happier in HollywoodEp 439: Pitch Prep & Define Your Eras
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…
Happier in HollywoodEp. 438: Convergence & The Control Your Algorithm Challenge
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…