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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
Wednesday Dec 31, 2025
Wednesday Dec 31, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
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?
- What is the best / worst thing about writing?
- How do you keep up with your writing goals?
- How do you choose which story to write?
- What do you do if you hit a roadblock in your novel?
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 open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
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 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 open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Since we are almost at the end of the year AND close to our 300th episode, we thought we do a silly-ish episode taking a look at some of the haters and crappy people you might meet when you become a writer.
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 open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
We all know the author bio, but have you heard of an author brand story? This week, we discuss what it is and why it could be beneficial to write one for your author career.
In this episode, we cover:
- Brand story vs. bio
- How to write one
- How many should you write
Related Episode:
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 open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
This week, Ari is sadly absent due to timezones. So, I'm interviewing author KM Allan on my own. Join me as we talk about her routine, books, and more.
In this episode, we cover:
- KM's writing process
- Her new checklist book
- Writing routine (writing and authoring)
- 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!
ABOUT KM Allan
K.M. Allan is the author of The Blackbirch Series and a blogger powered by chocolate and green tea. She's also an identical twin, but not the evil one.
WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?
We’re open to Author Interviews and Industry Interviews. This means, if you’re an author or work in the writing field (cover designer, audiobook narrator, editor, etc.) we want to hear from you!
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
It's time for another writing challenge! This time, we decided to use Write or Die to get some work done and test if it can help (or hinder) your progress.
In this episode, we cover:
- What Write or Die is
- Our experiences with the program
- Whether we'd recommend it
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?
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
We are back with an episode on editing as we discuss and share some of the words you can cut to help tighten up your manuscript. Do you have any of these littered through your work? Or maybe ones we haven't mentioned!
In this episode, we cover:
- Weak words
- Adverbs
- Overused words
- Redundancies
Resources Mentioned:
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?
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
We've discussed budgeting for a book launch, now it's time to budget your whole author career! Well, at least get to know some of the expenses you may have.
In this episode, we cover:
- Figuring out your author goals
- List of potential expenses
- Legal stuff
- List of potential income
Related Episodes:
- How Should You Budget For Your Novel?
- How Can You Create A Professional Author Website? (with Pauline Wiles)
- Do You Need Author Insurance?
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?
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check for the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
This week, we interview film-maker and author Melanie Ansley. She discusses her books, processes, and inspirations.
In this episode, we cover:
- Melanie's start with writing
- Her writing process and routine
- What inspired her Book of Theo series
- Publishing path
- 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!
ABOUT Melanie Ansley
Hi! I'm an award-winning author and filmmaker of Chinese descent. I love stories involving magic, underdogs, and the power of art in our lives. I've written for Oscar-winning producers, been held at gunpoint during a film festival, and penned a series that won a student Emmy.
When I'm not doing those things, I'm juggling writing, filmmaking, and raising two children (all of which involve a certain level of magic and a lot of luck).
Website | Instagram | Facebook
WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?
If you would like to be considered, please take the time to read our FAQs Page.
If you feel you’d be a good fit for the show after reading the FAQs, please check the status of the Google Form on that page to see if we are accepting at that time.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Ko-fi
You can join The Merry Writer community over on our Ko-fi page! It helps keep the show going, and you get extra goodies through one-time or monthly tips. (Don’t worry; there’s plenty of free content, too!) We appreciate your support.
Special Thanks
Our Merry Writers via Ko-fi: Jeremy, Kris, & Jackie
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of https://incompetech.com/ | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Friday Oct 31, 2025
FIRSTLY, AN APOLOGY
This was meant to go out on Monday 27th October. However, I (Ari) messed that up by not having it ready and then forgetting completely. So, despite what the audio says about it being Monday (it isn't) and the book launching today (it didn't... it launched on Monday), I hope you still enjoy this!
Rachel has graciously forgiven me for being scatterbrained. ;)
This is a little Mini Merry Moment, to give a shout-out to Rachel's upcoming book: Happily Ever Afterlife (book 2 in the Grim Reaper Files)!
Please make sure to give Rachel lots of love on this new endeavour.
Add the book to your Goodreads, keep an eye out for it on Amazon or wherever you buy your books and don't forget to leave a review once you've read it!
Share
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to share our episodes on social media, follow the podcast, and engage in the comments.
CREDITS
Hosts
Music
Intro & Outro – “Inspired” composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of http://www.incompetech.com | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0