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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 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
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Do you track your WIP's progress? If so, how? This week, we discuss various ways you can track your progress to meet your novel's goals.
In this episode, we cover:
- Word counts
- Page counts
- Tacking time
Recommendation: TrackBear
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 Oct 22, 2025
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Are you creating a rich world for your new fantasy story? Ready to populate it with different types of characters? In today's episode, we discuss writing fantasy characters and what you might want to think about when creating them.
In this episode, we cover:
- What is a fantasy character?
- Types of fantasy characters
- Things to consider
- 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!
WANT TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW?
If you would like to be considered, please take a moment to review 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 currently accepting submissions
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 Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Writing can be a lonely journey, which is why it's best to have a friend to do it with. And why not keep each other accountable with your work?
In this episode, we cover:
- What an accountability buddy is
- How to choose a partner
- Having regular check-ins
- Having goals
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 Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Have you ever considered writing a serial? Today we are discussing the option of serial writing, where readers are forced to have delayed gratification as they way to learn "what happens next".
In this episode, we cover:
- What is a serial?
- What are some of the benefits?
- What are some of the possible issues?
- Platforms you can upload serials on
- Our thoughts
Platforms
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 a moment to review 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 currently accepting submissions.
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 Oct 01, 2025
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
Another guest joins us on the show this week! We're talking to fantasy author C.H. Carter about how she started as an author and her work.
In this episode, we cover:
- Her inspiration
- Her writing process
- Her publishing journey
- 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 C.H. CARTER
C.H. Carter is a fantasy author with a lifelong love of the genre in all its forms. In middle school, she wrote a fan letter to Tamora Pierce and received the most encouraging reply! That experience cemented her desire to become an author. (She also still holds out the hope they can meet in person one day!)
When not writing, you can find her working on a number of rotating projects (Crochet, anyone?) and obsessing over her two rescue dogs.
TO KISS THE SEA is C.H. Carter's debut novel.
Website | Instagram | Threads | TikTok | Goodreads
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 Sep 24, 2025
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
We are at it again with another challenge. Today, we discuss our progress and results from writing Morning Pages.
In this episode, we cover:
-
What are Morning Pages?
-
Why are Morning Pages encouraged?
-
Rachel’s experience
-
Ari’s experience
-
Final thoughts
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 a moment 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 currently accepting submissions.
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