Welcome back to Writers Behaving Badly, the podcast where the manuscripts are dusty, the ideas are questionable, and the clients are—well, if you ask Lisa, one of them is a real handful the rest are delightful (Annie, this is about you). This week, we’re diving into the emotional chaos of writing when you’d rather be doing literally anything else (like inventing erotic Wordle-based Substacks), and Lisa tries to stay professional while her co-hosts spiral into sentient-object romance and questionable life choices.

Got a sin to confess?

Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?

What’s inside this episode?

🔥 Sins & Wins – Lisa is laser-focused, Brooke solves a plot riddle, and Annie… well, Annie’s manuscript is quietly sobbing in the corner while she flirts with new ideas and ponders publishing “Dirty Wordle.”

✍️ Roast or Toast – We critique a beautiful scene from a listener submission, unpacking the nuances of narrative distance, child POV, and why “extricates” is not exactly playground vocabulary.

🧠 Curly Questions – Brooke corners Lisa with the dreaded “Show, don’t tell” dilemma, and Lisa delivers a masterclass on filter words, narrative technique, and why your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect (but your second one better try).

🍵 Tea Time Rant – Publishing house mergers are shaking up the Aussie lit scene. Lisa shares her spicy take on what this means for authors, small presses, and the ever-shrinking list of places to pitch your masterpiece.

😂 Chaotic Sign-Offs – Annie and Brooke admit to corrupting their algorithms with object romance, Lisa tries to bring some order (again), and we end on a high note of monks, nuns, and carnival rides. You just had to be there.

Writers, readers, and lovers of literary drama—subscribe for your dose of craft, chaos, and occasionally useful advice.

🎙️ Want your manuscript critiqued live on air? Submit your first page on Substack—we promise we’ll be gentle!

🚨 Leave us a five-star review Leave us a five-star review… or tell Lisa how brave she is for mentoring Annie. Either works.

Lisa’s full critique of Brooke’s work

We’re sharing the original submission and Lisa’s edits on Substack. It’s a masterclass in turning good writing into great—and a perfect example of how to bring childlike perspective to life on the page. Big toast energy. 🥂

Catch up on the last episode 👇

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