After what feels both like forever and no time at all, Liz and Sarah are approaching the finish line for both their pilot scripts. Now comes the hard part — waiting. In Take A Hike, Sarah and Liz reveal the question that will guide each of them through 2020. Sarah’s: Does this nourish me? Liz’s: Am I making this situation better? Then they answer a Mailbag Question from an aspiring TV writer about when to ask a co-worker or boss to read a script. Finally, this week’s Hollywood Hack will improve your next road trip: compile a group playlist. 

Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Episode 254: Choose a One-Word Theme For The Year

https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast-episode/254-one-word-theme-2020

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

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After a “Season of Failure” update, Liz and Sarah decide on their new team theme for 2020! This year, they’re going to Hike Into The Future! Then Sarah shares three food favorites that we can all make at home for a healthier and more delicious new year: forbidden rice, cashew milk, and air-fried french fries. This week’s Hollywood Hack is from our Facebook group: if you’re coming to LA, stay in two hotels.

Forbidden rice: https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-forbidden-rice-1664717Cashew milk: https://cookieandkate.com/cashew-milk-recipe/Breville Smart Oven: https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BOV900BSS-Convection-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B01N5UPTZS/ref=sr_1_2?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0ZHwBRCRARIsAK0Tr-qmABGvAejLvEWCClK18Q6miMYeo2QQlCRBWh8WShzGE82MI5VNojgaAs_VEALw_wcB&hvadid=176942025810&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031201&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11267160809367607566&hvtargid=kwd-11122039517&hydadcr=13935_9624584&keywords=breville+smart+oven&qid=1577405592&sr=8-2

Photo: Paul Gilmore - Unsplash

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

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It’s almost pilot pickup season, and Hollywood has entered the Spin (Out) Zone. Liz and Sarah discuss the techniques they use to stay calm while others are freaking out. In Hits & Bombs, they look back at 2019 and discuss the highlights and lowlights. Liz’s biggest personal hit? Getting over her fear of public speaking. Sarah’s biggest bomb? Not going to therapy. Finally, this week’s travel Hollywood Hack will improve your visit to any sprawling city: stay in more than one hotel.

The Altered Stitch: http://www.thealteredstitch.com/

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

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Down With Exclamation Points!

Are Liz and Sarah riding a dragon or a camel? They update listeners on their 2019 exam development motto — Ride The Dragon. Then they check in with their former assistant, Mary Mehrkens, who offers advice to assistants (or anyone) between gigs. She also shares one of her new boss’s favorite apps: Fantastical. This week’s Hollywood Hack will help your emails seem more professional: eliminate exclamation points! Period.

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

Mary Mehrkens:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5766534/

Dayna Lynn North:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0635998/

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Liz and Sarah talk to actor and friend Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse, Altered Carbon, Animal Kingdom) about the audition pain point that almost made her leave the business, and what she did about it. Then Liz and Sarah discuss the psychology of documents — how does the look of a document impact its audience? This week’s flu season friendly Hollywood Hack: Throat Coat tea. Finally, Liz and and Sarah had yet another Hugo’s Celebrity sighting: Jon Voight.

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

Dichen Lachman:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1901842/

Enver Gjokaj

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2222175/

Throat Coat:

https://www.target.com/p/traditional-medicinals-organic-throat-coat-herbal-dietary-supplement-herbal-tea-16ct/-/A-13376466?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Grocery%2BShopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Grocery&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9031201&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=CjwKCAiAlajvBRB_EiwA4vAqiH8VPaC0t40jJGLCZB8aIssDUot5NEdfseogrwVLYXKkClKDAAko4hoCsTYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Jon Voight:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000685/

Mailbox Toluca Lake:

https://www.mailboxtolucalake.com

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TILiz and Sarah talk to their good friend Nichelle Tramble Spellman, creator and showrunner of the fantastic new Apple TV+ show TRUTH BE TOLD, starring Octavia Spencer, Aaron Paul, and Lizzie Caplan. Then, in Take A Hike, Liz reveals why she’s “failing on all fronts” during this extra busy time. This week’s Hollywood Hack comes courtesy of Nichelle: get a fabulous suit custom-made for a big event. 

Truth Be Told: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_Be_Told_(2019_TV_series)

Nichelle Tramble Spellman: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2838492/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Happier In Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts — Happier With Gretchen Ruben, Do The Thing, and Side Hustle School. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah offer tips to executives and producers who are giving notes to writers during the development process. Do be direct! Don’t be an asshole! In a hits-only Hits & Bombs segment, Liz and Sarah share the many things they’re thankful for — including their amazing listeners! This week’s Hollywood Hack is a Chinese Proverb: “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” Finally, they reveal their work hike Celebrity Sighting: Marissa Jarret Winokur. 

The Sheri + Nancy Show:

https://thepillarlife.com/sheri-nancy-show/

Marissa Jarret Winokur:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0935441/

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Liz and Sarah answer questions from the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group — and they answer them fast! Do they ever feel like their kids deplete their creative energy? Do TV writers take ownership of specific characters? How does Sarah feel about Liz touring? If they hadn’t moved to Los Angeles, what would they be doing today? What was it like to work with Kurt Sutter? And, most importantly, how are they surviving without an assistant? These questions and so many more...

Photo by Brandon Morgan on Unsplash

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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With development season at peak intensity, Liz and Sarah are putting their noses to the grindstone. What does that mean? They’re often giving up their precious nights and weekends — and accepting that they have to “just say no” to many social functions. Then in Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah talk about why there’s one activity they’re NOT giving up: their new monthly Mahjong game. They also answer a Mailbag question about how many scripts a writer should have under her belt before she makes the big move to Los Angeles. And this week’s Hollywood Hack will improve any presentation: if someone asks if you want to use a mic, the answer is ALWAYS yes. 

Mahjong:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong

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Liz and Sarah pitch “American Beauties,” a pilot script they sold (twice) to Fox. After the pitch, they critique their own work— and reveal what they would change if they were going to pitch the show today. 

Photo by Ameen Fahmy on Unsplash

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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