First Draft Podcast

First Draft is a podcast created by Sarah Enni. She’s taking a road trip across the U.S. and along the way she’s interviewing YA/MG authors about their experiences with writing, publishing, and life in general. The interviewees are authors like Marie Lu, Libba Bray, Beth Revis, Meagan Spooner, and many others. 

This is the best podcast about writing I have ever listened to. Okay, I haven’t listened to any other writing podcasts, so I guess I'm not the best judge. But none of the other writing podcasts enticed me enough to start listening. There are great podcasts out there for all sorts of things, but sometimes talking about writing is…a little boring. Even for writers. First Draft Podcast isn’t like that. 

Here are just a couple of reasons why I love First Draft. 

1. You can start and stop anywhere. I can’t listen to an hour long podcast straight through. I don’t have the patience or time to listen to podcasts in one sitting. But I love listening to podcasts while I’m walking to class, eating alone, browsing the library for more books, etc. I’ve listened to other podcasts like Serial and Welcome to Nightvale, and let me just say that its hard to pause and play where ever you are. First Draft isn't like that. It’s easier to remember what happened in a podcast because it’s like your friend is confiding in you. The details just stick in your brain. 

2. It’s not a strict interview. Sarah Enni does an amazing job weaving in the standard questions (where were you born, what have you written, etc.), but those questions only make up the foundation. There are many times that podcast veers off track, and I love it. It’s a conversation. It’s like Sarah and the author are just sitting beside you in the coffeeshop. You’re the little bird on their shoulder while they discuss all the up-and-downs of their life and writing. I don’t have any close writer friends, but First Draft gives me a taste of what it would be like to have a friend I can obsess about writing to without having to stop and explain the writing jargon.

3. It’s inspirational. Listening to these authors talk about their path to publishing and how much they truly love their jobs, it makes everything seem possible. It makes writing and eventually publishing a book seem possible. It makes me feel like I can accomplish my dream (it might take years and years, but I'll get there eventually). And every podcast, Sarah ends with asking the authors what their advice is for aspiring writers/newly published authors. Even though I read a lot of those posts with best piece of advice from famous authors, there’s something different hearing an author truly say the advice. Hearing it aloud makes it more real.  

4. But it’s also realistic. The podcasts aren’t all just about their success with publishing. It focuses on the path to becoming published. They talk about all the struggles associated with writing. How hard it can be. How you have to preserve. How sometimes life just gets in the way. The podcast is realistic, but the realism is what makes it so inspirational. It puts things into perspective. 

If you’re an aspiring writer or an avid reader who loves getting to know the masterminds behind great books, First Draft is for you. Wow that’s a horrible pitch, but I feel obligated to leave it in because it’s true. It’s an amazing podcast—thank you to Sarah Enni and all the other authors that contributed to it. I’ll be anxiously waiting for each episode (even though I still have about 10 episodes to catch up on). 

What do you guys think of First Draft, if you listen to it? Any other podcasts about writing I need to listen to?