Ever get feedback that makes your stomach drop? Like when someone says "I don't know what your book is about" or "I didn't relate to this character"—and suddenly you're convinced you need three months to fix it? Here's the truth: most "big" feedback requires WAY less work than it sounds like. Sometimes it's one paragraph. Sometimes it's literally one sentence.

In this episode, I share a story about a writer who got devastating feedback—and how we fixed the entire problem with about 12 words. Then I break down why feedback feels so overwhelming and what it actually takes to implement it.

You'll learn:

• Why feedback packaged in generalizations feels bigger than it is • The actual writing required to fix common "big" issues • How to assess what feedback really means in terms of work • Why figuring out character motivation in fiction is SO different than in real life • Concrete time estimates for common feedback (from "3 minutes" to "a few weeks")

Download the free Feedback Reality Check Guide: https://prodigious-inventor-6525.kit.com/c778014a10 This spreadsheet shows you the actual estimated time commitment for 7 common pieces of "feels big" feedback.

Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator ( / book.incubator )

Happy writing! — Mary

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RESOURCES:

Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc

A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts

Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE): https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ

In this first episode of Season 10, Mary shares her personal experience of trusting her gut when receiving some seemingly smart advice that wasn't actually smart. If you've ever doubted yourself after getting some smart-sounding advice, this episode may help you learn to trust your instincts, as a person and a writer.

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Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Tired of being told you're either an "outliner" or a "pantser"? In this episode, Mary introduces a revolutionary new framework that recognizes writers exist on a spectrum—not just at two extremes.

Based on years of teaching novelists through The Book Incubator™, she reveals five distinct writer types that help you find your perfect writing process.

From her own journey discovering that neither pantsing nor outlining worked for her (leading to 13 rewrites over six years!), Mary developed this new typology that helps writers identify their ideal level of planning versus creative freedom.

If you've ever felt like existing writing advice doesn't fit your natural creative process, this episode will help you discover where you fall on the spectrum and how to optimize your approach for the best possible writing experience.

🎧 What you’ll learn:

✅ Why the outliner vs. pantser binary doesn't serve most writers ✅ The five distinct novelist types and what each needs to succeed ✅ How to identify your writer type based on what "lights you up" ✅ Why having a "Big Question" is crucial for every writer type ✅ The tools each type uses ✅ How to move along the spectrum as your needs change ✅ Why finding the right process dramatically increases your chances of finishing your book

RESOURCES MENTIONED • The Book Incubator™ Program: https://www.thebookincubator.com/

• The Four Notebooks Method - full training available after application & acceptance to The Book Incubator: https://maryadkinswriter.com/podcast/the-four-notebooks-method

• Podcast episode about A Novel in 52 Prompts PLUS the first 3 prompts free: https://open.spotify.com/episode/34hNY3NH794fg6fNumO4wo?si=mmq4XjA5SBC9VTm1EK3Yjw

• A Novel in 52 Prompts: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts

• Take the Five Novelist Types Assessment: https://writertypes.thebookincubator.com/

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Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Let’s connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator (https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/)

Happy writing! — Mary

========================

I’m Mary Adkins, author with HarperCollins and book writing coach (for novels and memoirs). I’m so glad you found me!

+ Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc

+ Ready to write your dream book? Apply for my program The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE):

https://bit.ly/3wEwrJQ

========================

Mary Adkins is a recovered lawyer, mom to a goofy kid, novelist, and writing coach.

She moved from the hectic world of corporate law into novel-writing…and has published 3 novels (and counting!) with HarperCollins.

During her career transition, she learned a whole bunch of stuff about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to writing, revising, landing an agent, and getting published. She created www.thebookincubator.com to help aspiring writers on their journey.

Want to improve your craft, get your book done, and—most importantly—make it FUN again?

Learn more about The Book Incubator™ at https://www.thebookincubator.com/

Sometimes the best creative advice comes from the most unexpected teachers. In this episode, Mary shares three powerful insights about artistic confidence and creative decision-making—learned from watching her 7-year-old son navigate art ownership and musical performance.

If you've ever found yourself seeking permission for creative choices or writing by committee instead of trusting your vision, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on artistic ownership and creative confidence.

🎧 What You'll Learn: ✅ Why treating art as conversation (not sacred object) transforms your creative process ✅ How to develop the confidence to make creative decisions without seeking permission ✅ The difference between artistic confidence and writing by committee ✅ The power of pure trust in your creative vision

Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

How do you motivate yourself to work toward big, overwhelming goals when gratification feels impossibly far away? In this episode, Mary shares her summer reality check: facing an entire house to organize, French lessons to restart, and a secret new watercolor hobby—all while running a business and raising a kid.

Drawing from her experience writing five books, Mary reveals the counter-intuitive secret to achieving long-term goals. She shares how she went from writing zero short stories to publishing her first novel, why she's skipping watercolor exercises to paint portraits, and what her French tutor taught her about the futility of "homework."

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer scope of your writing goals, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on how to stay motivated when the finish line is nowhere in sight.

🎧 What you’ll learn:

✅ Why willpower alone isn't enough for long-term goals ✅ The mindset shift that makes big projects sustainable ✅ How to find motivation when gratification is months away ✅ Why skipping the "basics" might be exactly what you need ✅ How to let your mood guide your writing choices ✅ The overlap between "hard" and "fun" in creative work ✅ Real strategies for staying excited about your writing process

Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Ever started researching for your novel only to get so overwhelmed by everything you learned that you couldn't write at all? In this episode, Mary introduces the "marginalia method"—a simple but powerful technique that prevents research overwhelm while making the process more fun and efficient.

Mary breaks down the two common research traps writers fall into: research overwhelm (feeling paralyzed by too much information) and research fanaticism (trying to include everything you've learned). She then shares her practical solution that keeps research manageable and actionable.

If you've ever felt stuck because your research made your story feel too complex, or if you want to make your research process more productive, this episode will give you a game-changing tool.

🎧 What you'll learn:

✅ Why starting with a "Big Question" is crucial for novel success ✅ The two research traps that stop writers from finishing their books ✅ How the marginalia method prevents research overwhelm ✅ Why constraints actually make you more creative, not less ✅ How to make research feel like a treasure hunt instead of homework ✅ The practical steps for implementing this method today

Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

What happens when a bestselling author annotates her own 25-year-old novel? In this episode, Mary shares what she discovered reading Ann Patchett's newly annotated edition of "Bel Canto"—and why it taught her something crucial about how we treat our past creative work and ourselves.

Ann Patchett's handwritten notes in the margins revealed something unexpected: even successful authors can be too hard on their younger selves.

Mary breaks down the three types of annotations Patchett made and shares a personal story about memoir feedback that changed how she thinks about self-compassion in writing.

If you've ever cringed at your old writing or been too critical of your past creative work, this episode offers a mindset shift that every writer needs to hear.

Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.

Let's settle this once and for all: Can novelists use AI ethically?

In this episode, 3x HarperCollins novelist Mary Adkins shares exactly how she's integrating AI into her writing process WITHOUT letting it do the actual writing. Mary breaks down three specific applications that genuinely enhance her productivity while maintaining complete creative control. From multi-dimensional research queries to cleaning up dictated manuscripts, she shows how AI can handle the tedious tasks so writers can focus on what they do best: the creative work. If you've been wondering how to navigate AI as a professional writer—or whether it's even worth using—this episode gives you a practical roadmap for ethical AI integration.

What you’ll learn:

✅ Why Mary chooses NOT to use AI for actual writing

✅ How to use AI for complex research queries

✅ The exact prompts Mary uses to clean up dictated scenes without changing her words

✅ How AI can synthesize key takeaways from messy brainstorming sessions

✅ Which AI platform Mary uses and why

✅ How to maintain creative control while still benefiting from AI efficiency

Resources Mentioned

• iPhone Notes app for dictation
• Claude AI
• Descript - audio/video recording and transcription
• The Book Incubator writing program https://www.thebookincubator.com/

What's Next Next week: How Mary is ethically using AI as a novelist, including post-dictation editing techniques.

Want more? Apply for The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

Love this episode? Subscribe to First Draft Club and leave us a review! Your support helps other writers discover the show.