Podcasts about first draft

Congratulations! You've finished writing your first draft—an achievement that puts you ahead of countless aspiring writers who never make it past the dreaming stage. But now you're staring at your manuscript, wondering, "What next?" Maybe you've tried jumping straight into revisions only to find yourself overwhelmed, confused, or just plain stuck. Or maybe you're just avoiding it altogether.If your excitement about finishing your draft has given way to editing anxiety, you're not alone. Every author—even the most seasoned professionals—reaches this crossroads, where the path forward seems foggy at best.Tune in to learn the exact novel editing framework that has helped my clients and students transform their messy drafts into completed manuscripts.You'll hear me talk about things like:[06:21] The game-changing approach to organizing your editing notes that'll prevent months of wasted time and getting stuck in "revision loops"[07:17] How mapping what you actually wrote (not what you intended to write) can expose the hidden strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript[10:05] The #1 mistake first-time novelists make when editing their messy first drafts (and how to avoid falling into this all too common trap)[16:05] The four-category sorting system that helps you prioritize feedback and make confident decisions about which changes to implement[23:22] How your publishing path impacts your editing to-do list (and which steps to take if you're self-publishing or traditional publishing)If you've finally finished your first draft but find yourself paralyzed by the editing process, or if you've been revising the same chapters for months without making real progress, this episode gives you the clear, structured approach you need.

00:00 Four-Minute Offense 6:30 Today's Show and This Week 13:50 Doug's Big One = That's Not How That Goes 40:45 D-Backs Are Doing It Right 48:30 Town Hall Tuesday with Fun Katie 1:25:30 Cardinals Draft Breakdown Breakdown Breakdown 1:46:45 Vs Vegas

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., the crew provides their final evaluations on the top-10 selections heading into Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cardinals DE Calais Campbell and Rich discuss his return to Arizona 18 years after they drafted him, reveals how Tyreek Hill's pre-game detainment by police impacted the Miami Dolphins last season, why Miami Hurricanes QB Cam Ward is deserving of the #1 overall draft pick, and more.     The Ringer's Todd McShay and Rich break down the upcoming NFL Draft and the brewing intrigue surrounding how the top 10 picks could shake out, how high or how low Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders goes, if the Tennessee Titans should select Cam Ward or Travis Hunter #1 overall, and more.     Yankees fan Rich reacts to Max Fried losing his no-hitter do to an in-game change by the official scorer on a play that happened two innings previously. Please check out other RES productions: Overreaction Monday: http://apple.co/overreactionmonday    What the Football with Suzy Shuster and Amy Trask: http://apple.co/whatthefootball   The Jim Jackson Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jim-jackson-show/id1770609432   No-Contest Wrestling with O'Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Jefferson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-contest-wrestling/id1771450708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda is a literary translator.  Born in Tokyo, and raised in Texas, she is the co-translator of Ryke Akutagawa's Kappa and the translator for Yuko Tsushima's Wildcat Dome.  She lives in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fabulous Evie McGee Colbert stops by The Late Show to help Stephen select the perfect greeting card for Easter in this podcast-exclusive extended cut! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for something a bit different and inspired by First Draft on ESPN We have Bobby Skinner from Giants Nation Pod, Monte from He's A Giant, regular contributor Aaron aka Mayo and our own Shane facing off against each other to build the best super team from this years list of draft prospects What will their strategy be and who will win the 1st ever BBUKIRL Super Team Draft Follow Bobby and Giants Nation Pod here - https://x.com/BobbySkinner_ / https://x.com/GiantsNationPod Follow Monte and He's A Giants here - https://x.com/MONTECRI5TO / https://x.com/HesAGiantPod Follow Aaron/Mayo here - https://x.com/aggno92

I get it. Words are deceptively hard. There's so much that no one tells you about getting that first draft written, and trying to learn the craft while writing a novel is soul-crushing. I've been writing for over ten years, and during that time, I've come across a lot of different people who are ultimately failing themselves and their stories for different reasons.I want to address some of the more common writer-types that I've come across, because getting the first draft out of you is the hardest part. Keep in mind that none of these people are making their first draft happen. If you think you might be one of these, I wanted to also give you some encouragement and tips to help get you back on track."I'd like to write a novel someday."This person is the kind of person who maybe liked reading, liked the idea of writing, or had a really great story to tell, but for whatever reason, has never put pen to paper. Sometimes, they'll even try to explain the great idea they had for a story once, and try to convince you that you should write that story for them. As enthusiastic as these people are, they don't realize that you have your own novels to write that you are passionate about.If you have always thought you'd write a novel someday, and never have, you must face the fact here and now that no one is going to come along and just write that novel for you. No one is as passionate or knowledgeable about that story as you, and you'd be doing your story is disservice to assume you'll get around to it one day, or even worse, pawn it off to someone else to write with their vision. If you don't write your story, no one will. You're the only one who can, so I will always encourage you to give it a try."I have so many ideas for stories that I don't even know where to start."This person has a problem with a lack of focus. Usually this means they've started something and gotten sidetracked by another story, or another ten stories, all of which they have eaten the brains out of and then run off to another juicier meal, leaving dead bodies, (erm, you know I mean manuscripts, right?), in their wake. Don't be a zombie. All they want to do is eat your brains.Instead, try to focus on just one major project or task at a time. This could be the one you're the most excited to tell, it could be one that you've already got most of the outline done for, or one that you have come back to time and again. If you have other story ideas during this time, it's okay. Brain dump everything you've got into a file and look at it later, then get back to focusing on the major task at hand."I can't even begin to write anything until I have it all planned out."The person that says this typically plots a novel to death. This may include their worlds, characters, and backstories. You probably shouldn't spend 20 years plotting your novel out just to write one book. Even if it is a series of books set in the same world, you will likely find even more ideas and more depth from just writing the first draft than you will by trying to plot without one.If this is your scenario, remember that your time on this planet is limited, and you may only write 3-5 books in your lifetime at this pace. If you're okay with that, then keeo doing what you love. If you're not satisfied with that, don't be discouraged that you don't know everything, yet. Get your big moments figured out, and trust that the rest will come to you when you start to write it and think about it more seriously."I had this cool idea, and I sort of know where it's going to go, but I have no idea how to get there."On the opposite end of the spectrum are those people who have no idea how to get their novel from point A to point B. This was me the very first time I tried to write a draft. Even upon getting my most dubious of first drafts finished, my characters were incredibly flat. Very few people can write a complete novel from start to finish without having some sort of outline going. Those people essentially live in their basements and have been writing for 30 years. You are not one of those people. I wasn't one of them either.When you first have an idea for something, plot or characters or any of it, you will usually be excited and want to jump right in. Sometimes a scene comes to me in part or in whole. Sometimes, its a facet of the world that may or may not be totally relevant. Whether I can use it or not, I have some puzzle pieces that I've randomly picked out of the box that is my story. This is where my outline comes in, because they aren't always useful things like straight edges or corners, so I have to dig through the box to find some of those pieces before I can start to put everything together. You don't have to have every piece lined out and ready to put into the right part of your puzzle, but you need to at least have a starting place."You don't have to be an English Major to know how to read and write. I grew up doing it my whole life."This type of person thinks they know the language just because they've grown up with it. They are also the type to think they know how to write a book since they've read so many of them. Yes, and no. So much no. If you're this type of person, you'll be trudging along, writing to your hearts content, only to find that the language is more nuanced and complicated than you really thought about or assumed. I don't seem to ever remember that you aren't supposed to start a sentence with a preposition. Nope. Don't care. I seem to totally ignore that rule whenever possible. Sending your chapters through critiques will call into question: did you ever learn the language at all?If this is you, consider taking some classes, watching some videos, or reading articles from your favorite authors online about the actual craft of writing. We don't actually write dialogue the way we speak. No one actually thinks about it when they reach up and scratch their nose. At least not in real life, but in writing, you do. How often do you actually use someone's name? Probably about never. But if you're reading a conversation where there are multiple characters of the same gender involved, you might use it more than you'd think. Learning the craft as much as possible, writing as much as possible, and getting feedback on your work is going to call out all these little quirks that you have built up and never noticed before will get you where you need to be.I want you to thrive in the coming months, and even further down the road. If you have any tips for getting your first draft written, let me know in the comments below! Get full access to Author Rachel Cooper at authorrachelcooper.substack.com/subscribe

I get it. Words are deceptively hard. There's so much that no one tells you about getting that first draft written, and trying to learn the craft while writing a novel is soul-crushing. I've been writing for over ten years, and during that time, I've come across a lot of different people who are ultimately failing themselves and their stories for different reasons.I want to address some of the more common writer-types that I've come across, because getting the first draft out of you is the hardest part. Keep in mind that none of these people are making their first draft happen. If you think you might be one of these, I wanted to also give you some encouragement and tips to help get you back on track."I'd like to write a novel someday."This person is the kind of person who maybe liked reading, liked the idea of writing, or had a really great story to tell, but for whatever reason, has never put pen to paper. Sometimes, they'll even try to explain the great idea they had for a story once, and try to convince you that you should write that story for them. As enthusiastic as these people are, they don't realize that you have your own novels to write that you are passionate about.If you have always thought you'd write a novel someday, and never have, you must face the fact here and now that no one is going to come along and just write that novel for you. No one is as passionate or knowledgeable about that story as you, and you'd be doing your story is disservice to assume you'll get around to it one day, or even worse, pawn it off to someone else to write with their vision. If you don't write your story, no one will. You're the only one who can, so I will always encourage you to give it a try."I have so many ideas for stories that I don't even know where to start."This person has a problem with a lack of focus. Usually this means they've started something and gotten sidetracked by another story, or another ten stories, all of which they have eaten the brains out of and then run off to another juicier meal, leaving dead bodies, (erm, you know I mean manuscripts, right?), in their wake. Don't be a zombie. All they want to do is eat your brains.Instead, try to focus on just one major project or task at a time. This could be the one you're the most excited to tell, it could be one that you've already got most of the outline done for, or one that you have come back to time and again. If you have other story ideas during this time, it's okay. Brain dump everything you've got into a file and look at it later, then get back to focusing on the major task at hand."I can't even begin to write anything until I have it all planned out."The person that says this typically plots a novel to death. This may include their worlds, characters, and backstories. You probably shouldn't spend 20 years plotting your novel out just to write one book. Even if it is a series of books set in the same world, you will likely find even more ideas and more depth from just writing the first draft than you will by trying to plot without one.If this is your scenario, remember that your time on this planet is limited, and you may only write 3-5 books in your lifetime at this pace. If you're okay with that, then keeo doing what you love. If you're not satisfied with that, don't be discouraged that you don't know everything, yet. Get your big moments figured out, and trust that the rest will come to you when you start to write it and think about it more seriously."I had this cool idea, and I sort of know where it's going to go, but I have no idea how to get there."On the opposite end of the spectrum are those people who have no idea how to get their novel from point A to point B. This was me the very first time I tried to write a draft. Even upon getting my most dubious of first drafts finished, my characters were incredibly flat. Very few people can write a complete novel from start to finish without having some sort of outline going. Those people essentially live in their basements and have been writing for 30 years. You are not one of those people. I wasn't one of them either.When you first have an idea for something, plot or characters or any of it, you will usually be excited and want to jump right in. Sometimes a scene comes to me in part or in whole. Sometimes, its a facet of the world that may or may not be totally relevant. Whether I can use it or not, I have some puzzle pieces that I've randomly picked out of the box that is my story. This is where my outline comes in, because they aren't always useful things like straight edges or corners, so I have to dig through the box to find some of those pieces before I can start to put everything together. You don't have to have every piece lined out and ready to put into the right part of your puzzle, but you need to at least have a starting place."You don't have to be an English Major to know how to read and write. I grew up doing it my whole life."This type of person thinks they know the language just because they've grown up with it. They are also the type to think they know how to write a book since they've read so many of them. Yes, and no. So much no. If you're this type of person, you'll be trudging along, writing to your hearts content, only to find that the language is more nuanced and complicated than you really thought about or assumed. I don't seem to ever remember that you aren't supposed to start a sentence with a preposition. Nope. Don't care. I seem to totally ignore that rule whenever possible. Sending your chapters through critiques will call into question: did you ever learn the language at all?If this is you, consider taking some classes, watching some videos, or reading articles from your favorite authors online about the actual craft of writing. We don't actually write dialogue the way we speak. No one actually thinks about it when they reach up and scratch their nose. At least not in real life, but in writing, you do. How often do you actually use someone's name? Probably about never. But if you're reading a conversation where there are multiple characters of the same gender involved, you might use it more than you'd think. Learning the craft as much as possible, writing as much as possible, and getting feedback on your work is going to call out all these little quirks that you have built up and never noticed before will get you where you need to be.I want you to thrive in the coming months, and even further down the road. If you have any tips for getting your first draft written, let me know in the comments below! Get full access to Author Rachel Cooper at authorrachelcooper.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're alternating picks as Kiper and Yates go pick for pick in this latest mock draft! 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 1:27 Best hair in the business? 5:06 Cam Ward selected by Tennessee Titans 5:31 Picks 3-5 6:15 Raiders select Ashton Jeanty 12:54 Shedeur Sanders to New Orleans Saints 17:16 Top 10 Picks 22:16 Mike Drop: answering burning NFL Draft questions 23:00 Could Shedeur Sanders fall? 26:50 When is the earliest you would take a wide receiver? 30:00 Outside of Hunter and Carter, which defensive player will be the best pro? 33:43 New York Giants select Tyler Shough 36:00 49ers draft James Pearce Jr. 38:00 Chargers draft Rylie Mills 39:10 Ravens select Demetrius Knight Jr. 41:00 Jaguars select Andrew Mukuba 42:51 Texans select Ty Robinson 45:00 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Craig sits down with new Mystics General Manager Jamila Wideman for an in-depth conversation about her vision for the team. Wideman breaks down why she selected Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Georgia Amoore in the WNBA Draft, what she was looking for in this class of players, and how she plans to shape the Mystics moving forward.

Discover how a 72-year-old data scientist overcame perfectionism to publish her debut science fiction novel after decades of dreaming about it.Are you stuck with half-finished manuscripts or endlessly revising the same chapters? Does your story refuse to translate from your imagination to the page the way you envision it?You're not alone. The very perfectionism that drives you to write can become the biggest obstacle to finishing your novel.In this episode, Cheryl Arko shares her transformative journey from decades of false starts to published author at 72, revealing the exact strategies that helped her finally complete her science fiction novel after years of struggle.Tune in to hear:[14:31] The reverse outlining technique that revealed why Cheryl's scenes weren't working (and exactly how to fix them)[17:47] How entering a writing competition boosted her confidence and validated her manuscript's potential (and earned her a finalist spot!)[20:39] The two-phase writing approach that freed Cheryl from perfectionism paralysis (and helped her make twice the progress in half the time)[29:35] How developing her antagonist into a more three-dimensional character solved plot problems Cheryl had been stuck on for months[35:01] The practical reasons Cheryl chose self-publishing at 72 (and how to decide what's right for you based on your timeline and goals)If you've ever abandoned a manuscript or worried it's too late to realize your writing dreams, this episode proves that with the right approach, you can finally type "The End" on your novel—no matter your age or how long you've been trying.

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're revealing Mel Kiper's fourth NFL Mock Draft of 2025 with a breakdown of Round 1. 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 5:48 The mock draft is now open! 6:23 New York Giants select Abdul Carter 9:30 Abdul Carter and Micah Parsons comparison 12:10 Armand Membou goes to New York Jets 13:00 Pick 1 through 8 14:08 Shedeur Sanders selected by New Orleans Saints 21:50 Dallas Cowboys draft Omarion Hampton 28:26 Pick 13-16 28:34 Cincinnati Bengals select Jihaad Campbell 31:13 Picks 22-25 31:37 Jaxson Dart picked by Los Angeles Rams 37:36 Baltimore Ravens select Malaki Starks 44:10 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lynne Tillman is a novelist, short story writer, and cultural critic. Her novels are Haunted Houses; Motion Sickness; Cast in Doubt; No Lease on Life, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; American Genius, A Comedy, and Men and Apparitions. Her nonfiction books include The Velvet Years: Warhol's Factory 1965–1967, with photographs by Stephen Shore; Bookstore: The Life and Times of Jeannette Watson and Books & Co.; and What Would Lynne Tillman Do?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism. Her new collection is Thrilled to Death.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Kevin Negandhi, Field Yates, Jordan Reid, Matt Miller, and Mel Kiper Jr., and we're drafting teams! Our 4 analysts go pick for pick in a mega mock draft to determine who has the greatest team! Let us know in the comments who you think drafted the best team! Time Codes: 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 2:17 Mega Mock Draft Team Structures by Position 3:10 Round 1 is now open! 8:38 Round 2 14:20 Round 3 21:30 Round 4 31:00 4 round recap 32:53 Round 5 41:00 Round 6 48:50 Round 7 56:17 Round 8 1:04:01 Round 9 1:09:13 Round 10 1:14:50 Full team recap 1:19:50 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years after the start of the COVID pandemic, we revisit journals from the nurses who lived through it. The stories are part of a first draft of history being remembered by the official Manhattan Borough Historian in his new book on New York's essential workers, “When the City Stopped: Stories from New York's Essential Workers.” 

Five book coaches reveal their most powerful mindset hacks to help you crush self-doubt, overcome perfectionism, and finally finish your first draft—even if you've been stuck for months.Picture this: You sit down with a fresh cup of coffee, open your laptop to write your novel, and then that voice of doubt creeps in: "This is terrible. You don't know what you're doing." And then you're staring at a blinking cursor, completely frozen.Sound familiar?If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. Whether you're just starting your first novel or you've been trying to finish that draft for months (or years!), these mental roadblocks aren't signs of failure—they're normal challenges every writer faces.Tune in to this episode to hear five proven mindset strategies from professional book coaches and editors who have helped countless first-time novelists overcome writer's block, self-doubt, and procrastination to finally type "The End" on their first drafts.[02:11] The surprising mindset shift that turns "This writing is terrible" into productive writing sessions[08:41] How to carve out writing time that actually works (without quitting your day job or neglecting your family)[14:43] Why waiting to "feel inspired" is killing your novel—and the counterintuitive approach that actually works[20:12] The five simple questions that can rescue your story when you're stuck in the dreaded "middle slump"[27:08] How strategic "neglect" might be the missing ingredient to finally type "The End" on your manuscriptIf you're an aspiring author who is writing your first draft, or if you've started multiple manuscripts but keep getting stuck in the middle, this episode's for you!

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're concluding Field's fourth NFL Mock Draft of 2025 with a breakdown of Round 2. 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 5:08 Field Yates' Mock Draft 4.0 6:05 Tyler Shough drafted by the Cleveland Browns 13:30 Titans select Donovan Ezeiruaku 17:00 Emeka Egbuka drafted to the Bears 21:09 Mason Taylor selected by the New York Jets 24:28 Cowboys select TreVeyon Henderson 28:45 Colts select Carson Schwesinger 32:57 Shavon Revel Jr. drafted to the Seahawks 36:00 Elic Ayomanor selected by the Chargers 40:40 Saints select QB Will Howard 45:54 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Colum McCann is the Dublin-born author of thirteen books. He has won numerous international honors including the U.S National Book Award and an Oscar. His work has been published in over 40 languages. He is the co-founder of Narrative 4, a global non-profit that uses storytelling to build community engagement in schools around the world. His new novel is called Twist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've been spiraling about your first draft or sitting in front of a blinking cursor like it's judging you… This episode is your big reminder to let your first draft be as messy, weird, lumpy, and unhinged as it needs to be. The first draft isn't about perfection, it's about aliveness. It's the start of a relationship, where you and your story are just getting to know each other. You're learning its voice, its shape, and its secret little quirks. It is awkward, but intimate and sacred. It is the spiritual bond between you, believing in your story, and the STORY THAT CHOSE YOU to write it!

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Round 1 of Field's fourth NFL Mock Draft of 2025. 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 1:02 Is Field Yates morphing into Mel?! 3:44 Mock Draft begins 4:30 Shedeur Sanders to the Giants! 14:40 Shemar Stewart to the Saints! 21:30 49ers draft Walter Nolen 26:18 Cowboys select Tetairoa McMillan 32:00 Kelvin Banks Jr. picked by Arizona Cardinals 33:50 Bengals draft Grey Zabel 37:56 Steelers select QB Jaxson Dart 41:00 Rams draft Maxwell Hairston 43:35 Patriots trade up to select Josh Conerly Jr. 47:30 Mel Kiper's hair throughout the years 49:20 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, we're going to talk about using the letter form (epistolary) and specifically not telegraphing. If you don't know what telegraphing is, don't worry. You will after you hear our discussion at the end. The story in this episode is written by one of our favorite students, Danielle Huggins. This is the 4th time Danielle's been featured on the podcast but the first time she's joined us in the virtual studio. We are recording for the podcast as usual and you can also watch us on YouTube. Danielle's essay is titled A Letter to My Sister: I'm Sorry. Danielle Huggins is a writer from Northern New Jersey. She has been published in the Washington Post, Mutha Magazine, and GoMAG.com. She is a frequent contributor to Writing Class Radio. Danielle has taken First Draft, Second Draft, Final Draft, and Memoir. She is currently working on a memoir and attends First Draft Class as often as she can. She is on TikTok under @bipolardanielle and lives with her husband, daughter, mother, a wire fox terrier, and Sadie Cat. If you loved this story and want more, you can listen to Episode 105: Teach us Something We Don't Know. Episode 139: This is What Mania Looks Like. And Episode 152: How Music Inspires Storytelling. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Yates' top-50 Big Board Rankings. 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 1:49 Field Yates' Top-50 Prospects 2:30 Will Campbell 6:00 Will Johnson 12:32 Field Yates big board rankings 13:38 Shedeur Sanders 21:37 Omarion Hampton 24:25 Donovan Ezeiruaku 27:00 Jaxson Dart 30:50 Darius Alexander 32:17 Elijah Arroyo 35:00 Jacob Parrish 36:30 Chandler Martin 39:30 Willie Lampkin 44:23 KeAndre Lambert-Smith 46:11 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karen Russell is the author of six books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. She has received MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, son, and daughter. The Antidote is her second novel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're diving into the 2025 NFL Draft and its positional uncertainty surrounding some of the nation's top prospects, including Alabama QB Jalen Milroe, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan. 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 2:52 Jalen Milroe 8:35 Jaxson Dart 16:19 Luther Burden III 19:44 Tetairoa McMillan 23:21 Jihaad Campbell 27:07 Will Campbell 31:17 Mykel Williams 34:47 Will Johnson 38:49 Marcus Mbow 41:09 JT Tuimoloau 44:50 Shaun Dolan 46:47 Isaac TeSlaa 49:07 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writing your first novel is a journey unlike any other—equal parts exhilarating, frustrating, magical, and challenging. But here's what you need to know right now: it's completely doable with the right approach.Something I've discovered after working with hundreds of writers is that finishing a novel requires more than just talent or a great idea. It takes the right mindset, practical tools, and a strategic approach that keeps you moving forward even when inspiration fades.Tune in to learn the exact novel-writing framework that has helped my clients and students transform their ideas into completed manuscripts, with a special focus on the foundational elements that make stories truly resonate with readers.You'll hear me talk about things like:[02:10] The #1 reason most first-time novelists abandon their manuscripts (spoiler alert: it's not writer's block)[13:25] Why understanding your protagonist's inner obstacle is the key to creating a page-turning novel[20:20] The simple 3-part story structure that successful authors use to prevent getting stuck in the dreaded "murky middle"[26:45] Which writing routines actually work for busy people (and why marathon writing sessions might be sabotaging your progress)[30:20] The psychological trick that transforms "someday" writers into authors who actually finish their first draft[32:50] Episode recap and final thoughtsIf you've been dreaming about becoming an author but find yourself staring at a blank page or blinking cursor, or if you've started multiple manuscripts only to abandon them when the going gets tough, then this episode is for you!

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through the rest of Kiper's third NFL Mock Draft of 2025. selections 11-32! Time Codes: 00:00 Welcome to First Draft! 3:00 Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 3.0! 4:00 Kiper's Top 10 NFL Draft Picks 4:30 49ers select Armand Membou 8:14 Dolphins select Will Campbell 13:00 Colston Loveland drafted to the Colts 17:36 Bengals draft Shemar Stewart 20:56 Seahawks draft Nick Emmanwori 23:51 Tetairoa McMillan drafted by the Broncos 26:01 Steelers select Derrick Harmon 27:54 Chargers select Matthew Golden 30:22 Emeka Egbuka selected by the Packers 35:00 James Pearce Jr. drafted to the Lions 38:00 Chiefs draft Kelvin Banks Jr. 45:00 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mai Der Vang is the author of Primordial, Yellow Rain, and Afterland. Her honors include th Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets, an American Book Award, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, the First Book Award from the Academy of American Poets, among others. The recipient of a Guggenheim and Lannan Literary Fellowship, she teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Kiper's third NFL Mock Draft of 2025. The Top-10 selections and more! 4:15 Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 3.0 Pick 1 12:31 Abdul Carter to Cleveland 15:52 Giants draft Shedeur Sanders 21:54 Heisman winner Travis Hunter drafted by New England Patriots 24:45 Jaguars select Mason Graham 27:06 Raiders draft Ashton Jeanty 30:18 New York Jets select Tyler Warren 33:12 Jalon Walker to Carolina 36:00 Should the Saints draft Jaxson Dart in the top 10? 45:00 Chicago Bears select Mykel Williams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're breaking down the best edge rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft Class, headlined by Penn State's Abdul Carter, and Georgia's duo of Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker. 00:56 Who has the best hair on First Draft?! 3:33 Top 10 Edge Rushers in NFL Draft 4:06 Abdul Carter 8:23 Jalon Walker 9:22 Mykel Williams 12:29 Jihaad Campbell 15:04 Mike Green 20:36 Shemar Stewart 21:35 Nic Scourton 27:45 Oluwafemi Oladejo 29:47 Donovan Ezeiruaku 31:37 James Pearce Jr. 34:54 Quinshon Judkins 36:16 Wyatt Milum 38:29 Chaz Chambliss 40:08 Ozzy Trapilo 41:55 Best hair in the business? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erika Krouse writes fiction and nonfiction.   Her book Tell me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigationwon the Colorado Book Award for Creative Nonfiction and the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime.  Erika's novel, Contenders, was a finalist for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her previous short story collection Come Up and See Me Sometime, won the Paterson Fiction Award, was a New York Times Notable Book of the year, and is translated into six languages. Her new short story collection is Save Me, Stranger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're breaking down Field's Mini Mock Draft Top-10 amid the NFL Free Agency period. 4:26 Field Yates' mini mock 7:50 Las Vegas Raiders 9:55 Cam Ward at #1 11:17 Cleveland Browns pick strategy 20:39 New York Giants draft strategy 24:51 Patriots take Abdul Carter at #4 29:20 Ashton Jeanty 31:30 Geno Smith 33:25 New York Jets draft strategy 34:28 Armand Membou 38:54 Panthers draft strategy 40:15 Tetairoa McMillan 49:00 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, I want to talk about one of the hardest parts of writing: embracing the imperfection of that first draft. I know it can feel like you're slogging through a swamp of clunky dialogue, meandering plots, and sentences that don't quite shine. You might even wonder if you're wasting your time.But here's what I want you to know: Your so-called flawed first draft is actually a gift. It's a sign that you're showing up to the page with courage and letting the story unfold, no matter how messy.In this episode, I'm diving into why those imperfect drafts are so valuable—and how to shift your mindset to embrace them. I think by the end of it, you'll see what I mean.Website | Book Coaching | Developmental Editing

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're evaluating the blockbuster trade that sent former Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. Plus, Mel and Field's biggest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft! 3:00 Raiders acquire Geno Smith 4:30 Raiders draft strategy 12:05 Steals of the NFL Draft 14:07 Malaki Starks 16:25 Josh Simmons 18:00 Jack Bech 20:31 Trey Amos 22:04 Omarr Norman-Lott 23:44 Ashton Gillotte 27:45 Tory Horton 29:07 Josaiah Stewart 36:45 Teddye Buchanan 38:07 Nic Scourton 41:33 Que Robinson 43:51 Jack Kiser 44:52 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah Gerard is the author of the essay collection Sunshine State, a New York Times Critics' and NPR Best Book of the Year, a finalist for the Southern Book Prize, and longlisted for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award; the novels True Love and Binary Star, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times First Fiction Prize; a coauthored art book, Recycle; and the chapbook The Butter House. Her new book of investigative journalism is called Carrie Carolyn Coco: My Friend, Her Murder, and an Obsession with the Unthinkable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're reacting to the best and worst performances from the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. 3:00 Stud of the NFL Combine! 4:00 Maxwell Hairston 5:34 Jahdae Barron 7:30 Matthew Golden 12:45 Jaylin Noel 13:50 Jayden Higgins 16:46 Jared Wilson 19:17 Armand Membou 28:10 Duds of the NFL Combine! 28:30 Harold Fannin Jr. 30:30 Tez Johnson 34:45 Kaleb Johnson 36:20 Savion Williams 37:42 Mason Taylor 39:40 Orange Crusher: Darien Porter 42:00 Orange Crusher: Bhayshul Tuten 43:00 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Rachel Perse, who had severe anxiety after giving birth to her first child, but pretended she was having the time of her life. She tells her important story and then talks to us about how she used writing to get to the truth. And to work out her shit around becoming a new mother.Rachel is here in the studio with us, so we are recording for the podcast as usual but now, you can also watch us on YouTube. Rachel Perse will be reading her story called The Lies I Told About Motherhood.Rachel Perse is a stay-at-home mom to her 8-month-old son and two dogs. She is a proud older sister, alumna of Emory University, former assistant dean of students at the University of Miami, public health educator, and now, writer.A Transcription of this episode is available on our network website.We also made available our raw recording process on YouTube.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aidan Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com. Check out our website for our Tips Clinic, every second Saturday.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're rounding out Kiper's second NFL Mock Draft of 2025 with selections 11 through 32. (1:57) The Mock is open! (2:44) Mel's Top-10 picks (3:23) Pick 11 - Will Johnson to the 49ers (8:19) Pick 12 - Omarion Hampton to the Cowboys (12:29) Pick 13 - Mike Green to the Falcons (14:14) Pick 14 - Shemar Stewart to the Cardinals (18:07) Pick 15 - Mykel Williams to the Bengals (20:29) Pick 16 - Jihaad Campbell to the Buccaneers (24:27) Pick 17 - Colston Loveland to the Broncos (28:25) Pick 18 - Emeka Egbuka to the Steelers (33:05) Pick 19 - Tetairoa McMillan to the Chargers (36:29) Picks 22-26 (37:08) Pick 27 - Nick Emmanwori to the Ravens (41:19) Picks 28-30 (41:39) Pick 31 - Aireontae Ersery to the Chiefs (43:48) Pick 32 - Walter Nolen to the Eagles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction. Her novel Stone Yard Devotional was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. Her previous books include The Luminous Solution, a book of essays on the creative process; the international bestseller, The Weekend; and The Natural Way of Things which won a number of prizes including The Stella Prize and the Prime Minister's Literary Award. Her features and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Literary Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Saturday Paper among other publications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First up, Late Show writer John Thibodeaux joins Stephen Colbert to help select the perfect greeting card for Black History Month. Next, The Wire star Wendell Pierce promises Stephen Colbert he'll make his dream come true and get him a guest spot as a corpse in the next season of the CBS comedic drama "Elsbeth." Watch Wendell Pierce in "Elsbeth" Thursday nights at 10pm on CBS and stream it on Paramount+. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Kiper's second NFL Mock Draft of 2025. The Top-10 selections and more! (2:45) The Mel's Mock 2.0 Begins (3:13) No. 1 Pick - Abdul Carter to the Tennessee Titans (6:09) No. 2 Pick - Cam Ward to the Cleveland Browns (11:22) No. 3 Pick - Travis Hunter to the New York Giants (16:18) New York Giants Quarterback Situation (17:12) No. 4 Pick - Will Campbell to the New England Patriots (22:59) No. 5 Pick - Mason Graham to the Jacksonville Jaguars (25:24) No. 6 Pick - Ashton Jeanty to the Las Vegas Raiders (31:27) No. 7 Pick - Shedeur Sanders to the New York Jets (34:15) No. 8 - Jalon Walker to the Carolina Panthers (37:11) No. 9 Pick - Tyler Warren to the New Orleans Saints (39:49) No. 10 Pick - Josh Simmons to the Chicago Bears (41:48) Your fan question! (45:47) We'll see you on Monday!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul Theroux is the author of many highly acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction, including The Great Railway Bazaar, The Mosquito Coast, Riding the Iron Rooster, and Mr. Bones: Twenty Stories.   In 2015, Paul Theroux was awarded a Royal Medal from the Royal Geographical Society for “the encouragement of geographical discovery through travel writing.”  His new short story collection is The Vanishing Point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. are back comparing and contrasting percentages of 1st-round quarterbacks and non 1st-round quarterbacks who have led their teams to the postseason. 00:54 Mel Kiper's quarterback theory 1:41 QBs to make playoffs as a starter by draft round 3:40 1st round QBs 9:56 Cam Ward 11:26 Shedeur Sanders 24:55 Jaxson Dart 25:40 2nd round QBs 27:00 3rd round QBs 28:33 4th round QBs 29:30 5th round QBs 31:34 6th round QBs 34:09 7th round QBs 45:03 Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Yates' third NFL Mock Draft of 2025. Selections 11-32! (0:52) Field Yates' Mock Draft 3.0 (3:39) Recapping Field's Top 10 (4:08) No. 11: OSU OT Josh Simmons to 49ers (7:12) No. 12: Michigan CB Will Johnson to Cowboys (9:09) Should Dallas select RB Ashton Jeanty at 12? (10:59) No. 14: Penn State TE Tyler Warren to Colts (13:08) No. 15: Marshall Edge Mike Green to Falcons (14:49) No. 16: Texas A&M Edge Shemar Stewart to Cardinals (17:51) No. 17: Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen to Bengals (20:34) No. 20: Tennessee Edge James Pearce Jr. to Buccaneers (23:42) No. 20: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty to Broncos (27:58) No. 21: Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart to Steelers (34:37) Picks 22-25 (36:17) No. 27: Georgia S Malaki Starks to Ravens (37:39) Picks 28-30 (38:54) No. 31: OSU OT/G Donovan Jackson to Chiefs (43:13) No. 32: Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell to Eagles (44:30) Thank you for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lidia Yuknavitch is the National Bestselling author of the novels Thrust, The Book of Joan and The Small Backs of Children, winner of the 2016 Oregon Book Award's Ken Kesey Award for Fiction as well as the Reader's Choice Award, the novel Dora: A Headcase, a critical book on war and narrative, Allegories Of Violence, and the short story collection Verge.  Her widely acclaimed memoir The Chronology of Water was a finalist for a PEN Center USA award for creative nonfiction and winner of a PNBA Award and the Oregon Book Award Reader's Choice. Her new nonfiction book is Reading the Waves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft"! Hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we're running through Yates' third NFL Mock Draft of 2025. The Top-10 selections and more! (0:00) Welcome to First Draft! (0:53) Mel's initial thoughts on Field's Mock 3.0 (2:19) Let's get drafting! (2:48) Tennessee Titans select WR/CB Travis Hunter (7:56) Cleveland Browns select E Abdul Carter (11:30) New York Giants select QB Cam Ward (15:49) New England Patriots select OT Will Campbell (19:36) Jacksonville Jaguars select DT Mason Graham (22:07) Las Vegas Raiders select QB Shedeur Sanders (26:24) New York Jets select E Mykel Williams (32:11) Carolina Panthers select LB Jalon Walker (34:16) New Orleans Saints select WR Tetairoa McMillan (39:19) Chicago Bears select OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (40:43) Your fan questions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What exactly do people do on a cruise? Matt has wrapped up another stint performing on the high seas, and Penn still has questions. Plus, Penn takes up learning Morse code, thoughts on magic methods being published, Johnny Thompson's international subterfuge,  and more.

Welcome back to "First Draft!" On today's episode, hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper, we run through the biggest "sleeper" players of the 2025 NFL Draft. Plus, what should the Tennessee Titans do with the No. 1 overall pick? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to "First Draft!" On today's episode, hosted by Field Yates and Mel Kiper, we dive into the best Day-2 value selections of the 2025 NFL Draft. (0:00) Welcome to First Draft (1:17) Day 2 Gems (1:55) Day 2 Gems - Offense (2:01) Louisville QB Tyler Shough (8:28) Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson (10:20) SMU RB Brashard Smith (13:53) Texas WR Isaiah Bond (17:20) Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor (19:25) Washington State WR Kyle Williams (21:47) Miami TE Elijah Arroyo (24:35) Georgia C Jared Wilson (26:40) LSU OT Emery Jones Jr. (29:17) Texas A&M DE Nic Scourton (30:55) Ole Miss Edge Princely Umanmielen (32:15) South Carolina LB Demetrius Knight Jr. (34:29) UCLA LB Oluwafemi Oladejo (36:06) Louisville CB Quincy Riley (37:33) Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison (38:27) Oklahoma S Billy Bowman Jr. (40:27) Orange Crushers of the Week (40:48) Florida DB Trikweze Bridges (42:18) Michigan RB Kalel Mullings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices