Sharpen your pencils (and maybe your swords)—this week, we summon Brandon Sanderson, bestselling author of Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, and the expansive Cosmere universe. He shares how he kept writing draft after draft (maybe even a dozen or more) before selling his first novel, the secret stash of stories he hid behind a painting as a kid, and why staying sharp in revision is one of the most important skills a writer can develop. We dive into worldbuilding, resilience, and the stubborn magic of believing your stories matter—even when no one’s reading them yet.

Ever wonder what taxidermy, a giant metal chicken, and a collection of haunted dolls have in common? This week, we summon Jenny Lawson—aka The Bloggess, bestselling author of Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy—to talk about her one-of-a-kind creative journey. We dive into the cozy chaos of her writing process (including a surprisingly mathematical notecard system), the difference between writing personal stories and fiction, and what it means to create from joy (because, as Jenny reminds us, time spent in joy is never time wasted).

What comes after the end of the world? This week, I sit down with Veronica Roth, the bestselling author of Divergent and Poster Girl, for a conversation full of laughter, layered craft talk, and a few surprises. We dig into her love of outlining (yes, multiple outlines!), how she lets story lead the way—without starting from plot or character—and why she believes bold choices make for better writing than careful ones.

Oh—and she spills just enough about a wild (and very exciting) deal she made with her publisher about some future works. Curious yet?