In this episode, Kayla returns from the San Francisco Writers Conference with a lot more than just a fancy hotel receipt. While the "volunteer-to-pitch" lifestyle had its quirks, it led to some major new connections—including the "New Andy" and the brilliantly creative Dr. Janine Inez.

But the real heart of the conversation is the 18-page deep dive Kayla received from Cornerstones US. Kayla and Rachel break down the "brutally helpful" feedback on her manuscript, Pillow Forts Down, covering:

• The Death of the Info-Dump: Why your prologue might be doing too much heavy lifting and how to weave backstory into the action.
• Deepening the "Why": Moving beyond shock value to explore the emotional core of a character’s hypersexuality.
• The Big Reveal: Why Fiona McLaren (shoutout to Fiona!) officially categorized the novel as Book Club Fiction and what that means for the road to publishing.
• Style vs. Substance: Navigating the tricky waters of ethereal death scenes and passive character reveals.

We also share a sobering and heartfelt update on Fiona’s current situation in Cyprus, and talk about the actual costs (and massive value) of hiring a top-tier literary consultant.

Next time: We’re diving into story time or a look at Madeline Cash’s Lost Lambs. Read along with us!

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What happens when the thrill of drafting collides with the slog of revision? We open the door on a month of messy pages, tempting new ideas, and the uneasy question: hobby or publication. Kayla makes the case for hiring a developmental editor early, sharing how professional notes outpaced even the best beta reads and saved months of wheel‑spinning. Rachel weighs the cost, the goal, and the head noise of a manuscript with promise. Along the way we look at how to study the market without losing your voice—mining Publishers Weekly deal announcements for clean, high‑signal hooks that reveal how agents position novels.

Then we get hands‑on with a craft exercise from The Lab. Kayla reads a sharp scene twice—first through Corinne, a grieving newcomer who wants to vanish, then through Vernon, a too‑friendly neighbor convinced his charm is a favor. Same sidewalk, totally different worlds. The contrast shows how voice isn’t just point of view; it’s diction, cadence, and what a character can’t help noticing. Rachel follows with three versions of a pivotal moment from Dinner For Eight, including a chilling original from Kyle’s perspective that brushes right up against love bombing. We pull apart how language encodes power, how manipulation performs as tenderness, and why a sentence’s rhythm can tilt a scene’s ethics.

We close with reading fuel: Madeline Cash’s Lost Lambs has Kayla dazzled and rattled in the best way. That jolt—envy meeting awe—can expand our range if we chase what the sentences actually do. Help us out: define “voice” in a single, useful sentence and send an example that changed your writing brain. If you’re revising, drafting, or debating whether to hire help, this one offers practical tools, a few laughs, and a nudge to choose your goal on purpose.

If this conversation moved you, tap follow, rate the show, and drop a quick review. Share the episode with a writer who’s stuck in edits and tell us: what’s your clearest sign a scene truly has voice?

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New episodes every other Wednesday.

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In this STORYTIME episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel dive into the mailbag to read and critique work from two listeners they’ve never met! The duo travels from the eerie, rain-soaked landscapes of Ireland to the literal depths of the afterlife, finally landing under the vast, star-filled skies of the Atlantic.

In this episode, we explore:

• "Pink Rotary Telephone" by Barry Malone: A chilling horror story about a piece of obsolete technology that rings with a message no one wants to answer. Kayla and Rachel discuss the trauma of the past and the "likability" of a protagonist caught in a supernatural cycle.
• "Debtor’s Prison" by Chris Ritchey: A high-concept look at the afterlife where "scaring" is a quota-based job. The hosts unpack the mystery of a man tasked with haunting the woman he loves most.
• "Juliet" by Chris Ritchey: A shift into the literary genre with a moving piece of historical fiction. Set against the backdrop of the 1986 Challenger disaster, this story follows a young boy’s journey from the depths of depression to a soul-saving sailing trip with his father.

Plus, Kayla shares some exciting personal news—she just received her developmental edit letter for her novel, Pillow Forts Down, from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy! She gives us a sneak peek into the feedback from her editor in Cyprus and discusses the "show, don't tell" struggle every writer knows all too well.

Please subscribe, rate and review!

New episodes every other Wednesday.

E-mail us your short story at contact@writeyourheartoutpod.com

Follow us on instagram @writeyourheartoutpod

Leave us a message at 650-260-4885