My new favourite writing podcast…I especially loved the Ally Carter and Casey McQuiston episodes…the advice given is outstanding and it is so cool to hear about their experiences. I feel like Ive learned so much about writing and publishing!

I look forward to listening each week! There is so much good information and fascinating life stories shared in this podcast. I love hearing the different perspectives and experiences from each author. I also really appreciate the range from picture books to adults. Thank you for such a great podcast!

I find myself turning to this podcast every time I want to feel inspired. Writing can be a solitary task but there is so much solidarity to be found here. Sarah Enni makes every conversation sound like she's sitting down to chat with a friend, and her industry-focused episodes are full of insights for both aspiring writers and established alike. Well done, Sarah!

This is a great podcast for both writers and readers! I love learning more about my favorite authors, and as a writer, I’ve unearthed some great nuggets of wisdom and advice!

Love tuning in to these conversations whenever I walk my ‘weagle’ Monty. With interview formats, sometimes there’s an inverse proportion between polish and authenticity, but Sarah consistently strikes just the right balance to get to something fun, useful, and real. Thanks for keeping me (and Monty) inspired. —Erik Slangerup

As an aspiring to be published author of YA, I love this podcast! I always walk away with great insights and new authors to read. Sarah asks great questions and brings a lovely energy to the art of writing. Side note: I’m a huge fan of the movie You’ve Got Mail and loved it’s appearance in this discussion.

I love this podcast so much. Sarah is such a great interviewer and the authors she brings on have such unique and diverse backgrounds. It’s a must for all aspiring and published authors!

First draft pod is the writing support I never knew I needed. Sarah’s insightful & well-researched questions bring out the best answers from her guests & show the full range of a published author’s journey from emotions, craft & the business side of things. It’s my go-to pick-me-up when I’m feeling adrift drafting my first novel & I know my writers community is only an episode away. This podcast has gotten me farther on my writing journey than ever before - thank you !

As a person who loves the writing community and lives far far away from any, I consider this pod a lifeline to missives from the outer world. I find I always learn something unexpected, but more importantly I feel connected to other writers and artists attempting to do the same thing as me. Because I feel like I’m settling down to a conversation with friends, I don’t feel so all alone. Even better, I always wind up inspired and a little more joyful and seen than I was at the start. Thanks so much to Sarah Enni for being such a thoughtful and authentic host!

not only does sarah have a great voice for this medium, as an author and purveyor of alllll sorts of literature herself, she’s able to ask authors questions deeper than any passing fangirl could. great author advice, plus always an extra dose of insightful conversations on life and the creative philosophies that drive our creative careers. she has a fantastic blend of guests writing across all genres. no complaints about anything. 🥰

Sarah, host of the First Draft with Sarah Enni podcast, highlights all aspects of storytelling and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

I am so grateful for Sarah’s deep research and heartful questions. I have always appreciated her vulnerable approach but was especially struck by the recent John Green interview where Sarah shared a personal connection to his work and was moved to tears. That moment, and the fact that it stayed in the final version of the show, made me think about how Sarah’s brave approach makes her interviews deeper than other shows. Thank you for the gift of them. They help me find meaning in writing on days when that feels hard to come by.

This podcast has quickly become one of my favorite writerly podcasts. Entertaining and insightful. I get excited every time I see a new episode in my feed!

What a stellar podcast for burgeoning writers. I take notes on her episodes - such a stellar resource.

First Draft has been, and continues to be, one of the most helpful additions to my writing arsenal. Sarah’s interview style is warm and friendly, and I genuinely forget I’m listening to an interview because it always sounds like I’m listening to friends talk books, life, and writing together. On my high anxiety days, I can pull up an episode to listen to on my drive home from work, and Sarah’s voice is so calming and reassuring. On the days where I’m feeling particularly discouraged about my writing, I can listen to an episode and feel less alone on my writing journey. Thank you, Sarah!

As a graduate student in the publishing program at Portland State, I just want to say that your podcast is so useful. I’ve learned so much from the podcast, not just about writing but about the details that go behind the scenes in the publishing industry. I keep telling all of my fellow classmates about First Draft, because I really thing it should be part of the curriculum. Haha.

Love this podcast! Listen every week and it’s given me inspiration while writing. You’re track changes newsletter was also very helpful. Would love more adult author (commercial, literary, any genre really!). Thanks!

This show has been my favorite writing podcast for years (I know, I know, I should have reviewed it sooner!). It’s such an entertaining, immersive listen and I learn so much every time. Sarah Enni is enthusiastic, intelligent, charming, and a truly incredible interviewer. Her journalism chops, preparation, and immense respect for her subjects make every episode shine. I’m so glad the show is still going strong because it is a gift to writers, YA lit, and honestly podcasting in general.

Sarah Enni’s mission, to compile a community of new-ish authors and agents and editors, serves up actionable insights for readers and writers. Her standard questions give touchstones to a similar storytelling journey, and connect each interviewees’ view on writing and publishing. Ps. the series ‘Track Changes’ is brilliant af and compiles the steps to traditional publishing that are hard for aspiring authors to find and learn. The community of writers owes Sarah a milkshake.

I listened to this for the first time for the Track Changes aspect. I teach creative writing and the information is helpful to pass along to my students.

Sarah is an amazing interviewer! All the interviews are a good balance of writing-related advice and general life advice. The Track Changes series is especially so well done. I’m impressed at the way she broke down the publishing process in such a comprehensive and understandable way. This podcast inspires me every time, and I can’t wait for more content.

I absolutely love this podcast! The track changes episodes have been so helpful and interesting. Sarah is a fantastic interviewer and an amazing resource to the book community.

I love this podcast! Sarah is such a gifted interviewer, and each episode is packed with amazing, writerly goodness!

Sarah is so very thoughtful. She really puts time and true interest into her interviews. I am not a writer, but I am a lover of books and have truly enjoyed hearing about so many authors’ processes. Track changes has also offered so much insight into the publishing industry. I look forward to each new episode and am so glad I stumbled onto this podcast earlier this year.

Hands down best writing podcast! Sarah asks the most thoughtful questions—ones you didn’t even know you wanted to know. She’s always extremely researched and confident, making her guests feel at ease. While her energy, curiosity, and humor bring a grace to their conversation. And now, with the addition of Track Changes episodes, First Draft is wholly well rounded—craft on one side, business of traditional publishing on the other, with an organic amount of overlap.

Excellent, thoughtful host and show.

Great questions and conversations. Love Sarah.

To date, my absolute favorite podcast. Sarah is honest, funny, and an all around great host. The information is plentiful and so helpful!

Sarah Enni is an incredible host, and this podcast is a fantastic way to learn more about publishing and writing.

I love First Draft! Sarah is such a natural interviewer and does a great job leading conversations with so many different authors. I also loved the Track Changes series where Sarah got into the publishing industry and how a story moves from an idea to a published book. So much to learn!

I’ve been listening to first draft for a little over a year now and Sarah’s soothing voice and honest conversation with authors keeps me coming back. I love learning more about Sarah and the authors through personal anecdotes.

What a delightful podcast! Sarah is a gifted interviewer whose laid back style makes you feel as though you’re listening in on a couple of author friends chatting over coffee. Well done and entertaining with an interesting variety of guests.

What a great Podcast. Interesting and well done!

I was a teenager that grew up on early days YA and wanted to be a novelist, and then other pursuits took over. This podcast has been a door back into the publishing industry and all of the writers I grew up on. Plus many many more. Sarah is an amazing host, who goes above and beyond in researching her guests and their work, allowing for engaging discussions for both her guests and listeners.

I absolutely adore this podcast! I discovered First Draft when searching for interviews with my favorite authors. And what a gem I found! Sarah is absolutely wonderful. She is a very intelligent person, warm, and has a friend-like interview style. I can tell that she is very good at making her interviewees relaxed and open. And I love how she builds on people’s answers, drawing out even more nuggets of info! I’ve always secretly written but never thought of myself as a writer. But after listening to a bunch of these eps I’ve been inspired to actually channel all my ideas into a book. I’m having so much fun writing and listening to First Draft. It’s been an amazing outlet for me. Thank you, Sarah, for all you do!

It’s always interesting to see someone interview another person and see what info the interviewer can retrieve. Can you get you subject to first relax and then to open up. Sarah has done BOTH with her interview w/ Cassandra Clare. I’ve learned fun and useful info. Thank you and keep it up.

First Draft with Sarah Enni is one of my favorite podcasts. Sarah hosts guests in all sorts of creative arts, and each episode inspires me to get back to writing and creating. Her questions are always thoughtful and insightful, and Sarah’s voice is also extremely calming (which helps when I’m feeling anxious)! If you like podcasts related to books or writing, or anything creative really, First Draft is definitely a must-listen.

I love this podcast. Sarah does an amazing job interviewing each guest and really digs deep on the process of writing, the books the authors have written and she has introduced me to so many authors I haven’t read before. Listen!

Sarah has such interesting guests and I love the new mailbag episodes. Listening really helps motivate me to write and work towards my dream to publish a book.

First Draft is a phenomenal resource for writers (or those who want a peak behind the curtain of the publishing industry, or anyone who wants to hear more from their favorite authors). I listen to many writing based podcasts, and Sarah's interview skills truly some of the best out there; she builds warm rapport with her guests, and has well researched and thoughtful questions. The conversation always has a great flow, and is filled with lots of writing-tips, life and career lessons from professionals. This podcast always leaves me feeling inspired!

Sarah Enni is becoming the Teri Gross of KidLit. She conducts in-depth interviews with all your favorite writers. The podcast is a great motivator, the perfect voice in your ear to take out on a walk or run. She's a fellow writer, and avid reader, talking to writers about writing. So great!

First Draft is top notch! Sarah is a well-informed, inspiring & insightful interviewer. I really love everything about this podcast — from the music to the sponsors, to Sarah’s voice (awesome podcast voice!), to the easy rapport she builds with her guests, to the incredibly helpful information shared! Listening to this pod helps me visualize & feel closer to the writer life I’m stepping into. These days, I find I need to nurture & care for my creativity in all the ways, and First Draft is definitely part of my creative first aid kit. With each episode, I’m inspired to continue my own writing project with intention, focus and an open heart. Thank you for creating First Draft, Sarah!

There are a lot of writing podcasts with a focus on author interviews, but this is the rare one that combines (i) a variety of artists working in different formats; (ii) professional audio and production quality; and (most importantly) (iii) a truly excellent host who asks thoughtful questions and elicits great content from her guests. Can’t recommend this enough!

This podcast is like Scriptnotes, but for book writing (and beyond!)-- THE definitive podcast if you want to hear from authors about their writing process, the publishing industry, and How Books Work. Sarah Enni is so thoughtful and engaging, and asks freaking amazing questions. She brings out the best in her guests. Couldn't ask for anything more!

This podcast is filling a long needed niche in the writing sphere. 💜💜💜💜 You’re magic, Sarah! Keep it up!

This is the only writing podcast that I’ve religiously stuck with. Sarah’s questions are so insightful and her interview style (and editing) is straight to the point. There are so many invaluable gems of advice and inspiration that I’ve gotten from the podcast. It’s the one that I recommend to everyone!

One of my favorite podcasts! Sarah is such an amazing interviewer. Every conversation flows like two friends catching up. I get pearls of writing wisdom from every episode. ✨

I stumbled upon First Draft with Sarah Enni about two years ago, and it has been the best stumble I ever could have imagined. I needed to find a place online that had equally informative and entertaining dialogue about the writing community to help me answer some questions I had in a way that I could enjoy. Sarah's voice is calming and her wit is divine. Her approach to questions on life, hobbies, and writing give each author a chance to reflect on their experiences and it really is like listening to two (sometimes more) friends sharing their wisdom right there in the room with you.It's like a back stage pass to some of your favorite entertainers! What started as a stumble has become a full-on daily roll down writer's lane that I hope never stops. Thank you, Sarah and First Draft, for giving me the feul I need to jump start my own daily writing!

You know what? I think this podcast is a real gem. Tell everyone!

This podcast is smart, thoughtful, and full of great information. The quality of the audio is wonderful as well!