The First Draft Club

S09 E04 How I am Using Dictation to Write My Next Novel

Ever wondered if you could write your novel while taking a walk? In this episode, Mary shares her honest experiment with dictation writing—how she wrote nearly half of her latest manuscript (around 50,000 words) using nothing but her iPhone and daily neighborhood walks.

Mary breaks down her journey from being "dictation curious" to discovering a writing method that increased her productivity without sacrificing quality. She shares the exact tools she tested, the surprising learning curve, and whether dictated prose actually sounds different from typed writing.

If you're a busy writer struggling to find time for your creative work, this episode might just revolutionize your approach to novel writing.

In This Episode

• Why Mary became interested in dictation as a writing method
• The challenge of balancing writing with parenting, work, and exercise
• Testing different dictation apps and why the free option won
• How to handle character names and punctuation while dictating
• Overcoming the social conditioning around silence and pauses
• Real productivity results: words per hour comparison
• Whether dictated writing differs from typed writing in tone and quality
• Tips for integrating dictation into your existing routines

Key Takeaways

✅ The best dictation app turned out to be free (iPhone Notes app)

✅ Dictation can produce significantly more words per hour than typing

✅ Speaking punctuation becomes automatic after about a week

✅ Extended silences while walking actually improve the creative process

✅ Dictated prose can be indistinguishable from typed prose in the final draft

✅ Dictation allows writers to maintain other important life routines while still being productive

Resources Mentioned

• iPhone Notes app for dictation
• 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

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S09 E03 What Nora Ephron Can Teach Us About Writing, a.k.a. How to Be a Parent AND Write Books

In this episode of The First Draft Club, Mary shares the best advice she’s ever heard about balancing writing with parenting, courtesy of Nora Ephron. If you've ever felt like you're constantly dropping the ball—on your book, your job, or your family—this episode will speak directly to you. Mary breaks down the concept of “glass balls vs. plastic balls,” how it changed her perspective, and how it can help you make space for your writing without guilt. Spoiler: creativity gets to be a glass ball too.

You’ll learn:

• Nora Ephron’s brilliant advice for managing priorities

• How Mary balances parenting, writing, and running a business (and what she lets slide)

• A simple mindset shift to help you protect your writing time, guilt-free

Links & Resources:

• Apply to The Book Incubator & learn my Four Notebooks method for writing your book: thebookincubator.com

• Follow The Book Incubator on Instagram: @book.incubator

• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WKb8589G8Ro

• Check out my blog post: Top 10 Tips for Authors: Advice from Bestselling Writers https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/10-writing-tips-from-bestselling-authors

S09 E02 A Free, Easy Way to Make Sure Your Story Works No Matter Who You Are (and Why Plot Matters)

In this episode of The First Draft Club, Mary Adkins dismantles the elitist myth that plot is somehow “lowbrow” or optional in literary fiction.

Drawing from her own experience and actual Big 5 rejection letters, she explains why plot is essential—not just for publication, but for reader satisfaction.

Plus, she shares her favorite low-pressure, free method for making sure your story works, no matter where you are in your writing journey.

Whether you’ve been told your prose is beautiful but “the pacing is off,” or you’re trying to finish a draft that just won’t come together, this episode is your permission slip to prioritize plot—and a guide for how to do it well.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why plot gets unfairly dismissed in some writing circles

• What real editors say when they pass on beautifully written manuscripts

• The difference between compelling writing and a compelling story

• A free and easy story-development strategy you can try today (no downloads, no critique groups)

📌 Links and Resources:

• Apply to The Book Incubator to get access to the full Four Notebooks training: thebookincubator.com

• Listen to the Four Notebooks Method episode: http://bit.ly/3wGmMTc

• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SAmFiIYVEEw

🖊 Want writing support that respects your voice and your story? Apply to join The Book Incubator, Mary’s 12-month MFA-alternative for writers who want to finish their books...without writing them by committee.

S09 E01 How to Not Ruin Your Novel: The Phenomenon of Premature Optimization

There’s one mistake I see writers make over and over again—and it’s the reason so many great books never get finished. It’s called premature optimization, and while it’s a term from computer science, it applies perfectly to writing a novel.

In this episode, I break down what premature optimization looks like for writers, why it’s so dangerous in a first draft, and how it’s connected to the failure of a now-forgotten Google product (RIP Google Wave). I also share real rejection letters from Big 5 editors that highlight the number one thing publishers are actually looking for—and why beautiful writing isn’t enough.

If you’re in the early or messy middle stages of your book, this episode will help you shift your focus to what really matters: story.

What You’ll Learn:

• What premature optimization is and how it derails writing progress

• Why polishing your sentences too early can backfire

• The difference between writing a book vs. writing a book by committee

• What Big 5 editors actually say in rejections—and what you can learn from them

Links & Resources:

• Read the blog post version: https://maryadkinswriter.com/blog/how-to-not-ruin-your-novel

• Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/krT6XdRC3TE?si=QrorxAu-SZuu6nUQ

• Apply to The Book Incubator: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ 

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a writing friend who needs to hear it. Your support helps more writers find this show—and finish their books.

Special Mid-Season Announcement - Mary's Memoir and a New Press!

BIG NEWS!

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thirdrailpress/third-rail-press-for-the-untold-stories-of-womens-lives
Third Rail Press: https://www.thirdrailpress.org/

S08 E10 How Much Can You Make in Foreign Rights - My Story (with Actual Dollar Amounts!)

How much can you actually make from your book? Should you consider foreign rights or just stick to the US? What can you expect to make after your advance? In the season finale, Mary gets personal and answers your questions. 

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

S08 E09 Special Guests! Welcome, the Podcast is a Gameshow Now

Mary invited two fellow novelists and colleagues in The Book Incubator, Harrison and Autumn, to join her for a game she made up! Meet The Feedback Game: What would you do with X feedback? Revise? Move on? Freak out?

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

S08 E08 Is Revision Sucking? Two Strategies to Make It Joyful Again

In this episode, Mary breaks down her two best tips for making the revision process as fun as the writing process. 

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

S08 E07 Killing Your Non-Darlings in Revision

Have you wondered why you have trouble making revisions even when you know it's necessary? Mary explores this phenomenon and shares her own struggles with loss aversion.

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S08 E03 How to Fix an 80% Good Book Getting Rejections: https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-xqce2-1750a3c

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins

S08 E06 How to Write a Timeless Book (Whatever That Means)

In the first episode of 2025, Mary reveals that the best way to write a timeless book is to not try to make it timeless. 

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Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins