The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Marissa Meyer Writes: Redux
Jan 9, 2026
Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, shares her journey from fan fiction to bestselling novels. She discusses how writing fan fiction taught her valuable skills in storytelling and discipline. Marissa emphasizes the importance of joy in the writing process and offers practical tips for overcoming writer’s block through daily gratitudes. She also shares her writing routines, insights from her podcast The Happy Writer, and her passion for living fully to inspire creativity.
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Episode notes
Fanfiction Launched Her Craft
- Marissa Meyer learned core storytelling by writing Sailor Moon fan fiction for about ten years.
- Posting chapters taught her to finish stories and meet deadlines even when inspiration lagged.
Choosing The Author Role
- Marissa realized she wanted to be the author, not the editor or marketer, while studying publishing.
- That clarity pushed her to pursue writing rather than treat publishing as a fallback career.
Make Joy Part Of Your Process
- Start with joy: focus on why you love writing to sustain a long career.
- Reinforce that by highlighting positives and building practices that make the process enjoyable.
