Writing habits and discipline

Grisham says he has never met a successful writer who was not an avid reader.

“Reading, reading, reading is the most important. I don't know a single writer, successful writer, who is not an avid reader”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: How One “Golden Moment” Can Transform Your Entire Life (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:00:50

Grisham says a bookstore executive's remark that top authors publish annually led to his book-a-year schedule.

“That's where the book a year came from. That's been a book a year for 35 years now. Page a day, a book a year”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: How One “Golden Moment” Can Transform Your Entire Life (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 55:32

Grisham argues a fiction writer should be able to pitch an idea in about 30 seconds.

“You have to refine the pitch to about 30 seconds max. If you can't do it in 30 seconds, you're probably in trouble”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: How One “Golden Moment” Can Transform Your Entire Life (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 16:24

Grisham advises anyone serious about writing to stop talking about it and write at least a page every day.

“If you're serious about writing anything, stop talking about it. Don't talk your book to death”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: How One “Golden Moment” Can Transform Your Entire Life (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 14:53

Robbins argues that "one page a day" is a philosophy for building momentum and change in any area of life.

“One page a day is a four-word philosophy for how to create anything in your life”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: How One “Golden Moment” Can Transform Your Entire Life (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 19:20