Sara Orr 10/29/25 Sara Orr 10/29/25

From Time Poverty to Time Affluence: What 1900 Hours of Novel Writing Taught Me About Leaving Biglaw

After leaving my BigLaw partnership to write a novel, I still couldn’t shake billing my time. Here’s what I learned about time affluence and writing after 1900 hours on a novel.

Sara Orr 10/5/25 Sara Orr 10/5/25

The Orr Report | October 2025

The October Orr Report: my monthly newsletter sharing updates on my novel, querying and some fun book and TV recs.

Sara Orr 9/26/25 Sara Orr 9/26/25

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami: Book Review

Part of Reading as a Writer series, a book review of The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, a Read With Jenna book club pick. Dystopian / speculative fiction about female rage, AI surveillance and more.
Includes my writing craft analysis as a debut author reading Book Club picks.

Sara Orr 9/19/25 Sara Orr 9/19/25

Boss (Writer) Energy: What I Learned from Elizabeth Gilbert's Author Event

Liz Gilbert commanded 150+ people with no notes at her author event. Here's what I learned about creative courage, truth-telling, and writing from healed scars.

Sara Orr 9/12/25 Sara Orr 9/12/25

From BigLaw to Books: The Case for a Literary Life

Why (and how) I left my BigLaw career as an environmental attorney to become a writer.

Sara Orr 9/5/25 Sara Orr 9/5/25

The Orr Report | September 2025

My monthly newsletter sharing updates on my writing career and three happy things to spark joy including dog books, dog vacations and great TV.

Sara Orr 8/29/25 Sara Orr 8/29/25

Familiaris by David Wroblewski: Book Review and Craft Tips

Book review of Oprah’s Book Club pick Familiaris by David Wroblewski. If you love dogs and magic and friendship and farms and love stories, this book is for you!

Sara Orr 8/1/25 Sara Orr 8/1/25

The Orr Report | August 2025

My monthly newsletter with writing updates, lessons learned and three happy things.

Sara Orr 7/25/25 Sara Orr 7/25/25

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez: Book Review and Craft Tips

Part of the Reading as a Writer series, a review of Read with Jenna Book Club pick The Great Divide, exploring Henríquez's multi-POV storytelling craft and meticulous research into Panama Canal construction in 1907.

Sara Orr 7/12/25 Sara Orr 7/12/25

Happy Things: School Supplies!

Discover my current school supply obsessions for writers, including rainbow tabs and animal stick notes.y

Sara Orr 7/1/25 Sara Orr 7/1/25

The Inaugural Orr Report

Working at hotels, Somebody Somewhere and Staying Alive - three happy things this month!

Sara Orr 6/27/25 Sara Orr 6/27/25

Dream State by Eric Puchner - Book Review and Craft Tips

Eric Puchner’s Dream State delivers a sprawling family saga with all the things, including a side of climate dread. In this review, I unpack what made it a standout Book Club pick and what writers can learn from this beautiful story.

Sara Orr 6/16/25 Sara Orr 6/16/25

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: Book Review - Sisterhood and Ambition

Book review of Coco Mellors’ Blue Sisters, a story about sisters and ambitious women.

Sara Orr 2/6/25 Sara Orr 2/6/25

Shout-Out to My Beautiful Beta Readers

I was terrified to share my draft manuscript with beta readers — but waiting until Draft 8 was a mistake. Here’s how beta readers transformed my manuscript—and why you shouldn’t wait for perfection before asking for feedback.