How To Write The Future

“I was a science fiction reader from the beginning, and I continued to identify myself as a science fiction writer. However, a lot of my stuff would have to be classified as fantasy.”  - David D. Levine  In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “ Read, Write, Repeat with David D. Levine ” host Beth Barany talks to science fiction author David D. Levine about his career path, t...

“Oh my goodness. Sue has so much to say about research and how to use research strategically about finding conflicts and problems and learning as much as you need to know to be able to move forward. So be sure to listen to our conversation. It was really fun talking with her. I so admire her.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “5 Upcoming Inspiring Interviews“ host Bet...

“What is creativity? Here's the short of it. For me, creativity is about combining disparate elements, elements we might not even think of putting together. For us, for us as science fiction and fantasy writers, what might this look like? Well, this will be a fusion of tropes and genres and settings and your own personal spin.” - Beth Barany In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episo...

“If you need help with ideas, if you want to play with randomness, to inspire you, to jumpstart your creativity, to come up with new ideas that you wouldn't have ordinarily thought of.” - Beth Barany *** In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “ Use Divination Cards to Spark Stories,” host Beth Barany shares her personal journey with Tarot, plus how you can use Tarot and the M...

“Life is messy. Life is unpredictable, and so is creating. Make room for that. Create compassion.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “ Beginning, Middle, End — And Mess ” host Beth Barany shares why embracing the mess in creativity can have powerful results. GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HERE Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://...

“Traditionally, at least for the last 200 years, there's been a cultural divide between being in business and being a creative, which is born out of a lot of images of the starving artist and really different movements that thought being an artist is totally different from being in business.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode titled “ Business Advice Creatives Can...

“ I care very much about your success and I really believe that our future is in our hands and as creatives, we have some incredible skill sets we get to bring to that.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “ Fun Values Check-In for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writers,” host Beth Barany shares what values are most important to her, why that matters, how values can guide the cho...

“In difficult days when I'm struggling with my story or I'm struggling with my creative entrepreneur business. I turn to what I know and to what I trust, which is my emotions, my breathing, my physical body, and often it's a sign I need to do a bunch of self-care.” - Beth Barany What can you trust? Who do you trust? How To Write the Future host, Beth Barany asks you these questions...

“Every creative project involves risk, whether you are writing a novel, creating a play, a film, or starting your own creative entrepreneur business.” -- Beth Barany In the this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, titled “Risk Taking Without Desperation: Write From Trust,” host Beth Barany discusses how taking risks is unavoidable in both the realm of storytelling and being a creative entr...

“Marketing and selling, especially learning how to do it in written form, is also a form of magic. It's just using words in a different way. ” — Beth Barany Are you ready to learn the skills needed to market your novel?  In this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, titled “ Marketing and Selling Tips for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers” Beth takes listeners on an encouraging journey to gu...

“If you start asking for feedback too soon, it can really destroy the creative process for you. It can make you doubt the direction you're going in. There's all kinds of reasons why I recommend that you get feedback after you finish your first draft.” - Beth Barany Do you want feedback on the first page of your manuscript?  Need to know if there’s something just missing? In “ Level Up wi...

“For me, writing fiction is a place of play.  So, yeah, that Aha came to me recently and I thought, okay, I need to dedicate myself to just playing with fiction for the next few days or the next few weeks, not taking everything so seriously.  Just have some more fun.” How do you get unstuck in your writing?  How can you make the process more fun?  These are a couple of the questions How To Write t...

“I think that if you sit on the sidelines and you choose to ignore these tools, you have no chance to compete in this new marketplace. You have no chance. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. These tools can help you do structure, do deep thinking, do critical thinking very quickly and very, very good, and you're gonna be competing with very hungry writers that wanna learn craft, that have incred...

“ I really recommend you write your book anyway. Let it be as messy and chaotic as first drafts are.” - Beth Barany Hooking a reader in at the beginning without overwhelming them with information is essential, which is why in this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “World-Building Without Information Dumping” host Beth Barany breaks down how to draw your reader in by starting with your main...

“Do your research, read widely in the genre, and don't limit yourself to strict rules; go ahead and create something new. That would be cool.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “Fantasy Steampunk: Do You Need Magic?” host Beth Barany answers a listener's question on whether magic is needed as an element to a steampunk novel.  She dives into how to understand...

“By setting in this case, we are getting the scope of the world. We are learning the rules of magic in this story.” — Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Decode The Obsidian Tower's Setting,” host Beth Barany analyzes The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso, showing you exactly how she works as a developmental editor and coach. You'll discover how character...

“Go ahead and base your sci-fi entirely on your own imagination, whatever science that you want to integrate into your story. And make it feel real.“ —Beth Barany How Much Science in Your Sci-Fi Stories?  That’s the question from a listener Beth Barany is answering in this How To Write the Future podcast episode.  She answers whether you can base your novel entirely on your imagination, whether st...

“ It's essentially a marketplace. You want to shop around. You want to make sure that this person has a good reputation and you want to talk off the record in confidence with other writers.” — Beth Barany Finished your novel and ready to land a literary agent? In this How To Write the Future episode, Beth Barany shares how to research reputable agents, start smart conversations with fellow wr...

“Learning how to write fiction-- most people never learn in school, so we're learning as adults and therefore we're gonna have a huge learning curve.” - Beth Barany In this How to Write the Future podcast episode, “Writing Consistently: Facts and Myths,” host Beth Barany shares the common misconceptions about writing consistently, plus tips on how to find the rhythm of writing that suits...

“It's hard to fix a manuscript that is not yet finished.  This is what I counsel all of my clients and people who might want to work with me is write the whole first draft because there's something that brought you to the story.” - Beth Barany In this How To Write the Future episode, “How to Handle Plot Holes Effectively,” host Beth Barany answers a listener's question on how to han...

“In my opinion, the cure for writer's block is writing -- pure and simple.” - Beth Barany Do you wonder why you’re not writing and wish you were?  Then listen to “Writer's Block: Five Steps Forward,” the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, where host and writing teacher, Beth Barany, shares five steps forward that you can put into action to help with your writer’s block.   Pl...

“ I am currently deeply involved with the process and the importance of creativity in the second half of life.” - Catherine Bramkamp In this episode of How To Write the Future, “Writing Through Chaos: Creativity and Resilience with Catharine Bramkamp,” host Beth Barany chats with fellow writing and creativity coach Catharine Bramkamp. Catharine dives into why creativity matters in the second half...

“I try to write worlds that I believe are attainable and that I think we can aspire towards.” - Abigail Hing Wen In this future‑forward episode of How To Write The Future, host Beth Barany chats with author‑filmmaker Abigail Hing Wen about The Vale — a middle‑grade fantasy where a family builds a clean, AI‑generated virtual world. They get into why ethical AI matters for storytellers, what “clean...

“Written from the point of view of one character and then another scene from the another character. Now, we would never shift point of view within a scene, but each scene, each segment of the book is from a different point of view.” - Lawrence Connolly In this How To Write the Future episode, “Building Character-Driven Action Adventure Stories with Lawrence Connolly,” podcast host Beth Barany inte...

“I love plot, I love character, and I just feel like the colors are bolder and brighter and there's more to work with when I'm writing about science fiction and fantasy.” - Randee Dawn In this How To Write the Future episode, “Future Fantasy, Real-World Resilience with Randee Dawn,” podcast host Beth Barany interviews Brooklyn-based author and veteran entertainment journalist Randee Dawn...