How To Write The Future

“I think of hope. 

And especially in a world that can be seen as cruel, that can be experienced as cruel, I think of those who have the capacity to do what they can to spread that hope and to spread that joy so we can uplift the folks that need a little bit more help.” 

- Melquea Smith

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany chats to children’s book illustrator Melquea Smith where Melquea shares the insp...

“We have a fabulous program that we are launching for the first time. It's a pilot program. And this is for you if you are a writer and you want to serve writers, that is you want to build a business helping other writers.”

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany shares upcoming classes in Barany School of Fiction, including how you can sign up for them, and how they will benefit writers. From a critiq...

”I believe that your unique vision that you are sharing in your stories can impact the readers in unknown and amazing ways.” - Beth Barany

How To Write the Future podcast host, Beth Barany, invites listeners to sign up for a free Story Success Clinic session. In these sessions, Beth will coach you and give you feedback on a short piece of your writing. You’ll gain insights into how to enhance scenes in your world-building and b...

”The message of the story is the thing that they need to learn, which means that they have opposite beliefs that are preventing them, you know, flawed beliefs that are preventing them from learning the story message.” - Emily Golden

In this special episode of How To Write the Future, host Beth Barany chats with Emily Golden and Rachel May about story theme, world building, and conflict. They share their collaboration journey and tou...

“Do you like to daydream? I love to daydream. I've always loved to daydream ever since I was a child and when I was a child, I wished I was magic.” - Beth Barany

In this episode of How To Write the Future, host Beth Barany discusses “Woo-Woo and Fiction Writing” by sharing her “woo-woo” interests, her backstory from pre-med to fiction, and the magic of writing. Beth also shares the resources she uses to inspire the characters i...

“Human Design is really helping you work with your energy rather than against it. There is no reason why you have to fight against yourself. It makes it very hard to be a creative person.”

In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany discusses how to use Human Design as a fiction author to your advantage, how to understand your results, and how this understanding can enhance your creativity, so you ca...

“This class is really for those who care about tone, character, genre, and the emotional resonance of your story.”

In this How To Write the Future episode, titled “Learn How to Craft Settings that Hook Readers,” host Beth Barany shares about the upcoming exciting class she’s teaching as part of Sue Brown Moore’s HEA Sessions called “Settings That Hook Your Readers” where she’ll dive into teaching a 90-minute hands-on training f...

“ Four essential elements of what does it take to build this epic rivalry between your hero and the villain.” - Said by Beth Barany, quoting Bonnie Johnston 

Would you like to know how to build epic rivalries between heroes and villains? In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany reads an article written by writing mentor and award-winning author Bonnie Johnston, in which she shares an in-depth breakdown ...

“So you see that the main characters’ relationship develop. You see how their country's changing, their themes of mental health and women's rights, social justice, there's magical gems. There's Ice Giants, elves, yeah, all of the good things.“ - Kathryn Nelson

From Ice-giants, fantasy worlds, to the power of fantasy in addressing real-life issues. In this How To Write the Future episode, host Beth Barany tal...

“First principles are really: know how to be creative and know how to get into your creativity.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future episode, called “What is Creative Entrepreneurship?,” host Beth Barany gets interviewed about defining creative entrepreneurship and explains the importance of prioritizing creativity over business and why she believes being a creative comes first. Plus she goes in depth on how we can ma...

“Get to know the people, read the history, talk to the people as people. But not as subjects. You're not a scientist, you're a novelist. And being a novelist means getting into the heart and mind of your character and their body too.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future episode, titled “Quick Tips for Writing Your Character’s Identity,” host Beth Barany invites listeners to watch a quirky and interesting int...

“What would it look like if we did take care of everyone?” - Beth Barany

In this episode of "How To Write the Future" podcast, authors and writing teachers, Beth Barany and her husband Ezra Barany, explore how speculative fiction can highlight social issues. They discuss strategies for crafting compelling stories that inspire social change without being preachy, while emphasizing the importance of world-building and c...

“ So I haven't yet pulled in any ethical or moral dilemmas that would be interesting, maybe in a future story.” - Beth Barany

In “How to Craft AI and Robot Characters in Your Fiction” ****Beth Barany discusses how to create compelling AI and robot characters with unique traits to engage readers. She is joined by her husband, Ezra Barany, also an author and writing teacher, and together they share the benefits of joining th...

“ Of course, you want to think of what they want, the goal, why they want it, the motivation; what's in their way, the conflict, but also their strengths and also their secrets.” - Beth Barany

In this episode of How To Write The Future, “Essential Tips for Writing Space Opera,” podcast host Beth Barany gets interviewed by her husband and fellow author Ezra Barany about what a space opera is and explain how you can create that t...

“Be here, be now. Be with your project as it exists right now.” — Beth Barany

In this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany answers a readers question on “Turning one novel into a trilogy.” She shares advice on how to start the process all the way how to enjoy your finalized, polished book. Beth also dives into topics such as overcoming imposter syndrome, world building, and how to maintain your writing m...

“There's been a long tradition of saying that women that women who ruled were exceptions, that women who fought were exceptions. That, you know, it's Joan of Arc, it's not GI Joan.,And that trap gets us over and over again, not just with women warriors.” — Pamela D. Toler

In this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany interviews author, speaker, and historian Pamela D. Toler. Together they d...

“Just really let your creativity flow. No censorship, no stopping to, is this right? Is this wrong? It doesn't matter.” — Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany answers a question from a listener and shares her advice for those in the brainstorming stages of their novel. In “Science Fiction Brainstorming: Two Essential Tips,” Beth highlights the importance of letting your creativity f...

“A well crafted religion can really add depth to your world building and create some incredible conflicts and tensions that can move your story forward.”

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany discusses creating original religions in fiction, emphasizing the importance of core beliefs, rituals, and the impact of religion on characters and society. She encourages writers to mix cultural influences and ...

“If I could go back in time and tell 22-year-old me not to go into TV, but instead to center on what your heart was, the writing, and the creating stories, and creating characters and people. Do that instead.” — Aspry Jones

In this episode of the How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany talks to sci-fi fantasy author Aspry Jones, about his writing journey from TV and comics to fantasy, including the importance of repre...