How To Write The Future

How To Write The Future

The How to Write The Future Podcast offers fiction writing tips for science fiction and fantasy authors who want to create optimistic stories because when we vision what is possible, we help make it so. By science fiction and fantasy author and fiction writing coach, Beth Barany.

Episodes

September 21, 2026 • 7 mins

“We are traveling all the time. We are traveling into our science fiction worlds, into our fantasy worlds, into worlds that we may not even have labels for at first.” - Beth Barany 

In this How To Write the Future episode titled ”Shamanic Writing: Traveling Between Fictional World” host Beth Barany, takes you on a journey and guides you through a thought-provoking episode on writer as shaman, sharing why...

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“Where do you want to take your writing? Where do you want to take your writing career? And let's keep an eye on that, and we're building towards that. So it's fun, it's rigorous, it's deep, and this is my life's work.” - Beth Barany 

Do you want to know what it’s like to work with a book coach?

Then dive into the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Inside Book Coach Sessions with Beth...

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September 7, 2026 • 7 mins

“I was a very good student, and I loved learning, and I love going back to school. And now that I'm not in school, I'm just learning all the time, and I'm following my nose. I'm following what's interesting to me. So I hope you will do the same.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Back To School Vibes for Writers” host Beth Barany shares some back to school tips for your wr...

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August 31, 2026 • 8 mins

“It is so, so important on how to give constructive feedback to other writers, and also how to receive that feedback from other writers, and how to create a safe space.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “The Mechanics of Constructive Critique” host Beth Barany shares an episode from her premium “Edit Lab” channel where she shares how you can give and receive cr...

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“Everybody's starting line is different. Everybody's starting ingredients are different. We can still do what we want to do.” - Beth Barany

In this inspirational How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Read, Write, Restart: Writing Tips for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers,” host Beth Barany shares why it’s never too late to pursue your writing dreams.

She shares a heartfelt message about how she ofte...

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This short episode packs a punch!

“We may write alone, but we actually edit together.” - Beth Barany

Did you know building trusting relationships with your beta readers can make the process easier when it comes to your next book as they’ll be waiting for the email about your new story?

Listen to this episode of How To Write the Future titled “Building Your Inner Circle of Support: How to Find Beta Readers&rdquo...

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“It all starts with awareness of yourself and noticing how you're feeling at different moments and how you're breathing and your emotional state, how we tie them together in our own awareness.” - Beth Barany

Did you know the five senses play an important part in making a connection between your character and readers?

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “How A Character's Breathing Reveals Their E...

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“Do not make yourself wrong. Life is busy. We have multiple commitments that we're juggling, all of us.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode titled “How to Restart Your Writing after a Break,” host Beth Barany shares the emotional turbulence of coming back to writing after a break and why feeling anger can be a powerful tool to use in your writing. She also offers tips to use timed w...

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“I really like to have physical objects in my environment to inspire my creativity so that when I look at them, the story comes to mind very easily.”

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “Make Your Environment Writer-Friendly” host, Beth Barany shares how you can create a unique surroundings that will inspire and motivate you in your writing. From crafting a collage and displaying physical items t...

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“What you want is to be able to look at your goal, what you've written down, and have a really clear picture for what that looks like.” - Beth Barany

If you self coached, could you be more efficient with your writing time?

That’s exactly what How To Write the Future podcast host, Beth Barany is sharing today in the episode titled “How to Self-Coach Toward Your Writing North Star.” Beth shares what the wr...

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“Identify in your own book what are the tropes that you're using that are identifiable by any reader. And notice if they're all working for you.“ - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “Editing Your Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel: Genre, Tropes, and Character Arc” host Beth Barany explains why the “Edit Your Novel Checklist” is a great resource for writers who have finished their rou...

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“ My end goal is to be able to say to the writer, "Here's where you're weak, here's where you're strong.” - Beth Barany

In this forward thinking How To Write the Future episode, titled “How To Use Notion AI for Developmental Editing” host Beth Barany shares how authors can use AI ethically to help them in their writing, explains how she uses Notion AI for her clients, and includes a detailed work-through and ...

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“Writing craft is about meaning and the reader experience. I really don't teach rigid rules because language is evolving constantly, and it's all about choices.” - Beth Barany

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Write the Future: Our Five Themes” host Beth Barany shares the five themes often discussed on the podcast which include writing craft tips, helpful advice, walkthroughs, and inter...

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“In addition to your villain's goal, they need a motivation. They feel like they're the hero of their own story. They have a good reason for wanting what they want.” - Beth Barany

In some stories long after the final page is closed, the villain often captivates the reader over a hero. 

Their backstory, portrayal, beliefs and even down to certain acts of heroism, but how do you make your villain compelling?

In the late...

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“Since it was my first book cover there, I learned a lot. There was a big process involved. Lots of figuring out, print lingo, making sure things are where they should be. So it was definitely a learning process.” - Anna Leitensdorfer

In this How to Write the Future podcast episode, titled “How To Find the Right Illustrator for You with Anna Leitensdorfer” host Beth Barany interviews book illustrator Anna Lei...

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“That ties into your whole theme — because the theme of my novels is ‘Lose yourself in the fiction. Find yourself in the truth.’” - Brownell Landrum

Do you know what sciences we use in making a wish? When blowing out the candles become more than a birthday moment?

In this captivating How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Turn Your Wish Into Story Fuel with Brownell Landrum” host Be...

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“Read through the checklist, put it in your mind, and let it just float there. Don't be so restrictive about it. You can always revisit it whenever you want.” - Beth Barany

In this episode of How To Write The Future, Beth Barany walks you through the first step of revision: the first read-through, with no editing.

You’ll learn how to use the Edit Your Novel Checklist as a simple guide for reading your draft like a r...

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“Amlet AI creates a tool that allows authors to make it known to machine to developers that their work can be licensed and is available and that they expect to be compensated.” - Julie Trelstad

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “AI Content Licensing for Authors: Julie Trelstad,” host Beth Barany interviews publishing professional, Julie Trelstad. Julie shares her publishing journey, what...

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“One thing I recommend is that if you're really sure about something look it up cause you're probably wrong.” - Sue Burke

In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled, “Goal-Based Sci-Fi Research With Sue Burke,” host Beth Barany talks to author and translator Sue Burke on the importance of goal-based research and how it can help generate conflict in your stories and avoid clichés.

ABOUT SUE BURKE

Su...

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“Fiction is a wonderful arena for dealing with some really complex topics and some difficult issues in a safe space.” - Alex Kingsley

In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode titled, “Alex Kingsley: Writing Speculative Futures,” host Beth Barany chats with Alex Kingsley, a science fiction writer, playwright, game designer, and more exciting roles that inform their fiction writing.

Together they ta...

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