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
“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 reader, so you...
“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 AI content licensing is...
“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
Sue Burke is an ...
“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 talk about AI cognition, t...
“I'm trying to make sure we have artists, the next generation people who can get to the open mic for the first time and learn how to hold a microphone.” - Khafre Jay
In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Hip Hop for the Future” host Beth Barany interviews hip hop organizer Khafre Jay where they discuss the importance of hip hop as a culture within the San Francisco Bay Area and his plans for the fu...
“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, the challenges of history research, and ...
“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 Beth Barany shares with listeners ...
“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 episode titled “Uncertain Times: Five Cre...
“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
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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 Mythulu Desk for your science fiction a...
“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://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-build...
“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 Actually Use” host Beth Barany shares...
“ 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 choices we make, and about an upcoming c...
“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 in her latest episode, titled “...
“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 entrepreneur.
She shares her own bus...
“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 guide you over the fear of marketing your...
“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 with Writer Feedback,” this How To W...
“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 the Future host, Beth Barany ask you in 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 incredible tools in their hands.” —Ana de...
“ 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 character’s perspective, introducing...
“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 what genre you are writing, how ...
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