Claim OwnershipHow To Write The Future
Subscribed: 19Played: 270
Subscribe
© 2026 Beth Barany
Description
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.
190 Episodes
Reverse
“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 del Valle In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Ethical...
“ 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 key elements and essential details gradually. MORE R...
“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 to work using your instincts, plus why it can be exciting to create ...
“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 voice hooks readers, how setting creates intrigue, and how to ground your story in your character's perspec...
“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 studying science is necessary, plus she invites you to get in touch with any questions th...
“ 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 writers, evaluate fit, and communicate professionally—so your submissions stand out and your interests a...
“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 and works for your writing style and a bit about her own writing journey. GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD B...
“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 handle your story's plot holes when you’re deep into writing the rough draft and how to take the necessary ste...
“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. Plus, she shares the importance of creating a safe writing space and how to create a routine that wi...
“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 of life and shares resources to keep your spark going. Together, they explore how life’s chaos can...
“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 AI” looks like, and the real‑world tradeoffs creators face as tech evolves. Why ethical AI matter...
“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 interviews author Lawrence Connolly, where they explore his upcoming exciting projects, including a f...
“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, where Randee shares how her love of “new journalism” started and they discuss how to portray monsters in ...
“It all started with too much Star Trek, although you could say that that's a lie because there is never too much Star Trek.” - Surekha Davies In the latest How To Write the Future podcast, titled “Monsters and Humanity in Fiction with Surekha Davies,” host Beth Barany talks to science and art historian, monster consultant, and author, Surekha Davies. Together they discuss why understanding monsters matters, how they function as boundary-markers for humanity, and how writer’s can apply an his...
“So the habits of mind are: curiosity, openness, engagement, creativity, persistence, responsibility, flexibility, and metacognition. So that's a whole lot of terms. Metacognition is typically the one where people go, huh, I don't know what you're talking about. So that's the one that I wanna talk about. It is also one of the ones that I think is foundational to all the rest.” - Bailey Lang In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “Bailey Lang's Habits of Mind for Writers,” host Beth ...
“I am a horrible little goblin like that, and it's just what happens. So I have to trick myself and the ways that I trick myself are to really let myself see what I want to create.” - LA Bourgeois About this episode In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany, talks to Kaizen Muse Certified Creativity Coach, end of life doula, and author LA Bourgeois where they define the meaning behind a creativity coach, and LA discusses strategies for establishing writing habits, emph...
“I'm not asking for everybody to center queer characters in their narratives in world-building, which would be nice, actually, you know, as nice as that would be. But just to include us and to show that we exist and in whatever ways are appropriate in your world, whether that is a more like marginal existence in some worlds.” - Chad Grayson In this episode on the How To Write the Future podcast, “Seamless Queer Characters in Fantasy World Building,” host Beth Barany talks to sci-fi and fantas...
“Your biggest challenge is how to start, how to overcome confusion and overwhelm, and maybe how to overcome some procrastination.” - Beth Barany Revisit an informative, positive, and uplifting episode with host Beth Barany to help “Your Story World Diagnosis: What Stage Are You In?” where she will share the five stages of story world building, including common world-building challenges and how to overcome them. In this episode, you will: Be able to identify the main stages of building a story...
Have you stopped to ask yourself: what is it that you want? And dared to listen to the answer.” - Beth Barany In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, “In the Age of AI, Think Critically, Write Creatively, Act Compassionately,” host Beth Barany encourages listeners to critically think about the tools they are using and to create a compassionate place to be curious about the systems they live within. She encourages listeners to learn from their mistakes: “feedback, not fail...
“This is a new field, in which we are trying to use living neurons to process information, and we want to use them as processors, to process information as today we do with computers.” - Ewelina Kurtys ABOUT THIS EPISODE Explore the potential of biocomputing in this How To Write the Future podcast episode, as host Beth Barany talks to scientist-turned-strategist, Ewelina Kurtys, where Ewelina shares how living neurons could revolutionize AI with energy-efficient processing in “What is Biocomp...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States