“I want you to own the relationship with your reader. It should be your website they're buying on, not mine. So they're buying on your website. They're experiencing your process.” -- Damon Courtney In “Interview with BookFunnel creator Damon Courtney, part 2” How To Write the Future podcast host, Beth Barany continues her interview with Damon Court…

“I set out really just to write myself a set of instructions that I could give to readers who joined my list. And ended up building BookFunnel.” -- Damon Courtney In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, “Interview with Bookfunnel creator Damon Courtney” host, Beth Barany interviews Bookfunnel creator Damon Courtney where Damon shares the i…

“What I'll tell people is to find your writing group, find your writing family.” -- R.A. Clarke In this episode, “Interview with Science Fiction Western novelist, Rachael Clarke, Part 2 Part 2” podcast host Beth Barany continues her interview with Rachael Clarke where they discuss Rachael’s writing process, including one of the biggest points of st…

“I'm passionate about sci-fi and I was thinking, I just I love horses so much, and I started thinking, what would horses be like in the future? What does that look like? What would happen? My brain started like kind of spiraling and brainstorming with this, what would a horse be like in the future?” -- R.A. Clarke In this episode, “Interview with W…

“I know for me what I'm working on, especially at the beginning of creating a story I'm asking, because stories have to have escalating conflict, I ask: What is the worst thing that could happen now to my dear lovely character? And now what?What's worse than that? And what's worse than that? And that's how I build my plot.” -- Beth Barany In this e…

“I think games are excellent at building intuition for complex systems, and if you're trying to think through the future, trying to get a grasp of the system dynamics and second order effects and points of leverage are all super helpful.” --Randy Lubin In this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany interviews game designer and…

“If you are having fun and you're playing and you're experimenting, it is all gonna feed into what you're doing.” -- Melissa Dinwiddie In this How To Write the Future episode, “Dealing with Perfectionism, Interview with Melissa Dinwiddie, part 3” podcast host Beth Barany wraps up her interview with former professional artist and trained improviser,…

“I'm leading people through some kind of an activity. So often when I tell people that I use play-based methods, or particularly if I tell people that I use improv, they will often jump to the conclusion that I'm doing some kind of role playing.” -- Melissa Dinwiddie In this How To Write the Future episode, “Let's Play A Game, Interview with Meliss…

“So every day after breakfast, I lead these creative catalyzing sessions, which is basically a bunch of improv games to get people laughing and moving. And people will say often that it's their favorite part of the retreat.“ --Melissa Dinwiddie In this latest How To Write the Future episode, “Bring Improv to Your Life, Interview with Melissa Dinwid…

“It's very common in the urban fantasy genre for there to be a group of magical beings of various kinds.” In the latest How To Write the Future episode, host Beth Barany answers a question from a listener on “How to bring magical elements into your contemporary story (Q&A)” and shares what elements to consider. Beth also shares about her gift, the …

“Do you need to think bigger? Do you need to think of a map that would encompass all of your story worlds, and maybe they're all connected.” In this How To Write the Future episode, “How do I rein in all my ideas? (Q&A),” host Beth Barany answers a listener’s question on how to manage so many ideas for your story and hint: it has something to do wi…

“You want the reader to experience backstory from the perspective of your point of view character, who is living in the present and responding and going after their goal and accounting obstacles.“ In this podcast episode of How To Write The Future, host Beth Barany answers a question from a listener on where and how to add the backstory in your nov…

“How do you tell if there are too many details? It all comes down to the reader experience. What is the reader experience that you want your readers to have?” In this episode of How To Write The Future podcast, host Beth Barany answers a question from a historical romance writer about how to strike the right balance of detail in your novel and how …

“I think maintaining our own individual health is a really important part of being able to contribute to broader social health.” -- Jennifer Browdy In this latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany continues her conversation with Jennifer Browdy, PhD Professor of Comparative Literature & Media Arts, publisher of Green Fire Pr…

“Human creativity, the amazing thing about it is that we can come up with a thought that's never been thought before. We have these dreams that come to us that are totally unique and nobody but each one of us can have that particular perspective tied into our life experience and our culture and our location and who we are uniquely.“ — Jennifer Brow…

“Every culture is telling different stories to some degree. And when we share our each other's stories and we read and learn and engage and practice empathy, then we stand a better chance of understanding the ways in which our diversity is a tool for the future.” --Michael Kilman Follows on from the mini-series where host of the How To Write The Fu…

“I think if you're writing truthfully, because that's what we're trying to do a lot of times as author, telling a good story, but being honest in our writing and in terms of the human experience, I think it really helps to have some sort of guidepost for how do we build these human experiences?” -- Michael Kilman Following on from the mini series w…

“I want to encourage you to have it rooted in heart. In fact, I bet you, it already is. What you care about is what you're writing about. So, Where is the heart in your work?” In “The Name of the Game is Change” episode, novelist and podcaster, Beth Barany, reflects on her two-year anniversary of How To Write the Future podcast and shares what she …

“Humans have been shaping culture from the very beginning. And we are obviously continuing to do so even today. And. I really believe that through the stories we tell ourselves, through the stories we tell each other through our art and all the mediums of art, we're actually impacting what is possible for the human race, for human culture, and in a…

“All this to say, exercise your creativity. Find ways to put disparate things that don't normally go together, put them together and see what happens. Ask yourself: "What if...?" Such a powerful question. Every day find ways to learn something new, do something new, go someplace new.” In “Your Creativity vs. ChatGPT” How To Write the Future podcast…

“I will invite you to bring all the parts of you into creating an author marketing goal or goals. And a plan, a plan that is doable, sustainable, and oh my gosh, fun.” In this episode, “Upcoming Writerly Events, June 2024” How To Write The Future podcast host, Beth Barany, shares with listeners the online events she’s taking part in this month, Jun…

“My point here is I want to encourage you that even if you don't see anybody else crafting the kind of story, or living the kind of life that you are, that number one, you're actually not alone because all artists are trying to do that. Uh, or those of us who are on the edge. Uh, a cutting edge. And, it's important, the work you're doing, so please…

“So how does religion or mysticism fit into your story and how can you make it complex and nuanced and not homogeneous, which is the authors here say is one of the biggest problems they see in people's fictional worlds.” In this episode, “The Sacred: Religion and Mysticism (Build Better Worlds, 3 of 4),” podcast host of How To Write The Future, Bet…

“So I lived in France. After the meal, we would have cheese for dessert. That was a common dessert. And when I was in the country, outside of Paris in the Dijon area, dessert was pears and cheese. That was like, oh, the best dessert to be paired with the venison that we had. So of course the French are very keen on pairing their desserts and their …

“Assumptions are great. What are our conscious and subconscious assumptions of the culture?” In this episode of How To Write the Future, podcast host Beth Barany celebrates her 100th episode with a special thanks to listeners and then dives into a discussion of the book Build Better Worlds by Michael Kilman and Kyra Wellstrom, with a focus on the i…

“When it comes to telling a story or crafting or condensing it into a book or a film, what kind of story do you want to tell? And I think that first question is, do I wanna tell an allegorical tale? Or what I'll call a world building tale, just for simplicity between the two.” -- Andrew Zimba In “World Building with Andrew Zimba,” How To Write the …

“We are the culture makers. And your book, I feel, really invites people into that in such a beautiful way. “ -- Beth Barany In this episode of How To Write the Future, podcast host Beth Barany talks with Amazon bestselling author, Maggie Ostara about the concept of feminine sovereignty, the evolution of sovereignty, and about Thrutopia as a way to…

“Human brains work. We live in story.” -- Maggie Ostara In this episode of How To Write the Future, podcast host Beth Barany talks with Amazon Bestselling author, Maggie Ostara. Together they discuss the concept of Feminine Sovereignty explored in Maggie's book “Feminine Sovereignty: 8 Pillars for Regenerating Ourselves and Our World.” They delve i…

“I really wanna be able to help writers focus on themselves, be themselves, figure out what they wanna write, and create, a community and a, a library of fiction novels or any kind of novels that they've written and live life and have fun because we need more of that positivity and that sunshine in the world.” In “Confidence and Purpose with Writin…

“Editing is challenging. So whenever you get lost, feel overwhelmed, confused, just in a state about the editing process, come back to your goal, motivation, conflict about why you write. " “Know Yourself” In episode 95 of the How To Write the Future podcast, Beth Barany explains the importance of knowing why you write, focusing on your strengths, …

“I'm trying to be creative and original and all that and so I was like, thinking, yes, but how come we need to have these words in common in order to build a story?” -- Jennifer Hilt In this episode of How To Write the Future, podcast host Beth Barany talks with USA Today Bestselling author of The Trope Thesaurus, Horror Trope Thesaurus, and Trope …

“Take the expectations of the genre and spin it. That's our job, is to take what's expected and play around and work through multiple iterations.” Know Your Genre and Characters. In episode 93 of the How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany explains the importance of knowing your genre, shares about reader expectations and tropes, and abou…

"You can tell them what a brain freezes, but they'll never feel it. That's right." -- Adam Fleming In “Creative Writing and AI,” How To Write the Future podcast host Beth Barany talks to author, leadership coach, and hybrid publisher, Adam Fleming about the positives and negatives of using AI for creative writing, the origins for Adam’s fantasy ser…

“Creativity is our superpower. With the power of our imagination and bringing in curiosity, courage, compassion, and connection.” Transform Your Novel with These 7 Editing Tips for Bestselling Success, part 2 of 4, in episode 90, of the How To Write the Future podcast. Host Beth Barany talks about what it takes to be a bestseller, why not every wri…

“Stories are dynamic. Stories need to have action, movement. Stories need to have goals that the character is trying to pursue.” In this Story Success Clinic session, How To Write Future podcast host, Beth Barany, answers one the biggest questions she’s often asked as a writing coach “How do I not overload background into my stories?” and uses the …

“We need courage to do anything creative in life. And I invite you to step into your courage. And decide if now is the time to come and edit your novel with us because creativity is our superpower.” Transform Your Novel with These 7 Editing Tips for Bestselling Success, part 1 of 4, in episode 88, of the How To Write the Future podcast. Host Beth B…

“My mission for this podcast is to really empower you with tools and resources so that you can sit down and write your story because I believe that our stories really do shape the world. They shape our readers and they influence our readers.” How To Write the Future host, Beth Barany, creativity coach, teacher, and science fiction and fantasy novel…

“I create magical tales of romance, mystery, and adventure to empower you to be the hero of your own life.” In this How To Write the Write Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany shares about her upcoming film project, why she is making the project, plus news of an upcoming Kickstarter fundraiser and how you can get involved. ABOUT THE HOW TO WRIT…

“We all have different life paths and goals and strengths and interests. And I think we need to exercise our imagination and talk to each other about what we would really like for the future.” In the latest How To Write the Write Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany shares an overview of the upcoming event “Teach The Futures for World Futures D…

“So conflict is when it's between two very difficult choices that look bad, that feel bad, that are bad, that imply emotional or psychological pain, or of course, physical pain or death. Or conflict can also be between two very good things, but you just can't have one or the other.” — BETH BARANY In the latest How To Write the Future episode, host …

"When you make an appointment with yourself for your writing, put it in your calendar and treat it as sacred.” In this week’s How To Write the Future podcast episode, host creativity coach for writers, Beth Barany, answers a listener's question: “Why do we procrastinate on our writing?” and shares how to show up for yourself and make writing a prio…

“Youth need to be invited to all of the places where adults are, and that's how they learn and that's how they grow and that's how they become adults themselves.” - Kimberly Nightingale In this interview episode on How To Write the Future, host Beth Barany talks with Kimberley Nightingale, whose PhD focus in urban studies about belonging in cities …

“We need to exercise our imaginations so that we can create better futures for all of us.” In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany shares “Upcoming 2024 Events in the Futurists and Foresight World” and shares how to download her free world-building booklet for fiction writers. ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST The …

“… I did have that moment like Barbie did, where this existential crisis, this journey to the underworld and I let go of everything and let go of it all. And in the process, I came back to the core and the root of my essence and who I've always been, and it's just one of delight.” -- Vanessa Sage In this second part of a two-part interview on How T…

“It's easy to be dismissed as a woman, but then it's also easy to be dismissed for being a challenging and a strong woman.” - Vanessa Sage In this exciting first episode of a two-part interview on How To Write the Future, host Beth Barany talks with trained mindfulness-based coach, teacher, writer, and conscious leadership and business mentor, Vane…

“I'm going to highlight a few episodes from the past that I really enjoyed doing. So let's get started. And stay tuned to the end to hear about a special gift for you.” In this latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany shares her Top 6 Favorite Episodes from the podcast in 2023 (and one from 2022). Beth also shares how you ca…

“So for 2024, what is your big heart goal? If you can have anything that you wanted, and there you are on December 31st, 2024. And you're looking back over the year and you're like, wow. I did it. What is that one thing above all, above everything? And come from the heart. Really come from a place of - what you truly desire. Because the world needs…

“Welcome back for another top five favorite interviews episode. I'm going to introduce each one. Hope you enjoy them. And stay tuned for a little goody at the end.” In this special episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany shares clips from five of her favorite interviews featuring Russell Nohelty, Joe Tankersley, Denise Baden, N…

“Highlighting today five of my favorite interviews from the past of How To Write The Future.” In this special episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany shares clips from five of her favorite interviews from past episodes featuring Keri Kruspe, Cat Tully, Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, and Melissa Clarke-Reynolds. Beth also invites liste…

“It seems like really the first step for writers is focus on the solution. Focus on what experts are saying, are doing, are thinking, are discussing, and then write toward that-- the resolution.” -Denise Baden In this episode of the "How To Write The Future" podcast, “Inspire Green Behaviors with Denise Baden, Part 2,” host Beth Barany discusses wi…