Beth Barany's Blog, page 17
December 6, 2022
Copyright and Reverse-Engineering by Kelley Way
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Kelley Way as she shares with us “Copyright and Reverse-Engineering.” Enjoy!
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My sister inspired this blog article when she noticed a trend in the knitting world.
She saw several social media posts where knitters saw a design they liked, reverse-engineered it, and then gave away the pattern or offered it for sale.
She asked me about the legality of this practice, and it reminded me of stories I heard from marketing teams, where they would copy pictures or artwork off the Internet. Then, if someone pointed out this was problematic, they would recreate the design themselves and declare it non-infringing.
Unfortunately, this is not how copyright worksCopyright law protects a work from being copied without permission; the fact that the picture or design is on the Internet does not mean it is free for anyone to use.
Copyright also protects against the creation of derivative works, which are works that are based on the original.
Even if you change some details– or a lot of details– drawing a recreation of an existing work qualifies as a derivative work and therefore infringes on the original’s copyright.
The same holds true if you simply modify or crop an existing picture.
Does this mean you can’t use an existing work?Not necessarily. Here are some times when you might be okay:
The work is not copyrightedIf it doesn’t have a copyright, then your use is not infringing.
Older works (pre-1927) and certain government works (e.g. Hubble telescope photos) are not protected by copyright and can be freely used.
You have permissionWhile it can be challenging to reach out and ask for permission, many sites let you use or modify photos and art with a blanket subscription or, in some cases, for free — just make sure the site got permission from the author first.
Search browsers also have filters that will only show photos that have been licensed for reuse.
Fair use appliesThis one is the trickiest and the most risky.
Certain uses — e.g. education, news reporting or commentary– are presumably fair use, but that’s not a guarantee that your specific use is okay.
A good rule of thumb is asking — Will this hurt the original’s sales?
While this is not the only factor the courts will consider, it is an important one and will also impact the likelihood of the copyright owner coming after you.
Another option is to change it so drastically that it’s not really comparable to the original, but this move is a lot riskier and the lower courts are less likely to rule in your favor.
Don’t Take RisksWhen in doubt, it’s best to either get permission — in writing — or have a lawyer run a risk analysis for you.
It’s not worth the potential lawsuit to just assume that you’ll be okay.
If you have questions, want to know, “Can I reverse-engineer this design?”, or if you just want to know if your use is okay, don’t hesitate to contact me at kaway@kawaylaw.com.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelley Way was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar, and an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. More information at kawaylaw.com.
Also by Kelley Way
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/06/07/when-should-i-copyright-my-work-by-kelley-way
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/05/10/3-reasons-to-register-your-copyright-by-kelley-way
The post Copyright and Reverse-Engineering by Kelley Way appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
December 5, 2022
World Building and Mental Models
Beth Barany shares insight into building your characters’ reality to make it stand out to readers and how our models of reality can shift in this episode World Building and Mental Models.
Platforms the podcast is available on include Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict |
ABOUT BETH BARANY
Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator. In addition to her how-to books for writers, Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
RESOURCES
The Milky Way Galaxy
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/285/the-milky-way-galaxy/
Milky Way a part of newly identified galactic super cluster
https://www.firstpost.com/living/milky-way-part-newly-identified-galactic-super-cluster-1697237.html
Flavoring
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavoring#Perception_of_flavorings
What gives food flavor?
https://kitchenhelpdot.com/what-gives-food-flavor/
World Building Support on Writers Fun Zone
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources-for-fiction-writers/
Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic here
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/
SHOW NOTES“We each have unique maps of reality that are specific to our species, specific to our environment, and even down to the specific location where you live, your parents, your heritage, even the food we eat.”
In this podcast episode of How To Write the Future, titled World Building and Mental Models, creativity coach and science fiction and fantasy novelist Beth Barany, shares insight into building your characters’ reality to make it stand out to readers and discusses examples of the ways our models of reality can shift.
ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers.
Tips for fiction writers!
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
TRANSCRIPT for Episode 22 World Building and Mental Models00:00 You’re Invited to Sign Up for a Story Success ClinicHey, science fiction and fantasy authors, would you like to get more exposure for your books and get some support to uncover story ideas, enhance story cohesion, and get some ideas for marketing?
Then sign up for my 30-minute Story Success Clinic.
Every 30-minute story success clinic is recorded and gets aired as an episode of the How To Write The Future podcast.
So sign up today. The link is in the show notes. And now let’s get on with the show.
00:35 PODCAST INTROHey, everyone. Beth Barany here. Welcome creatives. This is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to create positive, optimistic stories.
Because when we vision, what is possible, we help make it so.
This podcast is also for readers who are inspired by thinking about the future and about what could be.
01:00 On with the show… We’re Swimming in Our CultureAlright, so we’re, we’re actually swimming in our culture all the time and that makes it really hard to see what makes things work or even how things could be different.
In NLP we call that ecology. It is everything around us that actually supports us and keeps us operating, functioning, and we also take it for granted.
So like a fish, A fish doesn’t know that it’s swimming in a sea necessarily, and doesn’t even understand or can comprehend the reality of people living on the land walking around on two legs. Humans, we don’t know what it’s like to have the life of a bird, for example, flying and catching food while we, you know, fly midair.
Cats don’t know what it’s like to be a dog, we think so.
So all, all of this to say that we each have unique maps of reality that are specific to our species, specific to our environment, and even down to the specific location where you live, your parents, your heritage, even the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even more broadly, Earth’s gravitational field. It has a very specific impact on us that shapes us in every waking moment.
Our unique place in the solar system, just the earth, the third rock from the sun. And then our solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy. And that Milky Way galaxy is part of a wider super massive supercluster of galaxies called Laniakea — Laniakea.
So all of these things have an impact on who we are. When you imagine that far out, you know that galaxies of galaxies make this big supercluster called Laniakea. You know, it puts a whole different perspective for me about life on Earth. I find thinking about the stars really comforting. It helps me relax and it actually helps me come back to myself, which brings me back to maps.
03:05 Building Your Fictional WorldWhen we build a fictional world, you wanna situate your character in a specific time and place, which is relative, meaning it’s in relationship to other times and other places, specifically what came before, who came before, and what are the other areas in your region that have an impact or influence or pressure on where your characters live.
So how do we start making these mental models of reality explicit?
All of your characters have mental models of their reality, and you as an author, as a person on this planet right now listening to this have a mental model of reality.
So, let me see if I can define a little bit what I mean by mental model or mental map.
We all unconsciously, mostly unconsciously, develop ways of perceiving the world that we perceive as real or true from the time we are very, very young.
Brain scientists have shown that our brain is predicting what happens in every next second. Before it happens our brain is actually gonna predict what’s gonna happen based on what has come before.
The brain is always constructing models of reality to save time, cuz our brain is all about saving energy and it is building on everything that came before.
04:30 What You Believe is a Good BreakfastSo let’s take an example, Consider something you believe to be true right now that was different than before, and I’m gonna pick something really mundane, like what you believe is a good breakfast.
Chances are years ago, maybe even months ago, you believed something was really excellent for breakfast, that maybe now you don’t.
For example, I used to love eggs for breakfast with kale. I loved it. I would steam the kale with my eggs. It was delicious. And I had that for a few years. And before that though, my very favorite breakfast was peanut butter and banana sandwich on rye toast.
I loved it.
And now I know that those two things … For one hand, you know, eating peanut butter and banana and bread, those are all actually not good for me anymore, and I’m just not interested in eggs and kale for some reason. I don’t know why. Now it’s oatmeal and I add some herbs and spices and a little monk fruit and stevia.
That’s the best breakfast. Absolutely. Hands down, you cannot convince me otherwise.
So this is an example of how our beliefs shift, but also how our model of reality can shift.
And also what we believe is true, that becomes our reality.
Another way of looking at it is beliefs are a scaffolding of our reality, but also the construction material.
Our deeply held beliefs shape our reality because they shape our choices.
Here’s another example. When I was a small child, it was perfectly acceptable for my mom to pile in all of us four kids and friends into the big Ford Station wagon and go grocery shopping with no seat belts. It was in the seventies and early eighties, in Northern California.
But would this happen today?
No way, but it was normal then. No one questioned it. That was our map of reality.
So let’s take it back to your story.
What are the activities and behaviors that your characters take for granted?
Your job as the writer and world builder is to get really, really clear on what is normal for your characters and what is abnormal.
I like to think of a typical day for my characters and ask them questions. Or sometimes I run a mental movie of the day, jotting down anything that stands out different than what I am familiar with than what I would normally experience.
Something to keep in mind is that your readers have this world, the world we live in, to compare with anything that you create.
So you as the writer, need to describe what is strange to us, but normal to your character, in terms that we all can relate to.
For another example, let’s go back to the breakfast example. My main character, Janey McCallister, she has a favorite breakfast too, I’m sure, even though I haven’t highlighted it in my current book that I’m working on, but I do know her habits from her previous, my previous books that I’ve written already, the first four books in the series.
Janey likes coffee like me. Of course, she does, right? I’ve modeled her after me, but I haven’t decided how she makes her coffee because it hasn’t come up in the story.
But I have another character who comes to her house in the story and makes dinner for Janey, but makes it by hand instead of using that stupid food crafter in the kitchen. It’s a 3D printer, a food printer, that everyone can have in their house. It’s as common as, as a microwave or a hot plate. And the food is created out of basic powders that have all the vitamins and micronutrients everyone needs to survive. And there’s flavorings that can be added in a very specific way to give each item its unique flavor and smell.
To think through the 3D printer, food printer, I had to, and I have been researching the amazing rabbit hole that is: what is taste, what is flavor? What determines the taste of food? I really need to understand these things so I can change it in some way for my science fiction story.
And that’s the kind of research I just adore.
And that’s the kind of research and the level of specificity that you need to know to bring your character’s story alive in the minds and your hearts and your readers.
So just a little window into creative process. I usually put what I think is interesting and fun and science fiction-y, cause I’m writing science fiction, obviously put all these interesting things into the story in the earlier drafts, and then in the later drafts, I really work hard to create a wow factor, really emphasize all the ways in which the story world is new and different from ours, but still recognizable.
So I work really hard to bridge the gap so that you could imagine walking into a kitchen and seeing a 3D printer and ordering up your breakfast and whatever.
You want your readers to feel they are somewhere new and that place stretches their notion of what is possible.
And that all comes back to your character’s mental model of reality.
09:42 OUTRO: INVITE TO STORY SUCCESS CLINICWrite long and prosper.
If you would like help bringing your unique story world to life, then sign up for a Story Success Clinic. I am now scheduling for January 2023.
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Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061
or in your podcast home of choice.
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CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/
CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465
SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade***
For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.
If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.
The post World Building and Mental Models appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
December 2, 2022
Clutter: The Tyranny of Things by Catharine Bramkamp
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Catharine Bramkamp as she shares with us “Clutter: The Tyranny of Things.” Enjoy!
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What does an avalanche of stuff reveal about your characters? What does that cluttered garage say about you?
The other day my husband and I spent hours shuffling shelves of saved paper, 3rd grade ceramic projects– handmade by me, and boxes of rocks– collected by my brother on behalf of my 87 year old mother who had spontaneously decided to finally clean the plant room– or as we call it, storage facility number 5.
After a hour of consideration, thought and negotiation, we were able to transport to the garbage can: three pieces of packing foam, two bottle caps, and one champagne cork.
Change is DifficultEven though she was born in 1935, my mother isn’t, emotionally, a child of the depression.
She does, however, resist change, worry about legacy and, on a good day, is wracked with indecision.
So can your fictional characters.
Physical things can help flesh out a character and act as a symbol for their development and/or character arch.
You can use things in a number of ways;
Symbolic: the ring, the blanket, the phone.Practical: the bow and arrow, the gun, the key.Emotional: the wedding ring, the candle, the giftPossibility: the paint set, the instrument, the blank notebookForeshadowing: the favorite flashlight, the radio, a magic bookStuff in Your StoryFor writers, stuff can represent our character’s personality and motivation.
In Amor Towles, The Lincoln Highway, a character clutches his back pack from the beginning to the end, never allowing it to leave his side.
The pack is filled with both precious and trivial items that appear throughout to illustrate the narrative, and is a critical contribution to the climax.
In the film Hot Pursuit with Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara, Vergara cannot let go of a suitcase packed with a collection of irresponsible shoes.
During their whole adventure that suitcase drives the sensible character, played by Witherspoon, to distraction.
Of course, in the final scene, the shoes turn out to be far more than just a symbol of hyperbole and vanity.
Things Demand DecisionsPack it? Donate it? Store it? Gift it?
When it comes to things, some decisions cannot be reversed.
If your character suffers from crippling indecision, a setting with piles of stuff that the character promises will be recycled, yet cannot do it, says a great deal.
The comment, someday this will all be yours is less a promise than a terrifying threat.
Piles of stuff visually indicates a character prone to procrastination.
The HoarderIs your character trapped or blocked by his or her things?
Recall the tales of misers or rulers who hoard their things and their money but come to a bad end anyway.
Or the character who cannot leave her things for fear that her precious collections will be stolen, and in the end she loses what is more precious than the saved collection.
And of course as the great symbol of freedom, a character setting off on an adventure carrying little more than a map and a ring.
Or in the modern mythology, a character able to board a plane carrying only a passport and credit card.
Need Inspiration?Watch for stuff this season.
Watch airline passengers stand in forever lines at the check in gate literally surrounded by their baggage.
Observe shoppers loaded with so many packages they don’t fit into the car— both the stuff and the shopper.
Without being too obvious, count the disparate items in the closest Costco shopping cart, those items alone can tell quite a story.
It’s the season for gifts which is a great opportunity to consider the meaning of things.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catharine Bramkamp is a successful writing coach, Chief Storytelling Officer, former co-producer of Newbie Writers Podcast, and author of a dozen books including the Real Estate Diva Mysteries series, and The Future Girls series. She holds two degrees in English and is an adjunct university professor. After fracturing her wrist, she has figured out there is very little she is able to do with one hand tied behind her back. She delights in inspiring her readers.
Also by Catharine Brampkamp
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/11/04/the-costs-of-creative-chaos-by-catharine-bramkamp
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/08/05/puzzling-your-plot-by-catharine-bramkamp
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2021/10/08/time-to-quit-by-catharine-bramkamp
The post Clutter: The Tyranny of Things by Catharine Bramkamp appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 30, 2022
Wild Creative Podcast Interview with Beth Barany
Emma Května recently hosted me on her podcast Wild Creative where we discussed topics like human consciousness, fairytales & folklore, and world-building.
Have a listen to the show on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Google Podcasts
NOTES FROM THE SHOWToday I got the chance to speak with creativity coach Beth Barany, who is also an author and neurolinguistic programming practitioner!
We had so much fun talking about human consciousness, writing the sci-fi & fantasy genres, world-building, fairytales & folklore, how being a fiction writer brings Beth closer to what she wants in life, and how she uses language in her coaching.
Beth hosts her own podcast, How To Write The Future, and also offers 1:1 coaching, consulting, and teaching programs.
CONNECT WITH BETHWeb: www.bethbarany.com
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
30-minute Story Success Clinic: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/
Twitter: @bethbarany
Podcast: How To Write The Future
LinkedIn: Beth Barany
RECOMMENDED BOOKSMetaphors We Live By George Lakoff and Mark JohnsonPlan Your Novel Like A Pro by Beth and Ezra BaranyThe Weekend Novelist by Robert J Ray and Bret NorrisTransformational NLP by Carl Buchheit and Ellie SchamberImprov For Writers by Jorjeana MarieArchetypes For Writers by Jennifer Van BergenMythulu Creation CardsConnect with Emma KvětnaEmail: emmakvetna@gmail.com
IG: @emmakvetna
Music from YouTube Audio Library:Cavemen of the Future – Joel Cummins, Andy Farag
Copyright: Emma Května 2022
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For more interviews with Beth, click here.
If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.
The post Wild Creative Podcast Interview with Beth Barany appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 28, 2022
Story Success Clinic with Mellissa Green, Sci-Fi Writer
In the new How To Write the Future podcast episode, Beth Barany talks to science fiction writer Mellissa Green and they share the world-building challenges that writers face.
Platforms the podcast is available on include Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict |
ABOUT BETH BARANY
Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator. In addition to her how-to books for writers, Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
RESOURCES
Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic here:
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/
“Uniquely Abled” podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uniquely-abled/id1602454133
World Building Resources: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources-for-fiction-writers/
SHOW NOTES“There’s a deep understanding that your characters have of their world, but how do you convey it in a way that your readers get in on it too?”
In this Story Success Clinic interview, creativity coach and science fiction and fantasy novelist Beth Barany talks to science fiction writer and podcast host, Mellissa Green, where they discuss world-building challenges that writers face.
About Mellissa GreenMellissa Green is an advocate for digital accessibility. She became blind three months after birth and lost her hearing. With the use of hearing aids and other assistive technology, she supports businesses with a strong interest in making their content accessible for the visually impaired. She has a podcast called Uniquely Abled and writes nonfiction articles, promoting the conversation of digital accessibility. She also writes dark Intergalactic Culinary thrillers that entice readers with unusual flavors and an extraordinary form of elemental magic called material magic. Based in North Carolina, for fun Melissa watches Investigation Discovery shows. Mellissa Green’s site: https://abluegreengalaxy.com
ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers.
Tips for fiction writers!
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
Transcript for Episode 21 Story Success Clinic with Mellissa Green, Sci-fi WriterBeth: 0:00
Hey science fiction and fantasy authors, would you like to get more exposure for your books, and get some support to uncover story ideas, enhance story cohesion, and get some ideas for marketing? Then sign up for my 30-minute Story Success Clinic. Every 30-minute story success clinic is recorded and gets aired as an episode of the How To Write The Future podcast. So sign up today. The link is in the show notes. And now let’s get on with the show.
Beth Barany: 0:50
Hey everyone. Welcome to How to Write the Future Podcast. I’m Beth Barany, your host writer, science fiction writing teacher. Creativity coach, writers, speaker, and teacher. With me today is Mellissa Green for the Story Success Clinic, and I run these clinics every so often, helping writers with their knotty writing, marketing, and publishing questions. And we’re here to help you advance your current work in progress. So I’ll just say hello, Nicole.
Mellissa Green: 1:25
Hey.
Beth Barany: 1:26
Hey, so happy to have you.
Mellissa Green: 1:29
Yep.
Beth Barany: 1:30
Great. Well, in full disclosure, everyone, I work with Nicole with Melissa, and we have been working together for a handful of years as she writes her science fiction stories. So Nicole, can you tell us a little bit about your biggest challenge, that you are bringing to our discussion today?
Mellissa Green: 1:57
Yep.. My biggest challenge is the world building, like some of the material I found that I’ll need to put it in the story, but I don’t want it to be to the point where, because I write, science fiction and, intergalactic culinary thrillers, the characters would know certain things. So I don’t know how to convey whatever I’m trying to convey so that it doesn’t, so that the reader knows, but the character would, Al would already know if you know what I’m trying to say.
Beth Barany: 2:31
Right, right. You’re, you’re talking about there, there’s a deep understanding that your characters have of their world, but how do you convey it in a way that your readers get in on it too? Uh, and yeah. Great. There is a craft term for what you’re talking about. Some people call it exposition, where you pause for a moment in the storytelling and you describe the setting, like the room or you describe, the broader setting, like the town or the hills or the, the relationship of the location your characters are in with other location. Is that where you’re talking about that kind of thing?
Mellissa Green: 3:13
Uh, yeah. one thing that my characters eat is, ginger apples. Now they would know what ginger apples are but. I, you know, I know I would need to be able to describe that to the reader, but I, I don’t want it to. I wanna be able to describe it without it sounding, sounding like the characters don’t have a clue.
Beth Barany: 3:36
Right, Right. Or or sounding like an encyclopedia or, or a teacher. Right. What a great detail. I love that. Ginger apple. So, Every character, your, your, let’s just say this, your point of view character is gonna have an experience eating a ginger apple. So if we can convey that in language that your reader will understand, that might help us. So, let’s start with the physicalness of the ginger apple. How, how big is it? Does it fit in the size of the their palm? Is it a tiny thing that you hold between a finger and a thumb? Tell me.
Mellissa Green: 4:19
I haven’t really flushed out the details, but I’m thinking they are kind of small. and I actually talked to a guy on Twitter that he, he’s like a food scientist, so I was trying to see if some of these fictional foods that I’m creating, if they could actually exist. So like I’m also creating something called a pine orange, which is like a combination of, of pineapple and an orange sort of thing. So the ginger apples are like a combination of ginger and apples, but they’re small apples.
Beth Barany: 4:56
Okay, great. And when you say small, would it be the size of a baseball? Would it be the size, something smaller?
Mellissa Green: 5:07
Well, I mean, they, they do grow, but they, they don’t grow like, like our apples. they, they grow on like bushes so they don’t grow on trees like our apples do.
Beth Barany: 5:21
That’s interesting. So I just wanna pause here and share with everyone what you’re facing. Melissa, is the same exact thing that anybody who invents a world is gonna face. We’re describing things that don’t exist in our current reality. You want to be able to know what it feels like in the hand of your– this ginger apple and what it smells like and what it tastes like. So your questions are so great to investigate. Well, how does it grow and could it even be possible? Ginger is a root. So could it be that the root and the branches are this kind of ginger flavoring and that imbues this fruit with this? Now here’s words you can use in your writing, like, um, tingy, spicy, sweet,
Mellissa Green: 6:12
Yep.
Beth Barany: 6:13
right? So you wanna find the language that we have to describe maybe the taste.
Mellissa Green: 6:19
Mm-hmm.
Beth Barany: 6:20
And in your case, what is the most important information about this ginger apple? Is it its size? Is it its taste? Is it its smell? What would you say?
Mellissa Green: 6:32
I guess it’s smell and taste, so like I want people to know that it’s kind of common. It would be, like my mom is always cooking apples. In fact, she just cooked them last week. The apples that, that, that have gotten to ripe and things like that. So I’m kind of wanting people to know it’s, it’s a common everyday thing that people would, it could be in a basket on, on their, their table. We would call it like a living room, but they don’t call it living room. Cooking areas and eating, eating areas. So they would have like an eating table where they would put, stuff on there. So, so ginger apples would be like in a basket that, that they would put, put on the table, like when we have those fruit bowls and stuff.
Beth Barany: 7:18
Exactly. Great. So what I love about that detail is it’s very relatable. A lot of us have fruit bowls in on our tables or kitchen and can relate to that. So in your case, what it sounds like the most important detail is that it’s a common occurrence. So your main character, your point of view character could come into, uh, someone’s house and notice the basket of ginger apples on the eating table.
Mellissa Green: 7:48
Yeah.
Beth Barany: 7:49
Right. And is there anything else important about this particular detail? Does it come into play beyond just being part of someone’s home?
Mellissa Green: 8:01
What do you mean?
Beth Barany: 8:02
Well, is someone gonna throw it or is someone going to eat it when they’re really hungry? Or is it gonna be given as a gift? Right. Is it more than just part of the setting? Does it get included in the action of the story?
Mellissa Green: 8:17
I suppose I could, I haven’t figured out where, but, Well, I’m thinking like, in, in, in the scenes that I sent you to, to, um, that I re rewrote. I had a, I took it out because it made it too many words, but I did have a scene in there where the foundling hero was sitting there eating some ginger apples, and then the social worker took the basket from her and decided to join in. So they were eating them, but I would have to, I would have to re redo that scene and re try to figure out another way for her to have for, for it to be included. Like, you know, they, gender apples wouldn’t be like thrown like as a weapon or anything. Somebody might throw a biting apple at a person if they were like, you know, outside and being attacked or something.
Beth Barany: 9:09
Great. So in the scene you just described to me, the eating of the apples is something two people do together. Is it kind of like a friendship thing or showing that they’re being Yeah friendly with each other?
Mellissa Green: 9:24
Yeah. Yeah, kind of. I mean, it’s just, something people, people would do. I mean, You could give it to a complete stranger, but, but I guess, I guess, you would have to make sure that they weren’t like allergic to the ginger apples. And because he’s like an intergalactic social worker, people would know, Okay, he’s not allergic to ginger apples, because he travels a lot, throughout the, the galaxy type thing. So everybody kind of knows: okay. I can give him one and he won’t like collapse or anything.
Beth Barany: 9:57
Okay, so would you say just for comparison’s sake, exchanging or eating ginger apples in your story is kind of like having a cup of tea with someone who comes to visit you or offering them a cup of coffee. Is it that kind familiarity? Okay, great. So in your story, in the the point of view character is gonna describe the action of sharing the ginger apples or, or having one offered to them, right? So what are the important elements? Even just to say, Oh, he handed me a customary, um, ginger apple, Oh, this, this harvest season, the apples are particularly spicy. I love spicy. I love them when they’re spicy something, right? So really what you wanna include is the relationship of the character to the ordinary their emotion and their sensory details and that will make it relevant. Now it’s relevant. It’s not stalling the action. it’s not information dropped in from some,
Mellissa Green: 11:01
Right.
Beth Barany: 11:01
Encyclopedic telling. that make sense?
Mellissa Green: 11:07
Yeah, it does. Cuz that’s what I, I wanted. I, I can’t remember where I read this, but I read somewhere, in, in fiction, you don’t wanna include a lot of info dumping. You do want to talk about the world, but you don’t want it to turn into, like you said, in encyclopedia, you wanna include it. You put in a little bit here and a little bit there and, you explain the world that way. You don’t dump it all in one piece.
Beth Barany: 11:30
Exactly, No info dumping. Yeah, absolutely. Great. So I, I love that little detail too, because it’s like partly ordinary and partly, for us, the readers different and, and right there it also signals to the reader that we are not in this world. We are in a different world.
Mellissa Green: 11:54
Yeah.
Beth Barany: 11:55
That’s really fun. The readers of science, fiction and fantasy, and we love that. You wanna signal to the reader in these tiny little details with adjectives and sensory details how what these things are. And the most important thing you can do is show how they’re important in some way to the character. then they become relatable and now you’re not info dumping. So great really good. Really good. And is there any other, any other burning questions that you have about, about writing, publishing, marketing, anything about your science fiction?
Mellissa Green: 12:33
Not at the moment. I did finish “Download Pending”. I guess I’ll have to send you the draft that I, that I finally, I finally finished it, but it is, I feel it’s still in draft form.
Beth Barany: 12:44
That’s fabulous. That’s fabulous. And you know why, while I have you here and just maybe as a. Bonus, shout out mostly to other writers, what would you say, and I’m kind of putting you on the spot here, what would you say is the benefit to you for being in our group coaching program for genre fiction novelists?
Mellissa Green: 13:08
I guess the benefit is just making me write. I did reformat the, the version that I had started with, and now I feel like it’s coming a lot easier. But I feel like if, if you and Trent and everybody wasn’t there, I would still be talking about, Oh, I’m still outlining. I definitely feel I’m being pushed into writing. I finished Camp Mosquito, which who knows how long that would’ve taken if Trent, and you all hadn’t pushed me so.
Beth Barany: 13:37
Yeah. Oh, I’m so glad. I’m so glad. Yeah. The accountability of our group and our having regular meetings and also you have the opportunity to get feedback from us, and the teaching that we do, we talk about these topics also. In our group as we help each other, as we help with editing each other’s work. So great. Well, thank you so much for that. Now, here’s the time in, in the episode where I want you to showcase yourself. Uh, tell us in a sentence or two, what you write and how people can find out about you and say your name again.
Mellissa Green: 14:12
Okay, so my actual name is Nicole Thompson-Andrews. My pen name is Melissa Green and it’s also my business name. I write dark intergalactic culinary thrillers that are very enticing. And I also write, nonfiction dealing with accessibility.
Beth Barany: 14:31
That’s great. So that’s a great segue. I know you also have a podcast too, so can you give us the quick pitch on what your podcast is about?
Mellissa Green: 14:39
The podcast is called Uniquely Abled. A B l e d, and it’s pretty much anywhere you can find your podcast. It’s on Spotify, it’s on Audible, it’s most places. It’s about like disability, but it will get into other topics. I love to read and I’m, and I may or may not read a book about disability, but I may just wanna review it to give my opinion. I like to read, fantasy science fiction business books, books about disabilities, and I, I, I offer my Joe Stein and Victoria Olstein. So I’m planning to review some of their sermons. So it’s kind of a variety show, but, it will mainly focus on disabilities. I’m planning to do some commentary episode drawing, like accessibility and different things.
Beth Barany: 15:35
That’s great. So your show is Uniquely Abled and just a shout out to you and others listening, I’ve listened to some of your interviews and I thought they were excellent. So great job.
Mellissa Green: 15:48
Great.
Beth Barany: 15:48
Well, that brings us to a close for this Story Success Clinic episode. Nicole, I really wanna thank you so much for playing along with us over here in How to Write the Future land, and, thanks everyone for listening, and we will see you in the next episode and, and meet you on the audio land. This is Beth Barany, signing off. Write long and prosper.
Beth: 16:15
Write long and prosper. Science fiction and fantasy sign up for your 30 minute Story Success Clinic and get more exposure for your books.
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061
or in your podcast home of choice.
***
CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/
CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465
***
For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.
If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.
The post Story Success Clinic with Mellissa Green, Sci-Fi Writer appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 22, 2022
Building Your Mailing List: 5 Concrete Steps that Work by Laurel Osterkamp
Let’s welcome back Laurel Osterkamp as she shares with us “Building Your Mailing List: 5 Concrete Steps that Work.” Enjoy!
***
Selling books is HARD.
Think about it: your title is literally competing with over two million other titles on Amazon.
How do you get readers to notice your book, and to want to buy it?
I’ve heard it over and over. The answer is to develop your reader base and build a mailing list.
Okay, cool. Sign me up. Except, “build your mailing list,” is never followed with instructions on just HOW to do that.
I’m figuring it out through trial and error. I’m not claiming to have all the answers, but I’ll share how I gained nearly 600 mailing list subscribers in the last nine months.
*Disclaimer: I receive no kickback from my recommendations. This is simply what has worked for me. I realize there are competing sites that may be equally as good, but I’m not familiar with them.
1. Have a website that people want to visitIf your website only promotes your books, then it will be difficult to attract readers.
When I developed my website, LaurelLit.com, I decided to offer free content that would hopefully engage people and promote my author brand.
I do literary lifestyle posts like book reviews, lesson plans, and writing advice.
Also, I try to make my website visually appealing. Two memberships I find invaluable are with Book Brush and Pic Monkey.
2. Set up an account through MailchimpThey are easy to use and you can start with a free account. After you have over 500 contacts you’ll need to upgrade.
3. Create a Reader MagnetOnce you’ve got your Mailchimp account, you can put up a pop up form on your website, offering readers a freebie for signing up for your newsletter.
I found that the easiest way to offer the free download is through BookFunnel. I pay $5 a month, which is their cheapest subscription plan.
4. Use Social MediaPerhaps you already have a lot of social media followers on one or more platforms. If so, good for you!
That wasn’t the case for me. I decided to focus on one platform (Facebook) and post often, thinking of posts as mini-blog entries.
I like Facebook because you can boost posts, and unlike Instagram, you can link to your site in non-boosted posts.
Also, occasionally I run giveaways using the King Sumo app, where readers enter to win a book.
I pick bestsellers with readers who’d find my books appealing. Signing up for my mailing list is one way to enter.
5. Other ServicesThere are many websites that offer author services. I’ve used them with varying amounts of success, and I’m listing them in order of how highly I recommend them.
Book CaveBook Cave will let you list your reader magnet for free, and you can also join reader magnet promotion groups for free. I’ve received over 100 new subscribers from Book Cave without having to pay anything.
Voracious Readers OnlyI use their “Evergreen” program, where I offer a free copy of one of my novels– not my reader magnet, but one published on Amazon– in exchange for their email address.
I am charged every month based on how many readers request my book. It can get time consuming and expensive, but I have gotten a significant amount of subscribers this way.
Authors XPThey offer all sorts of services to help authors gain social media followers on platforms like Facebook, GoodReads, BookBub, etc., as well as building their mailing list.
Readers give their email address for a chance to win your book, as well as many other books and also a Kindle Fire or something similar.
I used them several months ago, just to get started, and they gave me a boost. However, I suspect these readers are more likely to unsubscribe or ignore my emails.
BookSweepsThey’re at the bottom because the jury is still out.
They run similar promotions as Authors XP, but only for BookBub and mailing list subscribers.
I am signed up for one of each; the mailing list promo is going on right now and the BookBub promo will happen later this month.
Their promos fill up fast and I’ve heard good things, so my expectations are high.
So, there you goLike I said, I’m still learning through trial and error. If any of you know other good ways to build your mailing list, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
And, GOOD LUCK.
***
About the Author
Laurel Osterkamp is from Minneapolis, where she teaches and writes like it’s going out of style. Her short fiction has been featured in Tangled Locks Literary Journal, Bright Flash Literary Journal, and Metawoker Lit, among other places. Her latest novel Favorite Daughters was recently released by Black Rose Writing. (Click here to see the novel on Amazon.)
Website – https://laurellit.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurelosterkamp
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/laurel-osterkamp
The post Building Your Mailing List: 5 Concrete Steps that Work by Laurel Osterkamp appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 21, 2022
20. Your Mindset and the Writer’s Stance
In this episode titled “Your Mindset and the Writer’s Stance” creativity coach and podcast host, Beth Barany invites readers to explore their ideal writer’s life and talks about mindset and the writer’s stance.
Platforms the podcast is available on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict |
ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator. In addition to her how-to books for writers, Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
RESOURCES
Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an no-obligation discovery call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/
SHOW NOTES“…Even today holding a physical book, and also being able to share that physical book with other people is so, so satisfying.”
In this podcast episode of How To Write the Future, your host, creativity coach, and science fiction and fantasy novelist Beth Barany, discusses mindset and the writer’s stance and encourages listeners explore your ideal writer’s life and discover your own creative process.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
1 – About the physical stance and mental stance;
2 – What it looks like to be a successful writer to you;
3 – How to sign up for a no-obligation discovery call to help unlock your unique vision.
ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. Tips for fiction writers!
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
TRANSCRIPT for 19. News and Updates from the World Of Futurists and Strategic Foresight PractitionersINTRO TO THE DISCOVERY CALLAre you stuck with your story and don’t know how to get unstuck?
Are you a novelist who wishes to be more prolific?
Or maybe you’ve written that first draft and you just don’t know how to make it better.
Then sign up today for a No Obligation Discovery Call with me Beth Barany Creativity Coach and award-winning science fiction and fantasy novelist.
I look forward to seeing how I can help you.
So sign up today. The link is in the show notes. And now let’s get on with the show.
[00:00:45] PODCAST INTROHey, everyone. Beth Barany here. Welcome creatives.
Welcome to my 20th episode of How To Write The Future.
This is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers want to create positive, optimistic stories.
Because when we vision, what is possible, we help make it so.
This podcast is also for readers who are inspired by thinking about the future and about what could be.
[00:01:14] Celebrating the 20th episode of How To Write The Future podcastToday I want to celebrate by talking about mindset, but maybe a little differently than you have heard.
Usually, when people think about mindset, they often think about it as self-talk– how they talk to themself. Or maybe they think about it as their attitude: do I have a good attitude? Do I have a bad attitude? With self-talk maybe they notice that they speak to themselves poorly. Or they speak to themself kindly.
Those are important. All of those are important. But to be a successful creative and to feel like you have your hand on the drivers wheel of your life, there’s another concept I want to bring in and it’s called stance.
Think of it this way.
If you are a boxer, you’re going to stand a certain way. You’re going to physically. I have your feet planted, usually at about 45-degree angle. You’re going to have your hands up in fists, right? There’s a there’s a boxer stance or say you are a sprinter.
You are going to have a certain way of holding your body right before the race. And obviously there’s the whole way you hold your body while you run.
Or say you’re standing in line and you want to be noticed. But you’re not going to raise your arm. You’re not going to raise your hand. But you want to be noticed. How might you stand?
Or, if you’re just going about your day, you’re going to have the normal way you walk around the normal way you sit. But say you are sitting at the table, maybe at a cafe with your best friend, and you’re really riveted by what they’re saying. How do you sit? How do you hold your body? You’re probably leaned in. You’re probably putting all your attention, not just your casual attention, but your full attention on the other person.
And when they’re putting their attention on you, you’re probably feeling their full attention on you. And that feels great.
So when we approach our projects, our creative work, big decisions in our life, even small decisions in our life, we can choose our stance. We can actually physically position our bodies to be engaged or disengaged.
I know when I sit down to write, I create an environment to be fully engaged with my work. Not only does my body need to be positioned a certain way, but my space needs to be a certain way. Usually uncluttered, with my cup over here on the right, my notebook on the left. I’m usually listening to music. So, my phone is on the left as well, and I’ve got my playlist all queued up. And I shut out all distractions, turn on my time tracker, which helps me stay focused. And now I’m in the flow.
And there’s a lot of things that went into that.
And my stance here is both a physical stance, but it’s also the mental stance.
I wanted to bring up this today because I feel like stance is a choice that not everyone realizes they can take, but if you relate stance to how you stand, or how you sit and move your body, then maybe you can realize you actually have more choice here than you realize.
Studies have shown that when you smile, certain chemicals get kicked off in the brain that aid and actually feeling better.
And I notice when I sit up and pull my shoulders back and down and take a deep breath, I can feel better.
When I work with writers, I often support them in finding that ideal stance, the kind of writer they wish to be. And we really explore that.
When you are that writer that you wish to be, I ask them: what does that feel like?
What do you notice is happening around you? What is in your surroundings?
So, what do you see?
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
And what do you believe is true when you are the writer you want to be? What do you believe is true about yourself, and about your life, and about your writing?
When I was just starting out as a novelist, I realized what was really, really important to me was to be able to hold my book in my hands. That is how I knew I would be successful. So that was my marker of success.
And I realized even spending time visualizing and daydreaming what the cover would look like would start to call up for me this, this reality that will one day be for me, my reality of holding the physical finished book that I can be proud of in my hands. And that became a focus of mine for a very long time until it finally happened. And the weight of holding a book in my hands was just so satisfying.
Now it took me a long time to get there. So I found some interim ways of creating that same experience. And that was to print out my manuscript.
I remember holding my entire manuscript in my hand, and then also handing it to my mom, who held it in her hand. And in an instant I saw on her face that look of realization that this is truly important to her daughter. I don’t think it quite landed for her until she actually held that thick manuscript that was about 250 pages, maybe 300 pages. That’s a lot.
[00:07:26] Make it TangibleSo, what does it look like for you to be a successful writer? And make it tangible. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like? What sounds are around you? What does it smell like? What does it taste like? And what are you thinking in that moment?
So, yes, this will include self-talk like: “Yes, I did it.”
Very simple. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
For me, it’s also making sounds like, Ooh, and ah, oh my gosh, I really did this.
And even today holding a physical book, and also being able to share that physical book with other people is so, so satisfying.
And here I am in the middle of writing a new, and I always hit a bump in the road, where I don’t know if I can see my way to the finish line. I don’t know how I’m going to move the story from where it is now to where to that finished place of The End.
Luckily nowadays I have friends and critique partners and fans who will say, encouraging things to me and will remind me that I hit the these bumps every single time.
And I think about the finished product. I think about when the book is done. And I know I am somebody who knows how to do that now, even though I don’t know all the answers between now and that finished moment.
It’s like taking a road trip.
You know how to drive, you know, how to get from here to there. Or maybe you’re taking a train, like, you know, the vehicles will get you there, whether you’re driving or someone else is driving.
In my case, I love to drive. So maybe I’m going to drive to LA. I know the route. I know how to get there, but I don’t know necessarily the conditions of the road. I don’t know how I’m going to feel in, you know, a hundred miles. I don’t know all the factors at play. I don’t know who’s going to be on the road with me.
But I do know that I know how to drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles.
And that is the stance that I hold what I’m in the car driving down the I-5.
When I’m sitting down to write, I have a deep knowing that I can do this, even if I don’t know exactly how the scene will play out until I start to envision it on the writing day in the writing moment, right in the moment I’m writing. I know generally where I’m going, but it’s not until I’m doing it that I know specifically where I’m going.
[00:10:05] What is your stance?But I have learned over the years to trust, to trust this unknown, creative voice that comes out of me.
So I encourage to explore: what is the stance? How would you like to stand towards your writing? And how would you like to be as that successful writer?
What does that feel like? What does that smell? Like? What does that taste like? What do you see around you? And really get into the, not only the emotional aspect of this writers stance, but the physical aspect, how it feels to be in your body and explore that. And let me know.
I am a fiction writing coach, a creativity, coach and someone who helps writers step into the writer’s life. Not only can I help you with the craft of writing, I can help you with the art of writing. I love working with writers who are passionate about wanting to develop a writer’s life, and they are passionate about their vision for their story, and they’re looking for support on how to make this happen.
If this is you, please reach out. I offer discovery calls for writers and a no-obligation conversation. Where we can explore together: what is that ideal writer’s life? What is that ideal writer’s stance?
And with my writers, I help them with discerning individualized support. I really tailor the process to you.
All stories have a beginning, middle, and end, but they don’t all have to be written that way.
I help you discover your own creative process. I help you put it into place. And I offer support every step of the way, often being the first reader of people’s work, or the first person they’ve ever shown their manuscript to after they’ve gone over it 10 times, 20 times. Or sometimes I’m the first person that they worked on their manuscripts, so that it’s publication-ready. Or sometimes I’m the one who seems to really help people unlock the right way for them to market their novels.
[00:12:17] You are unique, you have a unique visionRecently I heard human population just hit the 8 billion mark on the planet. That’s 8 billion unique individuals on this amazing blue marble. I know you have a unique story. You have unique stance. And I’m here to support you in getting your book, your unique vision out into the world into the hands of your readers.
Have a wonderful week, everyone. Write long and prosper.
[00:12:50] OUTRO + SHORT INVITE TO DISCOVERY CALLWrite long and prosper.
Science fiction and fantasy writers, sign up for your No Obligation Discovery Call and get clarity to your writing process and finish your book.
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061
or in your podcast home of choice.
***
SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadeCONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/
CREDITS
EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465
***
For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.
If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.
The post 20. Your Mindset and the Writer’s Stance appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 18, 2022
Five Strategies to Prevent Perfectionism: The Thorny Side of Self Care by Lisa Towles
Let’s welcome back Lisa Towles as she shares with us “Five Strategies to Prevent Perfectionism: The Thorny Side of Self Care.” Enjoy!
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Asking for help seems like a good place to start this month’s guest post.
I’m delighted to have been invited by renowned writing coach and teacher, Beth Barany, to guest blog periodic posts here and I’ve generally themed them around Strategic Self Care.
Asking for HelpWhat’s so hard about asking for help, and why don’t we do it more often?
Asking for help implies that I don’t know everything, that there’s a gap in my knowledge or capabilities and that I’m neither invincible nor perfect.
Really, I’m not??
Ouch!
Asking for help displays vulnerability, and makes you admit that you can’t always meet all of the demands of your life.
Who can, though?
I love talking about this part of self care because it’s related to perfectionism, which is one of the thorniest aspects of all.
Why thorny?
Self care is challenging because we must admit that we need care in the first place, and not everyone is willing to do that.
If you haven’t cultivated self-awareness and are not yet accustomed to self reflection and checking in, the whole idea of self care might feel frivolous or bewildering.
Fear not — self care is easy, and you can start with something like this: sit in a quiet spot, close your eyes, put your hand on your chest and ask yourself, “How am I doing right now? What do I need?”
Even if your resistant self says, “I’m fine; I don’t need anything”, that’s okay.
You’ve still taken the time to pause and ask the question. It’s a good start.
PerfectionismPerfectionism is my dirty little secret.
I talk all the time about how I’ve moved away from toxic patterns of perfection. How I’ve worked with counselors and coaches of all types to bring more kindness and mindfulness to how I relate to myself.
I have tools and meditation that I use to effectively cut myself slack, allowing myself to make mistakes and be okay with them.
But the truth is, some part of me still wants to be superwoman and able to somehow do everything and be everything to everyone.
I’m a work in progress and that’s okay.
The important thing is that I now know how to recognize old patterns and what to do when I see them.
For writers, perfectionism is especially tricky.
When you’re preparing a manuscript for publication, you really do need to strive for perfection in the context of editing and proofreading.
So how do we reconcile these two opposing agendas?
We want our book to be as perfect as it can be prior to publication, removing all errors to create the best possible experience for readers.
But editing and proofreading – whether we’re doing it ourselves or working with a publisher, is incredibly challenging, intensive, and detailed work.
Here’s a question:
How do you bring Strategic Self Care to the final stages of manuscript preparation?It is possible to balance productivity and self care. Below are some tips for meeting your output goals while managing your emotional wellness in the process.
I’ve finally created a website for my Strategic Self Care work, where you can read about my 5 pillars:
Celebrate Small WinsGrieve LossesSaying NoPerfectionismAsking for HelpAnd if you’re in need of writer-self-care and don’t know where to start, I’m happy to offer a 15-minute free coaching session. Email me at lisamarietowles@gmail.com to connect.
***
ABOUT LISA TOWLES
Lisa Towles is an award-winning Bay Area crime novelist and a passionate speaker on the topics of writer support and strategic self-care. Her June 2022 thriller, Hot House, was a #1 Amazon Bestseller (Kindle) and won First Place in the Book Fest 2022 literary awards in the category of Mystery & Crime. The Ridders, a new political thriller, will be released on November 30 by Indies United Publishing.
Lisa attributes part of her success to the fellowship and support she gets from membership in Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and also from her trusted relationships with local, independent bookstores. Lisa has an MBA in IT Management and works full time in the tech industry. Check out The Ridders on her publisher’s website to read an excerpt, watch the book trailer, and read editorial reviews. You can also pre-order it on Amazon.
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/02/04/the-power-of-no-by-lisa-towles
The post Five Strategies to Prevent Perfectionism: The Thorny Side of Self Care by Lisa Towles appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 16, 2022
What the Book Podcast Interview with Beth Barany
Dzintra Sullivan and Steven Ross recently hosted me on their podcast What the Book where we discussed my writing history, the many genres I write in, and how strong heroines take the lead in my novels.
Listen to the podcast on Spotify or Podbean
NOTES FROM THE SHOWWTB sits and talks to talented sci-fi/fantasy author and writing coach BETH BARANY.
About Beth Barany
Award-winning author, Beth Barany writes in several genres including young adult adventure fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mysteries. Inspired by living abroad in France and Quebec, she loves creating magical tales of romance, mystery, and adventure that empower women and girls to be the heroes of their own lives. For her day job, Beth helps other novelists write, publish, and market their books as a creativity coach and a teacher.
Website: author.bethbarany.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/bethbarany
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/
About the hostsAbout Dzintra SullivanDzintra Sullivan is a #1 Bestselling author of 22 books and podcast host on What the Book featuring Indie authors. Her books include Immersion, Once Upon A Death and most recently Stone Washed Wings.
Connect with Dzintra here on booksbydzintra.com/ and on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Steven Ross:Steven is an author, poet and podcast host. His first book The Love of the Hunt was published in 2022 along with his first poetry book Lines of Night and Light.
Connect with Steven on authorstevenross.com/ and on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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For more interviews with Beth, click here.
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The post What the Book Podcast Interview with Beth Barany appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
November 14, 2022
19. News and Updates from the World Of Futurists and Strategic Foresight Practitioners
In this episode titled 19. News and Updates from the World Of Futurists and Strategic Foresight Practitioners, creativity coach and podcast host, Beth Barany invites readers to get involved by sharing their positive “What If” scenarios and shares insight about upcoming events from the world of futurists and strategic foresight practitioners.
Listen to the podcast on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict |
ABOUT BETH
Beth Barany is an Award-winning Novelist, master neurolinguistic programming practitioner, and certified creativity coach for writers, including being a Workshop Leader & Keynote Speaker. Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance and science fiction.
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
RESOURCES
Share your What-if scenario here: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
“What-If and Your Brain” Ep. 19: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061/11642588-18-what-if-and-your-brain
December 2022, the Foresight Institute Vision Weekend event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vision-weekend-us-2022-tickets-422715482387
January 2023, the School for International Futures. Strategic Foresight Training : https://soif.org.uk/our-work/training-and-retreats/strategic-foresight-training/
March 12, 2023, there will be a day-long event in Sacramento, California, sponsored by California 100: https://california100.org/
March 2023, Amy Webb at SXSW FTI’s annual Tech Trends report: https://amywebb.io/event/public-event-sxsw-2023/
IFTF: Futures Thinking on Coursera: https://www.iftf.org/foresightessentials/for-individuals/futuresthinking-coursera/
SHOW NOTES“If you don’t share your ideas, then we as a collective and by this, I mean, humanity, we don’t get to benefit from your ideas and your visions.”
In this podcast episode of How To Write the Future, your host, creativity coach, and science fiction and fantasy novelist Beth Barany, shares insight about upcoming events from the world of futurists and strategic foresight practitioners, including how you can attend. She invites listeners to share their positive “What If” future scenarios that can be featured in later podcast episodes.
ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. Tips for fiction writers!
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
TRANSCRIPT for 19. News and Updates from the World Of Futurists and Strategic Foresight PractitionersBETH BARANY 00:14
If you would like to get some promotion for you and your books, and you have some fun quirky interesting wacky potential positive future scenarios to share with us, I would love to hear it.
And I’ve created an opportunity for you to share it in a 60-second message or less with me. And with all the listeners of this podcast.
If you’re up for that and you want to play, all you need to do is go to speakpipe.com/HowToWriteTheFuture to leave a message have up to 60 seconds, and you will get featured on a future episode of How to Write The Future.
PODCAST WELCOMEBETH BARANY 01:01
Hi everyone. Welcome to our next episode of How to Write the Future. This is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to create optimistic stories because when we vision what is possible, we help make it so.
I’m your host, Beth Barany. I am a science fiction and fantasy writer myself and a creativity coach, focusing on helping science fiction and fantasy authors with their stories.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE?
BETH BARANY 01:28
INTRODUCTION
Hello, creatives. This week I have something new for you that I may I do on a regular basis, and that is to share news and updates in the world of foresight and futurists.
You look into the future and you want to know what will happen.
But nobody can know the future for sure. Nevertheless, you can certainly practice, envision and rehearse different scenarios.
In essence, that’s what stories are all about– rehearsing through living a story about what could happen, what might happen, what you would do if faced with this or that circumstance, or a situation or problem or dilemma or opportunity.
There are a lot of ways you can flex this imagination muscle.
Storytelling and story writing are my jam.
Of course, as a reader, you can read other people’s stories. You can watch them. And you can imagine them yourself, like in a daydream.
You can also meet with and talk with other people who are doing these imaginings for themselves and for others.
WHAT-IF – THE POWER TOOL OF THE IMAGINATION
What-if is one of my favorite power tools of the imagination. And I talked about in a previous episode. Be sure to check out that episode in the show notes.
What-if gets your attention focused on what could be.
And for the purposes of this podcast, we’re focusing on the positive, and on opportunities on what we can create.
So I have some questions for you.
What if you could create the kinds of stories you wanted to?
What if you could arrange your daily schedule so that you could work on your creative life at your peak energy times?
And what if you fed your imagination with exactly what it needed to help you create the stories you wanted to create?
I’d like to hear from you. What are your story or real life positive what-ifs?
Please leave me a message in audio or written form at HowToWriteTheFuture.Com because I would love to I would love to feature your what- ifs and an upcoming HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE episode.
Why is it important that we share our positive futures with each other? Our positive, what ifs?
Well, when creative individuals inject their ideas into the collective, we give the collective, the community that people were around, the people who will pay attention to our work, we give them an opportunity for the group to evolve and change. If you don’t share your ideas, then we as a collective and by this, I mean, humanity, we don’t get to benefit from your ideas and your visions. And that really would be a shame. Because we are all part of this human group.
Everyone here deserves to have a voice. And everyone here deserves to have a hand in deciding our own future and that future of the future generations.
UPCOMING FUTURISTIST AND FORESIGHT EVENTS
So, as I said, uh, this week, I want to talk about some upcoming events and trainings that, uh, futurists and foresight practitioners pay attention to and may find quite interesting. When you gather together in a group online or in person, you can find connection. You can find community, you can see that there are others in this positive future space. You can learn and grow and evolve and have an opportunity to inject your ideas uh, into the communities that you’re a part of.
So here we go.
Here are some upcoming events.
In December, this coming December, The Foresight Institute will be running their Vision Weekend event, wnd I’m actually going to It. One of them is in the San Francisco Bay Area. That’s where I will be and it is going to be a weekend of discussions and presentations around biotech, nanotech, neurotech, space tech, computer science, and existential hope. There’s going to be festivities, conversations, hopefully cross pollination, and some art showings and demos.
The link to this event put on by the Foresight Institute, for their Vision Weekend event is in the show notes.
In January, January 2023, the School For International Futures will be running a training program for those who want to get training in strategic foresight. It’s an online virtual course. It is definitely for people who want to learn strategic foresight to build future fit organizations. It is designed for people who work in strategy policy, leadership, and analysis roles in governments, NGOs, international organizations, and businesses. There are only 20 places available for this eight week virtual course, and it can work around your existing work commitments, and takes about 30 hours of course time. I have put a link to this training program in the show notes and if you’ve been paying attention to my podcast from the beginning, you know, I did a retreat with the School For International futures this past summer. And I highly recommend them.
The next event I want to put your attention to is something that I look forward to every year. This event will be in March, 2023, and it will be Amy Webb’s presentation at South By Southwest. She uses this presentation to release her annual report, um, put out by her organization called a Future Today Institute. And every year she releases an Annual Tech Trends Report. I’ve watched for about the last six years, uh, on YouTube. It’s fabulous. So check out a link to the show notes to Amy Webb’s presentation at South By Southwest in March of 2023. And you can sign up at her website to get notified, to see their Annual Tech Trends Report, which has this amazing 600 page report. Of course, it’s digital, it’s fabulous.
There is another uh, March event, which is going to be happening March 12th, 2023. We’ll be a day-long event in Sacramento, California, sponsored by California 100, a California nonprofit, working with groups and organizations to shape the next 100 years in California. This will be a youth oriented event, helping young people envision their own future and the future for California. California 100 is a transformative statewide initiative focused on inspiring a vision and strategy for California’s next century that is innovative, sustainable, and equitable. The initiative is incubated at the University of California and Stanford. And it’s guided by an expert in intergenerational commission. And I hope to be there taking part in this event. So again, the note for the California 100 youth summit on March 12th, 2023 will be in the show notes.
Now, lastly, I want to call your attention to an online course that you can take at any time and I’ve actually signed up It’s the Institute for the Futures course on Coursera called Futures Thinking. You can audit the course for free. And check it out if you’re interested in learning more about futures thinking. The description says, “Ready yourself for a changing world. Learn the skills and mindsets of the world’s top futurists. So you can forecast what’s coming, imagine new possibilities, and seize control of your future.”
So that’s it for today’s news in the world of futurists and strategic foresight. If you know of any upcoming events or want me to include your event in an upcoming episode, then leave me a message at HowToWriteTheFuture.com.
TAKE ACTION TODAYIf you’d like to take some action today, here’s what I recommend:
Write a story or a journal entry or have a what-if conversation with your best friend about your positive futures. Because when we vision what is possible, we help make it so.
WHAT-IF OUTROIf you would like to get some promotion for you and your books, and you have some fun quirky interesting wacky potential positive future scenarios to share with us, I would love to hear it.
And I’ve created an opportunity for you to share it in a 60-second message or less with me. And with all the listeners of this podcast.
If you’re up for that and you want to play, all you need to do is go to speakpipe.com/HowToWriteTheFuture to leave a message have up to 60 seconds. And you will get featured on a future episode of How to Write The Future.
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061
or in your podcast home of choice.
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Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator.
SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
SHOW NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade
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CONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/
CREDITS
EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465
2022 BETH BARANY
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For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.
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