133. You did it! You've a finished science fiction or fantasy novel you’re proud of. (Step 8)

“I want you to really deepen into what this experience could be like. What would it be like to hold the book in your hands?”


This episode is last part of a 9-part mini-series based on the “Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap” where Beth Barany discusses her method to help writers go from idea to published science fiction and fantasy novel.

In this final episode of this 9-part mini-series, "You did it! You've a finished science fiction or fantasy novel you're proud of! (Step 8)," How To Write The Future podcast host Beth Barany encourages writers to celebrate completing their novels, guides listeners through connecting with the sensory details of the publishing process, and offers valuable resources, including free downloadable workbooks and opportunities for personal coaching.

Work the roadmap!
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ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The 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. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.


RESOURCES

GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HERE

Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/

Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/

Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/

• SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
• SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade

c. 2024 BETH BARANY

https://bethbarany.com/

--
CONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/

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Transcript

133. You did it! You've a finished science fiction or fantasy novel you’re proud of. (Step 8)

[00:00] Celebrating Your Achievement

BETH BARANY: You did it. Woohoo. You did it. You did. Oh my God. You did it. Oh, my God. You have published a novel. You have published a science fiction and fantasy novel that you feel so proud of. So proud of. So excited that it's out in the world, you've worked so hard and now, everybody else gets to enjoy it. It is your gift to the world. I just want to say congratulations. You did it. That's awesome. 

[00:34] Envisioning Your Success

BETH BARANY: Ah, now. If you haven't done this yet, if you have not yet published the novel, if you haven't had that experience, that's okay. 

[00:44] Sensory Details of Your Book

BETH BARANY: This stage, this step in the process in the Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap is here so that you can envision what it's like, you can feel into it. I invited you to do this in step one. And now here we are in step 8.

I want you to really deepen into what this experience could be like. 

What would it be like to hold the book in your hands? 

What would it be like to see the look of satisfaction and just complete enthrallment of a reader reading your book?

Or when they pick up your book at a book fair, and they're like, oh, when they like hugged the book to their chest. 

Or when you have bookmarks That you're really excited to hand out. Or you see your book up on Amazon and you see the numbers lined up so that you're making sales or you see your book on a bestsellers list. Or you have lots of fans writing you. 

So what would let you know that your book is something that you are proud of?

Is it the way the cover is designed? 

Is it the way that the book feels in your hand? Is it the way that the pages smell? Is it the way that it sounds when you read your book aloud at a book talk?

These are all the different sensory details I want you to front-load. I want you to think about. And really imagine and feel on: what it would be like to have your finished science fiction and fantasy novel that you are proud of?

And it can even be before it's published. It could be you're holding the manuscript in your hand. It could be that you're looking at mock-ups of your cover. It could be that you share that manuscript with a loved one who holds it in their hand and has a look of realization on their face that, wow, I get it. You're a writer. This is what you care about. I had that experience. It was so wonderful. 

So at this finishing phase, I want you to really take some time to envision this moment for yourself and make notes of that. 

In fact, I have a workbook that goes along with this series, this Trust Your Creative heart roadmap series to help you go from idea to finished science fiction and fantasy novel that you are so proud of. 

[03:04] Introducing Beth Barany

BETH BARANY: If I haven't introduced myself in this episode, I think I forgot. 

I'm Beth. Barany. I am a science fiction and fantasy novelist. And filmmaker and podcaster. But not only that. I'm also a writing teacher and coach. I consider myself a creativity coach, meaning I'm super interested in the creative process. 

And if you want to take what I've been sharing in this series, and you want to activate it, you want to put it into practice, the best way to do that is to take notes. And if you would like some help in that, I have a workbook. So be sure to check out the link in the description that shows how you can get your free PDF workbook with lots of blank space. So you can write your answer to the questions I've been asking and to the two main questions. 

The two. Key questions that I ask at every stage, which I'm going to ask you in a minute for the stage, but I just want to draw your attention to the fact that I help writers. 

[04:03] Programs and Resources for Science Fiction and Fantasy Novelists

BETH BARANY: And if you would like to work with me, there are multiple ways to do that. I have two programs at this recording. I have two programs and check back, get on my list, see if my other programs. I have two programs.

One is Start and Finish Your Novel one-on-one mentorship. And that is for people who are at the early stages of writing their novel and want help starting their novel, developing a writing practice perhaps, and finishing that first draft. 

And then I also work with people one-on-one and in a small group to edit their novel, get it ready for publishing, and publish. 

And that is our group mastermind program for folks who have finished first draft. And they're ready. They're ready to edit and revise and market and think about all the things. And we do it in a small group and I also work one-on-one with people at that level.

Now if you are starting out and you're in the story development phase, which I talked about, earlier in Step Three. We talked about story development. 

So you can go back and listen to that if you want. I also have a book that you can go and purchase online, at many online libraries, you can also borrow it. And it's called Plan Your Novel Like A Pro. And it's there for you to read. It has a digital workbook and it will help you think through from idea and bring you all the way to finished plan, so that you can write your book with confidence. 

And I have some other freebies that you can check out and I list them in the workbook. 

So be sure to get the workbook for this series so you can see what my other resources are. 

[05:38] Reflecting on the Finishing Phase

BETH BARANY: And lastly, but not leastly, I want to bring your attention back to this finishing phase. And I want you to think about: there you are. You are so proud of your book. And it's something you're just ready to share with the world. Wonderful. Congratulations. 

I want you to know for yourself: what is working in this phase, at this step, at this stage?

This is the eighth stage of the Trust Your creative heart Roadmap.

What is really working for you? 

Maybe you are so excited and you want to do it again, and it just confirms that you're a storyteller and this is what you love to do. 

Maybe also what's working is that all the nitty gritty of editing a novel and getting ready to publish and all of that is fascinating. And you love it. And again, you want to do that again.

What would you like more of? 

That's the second question. What would you like more of? 

Maybe you would like more support? 

Maybe you would like more time. 

Maybe you would like more feedback from readers earlier in the process. 

So maybe what you would like could be from something earlier along the road and that's fine too. All information is useful. 

All right. 

So those are the two questions: What's working? And what would you like more of? 

[06:57] Final Thoughts and Series Conclusion

BETH BARANY: Hey everyone. This is the last episode in this Trust Your Creative Heart Roadmap series. If you missed any of the episodes or you want to listen to the, to them again, they're all there for you. If you're on YouTube, there will be a link for the playlist. 

If you come to my website, I'll also have a playlist link where you can access all of them. If you are on my list and you got the workbook for this series, we will be reminding you also of all the episodes. And everything will be in, in one place. If you have any questions at all, please let me know. I always love talking to writers. I help writers. That's my day job. And I really, really love it. So that's it for this week and that's it for this series. Stay tuned till next week, when I will talk about something else that will help writers, I'm sure. All right, everyone. Happy writing. And write long and prosper.