Back To School Vibes for Writers

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Subject: Back To School Vibes for Writers

** This email may show up loooong in your inbox, so you may need to click to expand and to read the full email. Or read it online.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2026

Hi Friend,

I honor all those who fell on this day 25 years ago and also all who are still dealing with the aftermath of that day. My heart is with you. ❤️

Deep breath.

While we sit with what is, we can envision what can be.

What might that be for you right now?

For me, it's leaning into the back to school vibes.

I love the back to school energy.

I've always loved it.

The opening to new learning, the fresh possibilities, new stories, and new projects...

Here's some of what I'm envisioning and working on right now that will bear fruit in the next year and beyond:

drafting (dictating!) short stories that will eventually become scripts in Henrietta The Dragon Slayer TV show
editing a fantasy adventure romance novel I wrote in the 1st half of the year
reshaping the scope of the next 4-5 novels in the Janey McCallister space station investigator series

I'm also working on growing my podcast production business by preparing my Podcast Production Lab talks.

Plus, I'm starting up the Creative Entrepreneur Incubator Substack Lives.

Lastly, I'm advancing in my Henrietta The Dragon Slayer short film by lining up the main editor and special effects editor.

With all the new things I'm learning, I encouter confusion at every turn.

It's so easy for me to sit in this confusion and feel like I'm wading in a swamp thick with fog so that I see no clear direction and have no line of sight to the shore.

So I was happy to hear of this reframe...

that confusion is a necessary and essential part of the learning process.

Once I realize I'm confused I can move to the next steps in the learning.

Here's a version of what I do, and you can try it too.

These steps get me out of the swamp every single time.

Notice your confusion. Breathe. Make room for it. Feel into it. See it. Describe it.
What are you confused about specifically? Put your confusion into a question.
Ask yourself that question.
Ask others that question. Search the engines. Do the research.

Are you stuck at step 1?

That's very common.

I'm often stuck in confusion until I realize I am.

Once I do, I can move to step 2.

Search for naming the confusion and frame it as a question.

The brain is amazing that way and will search out answers to questions you ask it.

Let me know how it goes!

Source: "How to Learn So Fast People Assume You're Naturally Gifted"

❤️

From the Writer's Fun Zone blog

⭐️ By and for creative writers

There was a discussion on Bsky about villains, so I thought I'd share the resource page I made on the topic.

Craft Great Villains to Write A Compelling Story

How to craft great villains to write a compelling story, drawn from the Writer’s Fun Zone blog.

Upcoming events for writers and creative entrepreneurs

❤️ Join our Author Substack Live

Monday, September 14th, 10:15 a.m. Pacific, on:

"1st person present tense vs. 3rd person past tense"

with me and Gala Russ:

Let's play and brainstorm together.

Click here to be notified when we go live.

⭐️ Join our next Author/Creative Entrepreneur Substack Live

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2 p.m. Pacific, on

"Beth Barany Interviews Bailey Lang: How Building a Business is a Creative Act"

Let's chat and share ideas!

Click here to be notified when we go live.

❤️

Another Upcoming Event for Writers!

Are you working on a picture book or want to be?

Then check out this upcoming amazing jam-packed with super useful things workshop offered by my friend and colleague...

BANNER_your-brilliant-picture-book-in-a-day-workshop with Mira Reisberg

First up - Mira’s Picture Book in a Day on Saturday, Sept. 19th, 2026 3:00–6:00 PM Pacific time.

For more information and how to register, check out all the details on Mira's Children's Book Academy site.

And tell your friends!

🎉

🎤 Back to School Vibes for Writers

How To Write The Future podcast, episode 221

“I was a very good student, and I loved learning, and I love going back to school. And now that I'm not in school, I'm just learning all the time, and I'm following my nose. I'm following what's interesting to me. So I hope you will do the same.” - Beth Barany

Read | Listen | Watch

In my latest episode, I share some back to school tips for your writing -- from where you can get started and learn from today, to recognizing you're learning in everything you do.

I also encourage you to pick a fall focus to help you with your writing.

Let me know what you choose! By replying to this email or posting in the Fellowship of the Pen Facebook group or tagging me on the socials -- but no DMs please. (Instagram, Bsky, Facebook)

***

Do you have a question about writing craft, world building, the creative process, or mindset?

Then get in touch, and your question could be shared in an upcoming podcast episode.

❤️

Check out this past Monday's Substack Live where Gala explained the difference between alpha, beta, and ARC readers.

What questions do you have about beta readers or other topics?

We'll answer them in an upcoming Live or on the podcast.

“Follow your nose—follow what’s interesting to you.” -Ep. 221, How To Write The Future podcast, Beth Barany

Do you have your revision checklist?

Grab your Edit Your Novel checklist and start at the 30,000-foot view here.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, Ready to do revisions?

Then join our Edit Lab for support and live feedback.

Join now so you can come to the next monthly call on Wednesday, October 7, 10am PT/1pm ET.

We'll talk how to find critique partners!

Only $10/month.

❤️

Join Edit Lab!

Marketing Corner

Gala and I talked about street teams in this week's Substack live.

Listen to the replay here. Or check out the transcript. Post any questions you have in the comments.

❤️

Need a critique group?

Do you need a critique group?

They're peer groups that help with accountability, support, and improving our writing.

Hit reply and let me know if you'd like one.

We're creating a thing and I'd love to hear what you need!

❤️

Happy Writing!

Best,

Beth

PS. Just finished a cute time travel romance short story: "The Time Travel Tour Guide and Professor MacBeth" by Fenley Grant. From the anthology: The Accidental Time Travelers Collective--Volume II.

I love listening to France Inter, a French radio station. And now I can listen on my browser via https://radio.garden/.

Enjoying very much the new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

What are some of your favorite reads, watches, listens? Send them my way!

I love learning of new shows, books, etc.

🌀 Substack Lives most Mondays -- for Fiction Writers!

Subscribe to get the notifications.

⭐️ Substack Lives most Tuesdays -- for Creative/Author Entrepreneurs.
Subscribe to get the notificatons to our Creative Entrepreneur Incubator

❤️

🌟

If you find my resources helpful, please forward them to a friend who may need them too.

Help me help more writers!

Thanks!

❤️

Beth Barany
Creativity Coach for Writers

Teacher, Speaker, Workshop Facilitator
bethbarany.com

I not only teach and coach novelists, I am one too!

*Magical Tales of Romance, Mystery, and Adventure* author.bethbarany.com

Including the award-winning, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer (Book 1), and Into The Black, about Janey McCallister space station investigator (Book 1)

__________________________

❤️

Here to empower you with core principles, mindset tools, and doable roadmaps to build your sustainable, thriving, creative career on your own terms.

🚀

🐲

Passionate about supporting science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction writers; and creative entrepreneurs serving writers.

🎬

Filmmaker with a BIG mission: to celebrate warrior women!

Writer's Fun zone blog by and for creative writers, published by Beth Barany

Subscribe to be notified when each blog post goes live. Or wait for the weekly round-up in this newsletter. *Write for us.

Latest WFZ posts

☕️

Support This Creative Entrepreneur

My mission is to support your adventure as a creative and step into your next best self.

If you want to support my mission, I invite you to:

📚 buy my books

☕️ buy me a coffee

🎬 support my Henrietta The Dragon Slayer short film

Or share my products or services with your friends. Thanks!

❤️

How To Write The Future podcast with Beth Barany

Beth Barany is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy novelist, and certified creativity coach for writers.

For the last 20+ years, she's been working with writers of all kinds.

She specializes in helping sci-fi and fantasy publishing-oriented novelists experience clarity, so they can write, revise, and proudly publish their books to the delight of their readers.

Here be the legalese: In connection with the operation of this newsletter and business, Creativity Sparks includes affiliate links to trusted partners. Barany Consulting earns a commission from the Affiliate Links which commission is based on the number of sales that are made as a result of users of the Newsletter clicking over to the Affiliate Link and purchasing from the Affiliate Link a product and/or service. Thus endth the legalese.

I live in the territory of Huichin, part of the stolen land of the Chochenyo Muwekma Ohlone, the successors of the historic and sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County, in Oakland, California, the San Francisco Bay Area. Northern Hemisphere. Earth.

The Solar System. → Carina–Sagittarius Arm in the Milky Way galaxy. Milky Way subgroup → Local Group → Local Sheet → Virgo Supercluster → Laniakea Supercluster → Local Hole → Observable universe → Universe.

I stand with people of Ukraine and all peoples 🎗️ in their fight for freedom from oppression and the right to self-determine. Yes, all peoples. Not just some.

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