How A Character’s Breathing Reveals Their Emotion

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Subject: How A Character’s Breathing Reveals Their Emotion

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Friday, August 14, 2026

Hi Friend,

Last month I had an article published in Story Impact Magazine on the "The Psychology of Pause."

I shared honest reflection on what restoration actually requires, and why so many working creatives never let themselves have it.

Some of my favorite things for restoration:

taking walks
reading
listening to science explainer videos on physics and other domains of science
watching TV, especially mysteries set in all different locations around the world

What's one of your favorite things for restoration? (Or more!)

You can read my article in Story Impact Magazine. Scroll down and go to page 5.

On to the rest of this newsletter: upcoming events, the most recent podcast episode, and more!

❤️

Upcoming events for writers and creative entrepreneurs

❤️ Join our Author Substack Live, Monday, August 17th, 10:15 a.m. Pacific, on How to Work with Alpha, Beta + Arc Readers:

Let's play and brainstorm together.

Click here to be notified when we go live .

⭐️ Planning class for writers - cyclical planning for writers by my friend and colleague, Dr. Bailey Lang and co-facilitator, Dr. Katy Peplin.

Saturday, August 15, 11-2 p.m. ET / 8-11 a.m. PT

Workshop: "The earth has seasons, why shouldn't you: Cyclical planning for writers"

Creating a successful writing practice doesn't have to mean forcing yourself into a strict, discipline-based approach.

There's another, altogether more magical way to do it.

For this workshop, check out all the details and sign up here.

❤️

🎤 How A Character’s Breathing Reveals Their Emotion in Your Novel

How To Write The Future podcast, episode 217

“It all starts with awareness of yourself and noticing how you're feeling at different moments and how you're breathing and your emotional state, how we tie them together in our own awareness.” - Beth Barany

In my latest episode, I share how you can create a deep emotional bond between your characters and readers, when to use breath and emotion cues.

There's also writing examples provided in prose using breath as a technique to hook your readers.

You'll learn about the inspiration behind the episode and about my monthly membership with exclusive perks in the Edit Lab.

***

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.

How A Character’s Breathing Reveals Their Emotion in Your Novel

How To Write the Future podcast, episode 217

Read | Listen | Watch

❤️

Rewriting is actually writing.-Beth Barany

Do you have your revision checklist?

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

Ready to do revisions?

Then join our Edit Lab for support and live feedback.

Join by Tuesday, September 1, 6pm PT/9pm ET to join the monthly call on Wednesday, September 2, 10am PT/1pm ET.

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Happy Writing!

Best,

Beth

PS. What I've read:

Cross Fire (The Eisarium Files Book 1) by Emma Jameson (Loved it and can't wait for book 2!)

🌀 Substack Lives most Mondays!

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⭐️ Check out our NEW Substack channel:
Creative Entrepreneur Incubator

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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)

__________________________

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

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

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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.

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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!

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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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