“In addition to your villain's goal, they need a motivation. They feel like they're the hero of their own story. They have a good reason for wanting what they want.” - Beth Barany

In some stories long after the final page is closed, the villain often captivates the reader over a hero.

Their backstory, portrayal, beliefs and even down to certain acts of heroism, but how do you make your villain compelling?

In the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Crafting a Compelling Villain: Goals, Motivation, Conflict” host Beth Barany, shares how to craft a compelling villain to engage readers, drive the plot of their story, and ways to build an depth conflict within their journey.

Use the steps outlined in the episode to plan and draft out your villain and apply it to your story.

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ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany is an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. Through her services and products, she guides novelists to write, revise, and publish stories that matter—blending practical craft guidance with a big-picture commitment to bright imagination, deep meaning, and wide-open possibilities. She calls writers to create with hope and courage—and to speak truth through art, even when it stretches them into a new version of themselves.

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ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

How To Write The Future is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to imagine better worlds—and write stories that bring those futures to life. Each episode offers practical craft guidance, creative prompts, and big-picture inspiration to help you draft, revise, and publish with purpose.

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SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade
EDITORIAL by Iman Llompart

c. 2026 BETH BARANY

https://bethbarany.com/

Questions? Comments? Send us a text!

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CREDITS

EDITED WITH DESCRIPT (Affiliate link)
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