{"id":29685,"date":"2025-07-21T04:26:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T11:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=29685"},"modified":"2025-07-28T10:29:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T17:29:37","slug":"how-to-build-epic-rivalries-between-heroes-and-villains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/21\/how-to-build-epic-rivalries-between-heroes-and-villains\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29686 size-full\" title=\"How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images.png\" alt=\"Image of book and twinkling lights for How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images.png 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images-1.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-29687 size-full aligncenter\" title=\"Quote from How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images-1.png\" alt=\"Quote from How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains by Bonnie Johnston\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images-1.png 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HTWTF-Episode-162-Blog-Images-1-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"notion-enable-hover\" data-token-index=\"0\">How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains &#8211; How To Write the Future podcast, episode 162<\/span><!-- notionvc: 112311db-2cb8-4c30-8f22-a3a0943f95aa --><\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c\u200a<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Four essential elements of what does it take to build this epic rivalry between your hero and the villain<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d &#8211; Said by Beth Barany, quoting Bonnie Johnston\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would you like to know how to build epic rivalries between heroes and villains? In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany reads an article written by writing mentor and award-winning author Bonnie Johnston, in which she shares an in-depth breakdown of the four essential elements of epic rivalries, with step-by-step worksheets, available by signing up to Bonnie\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cArch Enemies\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> class<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Platforms the podcast is available on:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/162-how-to-build-epic-rivalries-between-heroes-and-villains\/id1641025914?i=1000718242895\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061\/episodes\/17531342-162-how-to-build-epic-rivalries-between-heroes-and-villains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Buzzsprout<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/3oRPU3eUQyt5lQMaVwaaa3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/ca590618-5630-4450-aa17-7e2f35359a76\/episodes\/8c174ab6-cb2b-4185-9449-e12375c70bbe\/how-to-write-the-future-162-how-to-build-epic-rivalries-between-heroes-and-villains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon Music<\/a>|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/dbpowJoi9YY?si=LX57m9yjrvjyOErd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dbpowJoi9YY?si=scTl9JKWW3MZmoFn\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><script type='text\/javascript' charset='utf-8' src='https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061.js?container_id=buzzsprout-large-player&#038;player=large'><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><b>RESOURCES\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support our work for creatives! Buy me a coffee:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Read the article: How to Build an Epic Rivalry Between Your Hero and Your Villain by Bonnie Johnston<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/13\/how-to-build-an-epic-rivalry-between-your-hero-and-your-villain-by-bonnie-johnston\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/13\/how-to-build-an-epic-rivalry-between-your-hero-and-your-villain-by-bonnie-johnston\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Epic rivalries make for memorable stories &#8212; the kinds of stories that are worth re-reading so we can immerse ourselves in the emotional intensity of the hero\u2019s multi-layered relationship with the villain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get the course \u201cArch-Enemies\u201d here:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethbarany.com\/archenemies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">**https:\/\/bethbarany.com\/archenemies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> [AFF link]**<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING &#8211; START HERE<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers:<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/world-building-resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/world-building-resources\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany:<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/story-success-clinic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/story-success-clinic\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>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:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/discovery-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/discovery-call\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About the How To Write the Future podcast<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How To Write The Future<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 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.This podcast is for readers too if you\u2019re at all curious about the future of humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This podcast is for you if you have questions like:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; How do I figure out what&#8217;s not working if my story feels flat?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; How do I make my story more interesting and alive?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This podcast is for readers, too, if you\u2019re at all curious about the future of humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ABOUT BONNIE JOHNSTON\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bonnie Johnston is a writing mentor and award-winning author with a passion for teaching fiction writers how to increase the emotional impact of their stories to turn readers into fans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She blogs at <\/span><b>Write Smarter, Not Harder<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you can download her free ebook, Editing for Story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She\u2019s also the author of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2PTXCdz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 30 Day Novel Workbook<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2PQF3aq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Writer\u2019s Guide to Getting Organized<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transcript for episode 162 How to build epic rivalries between heroes and villains\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduction and Overview\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hey everyone. Beth Barany here with How to Write the Future Podcast, Tips for Writers, and today I have a special share for you. Today, I am going to share with you a friend and colleague&#8217;s wonderful course and material about how to build epic rivalries between your hero and your villain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essentially, we are going to look at four main points- four essential elements of what does it take to build this epic rivalry between your hero and the villain. We&#8217;re gonna look at chemistry, the dark push pull dynamic that gets under both characters&#8217; skin. We&#8217;re gonna look at the psychological opposition, how the characters should fundamentally frustrate each other through opposing traits. And we&#8217;re gonna look at the point of connection. That&#8217;s number three, showing how they could have been allies in different circumstances. And lastly, number four, we&#8217;re gonna look at the resonant relationship dynamics, how their relationship dynamic is somehow familiar to real life relationship patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefit to you as the writer and actually the ultimate benefit to your reader is when you combine these four layers the conflicts between the hero and the villain become more emotional, meaningful, and can be incredible reveals of character. By the time we&#8217;re done with this podcast today, I hope you will have some real takeaways that you can design really dynamic and compelling rivalries between your hero and your villain.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[01:50] Introducing Bonnie Johnston<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All right, so today I&#8217;m gonna read this article that Bonnie wrote for us about her class. And, so to start off, I&#8217;m just gonna tell you a little bit about the teacher and the author of this material, Bonnie Johnston. Bonnie Johnston is a writing mentor and award-winning author with a passion for teaching fiction writers how to increase the emotional impact of their stories to turn readers into fans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She blogs at Write Smarter Not Harder, where you can download her free book, &#8220;Editing for Story&#8221;. And she&#8217;s also the author of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30 Day Novel Workbook<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 30 Day Romance Novel Workbook<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Writer&#8217;s Guide to Getting Organized<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alright, here we go.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[02:35] The Importance of Epic Rivalries\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deepen characterization, intensify conflicts, and write stories readers crave. JK Rowling did it. Victor Hugo did it. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did it. It&#8217;s one of the reasons that all three of these authors were massively successful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rowling, Hugo, and Doyle created epic rivalries between their heroes and their villains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep multi-layered relationships that locked good guys and bad guys together in high stakes conflicts that couldn&#8217;t be easily resolved. Not only do these rivalries generate compelling conflicts, powerful enough to drive big stories and big series, they also take the reader on a deep dive into the psychology of both hero and villain.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[03:27] Epic rivalry<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We get to know Harry Potter better through Harry&#8217;s struggle to understand how Voldemort became an evil wizard. We love Sherlock Holmes more when we see him resist the temptation to join Moriarty in using his genius for personal gain. And our hearts ache both for Valjean and Javert when we realize they&#8217;ve been set at each other&#8217;s throats by the tragic social inequities that shaped their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Epic rivalries make for memorable stories, the kinds of stories that are worth rereading so we can immerse ourselves in the emotional intensity of the hero&#8217;s multilayered relationship with the villain. In other words, what lies between them is complicated and we love it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[04:16] Your story&#8217;s epic rivalry\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you create this kind of relationship between your hero and your villain?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You already know that you need to give them mutually exclusive goals to make sure that they have a compelling reason to oppose each other. You might assume that you need to tie your hero and your villain together closely through their backstory. But while that can be a great foundation for the hero villain relationship, Voldemort&#8217;s attack on the infant Harry and his parents is at the heart of Harry&#8217;s saga, a childhood connection is not essential. Batman didn&#8217;t know the Joker before he started committing crimes, and Holmes didn&#8217;t know Moriarty before he became a criminal mastermind either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[5:00] Essential elements in creating an epic rivalry<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the essential elements in creating an epic rivalry?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[05:07] Four Essential Elements of Epic Rivalries<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, you need to create chemistry between your hero and villain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their relationship needs to have the same kind of push and pull that the hero and heroine of a romance have albeit in a much darker way. When your villain calls your hero to taunt him, your hero isn&#8217;t just staying on the line because he is hoping for a clue to what the villain has done, he is also continuing the conversation because the villain has gotten under his skin.The conflict they&#8217;re engaged in is intense because they&#8217;re both viewing it through their deeply personal connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second, you need to add a layer of psychological opposition to their relationship. Something in the psychology of each that is fundamentally frustrating to the other. The most common way to do that is to make them opposites in some way, emotionally, ideologically, or in terms of their abilities and skills. But it&#8217;s not the only way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Third, you need to give them a point of connection. Some way in which they understand each other deeply and perhaps even agree with each other. Some of the greatest epic rivalries are ones where you can see how in different circumstances the hero and the villain could have been friends or lovers or teammates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re creating a rivalry where you want the reader to root for the villain to be redeemed by the hero, that point of connection becomes incredibly important. That point of connection serves as a tool that the hero can use to bring the villain over to the side of good.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fourth, you can add yet another layer to the hero villain relationship with what I call resonant relationship dynamics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dynamics we see all the time in our real life relationships that are separate from the personality dynamic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, your villain might treat your hero like an annoying little brother, triggering your hero&#8217;s childish or bratty tendencies, even if your hero never had an older sibling during their own childhood. Or maybe your hero sees himself in the villain, recognizing he&#8217;s one misstep away from becoming just like the villain. Or maybe your villain acts as your hero&#8217;s conscience, giving your hero exactly the advice he needs to hear, clearly identifying your hero&#8217;s flaws and mistakes with brutal honesty. This one&#8217;s my favorite.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Four layers of epic rivalry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your hero&#8217;s relationship with your villain contains these four layers: chemistry, psychological opposition, a point of connection, and a dynamic that resonates for readers&#8211; every conflict in your story becomes meaningful, more emotionally charged, and more likely to trigger character revelations<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[07:54] Deep Dive into Bonnie&#8217;s Course<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are interested in learning more about mastering the art of creating a memorable epic rivalry for your characters, please do check out her course &#8220;Arch Enemies&#8221;, and that link will be connected to this podcast, whether it&#8217;s in the show notes, below the video or in the article that we post on our blog.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this way in her course &#8220;Arch Enemies&#8221;, you will not only get an in-depth breakdown of these four layers with step by step worksheets, you&#8217;ll also discover the number one must-have trait of villains that readers love to hate. Also, the six characteristics of truly terrifying villains; the three types of stakes you must establish for your hero and stakes are very important; 10 tricks for creating powerful chemistry between your hero and villain; and 12 resonant relationship dynamics that you can use to intensify your hero&#8217;s internal conflict. So be sure to check out this class by Bonnie Johnston and dive deeper and master the epic rivalry of your characters at the link that will be in the show notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I&#8217;ll also put the link on the screen here. And yes, this is an affiliate link.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[09:16] Conclusion and Contact Information<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope you like this episode on the four layers of building your epic rivalry by Bonnie Johnston. If you have any questions about it, let me know. You can also connect with Bonnie directly via her website, Write Smarter Not Harder. Uh, That&#8217;s it for this week, everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write long and prosper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That&#8217;s a wrap.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here:\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Need instructions on how to leave a review? <\/b>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/leave-a-podcast-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">***<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Support our work for creatives: leave a tip: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">***<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ABOUT BETH BARANY<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/BETH-BARANY_2023_300px_01-e1701116328224.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-27766 size-full\" title=\"Beth Barany\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/BETH-BARANY_2023_300px_01-e1701116328224.webp\" alt=\"Image of Beth Barany\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor. She\u2019s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, \u201cHow To Write The Future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/author.bethbarany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Author site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/bethbarany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/ <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/baranyschooloffiction.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">School of Fiction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/ <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.writersfunzone.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writer\u2019s Fun Zone blog<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CONNECT<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact Beth: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/#tve-jump-185b4422580\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/#tve-jump-185b4422580<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Email: beth@bethbarany.com<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LinkedIn:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IG: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bethbarany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bethbarany\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TT: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bethbarany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bethbarany\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FB: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">X: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BethBarany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/BethBarany<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CREDITS<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EDITED WITH DESCRIPT:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> https:\/\/www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Refer-a-Friend link)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MUSIC CREDITS : Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uppbeat.io\/t\/soundroll\/fuzz-buzz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> https:\/\/uppbeat.io\/t\/soundroll\/fuzz-buzz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> License code: UMMKDRL02DFGKJ0L. \u201cFuzz buzz\u201d by Soundroll. Commercial license:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/musicvine.com\/track\/soundroll\/fuzz-buzz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> https:\/\/musicvine.com\/track\/soundroll\/fuzz-buzz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/?referrer_id=1994465\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/?referrer_id=1994465<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Refer-a-Friend link)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>c. 2025 BETH BARANY<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bethbarany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/bethbarany.com\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more \u201cHow To Write the Future\u201d episodes, go <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/contact-beth\/#contactbeth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2705 Like the work we do? Tip us! <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/bethbarany<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Build Epic Rivalries Between Heroes and Villains &#8211; How To Write the Future podcast, episode 162 *** \u201c\u200aFour essential elements of what does it take to build this epic rivalry between your&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":29686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5099],"tags":[6588,6585,49,140,3506,1903,6584,6586,6587,3910,3909,4607,5160,6583,6579,6580,6582,2872,5163,5183,6589,6590,5162,6581,5164,1490,5165],"class_list":["post-29685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-write-the-future-podcast","tag-30-day-novel-workbook","tag-arch-enemies","tag-author","tag-beth-barany","tag-bonnie-johnston","tag-characterization","tag-creating-an-epic-rivalry","tag-creative-course","tag-editing-for-story","tag-epic-rivalry","tag-essential-elements","tag-fiction-writing-tips","tag-futuristics","tag-hero-villain-relationship","tag-heroes-and-villains","tag-how-to-build","tag-memorable-stories","tag-story-telling","tag-story-world-building","tag-strategic-foresight","tag-the-30-day-romance-novel-workbook","tag-the-writers-guide-to-getting-organized","tag-tips-for-fiction-writers","tag-write-smarter-not-harder","tag-write-the-future","tag-writing-coaching","tag-writing-teaching"],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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