The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast Prepares for 2024

The L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast is entering its fourth year. With 254 episodes and over 58 million downloads from over 120 countries, the Podcast has been syndicated on the United Public Radio Network and earned four finalist trophies in the People’s Choice Podcast Awards, primarily in the category of Education.

In a recent survey to help prepare for the 2024 season, listeners were asked what they enjoyed about the Podcast. Responses varied from how it was inspirational, providing interviews with the best in the industry, to getting guests to present all aspects of publishing, from craft to business. Another factor was interviewing writers and artists to discuss their journey in transitioning from amateur to professional. At the same time, discussions with established best-selling authors allowed them to discuss their frequent humble beginnings.

L. Ron Hubbard inspired the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast through his mission statement given in 1983 when he created the Writers of the Future Contest: “A culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists. The artist is looked upon to start things. The artist injects the spirit of life into a culture. And through his creative endeavors, the writer works continually to give tomorrow a new form.”

The need to help aspiring writers and artists is genuine. There are upwards of four million books published each year, with roughly three million being self-published. Sadly, the average self-published author sells only 250 copies while making $1,000 annually. (Self-published Books & Authors Sales Statistics [2023] by Nicholas Rizzo)

“I want to continue providing real-life examples of what other writers and artists, many of whom are extremely successful now, went through on their journeys to success,” stated John Goodwin, the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast host. “My policy of only interviewing an author after first reading one of their books has been helpful to make each episode both entertaining and enlightening.”

In addition to Contest winners, guests of the Podcast have included such industry giants (listed alphabetically) as Craig Alanson (Expeditionary Force series), Kevin J. Anderson (Saga of Seven Suns), Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), Echo Chernik (Art Nouveau artist), Roger Christian (Academy Award winner for Star Wars set design), Tom Doherty (Publisher of Tor), Bob Eggleton (winner of 11 Chesley Awards), Larry Elmore (Dragonlance artist), Brian Herbert (Dune prequels), Hugh Howey (Silo), Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Nnedi Okorafor (Binti series), Tim Powers (On Stranger Tides), Rob Prior (Spawn and Heavy Metal artist), A.G. Riddle (Quantum Radio), James Rosone (Monroe Doctrine), Robert J. Sawyer (The Oppenheimer Alternative), Dean Wesley Smith (Seeders Universe), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn), Toni Weisskopf (Publisher of Baen Books), and Tom Wood (Tom Wood Fantasy Art).

The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast is one of several tools made available for aspiring writers and artists by the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests. For nearly four decades—and over 900 writers and artists—L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests have discovered and nurtured a steady stream of new talent who have changed the face of science fiction and fantasy.

The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast is available at Soundcloud.com/writersofthefuture and on all major platforms, including Google, iHeart, iTunes, PocketCasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.