Trusting your reader is one of the most famous phrases in creative writing teaching. But how do we do that? And what might be stopping us? Dr Rachel Knightley explores the temptations of ‘telling’ versus the greater rewards of showing (not explaining) the reactions, feelings and thoughts that illustrate who a character is and why they show up in th…

Trusting your reader is one of the most famous phrases in creative writing teaching. But how do we do that? And what might be stopping us? Dr Rachel Knightley explores the temptations of ‘telling’ versus the greater rewards of showing (not explaining) the reactions, feelings and thoughts that illustrate who a character is and why they show up in th…

Dr Rachel Knightley’s Sherlock Holmes Snoopy lamp is something of a co-presenter this week. What object do you love, that connects you with your past or passions, that someone else might not see the magic in? Through showing the specifics of what characters love, we get so much more: a sense of their values and personality. When they talk to differ…

‘Say the Thing’ is one of our most transformational pieces of writing advice Dr Rachel Knightley ever had. That editor wasn’t just showing her a masterkey to clarity and confidence on the page, but off it too. This episode of the podcasts explores how communicating what we love and what we fear deepens our characterisation, links character and plot…

What’s the difference between procrastination and a gentle ‘landing pattern’ on your way down to where the words are? If your bookshelves are noticeably neater when a deadline’s looming, it’s possible your rituals are becoming an end in themselves (procrastination) rather than a landing pattern: moving you towards your inner world. One of the best …

If you’re listening to a podcast about writing, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced how a book you love has added to your life: how valuable that relationship with the words of a stranger, that tour of a world created by a mind other than your own, can be. Yet when it’s time to pay it forward, we can be blocked by questions like ‘What if it’s …

“But don’t you HAVE to wait for inspiration?” Every writing voice is unique — but how we stand in our way can be a lot less so. Inspired (see what we did there?) by a question Dr Rachel Knightley was asked in two workshops and one pub in the same week, this episode at the Writers’ Gym explores how to blend inspiration and perspiration to build heal…

Multi-award-winning author, journalist, film critic and fiction writer Kim Newman joins Dr Rachel Knightley at the Writers’ Gym for the final episode in our current series. Kim and Rachel talk about what a healthy and happy writing life can look like, the important relationship between freedom and structure, and how memory and imagination combine t…

Gabrielle Kent talks to Dr Rachel Knightley about the magic of the stories we inherit as well as those we create. Afull-time children's author who began her career as a graphic artist for video games and lecturer in games development. Gabrielle’s work includes Alfie Bloom - a series about a boy who inherits a castle and a whole load of magical prob…

Dr Rachel Knightley speaks to her Great British Horror 5 co-contributor, award-winning author of ovels, short stories and articles (“Usually strange ones”) Aliya Whiteley. is the author of seven books of speculative fiction, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlisted Skyward Inn and The Loosening Skin, and also The Beauty, which was shortlist…

Award-winning poet, long and short fiction author, performer and vocalist with the March Violets, Rosie Garland talks to Dr Rachel Knightley about curiosity, creative confidence – and taking on the world eyebrows first! She is the author of The Palace of Curiosities (which won the Mslexia Novel Competition and was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott…

This week at the Writers’ Gym, Dr Rachel Knightley is joined by New York Times and international bestselling thriller writer JD Barker. His work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers, often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction and the supernatural. He is a frequent collaborator with James Patterson. JD shares…

Today’s episode and writing workout feature the art and life of Prano Bailey-Bond. Prano is an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter who grew up on a diet of Twin Peaks in the depths of a strange Welsh community. Her work invokes imaginative worlds, fusing a dark vocabulary with eerie allure, revealing how beauty resides in strange places. Prano…

Episode 2: Adrian Tchaikovsky Today at the Writers’ Gym, Dr Rachel Knightley is joined by multi-award-winning science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky. Find out how early experience running Tabletop roleplaying games combine with Adrian’s childhood inspiration (mainly insectoid) and adult inspiration (including coffee) to create his ca…

The Writers’ Gym is not just a podcast: it’s a membership platform, supporting writers (and writers-to-be) in buildingcreative confidence, growing their writing life and beating the inspiration addiction. Membership of the Writers’ Gym puts you in charge of your writing. It means creative confidence for life, work and art. It also means being part …

In this final episode of season 3, Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen chat about memory and flashback and the ways in which authors can use them to add colour, realism and plot twists to their work. Harking back to our episode about unreliable narrators, we look at the ways in which our memory can play tricks upon us and we examine memory-loss as…

Whether it be ensuring the correct amount of nourishment for your body, exercise, a good sleep or combinations of aspiration and fear, writers tend to need to look after themselves in order to produce their best work. In this episode Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen look at fuel for writing. And coffee...lots of coffee. Join the Writers’ Gym an…

In this episode Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen discuss prologues and epilogues and how writers can use them to create intriguing openings and satisfying endings for their fiction. As usual we range from novels to TV, film, and audio drama looking at good and not-so-good examples. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at htt…

In this episode we look at the role of narrators in fiction and discuss when, how and whether to deploy them. As usual Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen bring examples from their own writing and from the wider worlds of literature and drama. Rachel would like to point out that it was Arthur Dent's upper arm that was bruised and not his elbow. Jo…

In this episode we look at reading and how it can help to fire creativity and inspire imagination for authors. As usual, Emily and Rachel bring plenty of stories and anecdotes about ways in which books have inspired them. We end with a look at books about writing. Books mentioned in this podcast include Ursula Le Guin: Steering the Craft and Conver…

In this episode we explore viewpoint and perspective in fiction. Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen discuss the different types of perspective and the ways in which a writers' instinct might dictate the best approach to telling their particular story. In the discussion Rachel references “Point of View: the thing that makes all other things more doab…

In this episode Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen talk about scriptwriting and offer advice to writers wishing to get started in writing for stage, screen or audio drama. You can listen to Rachel Knightley's audio drama "Winter Spring" here https://open.spotify.com/episode/2gBu6Bqmc7CiC8zwXTYIPZ?si=b2c423862aaf4438 Emily's drama serial "The Dex Leg…

In this episode Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen discuss pace and structure in fiction. They ask whether pace comes from structure or can be added at the editing stage and ponder examples of well structured stories on page and screen. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-writers-gym/ The W…

In this first episode of season three of The Writers' Gym Podcast, Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen look at animosity in fiction and the ways in which writers can use conflicts, feuds, fights and arguments to add interest and plot lines to their work. This episode begins with a conversation about the Green Ink Sponsored Write 2024 which is taki…

In this special episode of the podcast Rachel and Emily are in conversation with multi-disciplined writer Rhianna Pratchett about her work in video games, comics, TV, radio and books. To find out more about Rhianna and her work please visit her website at https://rhiannapratchett.com/ and you can follow her on X here https://x.com/rhipratchett Join…

In this episode Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen look at the ways in which writers use time in their storytelling. From linear narratives following a traditional chronology to fractured, repeating and circular narratives we compare them and look at the advantages of playing around with time in your work. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next…

Dropping hints about events to come in your stories can raise tension and add depth and interest to your work. In this episode we look at the art and technique of foreshadowing and ask why should writers consider it an important tool in their skillset. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-w…

In this week's episode we'll look at short fiction and the skills and techniques you'll need to master concise storytelling. We discuss the pros and cons of writing short fiction and some of the drawbacks and limitations of the form. As usual we end with a writing challenge from Rachel. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at ht…

In this episode we talk about relationships in your fiction and how they can mould and shape your stories and the arcs of your characters. We explore the ways in which characters interact and consider sources of conflict and interest in these interactions. From dysfunctional families to romantic attachments via warring parties and long-held feuds w…

In this episode we look at the challenges of making time for your writing and how best to use time when you have it. As usual we have tips advice and experience from Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen and a writing challenge from Rachel. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-writers-gym/ T…

In this edition Rachel, Emily and Chris each share pieces of writing advice which we hope you'll find useful. Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-writers-gym/ The Writers Gym Podcast is an Alternative Stories production for The Writers' Gym. Find out more about The Writers' Gym and Rachel …

In this episode of the Writers' Gym Podcast we're joined by actor, comedian, novelist and poet Nigel Planer for a discussion about his writing life and the challenges of working on a memoir. To find out more about Nigel Planer and to purchase copies of his books as discussed in today's podcast please follow the links below Website www.nigelplaner.c…

In this episode of the Writers' Gym Podcast with Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen we're looking at inspiration and perspiration and whether one or other of them is the predominant force in the lives of our presenters. As usual we have advice, anecdotes, ideas and a writing challenge that listeners can participate in Join the Writers’ Gym and bo…

In this edition of the Writers' Gym podcast we are joined by the award-winning novelist Gareth L Powell to talk about his work across several genres. Known primarily as a science-fiction author, Gareth has also written thrillers and fantasy. His guide for writers "About Writing : A Field Guide for Aspiring Authors" (Gollancz 2022) was described as …

In this edition of the Writers' Gym Podcast with Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen we'll look at the relationship between music and writing. We'll explore music as inspiration and motivation, music as a creator of moods and as an accompaniment to your work and books inspired by or suggested by music. Artists mentioned in this podcast include Thomas…

In this episode of the podcast we’ll be looking at the art of generating characters for your fiction. We’ll look at the secrets of creating believable and authentic characters that can drive your story forward. Emily and Rachel will talk about their own characters, the inspiration behind them and the ways in which they have shaped events in their f…

In this episode of the Writers’ Gym Podcast we will be thinking about starting to write. Writing the opening page of your story needn’t be a battle against that glaring white first page and all the psychological demons it implies. Rachel and Emily offer tips, advice and hacks for starting to write and share examples and anecdotes from their own wri…

In this edition of the Writers’ Gym Podcast with Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen we take a look at one of the most common pieces of advice offered to writers: “Write what you know” We examine this advice to consider what it means for our writing and consider how it works in the worlds of science fiction and fantasy as well as in general fictio…

In this episode Rachel and Emily look at unreliable narrators and how to create and use them in your writing. With examples from literature we look at the ways in which unreliable narrators can give your stories depth, authenticity and a plot-twist or two to keep your readers guessing. The references in today’s episode include Pale Fire by Vladimir…

In this episode we look at the art and science of laying out and formatting your writing. We ask when you should begin to format your work, how you should go about doing it and explore a few good reasons for starting the process early …or indeed later. We look at some of the formatting skills and techniques you’ll need for getting your manuscript r…

In this episode Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen look at the process of worldbuilding for fiction writers. Normally associated with science fiction and fantasy writers, world building skills can also be applied to real places adapted for fiction. In our conversation we mentioned the map creation services of Dewi Hargreaves who you can follow on tw…

In this episode Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen look at the role and influence of place in creative writing. We look at the ways in which setting can influence you as writers and affect your characters. As usual, we offer creative writing challenges to help you consider the influence of place in your own work. In this episode Rachel references “T…

In this podcast we’ll talk about the art and techniques of editing. We’ll discuss approaches to editing, what you should take out and keep in and some of the best and worst editing advice we’ve received. Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released. New episodes will appear ever…

In this episode Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen discuss the art of giving and receiving feedback. We’ll have advice on how and who to ask for feedback, when feedback will be useful and how you should use feedback as part of your creative process. Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as the…

This is our trailer for The Writers' Gym Podcast. We'll be releasing episodes weekly each Wednesday from 6th March and we'll cover topics such as How not to give feedback Editing 101 Unreliable narrators World building "What's Your Wessex" : A guide to place in fiction Layout "Write what you know" : A discussion Each episode features Rachel Knightl…

Acclaimed actor, poet and novelist Nigel Planer joins Dr Rachel Knightley for a very special, between-series episode of The Writers’ Gym podcast. From writers’ geographical landscapes to the love of flares and the influence of Pratchett on their lives and works, this is a sneak preview of Nigel Planer and Friends, featuring Nigel, Rachel and filmma…

Ahead of the launch of Twisted Branches (coming Oct 2023 from Black Shuck Books), Rachel Knightley talks to Trevor Kennedy of Big Hits Radio UK for his horror spot on the Sunday Service. In return, Trevor come to the Writers' Gym to talk about his freelance writing life and how confidence in our voices is only ever half the story of what it feels l…

What does full-time writing look like? It depends on the writer – and what we create in our lives off the page depends directly on what we imagine. Today's Personal Training at the Writers' Gym takes in the spaces between what goes on the page, and how to work with our feelings about ourselves and the world to create the work lives as well as the a…

Internationally best-selling author, artist, journalist and speaker John-Paul Flintoff trained in improvisation with Keith Johnstone. He designs today's word-count workout alongside Rachel Knightley as they discuss the benefits of stagecraft on communication, and how performance provides 'factory conditions' for understanding your own character mot…

"What writing advice really pisses you off?" was one of my favourite questions to ask award-winning author and editor Dan Coxon. At the time (an interview for the Business of Writing module I convene at Roehampton University), his answer was one of the most prolific – and apparently innocuous – answers out there. Maybe you've heard it. Dan's the fi…