The Writers’ Gym Podcast

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 "Brilliant" by The Guardian.  In this conversation with Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen we discuss Gareth's career and hear his advice for writers wishing to focus on a single genre or expand their writing into new genres. To find out more about Gareth and his work and buy his books please visit his website https://www.garethlpowell.com/ To buy a copy of Gareth’s “About Writing” as mentioned in our discussion please click here https://www.garethlpowell.com/about-writing/ Follow Gareth on social media  X, formerly Twitter https://twitter.com/garethlpowell Instagram https://www.instagram.com/garethlpowell/   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 Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/ Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released.    

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 Bergersen Mogwai David Bowie Sigur Ros  Allen Stroud and his soundtrack for The Dex legacy  Pink Floyd  The soundtracks to Fantasia, Lord of the Rings, How to Train Your Dragon and Wind River. The Soundtracks of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis The soundtracks of Jonny Greenwood  Rachel would like to add Penguin Cafe Orchestra to the list of artists that have inspired her    Books mentioned in this podcast include  Exile Music by Jennifer Steil  Espedair Street by Iain Banks  Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell  Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes    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 Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/ Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released. 

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 fiction.    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 Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/   Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/   And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/   Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released.  Join us next week for a discussion about unreliable narrators in fiction.

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 Nabokov The other lives of Miss Emily White by AJ Ellwood The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester The Collector by John Fowles The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion The Dex Legacy (audio drama) by Emily Inkpen  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 Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/   88lVn2zh5L1EObSdzNQm

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 ready if you’re self-publishing including some thoughts on cover design and format.    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 Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/   Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released.  Join us next week for a discussion about unreliable narrators in fiction.

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 twitter  https://twitter.com/Dewiwrites   Rachel’s map and prop were made in 2009 by Jude Claybourne, who these days can be found at Past Imperfect: the Alchemy of Transforming Trauma: https://open.spotify.com/show/6XG8ZlvGfWZb4rMKdD9FJV?si=lpfJowJbQ8aE2RSZVzoMjQ   Read Emily’s blog on “Building a World out of Walls” here https://www.emilyinkpen.com/blog/buildingaworldoutofwalls and a further blog on the ways in which worlds relate to characters https://www.emilyinkpen.com/blog/how-does-world-relate-to-character   Rachel apologises for the Douglas Adams misquote which should have ended  “widely regarded as a bad move.”   Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-writers-gym/   Book onto the Alternative Stories “Writing for Radio and Podcasts” online workshop on 21st March with Chris and Emily https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/writing-for-radio-and-podcasts-tickets-832128888907   The Writers Gym Podcast is an Alternative Stories production for The Writers' Gym.     Find out more about The Writers' Gym and Rachel Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/   Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/   And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/   Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released.     New episodes of The Writers’ Gym will appear every Wednesday 

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 “Three Wishes” by Liane Moriarty (Penguin 2003)    Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the-writers-gym/   Book onto the Alternative Stories “Writing for Radio and Podcasts” online workshop on 21st March with Chris and Emily https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/writing-for-radio-and-podcasts-tickets-832128888907   The Writers Gym Podcast is an Alternative Stories production for The Writers' Gym.     Find out more about The Writers' Gym and Rachel Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/   Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/   Learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/   Subscribe to The Writers’ Gym in your favourite podcast app to be notified of all new episodes as they are released.  Join us next week for a discussion about world building   New episodes of The Writers’ Gym will appear every Wednesday 

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 every Wednesday The Writers Gym Podcast is an Alternative Stories production for The Writers' Gym.   Find out more about The Writers' Gym and Rachel Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/

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 they are released.  New episodes will appear every Wednesday The Writers Gym Podcast is an Alternative Stories production for The Writers' Gym.   Find out more about The Writers' Gym and Rachel Knightley by going to https://www.rachelknightley.com/ Find out more about Emily Inkpen and her work by going to https://www.emilyinkpen.com/ And learn more about Chris Gregory and Alternative Stories here https://alternativestories.com/

A painter doesn't need permission to mix any colours they like. Yet, as writers, our memories, imagination, observations and questions about the world and ourselves come with "not supposed to go there" stamped all over them. How can we give ourselves permission to beat those blocks? Multi-award-winning author Jennifer Steil joins Rachel Knightley to talk about about what kept her writing through kidnap, cancer treatment and everyday life in the three countries she calls home.

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring setting and character.

Steve Toase is a British Fantasy Award 2025 nominated fiction and non-fiction author. He was born in North Yorkshire, England, and now lives in the Frankenwald, Germany. Steve’s debut short story collection ‘To Drown in Dark Water’ is published by Undertow Publications, and his archaeology themed horror collection Dirt Upon My Skin is out now from Black Shuck Books. Dirt Upon My Skin is shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award 2025 Best Collection. Steve writes for magazines, and is a regular contributor to Fortean Times. In the past he has written for Kerrang, and The Author, as well as motorbike magazines, such as BSH, 100% Biker, and The Classic Motor Cycle. fiction has appeared in Analog, Nightmare Magazine, Three Lobed Burning Eye, Shimmer, and Bourbon Penn, and Deadlands amongst others, and his stories have been selected for Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year series, and Paula Guran’s Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror.  He recently worked with astrophysicist Dr Chris Harrison as script editor for a planetarium show designed for people with a vision impairment. From 2014 he worked with Becky Cherriman and Imove on Haunt, the Saboteur Award shortlisted project inspired by his own teenage experiences of being no fixed abode and vulnerably housed, about Harrogate’s haunting presence in the lives of people experiencing homelessness in the town. He also likes old motorbikes and vintage cocktails. 

From creation to publication in 48 hours: Green Ink Sponsored write for Macmillan Cancer Support unites a team of published and developing authors at the Writers' Gym to create entirely new work on a theme inspired by Macmillan's mission of quality of life for all affected by cancer. Founded by Dr Rachel Knightley in 2009, this year's title was selected by Rhianna Pratchett: Somewhere That's Green: Paradises, Utopias and Happy Places. The cover image is by Writers' Gym member Elspeth Hannen and anthology design will be by Steve Shaw.   Visit and share the page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green

From creation to publication in 48 hours: Green Ink Sponsored write for Macmillan Cancer Support unites a team of published and developing authors at the Writers' Gym to create entirely new work on a theme inspired by Macmillan's mission of quality of life for all affected by cancer. Founded by Dr Rachel Knightley in 2009, this year's title was selected by Rhianna Pratchett: Somewhere That's Green: Paradises, Utopias and Happy Places. The cover image is by Writers' Gym member Elspeth Hannen and anthology design will be by Steve Shaw.   Visit and share the page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green