Shows
The Writers’ Gym PodcastRachel Knightley talks to instant Sunday Times Bestselling author Sarah BrooksIn this episode, Dr Rachel Knightley is joined by instant Sunday Times Bestselling author Sarah Brooks. Sarah won the Lucy Cavendish Prize in 2019. She works in East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds where she also helps run the Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. She has a PhD on monsters in classical Chinese ghost stories. She is also co-editor of Samovar, a bilingual online magazine for translated speculative fiction. Originally from Lancashire, she now lives in Leeds. Her novel The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands comes out in June 2024 from Weidenfeld and Nicolson (UK) and Flatiron...2025-07-2857 min
Wasteland - A Dex Legacy StoryThe International Confederation: A Wasteland Bonus StoryAs the dust settles on Rone, the new Prime Minister of Xenos convenes the International Confederation in the hopes of bringing Nathaniel Dex - President of Dex Island and the Dex Industries munitions corporation - to justice. His bomb may have devastated Rone, but will it cripple the reputation of this self-proclaimed world leader? Minister Vekitz and Minister Kravek find themselves in an unlikely alliance as tensions rise and the opportunity to fix the problem of Nathaniel Dex, once and for all, threatens to slip through their fingers.
In The International Confederation you can he...2025-07-2243 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastRachel Knightley talks to screenwriter, sci-fi/fantasy novelist and TV/radio dramatist Philip PalmerDr Rachel Knightley is joined today by screenwriter, TV and radio dramatist and science fiction/fantasy novelist Philip Palmer. Philip has a background as a script editor and writes extensively for radio as well as television, scripting five seasons of the Radio Four Hungarian crime drama Keeping The Wolf Out. Other radio plays include The King’s Coinerstarring Iain McDiarmid and The Faerie Queene starring Simon Russell Beale. His feature film The Ballad of Billy McCrae, which he wrote and co-produced, was released on more than 20 UK screens in September 2021. Philip’s books include Version 43 and Hell Ship, the horror...2025-07-2146 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastRachel Knightley talks to award winning Nordic Noir crime novelist Alex DahlAlex Dahl is the author of six psychological thrillers. Her third novel, Playdate, is currently streaming on Disney+ and she’s published by (among others) Penguin Random House USA, Head of Zeus UK, Harper Collins Australia. Her work has been translated into 16 foreign languages and her debut novel, The Boy at the Door, was shortlisted for a CWA dagger award. She’s a half Norwegian, half American author and studied Russian, German and international studies in Oslo and Moscow before pursuing an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University – at the same time as Dr Rachel Knightley.
Ale...2025-07-1441 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastRachel Knightley talks to award-winning author, journalist and ovarian-cancer-wrangler Jennifer Steil‘Liminal’ is much more than the name of award-winning author, journalist and Ovarian cancer wrangler Jennifer Steil’s Substack newsletter. In this extended episode, the winner of the Grand Prize in the international Eyelands 2020 Book Awards and Finalist for the 2021 Lambda Literary Lesbian Fiction Award for Exile Music,talks about the kidnap experience and resulting ‘what if’s that inspired her first novel, The Ambassador’s Wife,and how writing has become even more important to mental health during her cancer treatment. Liminal spaces she discusses with Dr Rachel Knightley include ‘home’, and how that truly means wherever her husband and daug...2025-07-071h 18The Writers’ Gym PodcastRachel Knightley talks to Macmillan Cancer Support's Andy Gould
Green Ink Sponsored Write brings together published authors and developing writers to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Each year's theme reflects Macmillan's mission of quality of life for everyone affected by cancer (with writers are sponsored for their time, not their word-count). This year, our theme is chosen by Rhianna Pratchett:
SOMEWHERE THAT'S GREEN: STORIES ABOUT PARADISES, UTOPIAS AND HAPPY PLACES.
Rachel Knightley talks to Macmillan’s Andy Gould about this year’s event.
Sponsor the Writers at
https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green
Dr Rachel Knightley
www.RachelKnightley.com2025-06-3022 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastBookmark BibleShowing up authentically on the page — and off the page — can feel like a big ask at first. But all it takes is a few simple truths to make the process of connecting with others, in writing and in speaking, come naturally. Dr Rachel Knightley shares this year’s Writers’ Gym bookmark, and how it’s a reminder of everything you need for an authentic, enjoyable audience relationship.
2025-06-2311 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastLanding PatternsProcrastination gets — entirely rightly — a pretty bad press. So how do we differentiate it from warming up and getting into the zone? In this episode, Dr Rachel Knightley celebrates landing patterns and how they can add to our enjoyment of the journey.
2025-06-1606 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastWelcome to the Writers Gym PodcastWelcome to the Writers Gym Podcast2025-06-0901 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastShooting the Should FairiesAnxiety is not a documentary. It’s creative writing at its most natural and automatic. Yet we so often hear our own projected worst case scenarios more loudly than our own interest in our writing. In this episode, Dr Rachel Knightley invites you to grab a water-pistol and give the ‘should fairies’ the response they deserve. Step beyond your ‘shoulds’ into curiosity, confidence and creativity at the Writers’ Gym.
2025-06-0905 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastOur Characters in Space and TimeBeing in your character’s body as well as their mind isn’t always first-draft territory. For many writers, it’s easier to begin in an internal monologue, lost in thoughts and feelings which can then be frustrating to pin down to their causes: the triggers in the physical world for each thought, each feeling. The good news? It looks scary from the outside but, inside, that’s where the greatest fun is. Dr Rachel Knightley celebrates natural time and taking space in our own narratives.
2025-06-0204 min
Pen to Print - Podcasts for Aspiring WritersThe Writers' Gym Podcast". Write On! Audio And FriendsThank you for listening to Write On! Audio, the podcast for writers everywhere brought to you by Pen To Print.For this episode we have another in our Write On! Audio And Friends series in which we share episodes from other podcasts we think you may enjoy. This time we revisit The Writers’ Gym Podcast created by writer and writing coach Dr Rachel Knightley and featuring audio drama writer and novelist Emily Inkpen and Write On! Audio Producer Chris Gregory. This episode is all about making time for your writing. You...2025-05-2746 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPart Two: How to Trust Your ReaderTrusting 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 their world the way they do.
2025-05-2606 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPart One: How to Trust Your ReaderTrusting 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 their world the way they do.
2025-05-1907 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastWhy Point of View is EverythingDr 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 different people, we get different angles on that same essential truth. So jump in and start fictionalising the people and things that make your heart sing — or scream!
2025-05-1206 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastVulnerability is Strength‘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, and our connection with the reader through the specificity of detail that gives writing its magic; that only comes when you’re truly exploring yourself and your world.
2025-05-0504 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastStealthwritingWhat’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 things to get the joy back? Stealthwriting. Dr Rachel Knightley — with a little help from the incomparable David Lynch reminding us to ‘go where the fish are’ — gets us back in touch with the importance of building space and time where the ideas can disc2025-04-2808 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPerfect Was Never On the Menu: Two Creative Writing ExercisesIf 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 too weird?’ or ‘What if it’s too boring?’ In this episode, Rachel Knightley invites you to play Excuses Bingo, an original and favourite Writers’ Gym exercise, so you can move throug...2025-04-2109 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastThink On The Page“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 healthy writing habits. We go back to Rachel’s key image of the writer’s artist palette: how our unique imagination, memory, observations and questions blend to even more unique results, when we create...2025-04-1406 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastWhy Normal Jobs Need Not Apply - Kim NewmanMulti-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 to build on our interests as authors into new works within the genres we love.
For a writing workout based on Kim’s interview with Rachel, scroll down or visit WritersGym.com to download every Writing Workout in the series.
2025-04-0738 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastConfidence, Magic and Terry Pratchett – Gabrielle Kent joins the Writers' GymGabrielle 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 problems, Knights and Bikes - a series based on the video game of the same name, and the Rani Reports series, featuring a girl who wants to be an investigative journalist and her adventures with her rambunctious Ma...2025-03-3139 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastEmbracing the Strange – Aliya Whiteley joins the Writers' GymDr 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 shortlisted for both a Shirley Jackson award and the Otherwise Award. A tenth anniversary edition of The Beauty was published in 2024. She has written over one hundred published short stories that have appeared in magazines such as F&SF, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Strange Horizons, The Dark, McSweeney’s Internet Tend...2025-03-2440 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastEyebrows and Imagination – Rosie Garland joins the Writers' GymAward-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 Prize), Vixen and The Night Brother, which was described by The Times as “a delight…with shades of Angela Carter.” Her new novel, The Fates (Quercus) is a retelling of the Greek myth of the Fates. Her latest poetry collection, What Girls do in the Dark (Nine Arch...2025-03-1743 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastJD Barker's Writing LifeThis 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 the creative exercises and habits that support his writing life and how valuing every contact he made in his early career meant building the creative career he has today.
For a writing workout based on JD’s interview with Rachel, scroll down or vi...2025-03-1032 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastReturning to Being a Writer – Prano Bailey-Bond joins the Writers' GymToday’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 shares with Dr Rachel Knightley her early influences, creative fuel and sources of confidence and how directing her debut feature was when she reengaged with being a writer.
For a writing workout based on Prano’s interview with Rac...2025-03-0343 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastAdrian Tchaikovsky talks Writing Health (and Insects)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 career as an author and what a healthy, happy writing life means to him.
Adrian Tchaikovsky is a British science-fiction and fantasy writer known for a wide-variety of work including the Children of Time, Final Architecture, Dogs of War, Tyrant Philosophers and Shadows of the Ap...2025-02-2635 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastDr Rachel Knightley and Ashley Lexine - Building Creative Confidence at the Writers' GymThe 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 of a writing community with group and one-to-one sessions and personal support available throughout the week.
Founder and Writers’ Gym PT Dr Rachel Knightley is a fiction and non-fiction author, lecturer in Creative Writing and a qualified business and personal coach. Th...2025-02-2427 min
In the Mood For: A Bookish PodcastEpisode 50: Hello 2025Happy 2025! We round up some recent gossip and drama in the book community and chat about most expected releases for the year.Books mentioned:MaryA Novel Love Story, Ashley PostonNever Keep, Caroline Peckham and Susanne ValentiGifted to His Dad, J WilderFeast of Fools, Naomi LoudThe Diplomat (TV series)Industry (TV series)ShaniThe Shepherd King Duet, Rachel GilligYellowstone (TV series)Fight, Sloane St JamesBonnieThe Bridge Kingdom series, Danielle L JensenSplit or Swallow, Lindsay StraubeUnder Loch and Key, Lana FergusonAngels Blood, Nalini SinghRecent Discourse Round-Up2025-01-141h 07The Writers’ Gym PodcastMemory and FlashbackIn 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 a plot device. As always we end with a writing exercise from Rachel.
Rachel, Emily and Chris would like to thank everyone who has listened to season 3. Listen out for a new series...2024-12-1137 min
The Amateur AusteniteEmma Chapter 9Rachel and I talk about communication (ha), compare Mr Collins to Mr Elton (again), I attempt to compare Harriet's book to a mix tape, Rachel tells a story about flat earthers and we talk about the different meaning of charade(s).Corrections:Jillian Heydt-Stevenson and Alice Chandler both think Kitty A Fair But Frozen Maid is about venereal diseaseThe dance from 1995 Pride and Prejudice is Mr. Beveridge's MaggotThe John Knightley's have 5 kids – 3 are mentioned by nameJoin us for an advanced screening of Jane Austen Wrecked my Life on...2024-12-0646 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastA Writer's FuelWhether 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 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 Rach...2024-12-0443 min
Thumb WarIs This Bad? | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace🐾 Listen to this episode AD-FREE! Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/isthisgood
On this meeting of the Is This Bad? Movie Club, Matt, JD and Rachel are joined by Star Wars expert Jeshua Kidd to re-watch Episode I - The Phantom Menace. They discuss its rehabilitation with younger audiences, whether people were too hard on ol’ Jar Jar, Star Wars themed weddings, very boring text crawls, refusing to accept something you love is for kids, all CGI should be puppets, who Liam Neeson thought was the next Eddie Murphy, Drive To Survive: Podrace edition, Natalie Portman’s mom i...2024-12-021h 23
Alternative Stories and Fake RealitiesIntroducing The Writers' Gym PodcastSend us a textIn this episode we are introducing another Alternative Stories podcast you may enjoy. The Writers' Gym features Chris Gregory, Dr Rachel Knightley and Emily Inkpen and each week we discuss a different writing topic. Whether you are a writer yourself or simply interested in books and writing you'll find plenty to enjoy. Covering novels, short fiction, scripts, screenplays, audio drama and all stops in between you can catch the podcast by searching "The Writers Gym" in your favourite podcast app or clicking the links below.Listen / subscribe via Spotify here http...2024-11-2949 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPrologues and EpiloguesIn 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 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.rache...2024-11-2736 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastNarratorsIn 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.
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 Th...2024-11-2039 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastReading For WritersIn 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 Conversations on Writing
Stephen King: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Rachel Knightley: Your Creative Writing Toolkit
Margaret Atwood: Negotiating with the Dead
David Lynch: Catching the B...2024-11-1344 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastViewpoint and PerspectiveIn 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 doable” which you can find on YouTube here
https://youtu.be/GgB7_I37efM?si=bVCVYAxNTsrWZ0OU
It is presented by Rachel Knightley and produced by Simret Cheema-Innis
Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next w...2024-11-0643 min
Alternative Stories and Fake Realities"Hair's Breadth" and "Dog Only Knows": Audio Drama by Robbie LaughtonSend us a textIn this episode we share two short audio dramas by Nottingham based playwright and short fiction author Robbie Laughton.These were two of four plays we recorded with Robbie and our cast in August. You can listen to our first podcast featuring Robbie's dramas "Hairy Fairy" and "Tormeted" which has since been featured on BBC Radio, here https://www.buzzsprout.com/411730/episodes/15864824Please note that "Dog Only Knows", our second drama contains very strong and abusive language throughout. Listener discretion is advised. Hair's BreadthWhe...2024-11-0132 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPrinciples of ScriptwritingIn 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 Legacy" can be heard here https://open.spotify.com/show/1aphgDiefw4FdO8EN5LJxy?si=2908e95681354b81
Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelkn...2024-10-3047 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastPace and StructureIn 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 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...2024-10-2339 minThe Writers’ Gym PodcastAnimosity in FictionIn 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 taking place on Saturday 19th October. You can find out more and sponsor Rachel and the other writers via this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/greeninksponsoredwrite2024
Join the Writers’ Gym and book your next writing workout at https://www.rachelknightley.com/the...2024-10-1650 min
The Amateur AusteniteEmma Chapter 1Rachel and I discuss:- Why is the opening line not as famous as P&P?- The impact of Emma’s upbringing and family dynamics on her personality- What the Knightley's future sex life will look likeRachel introduces us to the “Pilious panic” and why she behaves in public. Plus we segue into praise of Emma Thompson.Join us for an advanced screening of Jane Austen Wrecked my Life on 3 August at Light House Cuba. Tickets $20Support the podcast and hear episodes early on Ko-fi2024-10-1133 min