Writing With A Knife

A strikingly good writing style that travels seamlessly across timelines building a narrative that is lucidly smooth and very simple to understand despite being in the science fiction genre. A story about longing despite having it all, this story raises the fundamental question - will anything ever be enough ?

A heart touching story about characters dealing with anxiety with a broad spectrum of reasons possibly faced by ninety percent of humanity today. The writing is clunky but the story has some excellent plot points and weaving a story seamlessly across so many characters without making it feel so overwhelming is a marvel that always pleases. Centered around the incident of a bank robbery gone wrong...

Blythe is the story about two women who share a friendship which is in truth a symbiotic bond between the two where one needs attention and the other feels good about being needed by another whom she deems in certain ways better or superior in some ways. Groff has an unnaturally canny way of gliding her readers through her stories. That happens here too. We are given hints and backstories as to wh...

This is a beautiful treatise to the flavours of loneliness. It is a work that talks of the fallacy of the idea of being detached and what keeps people aloof and alone. The story progresses into our protagonist discovering that detachment actually lies in taking action and his rise to prestige as he takes a stand for people is endearing.  Arun Joshi nails it in this one which is a commentary on cap...

You know the writing is good when you don't even stop to question the supernatural or fantastical elements in a story. You know the writing is solid when all elements of foreshadowing fit perfectly right up till the last line. We are absolutely floored with Neil Gaiman's writing in this story of a man whose mystery bounds you to the very end as he embarks on a dangerous journey with a hidden motiv...

This is a special episode - the first cross over episode between Writing with a Knife & Mind Mined, a podcast on mental health. This is an attempt to bring forward the world of writing to our listeners to introduce to them realistic yet entertaining portrayals of mental health struggles. Hyperbole And a Half is a comic autobiographical portrayal in which we get glimpses of the author's lif...

A girl with a mysterious career, a writer carrying his father's curse, and the story inside this story about a very alive & magical stone. Murakami takes us yet again on one of his musings. Writers may note the excellent use of metaphors and their interlinkage.

Sally Rooney amazes us with this short story that peels open the nuances of the egos involved in a relationship. The 2 main characters cling to each other in seemingly nasty ways just so that they can continue to see each other without having to admit their insecurities, without having to reveal their soft side because it scares them to bare open themselves to each other. So they instead choose th...

An incredibly written story, Cusk sweeps us off with her intelligent writing on the inside worlds of people. A beautiful example to understand how one can, with the simplest words used, create a solid portrayal of the inside world of a human mind. This story is written in retrospect and the story shifts seamlessly between a pivotal point in the narration to which we keep coming back to and the gen...

A beautifully written short story with such lucid nuances you want to read it again just to feel it all over again despite a seemingly sad but triumphant end. This is the story of Peter Watson - an unconquerable soul

What does it mean to be lonely and what does one do about it ? What are some great works of writing about loneliness ? We talk about all this and why the protagonist in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is such a remarkable character.

Chimamanda's writing will make you feel deeply for people and causes whom you would have felt have nothing to do with you, but the narration is so so good that you are the character ! You live her feras, hopes, disappointments and the looming unknow that her future is all the while just hoping that she gets to be happy. A brilliant portrayal of the life of an immigrant from Nigeria to the Unit...

There should probably be a genre called Gilian Flynn by now. Darkplaces is an amazingly written book with 3 points of narrations, a plot far from predictable and characters so grey, you struggle whom should you be rooting for. This is a murder mystery moving to and fro between the past and the present till the last chapter and the killer reveal is just so, well, killer ! Join us as we talk about h...

We talk about books that helped us to see that life truly can be a construct of your imagination as long as you allow life to teach you what you need to learn. You will eventually get there, but be open to learn what " there " is, should be or shouldn't. A few hours of strength in solace will give you what months of " thinking " will not. Allow yourself to grow, and grow well. In the midst of doub...

We continue our 3 part episode about how certain books that Sonia and I read helped us by giving wisdom and insights about life that made it possible for us to grow better and move forward. In this one, we talk about books that built our perception on how to take life and what to do with when hit a wall. We urge our audience to share their stories about growth, and if a book has been behind it, we...

A 3 part episode where Sonia and I talk about which books helped us to come to terms with the reality of life and taught us to adapt to it. In this one, both of us talk about how a particular book in our individual lives helped us to get to the first factor you need to fix your life - perception.

Is a story driven by its plot, or by its characters ? Why is it that certain characters make us feel so strongly about them that it's hard to keep the book down ? How can writers create such characters ? Is there a certain relationship that the writer shares with the character they create ? Sonia answers this and much more.

Shanbagh Ji has written a story that takes the reader through the mind of a protagonist whose family suddenly comes out of impoverishment. We discover the unique family situation that exists inside the walls of their house and how money has made these individuals weak. A new character joins the family and challenges the status quo on matter of principle. Uncomfortable situations in the house make...

We continue our conversation as we dive deeper into the characters and what the antagonists as well as the supporting character truly represent in the story. We discuss how the parallel story lines are connected by certain scenes and how the novel comes to affect Susan so much. We close the episode by expressing gratitude to the creators of this film. Truly, a masterpiece. This movie has been insp...

Famous fashion designer Tom Ford makes one film in a decade. In Nocturnal Animals, he summons his artistic excellence to film making. Striking visuals go, excellent pacing, and amazing writing. In Part I, Sonia and Abhishek discuss the actions of every character that shape the story across genres and finally, changes their motivations.

In Part 2, Sonia and Abhishek dive deeper into Kafuku's mindset and the purpose of Misaki's character. Murakami's writing in Drive My Car juxtaposes these two characters in a way that one of them can learn from the other - the 'shifting of gears' being another sleek metaphor.

Possibly the most famous short story by Murakami, Drive My Car is a story about death and marriage. But, is it? The complexities of human nature tie in seamlessly with each other in this story and make the reader ponder upon the nature of companionship. In Part 1, Sonia analyses how the story builds up and what the protagonist's "blind spot" is supposed to signify.

Sonia and Abhishek discuss a short story by the man who revived short stories in America. The plot is this. A conversation ensues between two couples sitting around a table, drinking gin. They start talking about love. The story does the phenomenal job of exploring the theme of love without actually doing it. That, says Sonia, is brilliant writing. The story summons more characters, each one repre...

We discuss a short story by Murakami about truth & identity. Sonia unpeels the several subtle layers that Murakami beautifully woven together in this surreal tale. Abhishek asks Sonia how the various elements in this story add up and her unpacking of Murakami's writing reveals a lot. We come closer to understanding the unique genre of Magical Realism that Murakami is known for.

Sonia talks about what compels her to write. She reveals a suprising secret - something which is true for all writers. We learn what comes out when writint becomes a deeply personal experience. What do you think moves people to write and share stories? Reach out to us at writespeakmedia@gmail.com