Chris Barkley is a writer, novelist, and educator. In this episode, we discuss the purpose and power of fiction, how the lessons gleaned from novels—like a Shakespeare play—aren’t instantaneous but require time and space to sink in, minimalist vs. maximalist styles, and how to write your first novel.

We also discuss and debate if John Ruskin had a pretentious worldview, whether George Orwell’s writing advice was wrong, why Brazilian jus-jitsu is more similar to writing than you think, and what is the superior art form: writing, painting, and photography.

All that and so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and give the show a five-star rating. This will allow me to bring you more episodes like this. 

The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley, coming in June 2025.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE: 

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-man-on-the-endless-stair/chris-barkley//9781846976896 

https://birlinn.co.uk/product/the-man-on-the-endless-stair/ 

Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tufferbarkley/profilecard/?igsh=YTFqODQ1NzdjdXNl

Find me on Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/joe.reilly/?hl=en⁠ 

Watch the episode on YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/@JoeReillyPodcast⁠ 

0:00 - Why Bother Reading Fiction?

3:00 - Does a book’s length indicate value?

6:10 - Lessons from Fiction

14:00 - How To Become a Writer 

16:30 - Brizillian jus-jitsu Is Like Writing

21:10 - The Role Of Editing 

23:20 - Importance of Silence & Solitude 

28:30 - The Need To Create   

29:20 - Extinct vs. Intrinsic 

31:09 - Tolkien & CS. Lewis 

38:00 - Writers Block Is A Myth 

39:40 - Writing vs. Painting? 

46:50 - John Ruskin vs. George Orwell

49:25 - Importance of  Writing Set Up

51:40 - You Need An Online Following

55:30 - The Man on the Endless Stair