and loving every minute

‘No, I don’t write songs. My brain just doesn’t work like that. I’m a prose person.’

There was no doubt in my voice, because there was no doubt in my mind. The person who’d asked – my cousin Naomi, a musician – believed me. I believed me too.

I was a prose writer. My first collection had just come out as we were having this conversation. Since I’d given up directing and acting to finish my PhD in creative writing I’d been much, much happier in full charge of my fictional worlds.

Anyway, I ‘didn’t really’ sing. Except ‘just for fun’. So writing songs didn’t make any sense or having any baring on reality that I could see at all.

About three days after that conversation with Naomi I texted something along the lines of ‘Errr… I think I’ve written a song.’ 

It was another four years until I had another conversation with a friend that became a conversation with another friend and then another conversation with Naomi that resulted in what happened this week: recording my first EP.

Certainty means something. But not necessarily anything to do with being right.

If I told you how many professional authors, journalists, editors don’t think they’re a proper writer, or don’t want to come and talk to me on The Writers’ Gym Podcast ‘yet’ because all the books, articles etc they’ve already created don’t count, only the one they struggling with now or haven’t written yet counts so they can’t possibly come on a podcast and talk to other writers… it would be a number large enough to make you wonder why I didn’t notice myself making the same mistake: choosing imposter syndrome over having a perfectly good time.

I still ‘don’t really’ sing or play an instrument. But I’m getting better at both. I’m a lot better at both than the one person it matters to be better than: previous me. 

And I understand ‘really’ a musician and ‘not really’ a musician are neither a) binary or b) existent. Just like being ‘not really a writer’ is less a meaningful label and more a statement on self-esteem.

Once I spotted my limiting belief, I spotted my opportunity to have more fun.

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Thoughtful punk and spooky rock, haunting voices and equally haunting stories. First EP Autumn 2026.

InkCouragement is the newsletter of Rachel Knightley Coaching and The Writers’ Gym podcast and membership. Join an event here.