Meet Paul Flewitt, Successful Author

Fantasy Infused Horror Writer

On Friday I had the pleasure of a pint of Atomic Blonde beer and a chat with local author Paul Flewitt at the Blind Monkey in Walkley.

Paul Flewitt was born and raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire where he still lives with his family. He is the father of two children and keeper of several beta reading demons. Paul is a writer of horror and dark fantasy, and a former steel worker. He has contributed to several anthologies including OzHorrorCon's Book of the Tribes, his short story "Paradise Park" appears in the Thirteen vol 3 anthology. His latest novel, Architecture, was released early in 2023 Paul spends his time caring for his children and devotes much of his free time to writing his next works. He writes only for the thrill of scaring his readers in new and inventive ways.

Here is an unedited recording of our chat, with a summary below. Enjoy listening in, and I hope it gives you a sense of connection with Paul’s story.

Here is a summary of our conversation with timestamps:

Introduction (00:00 - 11:00)
Brian introduces himself and Paul Flewitt, a local author from Sheffield. They discuss Paul's background growing up in Sheffield and becoming a writer after being unable to find a job during the economic recession in 2011-2012.

Getting Into Writing and Publishing (11:00 - 22:00)
Paul talks about how he got into writing and publishing during the ebook boom. He discusses small independent publishers and building relationships with them as an author.

Paul's Writing Process (22:00 - 33:00)
They discuss Paul's writing process and how he develops ideas for stories. Paul explains how he writes longhand as a "Luddite" and treats writing like a day job with set hours.

Paul's Books and Genres (33:00 - 44:00)
Paul talks about the genres he writes in - fantasy infused horror similar to Clive Barker's style. He discusses some of his published and upcoming books.

AI's Impact on Writing (44:00 - 57:00)
Brian asks about artificial intelligence and its impact on writers. Paul expresses concerns about AI generated content lacking soul and plagiarizing human writers. They discuss capitalism and profit motives driving AI adoption.

Imagining an AI-Enabled Future (57:00 - 1:10:00)
The discussion continues around AI, human creativity, the role of corporations and governments in setting AI's purpose. Brian suggests AI could create opportunities for human creativity if implemented ethically.

Challenges for Writers and Society (1:10:00 - 1:24:40)
Paul and Brian further discuss challenges for writers in making a living, control of media narratives and the erosion of public systems. Brian reflects on constructed narratives and stories people believe.

Stories, Narratives and Constructed Realities (1:24:40 - end)
They conclude by coming back to AI and it's potential if guided positively, though powerful entities currently have motives to use it exploitatively. Brian advocates for redirecting AI to liberate human creativity.

I hope you enjoyed the insight into a passionate and successful local author, and please let me know of any interesting and inspiring characters you think our friends would enjoy hearing in conversation.