Rachel Knightley talks to award winning author Anthony McGowan

Anthony McGowan books have won several major awards, and been shortlisted for many more. He has also written highly regarded adult fiction, as well as books for younger readers. He has a PhD on the history of beauty, and has taught philosophy and creative writing. He lives in London with his wife and two children.   Dr Rachel Knightley met Anthony McGowan, one of the most widely acclaimed young-adult authors in the UK, by forgetting she didn’t know him already through an event around his semi-fictionalised memoir, The Art of Failing, where he appears alongside Monty, muse/canine co-author of How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog, a series of conversational walks between Tony and Monty. Tony and Rachel discuss writing inspiration and exercise for writers, and how the stages of Tony’s career have required different routines and provided potential for the curiosity that fuels creativity.   Find out more about Tony:   Tony’s website https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115523/http://anthonymcgowan.com/anewsite/   Tony’s Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_McGowan   Authors Aloud: Speaker visits https://authorsalouduk.co.uk/speaker/anthony-mcgowan/     Carnegie-winning novella: Lark https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/blog/lark-a-carnegie-winning-novel-by-anthony-mcgowan-6274   Hellbent https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/324997/hellbent-by-anthony-mcgowan/9780099482130     Join the Writers’ Gym for more writing and creative confidence workouts at www.writersgym.com or sign up to our mailing list at drrachelknightley.substack.com   Get in touch with us at [email protected]         “I don't think there's any art of fiction, piece of fiction that doesn't involve a strong truth quotient. We always use our experiences, the stuff around us.” Anthony McGowan   Writers’ Gym Workout:   Pick an event or conversation you’ve experienced (let it pick you: go with the thought that arrives).   Warm-up: Let yourself write freely. Let the characters speak, think, feel. Mix reality with fiction, or just let your memories out. There are no rules except Writers’ Gym mantra ‘Think On The Page.   Read it to yourself as if you’re seeing it for the first time.   What is the story trying to ask?   What do you want to expand on, or change, to liberate the story?