Matt Haig is a British author for children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children's book, A Boy Called Christmas, was a runaway hit in his own country and has been translated in over 25 languages. His latest novel, The Midnight Library, will be released in the United States on September 29, 2020.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Matt not only about this forthcoming release but also about his path to becoming a published author. Most authors will tell you that getting published isn’t an easy thing to do and Matt would certainly concur. However, he also was able to accomplish something extraordinary— publish work across multiple genres including non-fiction, adult fiction, and children’s fiction. If nothing else, the publishing industry loves to put authors into nice and neat boxes, but Matt Haig cannot be placed in a box—and readers should celebrate that.
Our conversation takes some interesting twists and turns as we discuss mental health and how fiction writing is cathartic, especially to writers who have experienced anxiety and depression. We also dig into how overcoming obstacles can bring about the confidence to do things one never thought possible. I love the words of advice Matt ends on in our conversation which center around the importance of acceptance and appreciating oneself and to not pretend to be anyone else while writing.
Happy listening!
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