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at 12 or 13. I think that’s quite late for a lot of authors, at least. So, I don’t want people to worry and stress and think you have to be a reader since birth in order to write a novel. You can come to reading and writing in so many different ways and for me a lot of that came from fan fiction. I grew up on the internet and I found fan fiction at around 13.
“It did pave the way for me to find reading and develop a passion for literature. But for a long time reading just felt like such a chore. It felt like homework. Fan fiction was really transformative, because it helped to remove the conventions of traditional literature. It could be absolutely anything and that was really transformative.” Her own fan fiction writing was part of a learning experience – not only in developing the mechanics of how to write, but also in understanding why she wanted to write and discovering her own voice. “My own fan fiction gave me so many things, including a genuine confidence in my writing. Having people that were so eager to read my work that they would ask for updates. They would message and say, I’m waiting eagerly for the next chapter. Things like that, at the age of like 13 or 14, were so revolutionary. The only writing that you would ever get looked at would be for school, by your teachers. Having people that want to read your work, it genuinely reshaped my entire life because I think that it gave me the confidence to pursue traditional publishing because of that experience of having
The Carnegies are such a prestigious, historic award that I cannot help feeling absolutely bowled over. That they’ve accepted or chosen you, and specifically because the shortlist was so incredible this year.
readers who absolutely loved my work”. Being able to write in that way helped Margaret develop her voice, and so while some authors have expunged the internet of their pre-published fan-faction, Margaret says: “I was very tempted to delete it once I got my book deal. But I get a lot of very kind messages, and as somebody who grew up on it, I know the pain of returning to a loved fan fiction and finding it deleted. So I thought, no, I don’t want to do that.” Returning to the subject of her working class roots, Margaret talks about the values that have underpinned her own life and wanting to celebrate those through Finlay and Banjo, adding: “Glasgow Boys is definitely not a rags to riches story. And I definitely wanted to veer away from that notion of being working class and wanting to somehow lift yourself out of that situation. For me, I’ll never not be working class. And I mean that economically and culturally and in every other way. I’ll never not be working class. And I don’t know anyone working class who intends to ever not be working class. “It was very important to showcase that Banjo and Finlay’s joy doesn’t come from somehow detaching from that identity and ‘lifting themselves up’. It comes from who they meet within their community.” Those portrayals have garnered an audience and critical-acclaim for Glasgow Boys, including this year’s Carnegies Medal for Writing.
“The Carnegies are such a prestigious, historic award that I cannot help feeling absolutely bowled over. That they’ve
accepted or chosen you, and specifically because the shortlist was so incredible this year. It really showcased the breadth of topics that we were able to discuss in children’s literature, the breadth of and the wealth of stories that we have. It just came as a complete and utter surprise. “To be even nominated for the Carnegies, never mind being long-listed, then shortlisted was just an absolute dream come true. So to win, it has been career changing because it’s given me so many opportunities. I’ve been able to do so many more events. I’ve been invited to lots more festivals, lots more things are lined up for me in the next year. As a working class author that can absolutely mean that I’m able to write for longer, I’m able to publish more books. It’s absolutely life-changing.”
So being in a position to write more books, Margaret can look forward to what’s next, saying: “I’m very unused to people asking me what’s next. Growing up writing fan fiction, people definitely are asking ‘what’s next? I want more”, but having that for my original work is still quite novel and very special. Although, it comes with pressure – I don’t want to disappoint people.
“What I’m working on in my next book is similar to Glasgow Boys, although it’s not about the care system. It’s a sort of coming-of-age story set in Scotland, and we currently have four main characters, four perspectives, where Glasgow Boys was obviously only two. I sent it to my editor and my agent expecting them to say someone needs to be cut, but they love the characters, which is great for me. But I don’t know if I want to say any more than that because I feel as though my publisher, Faber, could put it in much better words and I think that we want to announce it next year. I’m really, really excited to do that because I’d be able to talk about my characters more.” “I’ve had this experience with Glasgow Boys and it’s been absolutely phenomenal. It has had some pressure, but the main thing that matters in my work is that I genuinely do love it and I really am attached to the characters. I do really enjoy writing and [Glasgow Boys] was something that I definitely loved, and putting something that I love out into the world is the way I want to move forward in my career.” PEN&INC
Autumn-Winter 2025 PEN&INC. 7
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