Writer's Routine Claire McGowan, author of 'The Other Couple' - Million-Copy Bestseller discusses what's changed in 5 years, spreading the net wide, and challening yourself to make things better
Sep 3, 2026
Claire McGowan is a million-copy bestselling crime author, creator of the Paula Maguire series and founder of the UK’s first MA in Crime Writing. She discusses how her writing life has changed, balancing thrillers with dystopian fiction, screenwriting and audiobooks, and why intriguing ideas lead her off-contract. Plus, the holiday observation and structural experiments behind The Other Couple.
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Protect Your Manuscript With Multiple Backups
- Back up writing through multiple independent systems rather than trusting one application or service.
- Claire McGowan uses OneDrive, Dropbox, and occasional email copies after Word lost work over Christmas.
Publishing Success Still Leaves Room For Failure
- Publishing taught Claire McGowan that publication does not guarantee marketing, bookstore placement, or commercial success.
- She now protects room to experiment, recognizing creativity is finite and some projects may fail or never sell.
Off-Contract Writing Preserves Creative Freedom
- Uncontracted projects preserve creative freedom because even a short pitch can alter how Claire McGowan writes.
- She often follows ideas that keep her awake, then tells her agent only after completing the manuscript.
