Getting to know you: Gen Knowles
Where is home for you?
When I type ‘home’ into Google Maps, it directs me to the beautiful bush of Hataitai on the dark side of Mount Victoria in Wellington. But my heart still lives on the Canterbury Plains, the quaky city, and the grungy suburbs of Christchurch that raised me. Last year, I crossed the Cook Strait more times than I can count, torn between two homes.
What was the catalyst that began your writing journey?
I’ve been writing since I could string letters together, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what began my ‘writing journey.’ I think the moment it felt serious to me was when I was eight years old and printing off stories to add to my Year 4 class bookshelf. The stories were about a group of girls who rode horses and went on crazy adventures, like jumping over the Grand Canyon, and were heavily inspired by the ‘horse-girl’ books I was reading at the time such as Stacy Gregg’s Pony Club Secrets series.
What is at the heart of who you are as a writer?
I’d like to think my eight-year-old self is still at the heart of who I am as a writer. She had a passion for storytelling and wasn’t concerned what other people thought of her writing. Sometimes it can be hard to maintain that youthful innocence when it comes to writing, but I’d like to.
How long have you been involved with Headland and what is your role?
I’ve been involved with Headland since August 2024 and am a Social Media Editor! I design and upload all the posts on our Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) accounts.
What is your best tip/trick for writers (including yourself)?
I’m not sure I’m the most qualified person to be giving advice, but I think the best thing you can do is just to keep writing. Write things for yourself, write things you’d like to read, write about your life. You never know when your next best idea might strike!
What is something you wish you could read again for the first time?
I love this question. Last year I discovered Erin Morgenstern who is the creative genius behind The Night Circus and A Starless Sea. Both of these novels have beautiful stories crafted in such an incredible way I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since. I wish I could read both of them again for the first time and rediscover their magic.
What’s a piece of literature that is widely loved or critically acclaimed but you didn’t enjoy?
About half the literature I’ve read for school and uni could qualify here! I think reading something because you have to and then writing an essay about it, which at the time feels like the Most Important Thing in your life, sometimes ruins the experience of reading literature. The one that stands out is Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame. She’s considered one of the greatest Aotearoa New Zealand writers, but reading that book felt like swallowing food that’s gotten stuck in your throat.
