“The power of the written word.” : Interview with Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Award winning author Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence, best known for his verse novels The 392, Your Show, and Wild East, shared insights into his journey as a writer, his creative process, and his ambition to inspire more young people, during the conduction of an interview and whole school assembly.

Who really is Ashley Hickson-Lovence?

Ashley worked as an English teacher and later began a PhD at the University of East Anglia in 2019, he currently resides in East Anglia, Norwich and describes it as an inspiring place with “a real appetite for literature”, furthermore he suggests how the location clearly played an important role in shaping his career.

Why did he start writing?

Ashley began using writing as a way to process personal experiences and make sense of difficult events in his life. He explained that his first projects acted as a “coping mechanism”, I believe this demonstrates the powerful relationship between writing and self-expression, whilst proving how thought provoking and emotive words on a page can be.

As an authorial thought: his passion for literature was unmistakable during his interview. As summarised in the assembly, one piece of advice that stood out was his mantro: “Just make it exist first, you can make it good later.” Ashley stated “ You cannot edit a blank page.” This philosophy helped him throughout his career, including during the creation of The 392, his first accepted novel after six rejections. Since then, the book has been adapted into a stage play, which clearly summarises the value of perseverance when pursuing creative goals.

Wild East – 2024

His 2024 novel Wild East, which won the East Anglia Book Award, follows Ronney, a young aspiring poet and musician, Ashley’s ‘Wild East’ was inspired by the tragic loss of a close friend. Wild East, like many of Hickson-Lovence’s works are written as verse novels, combining storytelling with the emotional impact of poetry.

What does the future of Ashley hope to bring?

When asked about future ambitions, Dr Hickson-Lovence revealed that he hopes to publish ten books by 2029. His upcoming novel, due for release in February, continues his focus on young adult readers. A recurring theme in his work is encouraging boys to read, a topic he feels strongly about from wishing he had discovered a love for reading earlier.

Away from writing, Hickson-Lovence is an experienced football referee and has completed six marathons.

A Fun Fact:

His secret to putting “pen to paper and finding his way back.”: Ashley loves salt and vinegar crisps, but aside to crisps he claims to not be a “foodie” simply regarding food as a necessity.

Speaking with Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence was both inspiring and thought-provoking. His journey from teacher to award-winning author highlights the power of determination, creativity, and self-belief. Most importantly, his message was clear: writing has the power to help us understand ourselves and the world around us. As he reminded us during his lecture, “When life’s off track, put pen to paper and find your way back.”