Matt Haig on ‘The Midnight Library,’ Mental Illness and Winnie-the-Pooh

Social media inspired the multiverse concept

The idea emerged from the feeling that social media creates a sense of 'life elsewhere' and constant comparison, combined with personal regrets about time passing and paths not taken.

Pre-pandemic origins despite COVID timing

Though often categorized as a COVID novel due to its 2020 publication, the book was written before the pandemic and stemmed from existential worries about living one's best life rather than pandemic isolation.

Literary and philosophical influences

Haig drew inspiration from Sylvia Plath's fig tree metaphor and Jorge Luis Borges' library concepts, originally titling the work "The Library of Lost Lives" before finding the final title.

Fictionalizing mental health themes

After writing the memoir "Reasons to Stay Alive," Haig wanted to explore mental illness through fiction to gain creative freedom beyond the constraints of writing about real people and his own parents.

Memoir began as accidental blog post

"Reasons to Stay Alive" started as a semi-viral blog post for Book Trust, written in 2014 when Haig was happily recovered and looking back at his suicidal crisis at age 24.

Making invisible illness visible

The book aimed to describe the physical, crushing weight of depression through metaphors and similes to help family members understand what cannot be seen like a physical injury or wheelchair.

Raw writing without therapy or diagnosis

Written before receiving therapy or his autism and ADHD diagnoses, the memoir was a raw, clumsy 'message in a bottle' back through time to his younger self.

Childhood books as sanctuary

During his breakdown, Haig moved home and reread childhood books like Winnie the Pooh and The Outsiders because they were calming and less visually stimulating than television or magazines.

Concentration strength training

These familiar books served as 'strength training for the mind,' helping rebuild his attention span by meeting him where he was emotionally without demanding too much.

First novel from a dog's perspective

His debut novel "The Last Family in England" (published as "The Labrador Pact" in the US) was written from a dog's perspective as a retelling of Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 1 during his agoraphobic period.

Evolution from dystopian AI story

"The Midnight Train" began as a completely different dystopian AI novel titled "The Memory Thief" before organically transforming into a story about an 81-year-old man reliving moments via a magical train.

Science of life flashing before eyes

The concept emerged from researching the neurological phenomenon of one's life flashing before their eyes at the moment of death.

Acceptance versus action

While "The Midnight Library" teaches acceptance of one's current life, "The Midnight Train" argues for using the perspective of your last day to actively change your present course.

A gentle argument with its predecessor

The new book represents a 'falling out' with the previous novel's philosophy, asking at what point you would step off the train to change things rather than simply accepting your fate.