A.J. Symon: Allow Yourself To Write Badly
In this interview, author A.J. Symon discusses writing through his own grief with his new YA novel, Golden Boy.
A.J. Symon was born and raised in the South where he was instilled with a love of football, dogs, and any food that’s been breaded and deep-fried. He got the idea for Golden Boy when what he assumed was a game of fetch with his golden retriever turned into a game of keep-away. If that dog were human, he thought, he’d be an amazing running back. Symon lives with his family in Barnesville, Georgia, where the proceeds from this book will help keep several golden retrievers in the lifestyle to which they’ve become accustomed. Follow him on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, A.J. discusses writing through his own grief with his new YA novel, Golden Boy, the differences between the film business and publishing, and more.
Name: A.J. Symon
Book title: Golden Boy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release date: August 25, 2026
Genre/category: Young Adult, Fiction, Sci-Fi
Elevator pitch: Weird Science meets Marley and Me in this heartwarming, humorous, and (literally) transformative story about a girl whose life is turned upside down when her beloved golden retriever turns into a real human boy.
What prompted you to write this book?
That’s a bit of a sad story. I was diagnosed with a seizure disorder several years ago (That’s not the sad part. I’m just fine.), and I require a service animal. Enter Chip, the smartest, most faithful, most adorable golden retriever you’ve ever met. My constant companion, best friend, confidante, and caretaker for almost 10 years. He was what people now call my “soul dog” or “heart dog.”
Chip got a very aggressive type of cancer. So aggressive that by the time symptoms showed, it was too late. He was literally diagnosed one day and gone the next. It was that sudden.
It ripped my heart out. My best friend was gone. So, I just started writing and writing. All the grief, but more than that, all the love and the joy that Chip gave me over the years came pouring out. When it was all done and I came up for air, I realized that I had written the story that I needed myself.
How long did it take to go from the idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I don’t know for sure that Golden Boy had the longest gestation period in history, but I’d be willing to bet it’s close. I got the idea probably 30 years ago when I was playing fetch with my dog. At least, I thought I was playing fetch. He was playing keep away. After about an hour of chasing him zooming all over the place, I thought to myself, if that dog were human, he’d be an incredible running back.
And the idea hit me. A dog becomes a human football hero.
I’ve been a screenwriter my whole life, so I made various attempts over the years, mostly wacky slapstick adult comedies. Golden Boy is my first novel. It’s still a comedy and has those big, silly moments, but it’s grounded in character and very sweet. There are a couple of tear-jerker scenes, too. I give a lot of credit to my editor for helping bring all of that out.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The contrast between filmmaking, where the anxiety level is ratcheted way up and people have a needed-it-yesterday mentality, and publishing, which tends to move much slower, was a bit of culture shock for me.
As a screenwriter, your job is to deliver the script that the director (and often the producer) wants. He or she makes the final decisions. With the book, I had the final say, which was empowering but also a little nerve-wracking, to be honest. Its success is all on your shoulders. I had never written a book before, much less a book for young readers, so I relied very heavily on my editor, and it was an amazing learning experience. I’m so much better prepared for the next one, which I’m working on right now.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the writing process for this book?
I wrote this when I was grieving the loss of my own golden retriever, so what was most surprising was not just that I was able to write at all but that I couldn’t stop writing. On almost every project I’ve ever done, I’ve had periods of writer’s block. If I did with Golden Boy, I can’t remember it. It just poured out of me. I blew through the first draft in four months.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Allow yourself to write badly. Even the greatest authors write awful first drafts. They just keep rewriting and rewriting and rewriting. The important thing is not to stop, or inertia takes over. Keep the momentum going even if you just write one word a day.
