In the early 1990s, Cowley began publishing reviews, literary essays and articles in British newspapers and magazines before, including writing for "The Bookseller" from 1992 to 1995. In 1996, he became a staff writer for "The Times", during which period he was a judge of the Booker Prize for fiction. In the summer of 1998, he became literary editor of the "New Statesman"; later he was a contributing editor of the magazine. In 2001 and 2002 he served as a judge for the Caine Prize, of which he is a council member.