Creative and non-fiction writing: student success stories

Learn more about the fantastic accomplishments of City Lit's writing students

City Lit's writing students frequently go on to further study or publication. Below, you can read a selection of our students' many and varied accomplishments.

If you have a success story of your own, we'd love to hear from you! Let us know more at writing@citylit.ac.uk

Yvonne Hampshire's poem "Old Lists" has been published in the Poetry Corner of the Barnet Borough Times. Yvonne studied poetry writing.

Rose Diell's debut novel Fledging is out now from Renard Press. Rose studied fiction writing. 

Laura Besley's short story "Oh, So Brightly" has been shortlisted for the 2024 Scratch Books Short Story prize. Laura studied fiction writing.

Nilesha Chauvet's debut novel The Revenge of Rita Marsh is out now from Faber. Nilesha studied fiction writing. 

Shani Akilah's debut short story collection For Such a Time as This is out now from Oneworld. Shani studied fiction writing. 

Catherine Leung's translation of "Snow" by Guka Han has been published in Asymptote Journal. Catherine studied fiction writing and children's writing.

Mariss Ijaz's poetry and prose collection The Broken Few is now available from Cherish Editions. Mariss studied creative non-fiction.

Carsten ten Brink has had two short stories published - "Albert's Day Off" in the coalition and "The Red Wheelbarrow" in The Write Launch. Carsten studied fiction writing.

JP Seabright is one of the co-authors of the poetry pamphlet MotherFlux, available now from Nine Pens. JP studied poetry writing. 

Hongwei Bao's poetry collection The Passion of the Rabbit God is available now from Valley Press. Hongwei studied poetry and fiction writing.

 Samuel Burr's debut novel The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is out now from Orion and is Sunday Times Bestseller. Samuel studied fiction writing.  

Laura Laker's book Potholes and Pavements: A Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network is available now from Bloomsbury. Laura studied creative non-fiction.

Chau-Jean Lin's article "Taking the Brightline to Disney: Why I switched road for rail to travel from Miami to Orlando" has been published in the Independent. Chau-Jean studied journalism. 

Madelyn Postman's story "Data Double" has been featured on the Failing Writers Podcast, and her stories "His Bones" & "Things My Dad Told Me" have been longlisted in the Flash 500 Short Story Competition. Madelyn studied fiction writing.

Anna Mindel Crawford's poem "Limbo" has been named Ink Sweat & Tears' Pick of the Month for April 2024. Anna studied poetry writing.

Anna Mindel Crawford's poetry is featured in Issue Ten of Propel Magazine, edited by Inua Ellams. Anna studied poetry writing. 

Galia Admoni and Wendy Allen's poetry collection I get lost everywhere, you know this now is available now from Salò Press. Galia and Wendy studied poetry writing.  

Hercules: the Diary of a (Sort of) Hero by Tom Vaughan has been named Waterstones Kids' Book of the Month. Tom studied children's writing.

"Instructions for Shooting", a prose piece by JP Seabright, has been published in 3:AM Magazine. JP studied poetry writing. 

What Would Jarvis Do?, a play by Laura Grillo, has been staged at the Omnibus Theatre Clapham. Laura studied playwriting. 

"Romany Queen", by Malorie Blackman Scholar Dee Cooper, is featured on the 7 March edition of BBC Upload.

Emily Hay's essay "Invisibility" has been published in Riggwelter, an online arts magazine. Read her essay here. Emily studied creative non-fiction.

Michael Crossland's book Vision Impairment: Science, art and lived experience is available now from UCL Press. Michael studied creative non-fiction. 

Emma Anderson's play The Lesson is running at Theatre503 in January and February, directed by Tian Brown-Sampson. Emma studied playwriting. 

Anna Mindel Crawford has won first prize for poetry at the 2023 Clevedon Literary Festival with her poem "Sand Banks". Anna studied poetry writing.

Antoinette Brooks' writing has been Highly Commended in Faber's 2023 FAB Prize. Antoinette studied children's writing. 

Mira and Dev, the debut novel by Mala Dasgupta, is available now from Troubadour. Mala studied creative non-fiction.  

Nicola Kent's picture book Giraffe and a Half is out now from Andersen Press. Nicola studied children's writing. 

Kate Rolfe's picture book Wolf and Bear is out now from Two Hoots. Kate studied children's writing. 

Chau-Jean Lin's piece "This astronomer is chasing his 21st solar eclipse in 2024 (and bringing some lucky Intrepid travellers with him)" has been published in Intrepid Travel. Chau-Jean studied journalism. 

Pat Holden's debut novel Paradise and Pink Plastic Shoes is now available from Troubador Publishing. Pat studied fiction writing.

Em Gray's poem "Symbiosis" has been highly commended in the 2024 Forward Prizes and published in The Forward Book of Poetry 2024. Em studied poetry writing. 

Monica Clarke's biography Hottentot Venus – The Story of Saartjie Baartman is available now from Austin Macauley. Monica studied fiction writing and creative non-fiction writing.

Penny Walker has been longlisted for the Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize, and has won joint first place in the Urban Tree Festival writing competition with her story "4Ever". Penny studied creative writing. 

Jan Dunning's debut novel Mirror Me is out now from Scholastic. Jan studied children's writing. 

Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog, written by Terrie Chilvers with illustrations by Tim Budgen, is out now from Firefly Press. Terrie studied children's writing. 

Antoinette Brooks has won the 2022/23 Jericho Prize for Best Picture Book Script, meaning that her picture book story will be published by Scholastic. Antoinette studied creative writing. 

Susan Carberry's poem "Manifestation" has been published in The MockingOwl Roost's special 2023 poetry special issue. Read the issue online here. Susan studied poetry writing. 

Wendy Allen's acclaimed debut poetry pamphlet Plastic Tubed Little Bird is out now from Broken Sleep Books. Wendy studied poetry writing.

Olly Brown, God of Hamsters, the new picture book by Bethany Walker, with illustrations by Jack Noel, is out now from Scholastic. Bethany studied children's writing. 

Ajay and the Jaipur Moon, by Varsha Shah with illustrations by Sonia Albert, is out now from Chicken House. Varsha studied children's writing.

Sian Meades-Williams was a finalist in the 2022 Exeter Novel Prize with her manuscript Belville. Sian studied fiction writing.

Em Gray has won second prize in Mslexia's 2023 poetry competition with "Symbiosis", which has been published in Issue #97 of Mslexia Magazine. Em studied poetry writing. 

Nora Blascsok's poetry is featured in Issue 7 of Finished Creatures magazine. Nora studied poetry writing.

Michael Mann's new novel Nightspark is out now from Hachette Kids. Michael studied fiction writing.

Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu by Maisie Chan has been shortlisted for the Juniper Book Awards. Maisie studied children's writing.

Lucy Falkner has won the Books That Help and
Little Tiger Press mentorship for her rhyming book Dung Beetle Doug. Lucy studied children's writing.

Peter Bunzl's book Dragonracers is out now from Barrington Stoke, with illustrations by Lia Visirin. Peter studied creative writing at City Lit.

Isabella's Voyage, the debut novel by Jemimah Wright, is out now from Instant Apostle. Jemimah studied on our fiction writing courses.

Malorie Blackman Scholar Saraswathi Sukumar has written a radio play, Slices of Soundless Scream, as part of Documental Theatre's Ties That Bind, "a collection of new audio plays interrogating our relationship to Devon."

DRUM, the new play by award-nominated writer Jacob Roberts-Mensah, is running at the Omnibus Theatre as part of its 2022 autumn season, directed by Sarah Amankwah. Jacob studied writing for stage and screen.

Marie-Claire Amuah's debut novel One For Sorrow, Two For Joy is out now from Oneworld Books. Marie-Claire studied creative writing.

Best-selling author Anna Hope's latest novel The White Rock is out now from Fig Tree. Anna studied fiction writing. 

Catharine Johnson has been shortlisted for the 2022 Guppy YA Open Submission Competition. Catharine studied children's writing.

Victoria Selman's thriller, Truly, Darkly, Deeply, published by Quercus, has become a Sunday Times Bestseller. Victoria studied creative writing at City Lit.

M.L. Grieve has won the Urban Tree Festival poetry prize with her poem "Mama has hair of silver green leaves", and has become writer-in-residence for the festival.

Hannah Moffatt's book Small! is out now from Everything With Words. 

Lucy Noguera's picture book Herman Needs a Home is out now from Brilliant Monsters Books, with illustrations by Emma Latham.

Varsha Shah's debut children's novel Ajay and the Mumbai Sun is out now from Chicken House.

Samuel Burr’s “gloriously uplifting, nostalgic and wonderfully puzzling” debut novel The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers has been purchased by Orion Fiction in a six-figure deal. Read our Q&A with Samuel >

Jacob Roberts-Mensah's work-in-progress play DRUM is being performed at the Camden People's Theatre in March, directed by Sarah Amankwah.

Bethany Walker's new picture book How to Steal the Mona Lisa, with illustrations by Jack Noel, is out now from Scholastic. 

The Mysterious Dog on the Doorstep, by Fiona Ingham, is out now with illustrations by Katja Heller.

Paula Aamli's prose poem "The First Time I Crossed the Line from Earth to Sky" has been published in issue 12 of the Lindenwood Review.

Poetry student Wendy Allen received an Outstanding Learner award at the 2022 City Lit Awards. Learn more >

Acclaimed novelist Anna Burns has been announced as one of City Lit's latest Fellows. Her novel Milkman won the Man Booker Prize 2018, the 2019 Orwell Prize for political fiction and the International Dublin Literary Award in 2020, and was shortlisted for both the Women’s Prize and the Rathbones Folio Prize.

Klaudia Mitura's article on spring cleaning your habits to increase happiness has been published in Issue 59 of Happiful Magazine.

The acclaimed, five-star production of Andrea Levy's prize-winning novel, Small Island, has returned for another run at the National Theatre.

Kiare Ladner's novel Night Shift is out now in paperback from Picador. Kiare studied fiction writing.

Paula Aamli's poem "Consider the Foxglove" is featured in Issue 7 of The Tiger Moth Review.

Poet Rishi Dastidar appeared on an episode of The Creative Penn podcast with Joanna Penn, discussing the craft and business of poetry.

Author Michael Mann will be one of the judges of this year's Hachette Children’s Award, part of the Northern Writers' Awards.

Abigay's Farm, by Odette Eliott, is now available from SilverWood Books. Odette studied children's writing at City Lit.

Isabelle Kassam and Gemma Lawrence have both been longlisted for the 2021Women's Prize for Playwriting, for The Rescue and REWILD respectively. They studied playwriting at City Lit.

Angela Zaher's story "Love, Loss and Recipes" has been published in the first issue of the other side of hope, a new literary magazine featuring refugee and immigrant writing. Angela studied creative writing at City Lit.

Lucy Bell's short story Sun Trap has been published on Funny Pearls.

Ghostcloud, by Michael Mann, is out now from Hachette Kids. "A riveting, magical adventure set deep underneath a richly reimagined London." Michael studied fiction writing at City Lit.

Endgame, the final book in the groundbreaking Noughts and Crosses series by City Lit Fellow Malorie Blackman, is out now from Penguin. 

Her Little Secret, a gripping new psychological thriller from former City Lit writing student Julia Stone, is out now from Orion Dash. Julia studied fiction writing and screenwriting at City Lit.

Pieter Dewulf has won the 2021 Evening Standard / Netflix Stories Competition in the adult category with his story "Jam Jar". Read his winning story here. Pieter studied fiction writing at City Lit.

Ten Steps To Us, the debut YA novel by Attiya Khan, is out now from Hashtag Press. Attiya studied fiction writing and children's writing at City Lit. 

Susan Wilson's poem "A Poetic Sentence" was published in the webzine Runcible Spoon. Susan studies poetry writing at City Lit.

Siya Turabi's debut historical fiction novel The Last Beekeeper is out now from One More Chapter, HarperCollins. Siya studied creative writing at City Lit.

Bin Boy, the debut children's book by Tom Vaughan, is out now from Scholastic, with illustrations by Emma McCann. Tom studied children's writing at City Lit.

Sunnymead Court by Gemma Lawrence will open at the Arcola Theatre in July, directed by James Hillier, as part of Arcola's Today I'm Wiser festival of outdoor art and performance. Sunnymead Court has been nominated for four Offie Awards and named as a 2020 hit show of the year by The Stage. Gemma studied playwriting at City Lit.

Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths, by Maisie Chan with illustrations by Anh Cao, is out now from Piccadilly Press. "Both heartwarming and hilarious, filled with characters you'll instantly love" -- Jamie Smart. Maisie studied children's writing. 

Michelle Magorian's beloved classic Goodnight Mister Tom celebrates its 40th anniversary this month with a brand-new edition from Penguin Books. “[My City Lit class offered] invaluable advice which at that time I would not have received anywhere else … Thanks to City Lit, I found an agent, the book has been published in many languages and was adapted for television.”

Angela Vincent used the skills covered in her journalism course with Susan Grossman to successfully write and submit a pitch for the Metro. Her article "Covid-19 gave me the courage to quit my job as a palliative care nurse" was published on 3 May.

Susan Wilson has had two poems - "A Weight Off Her Mind" and "Holidays in Ireland" - published on Lucy Writers' Platform. Susan studies poetry writing at City Lit with Ella Frears.

Esther Freud's new novel I Couldn't Love You More is out now from Bloomsbury. Esther studied fiction writing at City Lit. 

Marie-Claire Amuah's debut novel Diary of a Magpie has been acquired by Oneworld. "Set against the backdrop of both Ghana and London, and with a voice that sings off the page, this is a wonderfully immersive novel for readers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Helen Oyeyemi." Marie-Claire studied creative writing with Natasha Bell.

Jo Willett's biography The Pioneering Life of Mary Wortley Montagu is out now from Pen & Sword. "Brilliantly written biography of a fearless woman who changed the course of history" - Anne Sebba. Jo studied non-fiction with Robert Fraser.

PR Walker has won 2nd place in the Limerick Writers' Centre's 2021 Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition for his poem "The Grammar of the World is losing its Syntax". He has also been commended and long-listed in the 2021 Cheltenham Poetry Festival Transformations competition. PR Walker studied writing poetry with Helen Cox.

Angela Zaher has published her first article, "How Lockdown Changed My Relationship with Cooking", for Marmalade + Kindness. "Doing the City Lit course on Ways into Creative Writing not only helped me get through lockdown but it also gave me the confidence boost to take a new direction my life ... I am thrilled to have been published for the first time and I have more articles coming into print shortly." Angela studied creative writing with Grant Corr. 

Isabel Costello's second novel Scent is out now from Muswell Press. "It is very, very good - an intense and unflinching expose of desire and its legacy." - Elizabeth Buchan

Peter Bunzl's latest children's novel, Featherlight, is out now from Barrington Stoke. "A beautiful weaving of myth, magic and history, an absolute joy to read" -- Sophie Anderson

Malorie Blackman is to receive the YA Book Prize Special Achievement Award "to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first novel in her seminal YA series, Noughts & Crosses. "During her 30-year career as an author, Malorie has inspired generations of young readers, not only through her own writing, but also during her time as Children’s Laureate, which saw the founding of the UK’s first Young Adult Literature Convention." Learn more >

Rosemary J Brown's non-fiction book Following Nellie Bly: Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World is out now from Pen & Sword Books. Rosemary studied non-fiction writing with Wes Brown, Julie Garton and Sophie McKenzie. Rosemary commented, "All the teachers are fabulous, but I am particularly grateful to Wes Brown whose creative non-fiction courses were superb. I have been coming to City Lit throughout the years and have benefitted greatly from your offerings – and still do."

Attiya Khan's debut novel is being published later this year. Attiya has participated in a Q&A with City Lit about her writing journey so far. Read more >

Carmen Morris-Coulson is now represented by Davinia Andrew-Lynch of Andlyn Literary Agency. Carmen studied children's writing with Penny Joelson. Read our Q&A with Carmen about her journey as a writer >

Kathryn Southworth's poetry collection A Pure Bead, with images by Charles Perrett, has been published by Paekakariki Press. Kathryn studies poetry with Caroline Natzler and Sarah Wardle.

Susan Wilson has had her poetry published on Lucy Writers' Platform, along with a piece entitled How I Write: on poetry, grief, and inspiration in which she recounts her creative journey thus far. Read her poetry here. Susan studies poetry writing at City Lit with Ella Frears.

Sumayya Usmani has won the 2021 Next Chapter Award from Scottish Book Trust. The award will support her work on a food memoir about her life growing up by the sea and in Pakistan, around food and women. She commented, "Winning has not only given me confidence in my writing but also reinforced my belief that it’s never too late to follow your dreams." Sumayya studied food writing at City Lit. 

Judith Bryan's prize-winning novel Bernard and the Cloth Monkey has been re-issued by Penguin with a new introduction by Bernardine Evaristo.

Georgia Kaufmann's "sensuous, sweeping and utterly engrossing" debut historical novel The Dressmaker of Paris has been published by Hodder Books. Georgia studied fiction writing with Christina Dunhill. 

Anthony Middleton's short story "Scars" has won the Telegraph Short Story Competition. Anthony studied children's writing with Andrew Weale and credited his course with inspiring him to start writing again. 

Tessa Sheridan's story "The Person Who Serves, Serves Again" has won the 2020 Costa Sort Story Award. Download and read her story here. Tessa studied fiction writing with Maria Thomas and Wendy Brandmark.

Lara Thompson's debut novel One Night, New York s out now from Virago. Lara studied Developing your creative writing with Christina Dunhill. 

Bethany Walker's children's book Chocolate Milk, X-Ray Specs and Me, with illustrations by Jack Noel, has been published by Scholastic. Bethany studied children's writing with Lou Kuenzler.