BLOG: Adventures in Writing: An evening with Authors Nussaibah Younis and Leo Vardiashvili

At the end of November, we were delighted to return to Queen Mary, University of London for an evening celebrating storytelling, creativity and life as a working author. This time, the focus was firmly on the writing journey itself, as we welcomed two remarkable writers, Leo Vardiashvili and Nussaibah Younis, to speak directly to students about their careers and their books.

Leo and Nussaibah shared their reflections on how they found their way to publication, the realities of building a writing career, and the long, often winding paths that led to Hard by a Great Forest and Fundamentally. From early drafts and false starts to agents, edits and the moment of holding a finished book, their conversation offered a refreshingly candid look at what it really means to be an author today.

Both writers spoke about where their ideas come from, how personal experience feeds into fiction, and the importance of persistence, curiosity and trust in the work. They also reflected on what it means to write stories that engage with politics, identity and belonging.

Chaired by Dr Rachael Allen, Nussaibah and Leo also welcomed thoughtful questions from the audience. It was a pleasure to see the students deeply engaged - and later, queuing to buy copies of both books! After the discussion, the conversation continued over drinks, giving guests the chance to speak with Leo and Nussaibah one-to-one.

Our thanks go to Queen Mary, University of London for hosting and partnering with us once again, to Dr Rachael Allen for chairing with such insight, and of course to Leo Vardiashvili and Nussaibah Younis for sharing their experiences so generously. We certainly left inspired, reminded of the power of stories, and the many different paths that can lead to writing them.