Ever since I was a child, I have wanted to be a writer. I would keep stacks of notebooks full of my stories and ideas, hoping that one day they would be published. But becoming a published author always seemed like a dream for the future – something unachievable until I was at least middle-aged. And yet, there are writers who defy this stereotype; some being published while they are still in their teens. They prove that age should not limit you from achieving your goals, and success can happen at any time in your life.
Rebecca F. Kuang
Kuang released her debut novel The Poppy War at 22, swiftly followed by two more novels (The Dragon Republic and The Burning God) to complete The Poppy War trilogy. Her two most recent books, Babel and Yellowface, were released in 2021, when Kuang was 25. Since then, all of her novels have enjoyed immense popularity, winning multiple awards such as the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction and topping bestseller lists. As well as being a talented and celebrated author, she has completed masters degrees at both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. At only 28 years old and with an already extremely popular literary legacy behind her, I cannot wait to see what Kuang does next.
Alice Oseman
While at the University of Durham, Oseman secured a publishing deal for her first novel Solitaire, which ended up going to a bidding war at one of the “big five” publishing houses – HarperCollins. After having her first book published while she was still a teenager, Oseman went on to write more novels, including Radio Silence and Loveless, as well as publishing a web-comic Heartstopper. Her success only continued from there, with Heartstopper being made into a smash-hit Netflix series in 2022. Being a young writer, Oseman has discussed how their university experience influenced and inspired their writing. Her novel Loveless is set at the University of Durham, drawing on Oseman’s own experiences there, as well as their experience of discovering their asexuality.
Mattie Stepanek
Stepanek became a published poet at a young age, before he passed away from a rare medical condition at only 13. Throughout his life, he wrote six volumes of poetry entitled Heartsongs, with the central message of peace and love. His poetry is simplistic yet philosophical, and his writing shows a level of striking wisdom and maturity. Stepanek’s legacy continues to live on not only in the charitable foundation established in his name, but also through his volumes of poetry, which continue to inspire readers today.
Chloe Gong
In 2020, Gong published the first book in her series These Violent Delights, while she was just 22. She has gone on to release two more series, with a third expected in 2025. With more than 10 novels, novellas, and short stories to her name, Gong has been extremely successful in a very short period of time. As a young author, Gong is part of the revolution of author-reader interactions through social media. At 25 years old, Gong has an active social media presence, engaging with readers of her work in a way that was previously impossible 15 years ago. She is an example of the changing landscape of the literary world, which is arguably driven by young writers.
“Rf kuang 2023 6” by The British Library is licensed under CC BY 3.0.