Hi, I’m Sophie!

Writing Coach, Bestselling Novelist +
Lifelong Apprentice to the Power of Creativity.

More and more of us are realising how deeply writing can help us.

Writing restores us to ourselves — to the parts we’ve forgotten, neglected, abandoned, or disowned.

In a world that so often tells us who we can and can’t be, our creative practice becomes an act of resistance—a way to bring light to the dark, to give shape and meaning to what feels messy or beyond our control.

I discovered this truth early in my life.

sophie nicholls writing can help us deeply

Writing has always been my way of processing difficult experiences.

My younger sister spent much of her early life in and out of hospital and, as a four-year-old, I didn’t fully understand what was happening. I made tiny books and filled them with writing and drawing. Looking back, I think this was my way of processing my feelings and creating alternate worlds into which I could escape.

Here’s me, aged seven, winning my first writing competition for a poem entitled ‘Why I Like Being a Brownie.’ The prize was publisher Hodder and Stoughton’s entire children’s list and my Dad had to build extra bookshelves in my bedroom to fit all the books into our house.

Back then, writing was all I wanted to do. I knew I was going to be a writer. It was that simple.

Life, of course, had other plans. It wasn’t until I was 39 and pregnant with my daughter that I finally wrote and published my first novel, The Dress, which became a bestseller, hit the Kindle Top 5 and has now been translated into many different languages. I followed this with a collection of poems, Refugee.

When my daughter was born, I thought I’d never write—or sleep—again. I was caring for a newborn and a seriously ill partner over several difficult years.

Yet it was writing and creativity that carried me through those challenges. Since then, I’ve written several more books, including Miss Mary’s Book of Dreams.

sophie nicholls writing was all i wanted to do

Many creative writing workshops focus on developing the craft of writing.

BUT FOR ME, WRITING PROCESS AND WRITING CRAFT ARE INTIMATELY INTERTWINED.

In some of my workshops, I won't ask you to share your writing. Instead, you'll be safely held as you immerse yourself in the process—not the outcome—and as I guide you to connect with your inner teacher.

sophie nicholls creative writing workshops

Writers often talk about our inner critic—that gremlin that sits on our shoulder, whispering doubts in our ear.

But we rarely talk about the inner teacher, the quiet, steady resource within each of us that knows what we need and gently guides us toward it.

That voice is easily drowned out by all the noise of our busy lives, and perhaps some of the stories that we've told ourselves about our creativity and our writing.

In my workshops and courses, I can help you to reconnect with and nurture that deep inner knowing through creative writing invitations and processes that are carefully designed to nourish you.

Why you can trust me to support you

I’ve spent over 25 years teaching Creative Writing, helping thousands of people all over the world to develop their craft and use writing as a powerful tool for wellbeing.
As the author of three bestselling novels—read by hundreds of thousands of readers—I understand both the creative and emotional journeys of writing.
I hold a First-Class degree in English Language from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Sussex, where I was the first doctoral student to research the connections between writing and wellbeing under the guidance of the pioneering Celia Hunt.
My contributions to learning and teaching have been recognised with the award of Principal Fellow of Advance HE, the international professional body for Higher Education excellence.
Drawing on my background in psychodynamic and mind-body therapies, my research explores how writing and creative practices can help us to think, learn, connect, and grow—personally and collectively.
I’m also a certified Mind-Body Coach and clinical hypnotherapist, with additional training in somatics, yoga nidra, mindfulness, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and psychodynamic approaches. This holistic foundation allows me to support your creative and emotional wellbeing on every level.

When I’m not supporting people as a creative writing coach, I'm leading research and consultancy in writing, health and professional development.

My current research project, Feeling Planet, uses writing to explore climate emotions.

Many people are experiencing growing feelings of anxiety, dread, anger, grief, and helplessness about climate change and the future of our world.

Through Feeling Planet, I’m developing a practical toolkit to help people explore and express these emotions—transforming climate distress into awareness, resilience, and creative action.

LEARN MORE

My Values

Expression

I want you to know that your voice matters - especially if you’ve been told that it doesn’t.

There are countless reasons we’re called to write our truth. Whether it’s to fight oppression, to be witness to wounds or because you long to be heard, I’ll help you express yourself.

Safety

Everyone deserves a safe, equitable and respectful space to express themselves.

All backgrounds, ages, experience levels, genders, and identities are welcomed and affirmed here.

Self-Compassion

It’s important to cultivate self-compassion and curiosity towards your self and your creative practice.

I will help you to stop beating yourself up and become a kind, supportive reader of yourself on the page .

Mindfulness

Writing can help us to slow down and notice what we’re feeling,

It can help us to develop a shared language for our feelings that will help us to take action and move forward. I’ll show you how we can do this in small, accessible steps.