Jessica Andrews

Jessica Andrews is a writer of fiction and non-fiction. Since graduating from Kent in 2015 with an MA in Creative Writing she published two novels; Saltwater (2020), which won the Portico Prize, and Milk Teeth (2022). She has been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction Futures for writers under the age of 35 and longlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award in 2022. 

She co-runs literary and arts magazine The Grapevine, co-presents literary podcast, Tender Buttons, and is a Contributing Editor at ELLE magazine.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

After graduating from Kent, I worked in bars, cafés and as an English tutor, while trying to write my first novel. I wrote Saltwater while living in rural Ireland, teaching English and doing some freelance copywriting. Saltwater was published in 2019 and I wrote my second novel, Milk Teeth, in Barcelona, where I worked as an English teacher and freelance writer. Milk Teeth was published in 2022, and I returned to the UK and worked as an assistant lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Roehampton. 

I am currently a lecturer in Creative Writing at City University, London, where I am also completing a PhD. I do other pieces of freelance work: I am a Contributing Editor at ELLE magazine and have written for the Guardian, the Independent, the Architectural Review and BBC Radio 4, among others. I am currently writing a play in collaboration with Live Theatre in Newcastle, and I also teach at writing organisations such as ARVON, Litro and New Writing North.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I usually teach online classes in the mornings. In the afternoons, I work on my new novel or any freelance writing work. In the evenings, I do admin such as replying to emails or working on my other projects. I sometimes attend literary events in the evenings, either as an audience member or participant. 

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

The launch of my first novel is probably still my biggest highlight. Everything felt brand-new and unknown. I had a big party and so many of my friends, family and colleagues came - it was such a joy to share it all with people I love.     

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

My time at Kent gave me the confidence I lacked during my undergraduate degree. The writing workshops were small and intimate and I learned a lot from my tutors and the other students on my course. It gave me time and space to take myself seriously as a writer and to experiment and develop my voice. I also made close friends who are writers, which is an invaluable support network I did not have before.

Prior to my MA at Kent, I had never really met a professional author before. The brilliant writers working at Kent made me feel like working as a writer was a real possibility. My course felt very personal and my tutors were attentive and invested in my work. They shared their own writing knowledge very generously and helped to build my confidence in my own work.

I also worked on The Menteur student magazine. The experience of editing a magazine helped me to set-up The Grapevine with some friends who also studied at Kent.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

I think there is a lot of pressure on young people to have everything worked out, or to know exactly what you want to do and work towards getting there. However, I think it's okay not to know exactly what you want to do, as it can be useful to try out different things, to try and find what works for you. 

Although my first novel was published when I was quite young, I didn't have a specific career plan; I had lots of different jobs and lived in lots of different places. Some of my peers from my undergraduate degree have been building careers for over ten years. In contrast, I feel as if I am at the beginning of my line of work (which is a good place to be!) and I feel lucky that I find it to be meaningful and creatively fulfilling.


The most important aspects of producing good writing are finding time and space to work, which can be difficult, and reading as widely and closely as possible. Writing can be very solitary and it is important to have a strong community around you, which you can find by attending readings or a writing group, or making connections online. Self-doubt can also be crippling, and it's important to recognise that, and try to push back against it. 

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

During my term in Paris, a group of us used to go to La Rotonde bar after our workshops. It was always exciting being there, in such a literary place, talking about books and ideas.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Yes  – I am very close friends with Catherine Madden, whom I met on my MA and we run The Grapevine together.

What are your future ambitions?

I would love to be able to keep writing novels, and maybe an essay collection one day. I would also love to expand The Grapevine into a small feminist press. In the future, I would like to work in higher education; sharing skills and being involved in a writing community feels important to me.