It’s a privilege to join this distinguished community and contribute further to the landscape of British literature. To be part of a community that champions the power of literature to shape culture and society means a great deal to me especially as someone committed to amplifying underrepresented voices. As a Fellow, I’d love to help create more space for writers from diverse backgrounds to connect, be recognised, and thrive. Supporting emerging talent is something I care deeply about.
Dr Nick Makoha, graduate of the PhD in Creative Writing Research
04 August 2025
Creative Writing alumnus elected to Royal Society of Literature and shortlisted for 2025 Forward Prize
Dr Nick Makoha, graduate of the PhD in Creative Writing Research programme in the Department of English, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature as part of the 2025 intake.
On top of this, Dr Makoha’s poem ‘Codex’ has been shortlisted for the 2025 Forward Prize for Best Single Poem. Originally published in bath magg, the poem explores memory, resistance, and how stories are preserved or lost over time. The work reflects on how Black histories are archived or erased, imagining new ways of safeguarding them through language and form.
Nick Makoha’s extraordinary poetry brilliantly fuses classical mythology with contemporary art, creating a wholly distinctive voice that has seen him recognised as one of today’s most compelling writers. We are enormously proud that Nick is a graduate of our Creative Writing PhD programme and thrilled to congratulate him on his achievements.
Dr Hannah Crawforth, Head of Department of English
The winners of the 2025 Forward Prize will be announced in a ceremony on 26 October at the Southbank Centre as part of the London Literature Festival.
Dr Makoha’s latest volume of poetry, The New Carthaginians, was published in February 2025.
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Founder of the Obsidian Foundation
Reader in Early Modern Literature