I am a writer, sound artist and scholar. I am the author of two novels and two non-fiction books, and teach creative writing at the University of Exeter. I used to work as a barrister and as a busker.
The Unexpected
My second novel will be published on 21st November 2024 by HQ.
It follows two friends, Robin and Kessie, who are in their mid-thirties, and both want to have families – but motherhood doesn’t pan out in the way that either expects. When one of them has a baby, the other steps in to help, and their friendship becomes even more entangled.
It is a book about the complexities of motherhood and female friendship, about fertility, co-parenting, and different species of love. It looks at contemporary pressures on women, how other human/animal cultures go about kinship differently, and how the law has slowly become more inclusive of unconventional families.
‘An intelligent, thought-provoking, tender, and very real exploration of friendship, pregnancy, and the changing face of modern parenting.'
Susannah Wise, author of OKAY THEN THAT’S GREAT
'Ellen Wiles shows us how legal forces can shape our most intimate lives. This novel reminds us that chosen families are as complicated, messy and thick with love as biological ones.'Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of THE SLEEP WATCHER
Please pre-order it here, or from your local indie bookshop.
The Invisible Crowd
This is a novel about serendipitous connections and what it's like to navigate the asylum system of a country you've risked everything to get to. It follows the story of Yonas, an Eritrean journalist who has arrived in the UK, is narrated by the voices of a wide range of people he meets on his quest for leave to remain, including his barrister, Jude. It was inspired by my previous work as a barrister, working on immigration and human rights cases.
It is a popular book club read, was a Guardian readers' book of the year, and won a Victor Turner Prize.‘I read this last summer, and I still think about it. It tells the tale of a refugee trying to survive in England – and the impact others have on their journey. A book that makes you see the world differently.’
Jacinda Adern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
'A fierce, big-hearted novel that celebrates the power of compassion and the resilience of the human spirit. It takes a special gift to explore an issue so urgent and so complex in such an emotionally satisfying way. Ellen Wiles has this gift.'Joe Treasure, author of The Book of Air
Live Literature
Why have live literature events, like literary festivals and salons, become so popular in the digitalized 21st century? What is their cultural value for audiences and performers? Through experiential literary ethnographies of events such as the Hay Festival, composed by a creative writer to evoke the experience of being there through multiple points of view, this book seeks to answer those questions.
‘A hugely insightful and entertaining survey of the live literature scene: what it is, who it's for, and why it matters. Full of brilliant analysis and fascinating vignettes, it is sure to be standard work on the subject for years to come.’
Michael Hughes, author of Country
Saffron Shadows
This book explores the fascinating storytelling and lives of three generations of Burmese writers living under the world's most repressive censorship regime over five decades. It contains new translations of short stories, poetry, and memoir, and stories of the lives of the authors, including U Win Tin who spent 27 years in jail for his words.
'A fascinating exploration of censorship as experienced by nine writers of Myanmar over three generations. Ellen Wiles is to be commended for her deft account of the political and historical backdrop, but most of all for the grace with which she makes room for these authors to reflect on the marks left by censorship in their own words and works.'
Maureeen Freely, President of English PEN and author of The Stork Club
Sound Stories
I write and produce immersive audio sound stories, often engaging with landscapes and ecology. My work has been commissioned by organisations including The National Trust.
Buzzard View
This literary soundwalk follows a stunning loop route around the Holnicote Estate, Exmoor. The path passes through woodland, moorland and coast, over a beacon, and past buildings ancient and new telling a tale of how this place has been transformed over time by humans and non-humans, and how new ecological changes in this landscape give cause for hope. It can be experienced as a virtual walk experience, or in situ through a sequence of listening points along the way.
Commissioned by The National Trust. Funded by Frugi.
Riverlandia
This immersive fictional sound story of a river valley at a time of ecological change is narrated by its human and non-human inhabitants. Voices include the river itself, a bullhead fish, a dragonfly, an alder tree, sheep, and a skylark. A starry and diverse cast of actors and comedians includes Gemma Whelan, Mike Wozniak, Spencer Jones, and Bethany Antonia.
Commissioned by The National Trust. Funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.
The New Riverscapers: A Beaver's Tale
This fictional sound story is narrated by a beaver living on a Devon river, and developed through a collaboration with environmental scientist, Professor Richard Brazier.
Commissioned by Literature Works as part of a writing residency.
Pebbled Heights, Mossy Depths
This immersive literary soundwalk explores the experience, ecology and history of the East Devon Way. It was developed through collaboration with experts in environmental science and land management.
Commissioned by the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Double Elephant.Podcasts
Literary soundwalk podcast
Listen to the podcast editions of my literary soundwalks
Monocle Meet the Writers podcast
Listen to the episode of Monocle Magazine’s Meet the Writers podcast in which I was Georgina Godwin’s guest
The Hexagon Podcast
Watch/listen to my podcast series, The Hexagon, in which I invite guests to offer their top arts and culture tips under lockdown and beyond
Live Literature Launch
Watch the launch event for my Live Literature book hosted by comedian Mike Wozniak
Shortform
I write articles, stories and reviews. You can find some of them here.
‘Small found dogs’
A review of 13 March 1911 by Adam Smyth, TLS, August 2019
‘A Tale of Two LexiconS’
A review of two debut novels both long listed for the Man Booker Prize: Everything Under by Daisy Johnson and In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne, TLS, August 2018
‘Three branches of Literary ANthropology’
Ethnography, March 2018
‘The circus act of writing and mothering’
weheartwriting.com, November 2018
‘Literature, live’
International Literature Showcase, November 2017
‘Tea dial’
A literary essay-diary about my tea drinking habit for Versopolis
‘Whirl and Muddle’
A review of literary essays on war and writing by Samuel Hynes, TLS, May 2018
‘Essays': A review of Reading Life by Chris Arthur
Times Literary Supplement, February 2018
‘Giving birth to a book vs giving birth to a child’
Female First, November 2017
'Ark: immersive short story shows in library spaces'
The Library as Incubator Project, April 2016
Events
Speaking events
I enjoy speaking about my writing at literary events and on panels. I also enjoy curating and programming events, which have included a panel event on Aslyum Stories at The British Library with Juliet Stevenson, and a series of events called Speaking of Writing at the University of Exeter, featuring women writers of colour. My book, Live Literature, is the first to explore the experience and cultural value of literary events, from salons to festivals.
Performance
I curate and direct literary performance events that bring literature beyond the page to new audiences in creative ways. I write and produce literary experiences that involve collaborations with sound designers and with artists working across other forms including video, dance, shadow puppetry, and live illustration. Funded by Arts Council England, I founded Ark, an immersive literary performance project, and have since been commissioned by organisations including The British Library.
Contact me
Book enquiries
Laura Macdougall at United Agents LMacdougall [at] unitedagents.co.uk
ellenwiles [at] gmail.com
Social media
Instagram: @ellenwiles
Twitter: @ellenwiles
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