Leonie Appiah

I am a writer with a strong editorial sensibility, drawn to stories that uncover meaning, beauty and cultural context within the wider world. As a recent Classics graduate from the University of Nottingham, I’m particularly interested in how language can shape narratives, clarify complex ideas and connect audiences to emotion and insight. Through creating long-form essays on Substack and managing end-to-end editorial processes on the Vagabonds Verse's weekly newsletter, I’ve developed a sharp eye for structure, tone and detail, alongside practical experience in editing, commissioning, audience engagement and content planning. I bring curiosity, care and a strong collaborative instinct to editorial teams, with the aim of producing thoughtful, polished work that resonates and endures.

My first novel: Every time I Try On Something New My Mother Asks Me if I Need a Bigger Size prologue ‘Do you need a bigger size?’ Is my mother’s question anytime a new piece of clothing touches my skin. There’s never been a dress, or a pair of jeans, or a new bra that my mother doubts that I will fit into, like she knows my body better than I do. The three latter words send me into psychosis: A bigger size.

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