Scarlett Thomas is an internationally bestselling novelist, comedian, screenwriter, and live performer whose work spans fiction, theatre, clowning, and television.

She is the author of fourteen novels translated into twenty-six languages, including the global bestseller The End of Mr. Y and the Times #2 bestseller The Sleepwalkers, as well as the widely admired book on creativity Monkeys with Typewriters. The New York Times has described her as a “peculiar gonzo genius”, while The Times has called her “wickedly funny”, and the Telegraph has praised her for writing “smart, stylish thrillers that smuggle big ideas into gripping plotlines”.

Alongside her fiction, Scarlett works across performance, theatre, and screen, developing original live shows that explore creativity, identity, risk, and the absurdities of modern life. Her current performance work includes the darkly comic solo show Juggling Through Trauma, as well as experimental live formats that combine storytelling, humour, and audience participation. Whether onstage or on the page, her work is united by a fascination with how humans make meaning through narrative - especially in chaotic or high-pressure environments.

Before focusing full-time on writing and performance, Scarlett spent more than two decades as a university lecturer and is now an Honorary Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Kent.

Her screenwriting work has included commissioned development and optioned projects with major production companies and broadcasters, including BBC Studios and Universal International, and she continues to develop original work for television alongside her novels and live shows.

At the heart of Scarlett’s work is a long-standing interest in curiosity, experimentation, and what she calls “beginner’s mind” — the idea that creative renewal comes not from certainty, but from a willingness to evolve, take risks, and try new forms. This philosophy runs through her fiction, her performances, and her teaching, and reflects a career defined not by a single lane, but by continual reinvention.

In addition to her creative projects, Scarlett occasionally delivers selective talks, workshops, and intensives for writers, creatives, and cultural organisations, focusing on storytelling, attention, and the psychology of audience engagement. However, her primary focus is now on writing, performance, and the development of her comedy universe.

Expect announcements soon on Scarlett’s Juggling Through Trauma tour - and the book she is writing about her comedy career.