Writers in Residence

Professional writers Nicola Monaghan and Rachel Bower are available during term-time to advise, on a one-to-one basis, students and staff on any aspects of their writing. Whether it's essays, reports, dissertations or other written work, Nicola and Rachel offer constructive tutorials of up to an hour about any aspect of your writing that you want to discuss. 

What you can expect:

• a one-to-one consultation, lasting 50 minutes, where a Fellow will review your work (this can be any piece of academic writing including literature reviews, lab reports, coursework and dissertations)
• advice unique to your specific requirements
• confidential support

What your session might cover:        

• structure and punctuation
• writing with clarity
• rewriting and editing
• planning and time-management
• tackling the word count
• critical thinking, paraphrasing and referencing

This service is available to all students in the Faculty of Science. 

It was the most real, honest and helpful criticism I’ve ever had.

Session attendee

Contact Nicola or Rachel to book an appointment. Sessions will mainly be one-to-one face-to-face but some online sessions will be available upon request.

Nicola Monaghan - nicola.monaghan@rlfeducation.org.uk

Writer in Residence: Monday and Tuesday

To book an appointment email: nicola.monaghan@rlfeducation.org.uk

Nicola Monaghan is the author of the Sian Love mystery series including the critically acclaimed Dead Flowers, which was shortlisted for the Little, Brown/UEA Crime Writing prize, and the follow up Wish You Were Here. Her debut novel The Killing Jar won a Betty Trask award, the Authors' Club Best First Novel prize and the Waverton Good Read. She also writes psychological horror as Niki Valentine.

As well as novels, Nicola writes for screen and has had several critically acclaimed short films made starring well-known actors with director Ash Morris and Council Child/Anderson Shelter productions. These include Margie’s Garden (starring Abigail Hamilton, Steven Arnold and George Newton) and Bare (starring Steven Arnold and Brendan Coyle.)

Nicola originally studied maths at university and taught the subject for several years before taking a job in finance in the City of London. She has also worked for several software companies, in arts marketing and for an energy supplier. 

Rachel Bower - rachel.bower@rlfeducation.org.uk

Writer in Residence: Wednesday and Thursday

To book and appointment email: rachel.bower@rlfeducation.org.uk

Rachel Bower is an award-winning poet and novelist from Bradford. Her debut novel, It Comes from the River was published by Bloomsbury (2025). Her latest poetry collection, Bee, was published by Hazel Press (2025). Rachel is also the author of two other poetry collections and an academic book on literary letters. Rachel edited the Family Lines anthology with Simon Armitage (Faber & Faber, 2026). 

Rachel’s poems and stories have been widely published in magazines and newspapers, including in the Guardian, the London Magazine, the White Review, Magma and the Rialto. She won the London Magazine Short Story Prize and the W&A Short Story Competition in 2020. Her stories have been listed for many other prizes, including the White Review Short Story Prize, the BBC Short Story Prize and the RSL V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. Rachel was also awarded second place in the Michael Marks Environmental Poet of the Year 2024 and was shortlisted for the Best Poem of UK Landscape 2023. 

Rachel is a qualified Community Development Worker and has facilitated creative workshops for many years with a wide range of organisations, including schools, libraries, youth centres, the Poetry School, Poet in the City and the British Library. Rachel has a PhD in English from the University of Cambridge and has taught at the universities of Cambridge, Leeds and Sheffield Hallam. Rachel is also a beekeeper, cold water lover and hybrid fitness enthusiast! Her work is represented by Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown. She will be available for appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays.