Working-Class Writers
Our New Submission Window, Bread Alone and Murphy Who Talks
Hello everyone,
We hope you had a brilliant summer. It’s been a busy one at Indie Novella as we’ve continued our work behind the scenes — championing diverse stories and pitching ideas to the Arts Council and fellow publishers on how best to support new writers with powerful, individual stories to tell.
And now that autumn is here, we’re delighted to return with not one, but three big announcements.
1. Submissions Are Open Again ✍️
After a lot of reflection, we’ve reopened our submissions window — but this time with a new, sharper focus.
During our last open call, we were overwhelmed (in the best possible way) by the number of brilliant manuscripts sent in. But as a small press, we discovered we could only realistically support a very limited number of books, and we stretched ourselves too thin.
That experience shaped our new approach: moving forward, we will only take on three debut novels per year, and each must connect with our core mission — to champion underrepresented narratives and writers.
This means we are actively looking for:
Working-class narratives
Narratives from marginalised communities (LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, Black, Asian, diaspora voices in the UK)
Novels that tackle or explore mental health
Our submission window is now open and will close on 16 October — but we strongly encourage writers to get in early, as we’ll be reading and considering work as it comes in.
2. Announcing Bread Alone 🍞✒️
In line with our focus on working-class writing, we are proud to announce one of our biggest projects to date: Bread Alone: What happens when we run out of working-class writers — a groundbreaking essay collection edited by Kate Pasola with foreword by Natasha Carthew.
You’ve heard the damning statistics:
Since the 1970s, the number of working-class creatives has halved.
80% of journalists come from privileged backgrounds.
78% of working-class writers say their background has hindered their careers.
Bread Alone brings these statistics to life through the voices of 33 writers — from novelists to journalists, ghostwriters to poets, artists to screenwriters — all telling their side of the story.
Spanning the UK, Ireland, Pakistan, Somalia, Canada, the USA, the Netherlands, Singapore, the Czech Republic and beyond, these essays weave together a fabric of working-class experience that is as robust as it is diverse.
As Natasha Carthew says:
“These stories will make you think in new ways about disparity, poverty and disadvantage – our working-class experiences stitched together to create a fabric as strong and robust as the writers who created them.”
What does it mean to write from the margins? To “pass” in elite spaces? To survive on Universal Credit while pursuing a career in words? To insist that working-class writing is more than trauma — that it is joy, imagination, resistance, and truth?
Contributors include Adam Nasser Benmakhlouf, Laura Kennedy, Zeynab Mohamed, Abraham Adeyemi, Iqbal Hussain, Damien Mosley, Rosie Aspinall Priest, Paz Kaiba, Sophie Dodds, Zoya Raza-Sheikh, Natasha Carthew and many more.
This is a book that asks — and answers — a vital question: what happens to literature and journalism when working-class voices disappear?
Available early next year.
👉 Pre-order your copy here
And throughout the autumn, we’ll be sharing snippets from the collection — giving you a taste of the essays and voices we’re so excited to champion.
3. Murphy Who Talks — Out 9 October 🍺
Finally, we’re thrilled to announce the release of Murphy Who Talks by Ronan O’Shea — a novel that embodies everything Indie Novella stands for: community, identity, and finding connection in unexpected places.
Set during London’s sweltering 2018 heatwave, the novel follows Murphy, a bartender at a failing pub on the Seven Sisters Road. The pub is both his sanctuary and his problem: too quiet to survive, yet too precious for him to lose. His solution? Ban phones. Then ban speaking altogether.
What begins as a performative stunt becomes a media sensation, turning the pub into a strange new hotspot. But when Murphy meets Rebecca, a yoga teacher who heals more than just his bad back, he is forced to confront his grief, depression, and the walls he has built against the world.
Funny, satirical and deeply human, Murphy Who Talks explores austerity, communication, British identity and the fragility of male friendships.
Publication date: 9 October 2025
Spanish edition: coming February 2026 with Fulgencio Pimentel
👉 Pre-order Murphy Who Talks here
It’s been a while since our last newsletter, but we’re excited to be back, with so much to share over the coming months. Thank you, as always, for reading, supporting, and being part of Indie Novella.
With best wishes,
The Indie Novella Team