Emma Jane Unsworth

Emma Jane Unsworth (born 1979) is an award-winning British novelist, screenwriter, and journalist from Greater Manchester, known for her sharp-witted explorations of contemporary female experiences. A graduate of the University of Liverpool and Manchester's Centre for New Writing, she began her career as a columnist for The Big Issue in the North before publishing her debut novel 'Hungry, the Stars and Everything' through Hidden Gem Press. Her breakthrough came with 'Animals' (2014), a gritty portrayal of female friendship and hedonism that won the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize and was adapted into a feature film. Subsequent works like 'Adults' (2020) and 'Slags' (2025) continue her examination of modern womanhood, tackling themes of mental health, social media addiction, and neurodivergence. Unsworth's writing often draws from her Manchester upbringing and personal experiences, including recent ADHD/autism diagnoses that inform her exploration of intoxication as a coping mechanism. She also writes screen adaptations of her work and is currently developing a memoir about post-natal depression.