About Us

The Literal Challenge is a small social enterprise that supports a growing community of writers across media and at any stage, from novice to professional. We have already worked with more than 3,500 writers from more than 75 countries across the globe.

Do join if you are looking to challenge yourself, experiment and take risks, spice up your own creative writing style or practice new skills and methods.

"One of the most unexpected outcomes was just how much happier I felt overall from carving out time to write every day. I can't wait to take part again."

Here at The Literal Challenge we believe that writers have to write – good or bad – they should churn as much work as possible and experiment with - and challenge their own style and preferences.

We work hard to make it engaging and rewarding in more ways than one, but mostly challenging, because if you don’t have to work hard for it, it’s not worth doing.

SEBASTIAN REX

Sebastian Rex is a published writer, director and dramaturg, who has donned many hats, including Literary Manager at the Space Theatre in London (where "28 Plays Later" was first conceived), a translator, a dance teacher and many more.

You can read more about Sebastian on the website.

Email Sebastian

Sebastian

Rex

MARIA BROWN

A poet, literary translator, editor and social media guru, Maria is here to be your muse!

When she isn’t helping TLC participants and chatting to them on the socials, she is seeking inspiration and adventure: writing on trains, planes, at lakesides and cliff edges...

Email Maria

Maria

Brown

ALI GALLO

Ali gets to waffle for a living. She blogs for TLC about being a writer with the aim of making the participants feel a bit more prepared, confident and adulty.

In real life she has her own blog in which she complains about places, people and things. She has also written a book of short stories, two novellas and some plays.

Ali

Gallo

REBECCA HOLBOURN

A scriptwriter and director of film & theatre, occasional actor, Facebook group admin and a Londoner with pride.

Their hobbies include going to watch industries that are currently on the brink of ruin and destruction, writing queer scripts but stammering when talking about them and succumbing to anxiety when talking about themselves or money.

Rebecca "Jym"

Holbourn

Emilie Maybank

Emilie is on a mission to develop the future of TLC. A writer and actor, she spends her free time listening to podcasts, going for runs, and getting far too emotionally invested in Dungeons and Dragons.