YM Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese writer currently based in London. The author of five books, their debut literary novel At Sea is forthcoming with Canongate in 2026. The propulsive literary eco-thriller follows Zainab, an expert driller, as she navigates the male-dominated world of offshore drilling. Also forthcoming in 2026 is SILVERBROOK: Yumna and the Golden Horse, the action-packed first instalment in Abdel-Magied’s new teen fantasy series with Hachette.

Abdel-Magied’s previous books include Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism (Walker, 2023), longlisted for UKLA’s and SLA’s Information Book Awards; critically acclaimed essay collection Talking About a Revolution (PRH, 2022); best-selling teen novels You Must Be Layla (Puffin, 2019) and Listen Layla (Puffin, 2021) longlisted for Book of the Year by The Children’s Book Council of Australia and the memoir Yassmin’s Story (PRH 2016). Her writing has appeared in Guardian, TIME, The New York Times, The New Arab, Vogue and more.

In 2024, Abdel-Magied was selected for the coveted ITV Original Voices placement on acclaimed British Continuing Drama, ‘Emmerdale’. She has since joined the writing team, while continuing to develop her own slate of original TV dramas. In 2020, she co-wrote the sold-out immersive theatre production in Kensington Palace, United Queendom.