James McDermott

James McDermott is a writer based in East Anglia represented by Micheline Steinberg Associates.

James graduated from the University of East Anglia with a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice (2022-2024), an MA (Distinction) in Scriptwriting (2015-2016) and Starred First Class BA Honours in Scriptwriting and Performance (2012-2015). James was the recipient of UEA's Malcolm Bradbury MA in Scriptwriting Bursary 2015.

James has also trained on The Royal Court Writers Group, Soho Theatre Writers Lab, Hampstead Theatre's Inspire: The Next Playwright Programme, Criterion Theatre's New Writing Group, Menagerie Theatre's Young Writers' Workshop, Hat Trick Productions Your Voice Your Story Scheme and BBC's EastEnders Writers Shadow Scheme.

James has written several plays for venues across the country. These include 'It Comes In Waves' (Eastern Angles/Seagull Theatre; East of England tour), 'The Wind In The Willows' (Norfolk and Norwich Festival/Sheringham Little Theatre), 'More Ghost Stories By Candlelight' (HighTide; East Of England tour/Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), 'Jab' (Park Theatre/Finborough Theatre; starring Kacey Ainsworth; nominated for 3 Off West End Theatre Awards including Best New Play), 'Acid's Reign' (Vaults Festival 2023; starring Scarlett Harlett from RuPaul's Drag Race UK), 'The Birds & The Bees' (New Wolsey/UK Tour), 'Shanty' (Sheringham Little Theatre), 'Robin Good: The Politico-Panto' (Norwich Playhouse), 'Ghosted' (Sheringham Little Theatre/Out There Festival 2021), 'Time & Tide' (Park Theatre/East of England Tour; nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for Best New Play 2020; longlisted for the Bruntwood Playwriting Prize; shortlisted for the Snoo Wilson Playwriting Prize 2016), 'Rubber Ring' (Pleasance Islington/UK Tour; Winner of Pulse Festival's Suitcase Prize 2017) and 'Fast Food' (Lyric Hammersmith Gala 2017; starring Jude Law). 'It Comes In Waves', 'Jab', 'Time & Tide' and 'Rubber Ring' are published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals and 'Shanty' is published by Polari Press.

James has written plays for BBC Radio 4 and has been a writer on 'EastEnders' since 2021, penning multiple episodes.

As a poet, James is widely published in journals and magazines including Poetry Wales, The North, Butcher's Dog, Ink Sweat & Tears and 14 Poems. His poetry collections include 'Father Myself' (Nine Arches Press), 'Wild Life' (Nine Arches Press; shortlisted for the New Angle Prize 2025 and the East Anglian Book Awards 2023) and the spoken word collection 'Manatomy' (Burning Eye Books; longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize 2021). James's pamphlets include 'Erased' (Polari Press) and 'Green Apple Red' (Broken Sleep Books). James was commissioned by Netflix's Heartstopper to write new poem 'Fizz' which featured in Series 2 Episode 7 of the show.

James is a part-time lecturer in creative writing at The University of East Anglia, specialising in scriptwriting; a tutor for National Theatre's New Views; a Poet In Schools for The Poetry Society; and an Arvon writing tutor.

Freelance, James has taught creative writing in person and online for various theatres, schools, universities and organisations nationwide, including Theatre503, Norwich Theatre Royal, New Wolsey, Theatre Royal BSE, The University Of Suffolk, The University Of Essex, NEACO, Creative Arts East, Norfolk Library Service, Norfolk Wild Life Trust, Out On The Page, London Queer Writers and Queer Britain.

James is currently a Trustee of the Board at Creative Arts East & Holt Arts Project and has previously been a Trustee for Suffolk's INK New Writing Festival. 

In 2022, James received the Norfolk Arts Award's Special Recognition Award for services to arts in East Anglia.