Laura Hird

Laura Hird (born 1966) is a Scottish novelist and short story writer known for exploring urban life, social challenges and marginalised voices. Her notable works include the short story collection Nail and Other Stories (1997) and the critically acclaimed novel Born Free (1999), which was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award (2000). Hird's fiction is celebrated for its unflinching portrayal of contemporary Edinburgh and its creation of complex female characters.

Laura Hird studied Contemporary Writing at Middlesex Polytechnic, a formative experience that solidified her passion for storytelling. In 1997 she was awarded a Scottish Arts Council Writer's Bursary, which enabled her to write full-time.

Her debut collection, Nail and Other Stories, was published under Canongate's Rebel Inc imprint, a platform that championed her alongside influential Scottish writers such as Irvine Welsh and Alan Warner. Hird's work was also included in the anthology Children of Albion Rovers (1997), establishing her as a key figure in the Scottish literary renaissance of the 1990s.

Born Free, published in 1999, portrays a working-class Edinburgh family struggling with addiction, dysfunction and societal pressures. Through the perspectives of its four protagonists, the novel explores themes of gender roles, personal agency and family dynamics.

Hird commented on her characters, "Once you get inside their heads, the story almost writes itself". This approach is evident in the raw, vivid voices of her protagonists, particularly rebellious teenager Joni, whose exploration of sexuality challenges societal norms.

In 2006, Hird published Hope and Other Urban Tales, a collection of stories and a novella that further explored the undercurrents of urban Scotland. The following year, she collaborated with her mother, June Hird, on Dear Laura: Letters from a Mother to Her Daughter (2007), a poignant reflection on their relationship and personal history.

Laura Hird lives in Edinburgh.

Photo credit: literature.britishcouncil.org