Rebecca is the author of 8 works of fiction and non-fiction including the acclaimed historical novel Touching Distance, which was short-listed for the McKitterick Prize for Literature and won the MJA Open Book Award.  Her non-fiction has been shortlisted for the Wingate Literary Prize and the Mind Award. She also writes short stories and plays. Her stage play All Of Us premieres in the UK in March 2026.

A highly experienced and inspirational teacher, Rebecca has taught creative writing at Oxford University for 18 years at Diploma and Masters levels alongside her sell-out courses on Historical Fiction and the Craft of Storytelling. She also teaches for the Arvon Foundation and the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing at Wolfson College, Oxford. She was the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Brasenose College, Oxford from 2017-20, Writer-in-Residence at Gladstone’s Library from 2010-2012, and First Story Writer-in-Residence at Larkmead School in Abingdon from 2012-14.   She has for many years led writing retreats abroad for The Literary Consultancy in Spain and the Oxford Centre for Life Writing in Italy. 

Rebecca is also a long-standing contributor to the national press. A former columnist on the Daily Telegraph, she is a regular literary critic for the Financial Times and the recipient of an Amnesty International Press Award for Journalism.  

Master the Art of Historical Fiction is the first in a series of courses run by Oxford Creative Writing, an exciting new initiative founded by Rebecca Abrams and run in partnership with Caper Books. Oxford Creative Writing offers high quality, in-person short and long courses for writers of all levels in a range of genres. All courses are taught by award-winning writers with a proven track record as skilled and inspiring teachers. 

You can find out more about Rebecca, her publications and other work on her professional author website.