
JOHN SIDDIQUE
‘Rebellious by nature, pure at heart'
The Times of India
‘One of the best poets of our generation’
New York Times Correspondent Bina Shah
About John Siddique
John Siddique is the author of nine books, including Signposts of The Spiritual Journey, a book on accessing greater meaning in our lives, So (Collected New Poems 2011-21), and the widely loved children’s poetry collection Don’t Wear It on Your Head. His work has been featured in Time, The Tablet, Granta, The Guardian, Poetry Review, The Rialto, and on BBC Radio 3 and 4.
Beyond his books and writing life, John is a hugely popular meditation teacher. He is the creator of two online courses, Self-Acceptance Through Authenticity and Magical Moments, which have over 35,000 students, and his online meditations have been downloaded over three and a half million times. The Spectator describes Siddique as ‘A stellar British poet’, The Times of India calls him ‘Rebellious by nature, pure at heart’, and novelist/New York Times Correspondent Bina Shah says he is ‘One of the best poets of our generation’.
John holds an MA in Literature and Creative Writing from Manchester Victoria University and is an Honorary Fellow of Leicester University. He is the former Canterbury Poet Laureate and was Poet in Residence at California State University, LA, for The British Council.
John is the newly appointed Project Coordinator for The Royal Literary Fund and WritersMosaic in The North of England, where he leads literary events, commissions, and initiatives that redefine the mainstream in British literature. He is also dedicated to strengthening the network of RLF Fellows in the region, creating new opportunities and support systems for some of the UK’s most exceptional writers.
If you are interested in the sacred aspect of John’s work go here.
JOHN SIDDIQUE BOOKS
Non Fiction & AUTO FICTION
poetry
THE LATEST
A New Role In UK Literature
John is the newly appointed Project Coordinator for The Royal Literary Fund and WritersMosaic in The North of England, where he leads literary events, commissions, and initiatives that redefine the mainstream in British literature. He is also dedicated to strengthening the network of RLF Fellows in the region, creating new opportunities and support systems for some of the UK’s most exceptional writers.
Cultural Highlights
WritersMosaic recently invited John to share his latest literary and artistic discoveries.
Explore his selections and uncover something old/new
A Woman’s Story
In this insightful podcast interview with Abha Sharma, she reflects on what it means to live between two countries, the experiences that have shaped her journey, and life as a woman navigating two worlds—all explored through John’s thoughtful questions.
The Prize at 20
2025 marks 20 years since John’s first book, The Prize, came out, so we sharing a poem and some reflections on the substack. There will be more across the year to celebrate.