The creator of the bestselling graphic novels and TV series on turning 30, making playlists for her books and why it’s important to her to be visibly political

Alice Oseman, 29, was born in Chatham, Kent and grew up near Rochester. While studying English at Durham University, she published her first novel, Solitaire, then expanded the story of two of its characters, Nick and Charlie, into two ebooks and a 2016 online web comic, Heartstopper. First published as a graphic novel in 2018, it has since become a bestselling series of books, with an acclaimed Netflix TV adaptation following in 2022. Season three of the show, executive produced and written by Oseman, premieres on Netflix next month.

Heartstopper has been a huge success in two formats. What’s the transition been like for you as a writer from the graphic novel to the small screen?
It’s actually more similar than you would imagine, perhaps because the comic is such a visual medium. So much about making them is about choosing what frames and what angles you’re showing the characters from, like the thought process that goes into directing something for the screen.