Published 14th Mar 2023, 11:50 BST

“Every time I would mention I was from Bradford, there was always a negative response,” she says.

“It felt like people were insinuating it wasn’t a good place to be from…

"I think that’s partly a way to think about northern towns that are deprived but it’s not the full story and I really wanted to rally against this label of being good for nothing.”

Mariam Ansar’s debut novel will be published this week.

The story is told from the point of view of three teenagers, who are thrown together after a misunderstanding with local police.

They are landed with a community service order after an incident involving a spray can and an inconveniently timed patrol car – and their stories start to converge.

Mariam blends comedy and tragedy to show how the power of young voices can result in meaningful change.

In doing so, she also explores small town mentalities and issues including struggling communities, bullying and racism.

“There’s a lot to do with grief, friendship, community, coming of age and maturity,” Mariam says. “In essence it’s about growing up and going beyond the limitations that are placed upon you.”

The book draws on her own experiences as a teenager and now working with young people as an English teacher.

Although the town in the book is fictional, it is inspired by places Mariam knows and loves.

"I think what a good writer does is observe what’s going on around them and make notes in their head of what’s happening,” she says.

Her love for writing stemmed from a childhood passion for books.

She recalls how her parents would try to stop her from reading past a certain point at night, but she would find a way to shun sleep for stories.

She laughs as she explains how she would line her book up with a crack of light coming in through her bedroom door so she could stay up later and keep on reading.

After studying English at university in Cambridge, Mariam worked for a period as a freelance journalist before training to be a teacher.

She’s now been teaching in her hometown for three years – and this week, can add published author to her list of achievements. “There are genuinely baby photos of me a piece of paper and a pen. [Writing] was always going to be a what I did,” she says.

"I remember my English teacher saying to me ‘I’d love to buy a book of yours some day’. "I think that almost gave me permission and made me think that it’s actually something I could do.”

Good For Nothing is published by Penguin on Thursday, March 16. It is priced at £8.99 and best suited for ages 14 and up.

Bradford author hopes debut novel will challenge stereotypes