Ellis Sharp

{{Short description|British writer}}

{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}

Ellis Sharp is an experimental British writer based in London. Known for his often Surrealist style, Sharp's work is often littered with obscure literary and historical references.{{cite news|first1=Nicholas|last1=Lezard|accessdate=2021-01-31|title=Intolerable Tongues by Ellis Sharp – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jan/03/intolerable-tongues-ellis-sharp-review|newspaper=The Guardian|date=3 January 2012|issn=0261-3077}} His works include several collections of short stories, and novels The Dump, Unbelievable Things and Walthamstow Central, all released by Zoilus Press.{{cite news|first1=Nicholas|last1=Lezard|accessdate=2021-01-31|title=Bad dreams of the 20th century|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/11/dead-iraqis-ellis-sharp-review|newspaper=The Guardian|date=11 July 2009|issn=0261-3077}} His work has also been published by Jetstone, New Ventures and Malice Aforethought Press, which was founded by Frank Key and Max Décharné. The dedication of Sharp's Twenty-Twenty reads "In memory of Frank Key" and the book includes reminiscences of Key.

Sharp's influences include Ann Quin, who is referenced in his collection Quin Again and Other Stories (2015).{{cite web|accessdate=2021-01-31|title=Quin Again and Other Stories -|url=https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/quin-again-and-other-stories/|date=13 July 2015|website=3:AM Magazine}}{{cite web|accessdate=2021-02-07|title=Ellis Sharp: Quin Again -|url=https://www.themodernnovel.org/europe/w-europe/england/sharp/quin-again/|year=2015|website=The Modern Novel}} He also has an essay about Quin's last published novel Tripticks in his collection Sharply Critical (2017).

The novel Complicity by Iain Banks is dedicated to Sharp.{{cite web|accessdate=2021-01-31|title=Complicity by Iain Banks|url=http://www.librarything.com/work/5721|website=LibraryThing}}

Sharp was born and brought up in Sussex, but now lives in London. He is said to shun publicity and has been described as a 'recluse'.{{cite web|accessdate=2021-05-09|title=Ellis Sharp – Biography|url=https://www.themodernnovel.org/europe/w-europe/england/sharp/|year=2021|website=The Modern Novel}}