Darian Smith

Darian Smith is a New Zealand speculative fiction writer and qualified counsellor whose work brings the two halves of his professional life together. Based in Auckland, he holds a degree in psychology and English and a Diploma of Counselling, and is a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. He has run a private counselling practice and currently works with people living with neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

His best-known craft book is The Psychology Workbook for Writers: Tools for Creating Realistic Characters and Conflict in Fiction (2015), which translates established psychological theory into practical worksheets for novelists. Each chapter covers a different concept used in therapy and offers two paired exercises: one for developing a character, one for developing the story. The book is built on his years of clinical work and is widely recommended in fiction workshops focused on character depth.

His fiction runs to fantasy novels and short stories. He is a winner of the SpecFicNZ/Steam Press manuscript competition, a Sir Julius Vogel Award winner, a three-time Sir Julius Vogel Award finalist, and a two-time Koru Award holder. His work has been shortlisted and recognized across New Zealand speculative fiction awards across multiple years.

Smith lives in Auckland with his wife, who also writes, and their black cats. He has also appeared in brief on-screen roles in the television series Legend of the Seeker and Spartacus.