“It’s a rare and wondrous thing to read someone who can bring potential futures to life… It’s the kind of book you keep dropping down to your lap as you look up and wonder.”
Stephen Fry on Could Should Might Don’t.
From short, personal essays to guest columns and extended non-fiction pieces, Nick has long used writing as a means to explore and share ideas about the future of technology, society and culture… and how these three territories overlap. Nick has written for major, multinational publications including The New York Times, Monocle and The Alpine Review, and in 2025 he authored his first solo book Could Should Might Don’t which was published worldwide by MCD and Canongate. In 2023 Nick co-authored The Manual of Design Fiction, the definitive book which describes the origins and evolution of Design Fiction: the practice of creating tangible and evocative prototypes from possible near futures, to help discover and represent the consequences of decision making.
Praise for Could Should Might Don’t.
“Rigorous, rationally optimistic and ultimately empowering” - Oliver Burkeman - Author and journalist
“A lightbulb over your head that never goes off” - Questlove - Musician, filmmaker and cultural curator.
“I couldn't put down this brilliant, eye-opening work” - David Eagleman - Author and Stanford neuroscientist
“Clear-eyed, attentive and intelligent” - Alex McDowell - Production designer (Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen)
“I could actually do with this advice” - Bruce Sterling - Science Fiction writer and futurist
“Foster’s easy prose makes it simple for anyone to be a part of the conversation about the futures we want” - FastCompany
“Wry and perceptive” - Waterstones
“Playful and exploratory” - The Observer
“This book is rich with treasures” - The Irish Times
“Thought-provoking” - Booklist
“Sage advice and a much-needed perspective” - Kirkus Reviews
For writing projects, Nick is represented by Antony Topping at Greene & Heaton and Zoë Pagnamenta at Calligraph.
For public speaking, Nick is represented by Macmillan Speakers Bureau, and Deborah Rey-Burns at Propela.