Melanie was born in Guildford and attended local schools. She has lived in London and the Calvados countryside, returning to Guildford in 2011.
Melanie is now an English teacher but, in the past, has worked as a costume maker in theatre, film and tv, in recruitment in the City and ran a wedding-dress making business. She realised in her 30s that studying English was what she should have done as an 18 year old, so completed a degree with the Open University in 2011, going on to be awarded an MA in English Literature from Kings College London in 2013 and an MA in Creative Writing from the Open University in 2022.
Melanie has taught at Guildford College and currently teaches part-time in the adult learning sector. She was a school governor for two years at an east London primary school in her twenties and was previously Chair of Governors at Sandfield Primary School in Guildford. She has been a governor at Guildford Grove since September 2021 and Chair since January 2025.