Judith Lal was born in the Cotswolds in 1975. She moved to Norwich to attend The Norwich School of Art and Design where she completed a BA in Cultural Studies before going on to do a MA in Creative Writing at The University of East Anglia.

She received an Eric Gregory Award in 2001. Her pamphlet Flageolets at the Bazaar was a winner in the 2006 Book & Pamphlet Competition.