Stephen M. Gilbert was born in Kingston-upon-Thames and grew up in the London suburbs. As a teenager, he was influenced by rock bands and the music of the 60s. His recognition of his love for music progressed into writing song lyrics. He moved to Berlin in the late 1970s, where his writing developed from lyrics to poems, short stories, and later screenplays. He has also been involved in writing for the stage. His writing inspiration came from many different sources, some influenced by his day job, driving people through the streets of Berlin as a taxi driver. 

During the Covid lockdown, it was inevitable to write. Consequently, the first drafts of Change the State of Play were founded.