Eliza Haywood (1693 – 25 February 1756), born Elizabeth Fowler, is an English writer, actress and publisher.

Since the 1980s, Eliza Haywood’s literary works have been gaining in recognition and interest.

Haywood writesand publishes over seventy works during her lifetime, including fiction, drama, translations, poetry, conduct literature and periodicals.

Haywood is a significant figure of the 18th century as one of the important founders of the novel in English.

Today she is studied primarily as a novelist.