[1] His first novel Shameless, published in 2001, was praised by The New York Times[3] and shortlisted for the State of Britain Award.

[1] In 2007, Burston became the founder and host of award-winning LGBT literary salon Polari,[1] which began in a bar in Soho before moving to the Southbank Centre.

[5] Burston's novel The Black Path was published by Accent Press in September 2016 and was long-listed for The Guardian's "Not The Booker Prize".

In that month, The Bookseller reported that his sixth novel The Closer I Get was published by Orenda Books as part of a two-book deal.

[9] With New Yorker Michael-Anthony Nozzi and 1970s alternative drag performer Lavinia Co-op, Burston was interviewed by Alexis Gregory for his 2018 verbatim theatre work Riot Act.