Since April 2026, Nelio has been featured on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list. In between numerous readings, interviews, and his first TV appearances—such as on ARD's 3 nach 9—Nelio is already making room for his next book.

He writes intuitively, by hand. His profound knowledge of literature flows naturally into his ideas and drafts. He develops his characters and their stories with deep empathy, often getting to know them himself only as the writing unfolds.

Anton will bleiben (Anton Wants to Stay) was published in 2023 by the Swiss publisher Arisverlag. In it, Nelio tells the story of an elderly man suffering from cancer who refuses to be forgotten. Through tender gestures and interpersonal connections, he rediscovers the meaning of his existence. With this work, he achieved his first success as a young author in Switzerland.

He made his international breakthrough in 2025 with the Rowohlt publishing house and his epic novel Lázár, which is inspired by his own family history. In it, he depicts the decline of an aristocratic family over several generations. Since its release, Lázár has captivated a global audience, selling approximately 200,000 copies in the first four months alone. With this work, he won the 2025 "Favorite Book" award from independent bookstores (Lieblingsbuch der Unabhängigen Buchhandlungen) and received a nomination for the Swiss Book Prize in the same year. In 2026, the Literature Prize of the German Economy (Literaturpreis der deutschen Wirtschaft) honored him as one of the outstanding voices of contemporary literature.

Director Tom Tykwer has acquired the film rights to Lázár. The movie is currently in development.