Virago
Sarah Savitt is the Publisher of Virago. She is currently reading Natalia Ginzburg’s Family Lexicon, a fascinating, sometimes quite strange, mix of comic-to-the-point-of-zany family memoir and brutal insights into what it was like to be anti-fascist and/or Jewish during WWII in Italy.
Claire Kohda is a writer and musician. Her first book with Virago, Women, Eating, was published in 2022 to great acclaim. She has just finished reading the beautiful Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin for the first time and now is reading Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, and Living Things by Munir Hachemi, both published by Fitzcarraldo (the latter coming out in June).
Celeste Ward-Best is Director of Literary Marketing at Little, Brown, working across imprints which include Virago. She is currently reading Sonia Purnell’s Kingmaker, which is publishing this autumn. It reclaims the legacy of the incredible Pamela Churchill Harriman, who was widely dismissed as a courtesan when she died but was one of the 20th century’s most powerful political players.
For more on each interviewee, please scroll to the end of the interview.
'It showed readers, critics, booksellers and writers that there was a large and enthusiastic audience for excellent writing by women... [and] illuminated, through the Virago Modern Classics list, an often hidden history of writing by women.'
Virago celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023. Can you tell us a bit about the significance of the imprint on the wider literary landscape and the impact on you personally?
Sarah: Virago changed British publishing. It showed readers, critics, booksellers and writers that there was a large and enthusiastic audience for excellent writing by women; that writing by women could sell in serious quantities; that writing by women could be prize-winning and canonical; that writing by women could be provocative, funny and experimental; it illuminated, through the Virago Modern Classics (VMC) list, an often hidden history of writing by women.
Ali Smith has said that the VMC list is ‘simply one of the best and most essential things that has happened in publishing in our time’ and Margaret Drabble has said that the VMCs ‘have reshaped literary history and enriched the reading of us all’.
We’ve never claimed exclusivity on feminism – and we’re proud to be part of a current flourishing of feminist publishing – but I think Virago’s ambition and breadth from the start were key to our initial success, and the fact that we’re still here.
I grew up in America so I only learned about Virago when I started working in British publishing. Having grown up as a feminist, in a household where volunteering and activism were encouraged, I immediately thought that working on a list that would combine my love for literature with my passion for feminism sounded incredible. I joined Virago in 2016 and still feel proud and lucky every day (even the bad days) to work there.
Celeste: I love the rebellious spirit Virago was born out of. The women who founded Virago - an entirely women-led business - recognised that women’s voices were not being heard and took action, despite industry criticism, to change that. It showed the industry that there was a hungry and passionate readership for voices from the margins - in the 80s, Virago was the only British publisher to take a chance on Dr Maya Angelou and we’d be much the poorer had they not.
For me personally, I discovered Virago through Sarah Waters. As a reader, it felt to me that Sarah was writing with freedom and I love that Virago was the home for her to do that. Her writing is utterly thrilling, taking our well-worn ideas of historical fiction and turning them on their head with lesbian characters who love and lust in full, vivid colour.
‘Readers embrace new perspectives and unexpected or untold stories if they’re made available and published with conviction.’
It’s incredible to see such enduring success for the imprint. How do you think publishing companies can continue to maintain relevance and longevity amidst changing trends and reader preferences?
Sarah: Virago has always strived to publish the best writing by women and, more recently, people of underrepresented genders, and I think that focus on excellence is part of the reason that we’re still here after 50 years. Great writing lasts and is rediscovered by generation after generation. We like to think that many of the books we’re publishing now will become the Virago Modern Classics of the future – though we may be surprised by what lasts and what doesn’t.
A less lofty answer is that Virago has always prided itself on publishing a broad list, and that in part means publishing books that speak to the current moment quickly and strategically alongside publishing writers who we think will be read fifty years from now. But again I come back to this thought that we can never know for certain what is for now and what is for the long-term. It’s a constant joy to see what captures a new generation of readers or which books from the past speak to the present or even the future. This year we are re-issuing all seven volumes of Dr Maya Angelou’s memoirs, starting with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which has been a perennial bestseller for us since we acquired it after, according to Dr Angelou, every other British publisher turned it down. We also recently published The Fran Lebowitz Reader, which had never been in print here, but which hit the Sunday Times bestseller list.
Celeste: I think we need to continue to question preconceived ideas of who readers are and which stories have the potential for success.
Through Virago’s history what has remained true is that readers embrace new perspectives and unexpected or untold stories if they’re made available and published with conviction. Some of my favourite Virago novels are those that surprised and floored me - whether that’s a gothic novel set in a windswept Himalayan convent, the story of a mother who gives birth to an owl baby, or a heady exploration of emotional cannibalism.
‘You often have more opportunities to make an impact than you realise.’
Virago has long been a pioneer for elevating voices from all backgrounds and championing political and social change. In light of this legacy, what advice would you give individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond?
Sarah: I would describe myself as a publisher first and foremost, rather than an activist, so I don’t feel like I’m the most qualified person to answer this question. But speaking personally, and drawing on my experience of volunteering (which I’ve done since I was a kid, thanks to my parents’ example) – I think two questions I’ve always thought about are what are the concrete needs and what can I specifically and sustainably give.
The beautiful Ruby enjoying a proof of Sarah Waters’ ‘The Paying Guests’
To give an example not about books (if that’s allowed)… I’m also passionate about animal rights: this is something that my mother instilled in me. When I was in my 20s, I had very little money and couldn’t adopt a cat of my own because I was renting, but I had free time and a healthy body, so I used to clean cat cabins on Saturday mornings at the Mayhew Animal Home in northwest London. It’s definitely the least glamorous activism I’ve ever done (I can still remember the smell of those mornings – wellies, soiled litter, disinfectant, cat food, cold air) but it did allow me to spend time with cats, which I loved, and most importantly, it met a real need. When I got older and had more stable housing, but also less free time, I stopped volunteering but adopted my beloved cat Ruby from the Mayhew. The need was still there but I met it in a different way. Ruby is now 15 and we’ve lived together for 12 years – my longest ever relationship!
Celeste: I think as an individual it’s worth taking time to consider your sphere of influence - whether that’s within your team, in your company, in your own work or in your industry. You often have more opportunities to make an impact than you realise. Don’t be afraid to start small, what might feel like a small change to you could feel a big and welcome change to someone else. Finally, be wary of gestures rather than tangible actions.
‘The most pivotal moments in my career have been quite small, quiet moments.’
What has been your most pivotal career moment to date? Or could you tell us about any particularly challenging moments and the lessons you learned from them?
Claire: I’m glad about the critical reception of my first novel, Woman, Eating, and about having been invited to write for anthologies, such as East Side Voices and Furies. However, the most pivotal moments in my career have been quite small, quiet moments. Sometimes readers have told me that something I have written has changed their lives for the better, and I don’t think I could want anything more than that. I feel very lucky knowing my book has reached people who have connected with it and have found something lasting in it for themselves.
Celeste: I think most pivotal would be when I became a manager. I love being part of someone’s career journey and helping someone recognise their strengths and lean into them. Cheering on your team, knowing how much hard work and determination they’ve poured into a campaign is the best feeling.
Sarah: It’s hard to answer a question about challenging moments without betraying relationships with authors, but hopefully I can say enough to be interesting. I was quite an academic kid, and at one point wanted to do a PhD, and when I started editing, I think I approached editorial notes as a kind of academic exercise, where I was trying to impress the author intellectually. I did also give constructive feedback on the text and how to shape it, of course, and I’ve always taken editing really seriously, and loved that part of my job. But I’ve learned over the years that editorial feedback is also about diplomacy and encouragement. It’s not about me trying to get an A+.
‘If I’m still on the planet in 2073, I’ll be hugely excited to see Virago doing things that I could never imagine right now.’
What are you most excited about for the future of Virago, and publishing more generally?
Sarah: In the run-up to our 50th birthday, I spent a lot of time thinking about the next 50 years, and I kept coming back – at first in a slightly panicked way, but then in an excited way – to the conviction that I have no idea what Virago will look like in 2073. The founding idea behind Virago – to champion the best writing by women – was so strong that it has evolved in multiple directions which Carmen and the other founders could never have imagined, from a podcast to a TikTok sensation to graphic novels. And writers are often ahead of the rest of us anyway. If I’m still on the planet in 2073, I’ll be hugely excited to see Virago doing things that I could never imagine right now.
We published a brilliant book for our anniversary, Furies, which captures this mix of an amazing heritage paired with the brand new and the unknown. For Furies, sixteen bestselling, award-winning Virago authors each chose a synonym for ‘virago’ and wrote an original story. The anthology included contributions from writers who had never published a short story before, like Claire, CN Lester, Chibundu Onuzo and Caroline O’Donoghue, as well as incredible stories by established short story writers like Margaret Atwood, Kamila Shamsie, Ali Smith and Stella Duffy. Even if I hadn’t published it, I’d heartily recommend it – it’s the spirit of Virago in one book.
Claire: Well, I hope to continue to find good people, like Sarah, my wonderful editor at Virago, to work with in the industry; but I personally don’t feel like I am a part of that industry, more an occasional visitor. When I’m writing, I can’t be thinking too much about publishing.
Generally, though, I’m excited about the new ways in which ESEA people are coming together as a community within publishing, and making their (our) voices heard. I’m particularly looking forward to the release of Anna Sulan Masing’s Chinese And Any Other Asian next year.
Celeste: There are exciting plans afoot for our Virago Modern Classics list with Olivia Barber at the helm. Some of the most subversive and original writers have fallen into obscurity and I find it thrilling to read such bold, witty and sensational novels knowing they’re decades old.
Thinking about publishing more generally, it’s exciting to see passionate communities forming around reading – I’m thinking about TikTok here, but Instagram is also a great platform for recommendations – and the impact that has had for backlist titles like The Secret History and The Virgin Suicides. Shopping in high-street and independent bookshops is part of the experience of being a reader for these communities too and it’s fantastic seeing my local bookshop busier than ever as a result.
Who is a woman in publishing who inspires you and why?
Claire: Becka Wolfe, a dear friend, who with others coordinates (and drives) ECHO Mobile Library (registered in the UK as ECHO for Refugees), a multilingual library that operates from a converted van that travels around the refugee camps in Greece, lending books, hosting workshops, providing a safe space centred around literature, storytelling and learning for displaced people. A service like ECHO exists on the fringes of the book industry. Becka, and the team of other coordinators and volunteers at ECHO, work hard to make sure books find their ways to readers, and keep alive the transformative power of literature. Few people inspire me more than Becka. She witnesses a lot of human suffering, yet still has hope for a better world.
Celeste: There are so many! I’m fortunate at Virago to be surrounded by amazing women, including Lennie Goodings, chair of Virago. I love that I get to see Lennie’s huge passion and conviction first-hand, both for Virago’s purpose and for her authors and their books. She publishes legends like Dr Maya Angelou, Sarah Waters, Marilynne Robinson and Margaret Atwood, to name a few, and that speaks for itself!
I’d also like to mention one of the first people in my career who inspired me, which is Jenny Fry, publisher and commercial director at Canongate, who started her career at Virago. We worked together for several years at Penguin General and I joined her team at Canongate for a parental leave cover. She’s always been generous with her time and her advice, but I also admired that she balances a gentle, unflappable presence with a determination to get s*it done. She has an interest in solving issues, rather than just talking about them, and is never afraid to ask questions – could this be done better? What would stop us doing it like this?
Sarah Savitt is the Publisher at Virago, where she works with authors including Monica Ali, Deborah Frances-White, Caroline O’Donoghue, Chibundu Onuzo and Sonia Purnell. Previously she was an editor at Headline and Faber. She has also worked for two literary agencies, Abner Stein and David Godwin Associates, and began her publishing life as a publicity assistant at HarperCollins. She has taught editing at Arvon, Faber Academy and Guardian Masterclasses. She was born in Canada, grew up in Vermont, and now lives in London with her family.
Claire Kohda is a writer and musician. She reviews books for publications including the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement, specialising in books from and about East Asia. As a violinist, she has played with musicians and ensembles including Jessie Ware, RY X, Pete Tong, the London Contemporary Orchestra and The English Chamber Orchestra, and on various film soundtracks. Her first book with Virago, Women, Eating, was published in 2022 to great acclaim, cited as one of the Best Books of the Year in Harper’s Bazaar, BBC, the New Yorker, Glamour, Gal-Dem and the Huffington Post.
Celeste Ward-Best is Director of Literary Marketing at Little, Brown, working across imprints which include Virago. Celeste joined the Little, Brown team in 2019, having previously worked in marketing roles at Canongate, Cornerstone and Penguin General.
