Today's guest on the blog is someone who is very well known and highly regarded in the world of publishing, especially in the romantic fiction genre. Sara-Jade Virtue is an absolute powerhouse in shining the spotlight on romance whether that be editing, consulting, volunteering as a book doctor at her local library or organising events such as Love Stories Etc. I first met Sara-Jade eleven years ago at a blogger event she organised whilst at Simon and Schuster and have absolutely loved being part of the community she created with Books and the City. It's enabled me to meet many of my favourite authors, especially Milly Johnson and I have made friends for life with many of the authors and bloggers and since become an author myself. So I'm delighted to welcome SJ today.
About Sara-Jade
Sara-Jade Virtue has worked in the book industry for 23 years, firstly in the Fiction buying team at Waterstones Head Office, before a brief stint as Book Buyer at Fopp. She spent 18 years at Simon & Schuster - firstly as Special Sales Director before moving into Editorial in 2019 as Brand Development Director, identifying new talent and developing growth strategies for brand and emerging authors. She's co-founder and co-director of the #LoveStoriesEtc literary festival that returns to Manchester Central Library in July 2026, and volunteers at her local Community Library.
Hi SJ and welcome to Sincerely Book Angels, after 23 years in the book industry you must have met some fascinating people, can you tell us a little about them.
I’ve been so lucky to meet some incredible authors and go to some very special events during my time in the industry - there’s almost too many to count to be honest. I’ve had pre movie premier champagne with Arnold Schwarzenegger and brownies with Oti Mabuse. Shook the hand of President Bill Clinton and held the actual Harry Potter sorting hat at the midnight opening launch of the Half Blood Prince. I’ve danced with Nadifa Mohamed at the top of Centre Point and sang round a piano with Veronica Henry in a hotel foyer in Paddington. I’ve laughed till I cried with Jojo Moyes at the Savoy, gone clubbing with Greg Rutherford and hugged Tia Williams so hard I thought she might faint. I’ve fixed the heel of Lisa Faulkner’s Louboutin stilettos, helped Santa Montefiore choose a fancy outfit for a fancy event, made cocktails at Lynda La Plantes house and drank cocktails with the cast of Big Brother 6. I’ve had breakfast with Gillian McKeith, brunch with Lorraine Brown, lunch with Richard Madeley, shared half an M&S prawn sandwich with Jackie Collins, afternoon tea with Marian Keyes, dinner with Gianluca Vialli and Janet Street Porter (not at the same time!) and more late night cocktails with the likes of Bernadette Strachan, Lisa Jewell, Isabelle Broom and Louise Candlish than is wise… see, too many to count!
What would you say have been your greatest achievements in the world of publishing?
Wowzers. I mean, that’s a BIG question. Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever get over winning the RNA Publisher/Editor of the Year award in 2022. I’ve always suffered extreme levels of imposter syndrome, so it felt momentous to me that someone from my background – with literally zero qualifications, let alone an English Literature degree – could receive such an accolade and recognition from the very people whose books I love with all my heart.
Since leaving S&S you’ve decided to have a gap year and have been keeping yourself really busy with various jobs and volunteer roles. What have you been up to?
You’re right, when I left S&S at the end of 2025 I said, jokingly, that I was going to have a gap year. I’d been working full-time and non-stop since the age of 15 when I dropped out of school, and thought after 40 years – if not now, when? I did an intensive Start-Up Business course during January and February, and then, you know, life has a way of offering up opportunities that seem silly to turn down, so I set myself up as a sole trader and am now working full-time as a freelance editor and publishing consultant! I’m absolutely loving it.
Are your services just for new authors or for authors at all stages of their career?
I’m lucky enough to be working with authors at all different stages of their writing journey. Some have been self or independently publishing their work for a while, but are looking to seek agent representation to take their careers to another level, so I’m helping them prepare their submission packages. Some are debut authors at Draft Zero stage and need manuscript assessments, developmental edits or coaching sessions. I’ve done a ton of full manuscript line edits where I go through every word, sentence, paragraph and chapter with a fine tooth comb to help enhance the readability, style, flow and tone of their novels. The only service I’m not doing is copy editing. Grammar and punctuation is best left to those that know the difference between a hyphen, en dash and em dash!
How would someone contact you to consult about their novel?
I’ve got a very simple ‘calling card’ site - https://bookminxsjv.carrd.co/ - with a link to my email address, or someone can just drop me a message on Instagram if that’s easier for them @bookminxsjv.
I went to your Love Stories Etc event in Manchester which was brilliant and am really excited about this year’s one too. Can you tell us how the events came about and what we have to look forward to this year?
Absolutely. Back in early September 2023, Alice Murphy-Pyle and I were having a coffee and slice of cake, moaning. The 3,826th crime thriller literary festival had just been announced, and there still wasn’t ONE for lovers of love stories. We were ranting and raving and one of us, I genuinely can’t remember which, said ‘Shall we just do it ourselves?’ A week or so later, I was up in Manchester for an event, and Alice and I popped in to see Danny Middleton, Events and Reader Development Manager at Manchester Central Library and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2024 we welcomed 28 authors, in 2025 we had 39 and this year we have an absolute killer line-up of 42! We’re releasing the full schedule and timetable on 27th June, so do follow us on Instagram @lovestoriesetc to see what we have planned.
How do we book tickets for the event?
We sold out of the initial number weeks ago, so have just released a handful more on Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-stories-etc-festival-tickets-1987984952508
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| Sara-Jade with author Lizzie Huxtable-Jones at Love Stories Etc 2025 |
What else do you have up your sleeve for the future?
I’m still volunteering at my local community library once a month, which I absolutely love, but I’m also really looking forward to running some more workshops this year. I was at the inaugural For the Love of Books event hosted by Mia Caven and the bi-annual Deepings Literary Festival back in April, then I’m at MeetCute again at the beginning of July, the newly announced Market Harborough Literary Festival in September and at the Bournemouth Romance Writing Festival again in October. I’ll be celebrating 24 years in the industry at the end of October, so I might arrange a party or something for then!
What are your top writing tips for authors?
1. Treat your writing time with the same importance you do everything else in your life. Its work, so turn up on time and get the job done.
2. Your Draft Zero doesn’t have to be perfect, and probably won’t be. You just need to get 90,000 to 100,000 words down on the page.
3. Write the novel you want to write, and would most like to read.
4. Tell a story that we haven’t read before.
5. Introduce us to characters we’ll believe in.
6. Aim to grab us from the very first line.
7. Make sure every word, sentence, paragraph and chapter is working hard to move the story along.
8. When you think you’re done, edit, edit and then edit again.
9. Spellcheck is your friend. Replace all isn’t!
10. Read your dialogue out loud!
Thank you so much for joining us on the blog today SJ and thanks for all you have done for romantic fiction and for me because if I hadn't met you then I wouldn't have become a blogger in the first place and eventually an author. Best of luck for all your future plans and I'll see you soon at the Love Stories Etc event.
Sincerely
Book Angel x
