Books journalists cover everything to do with publishing and the literary world.
They look at all manner of topics, including fiction and nonfiction reviews, author interviews and profiles, literary prizes such as the Booker, the Women’s Prize and the Baillie Gifford, publishing industry news, from acquisitions and advances to bookshop sales, genre trends spanning romantasy, crime, memoir and celebrity titles, book-to-screen adaptations; festivals like Hay, Cheltenham and Edinburgh, and consumer stories on reading habits, BookTok and the book charts.
In the UK, books journalists might regularly report on things like the Booker Prize shortlist, Waterstones and indie bookshop trends, Nielsen BookScan data, big author signings, or the autumn publishing schedule ahead of Christmas.
It’s a journalistic beat that sometimes overlaps with arts and culture journalism, celebrity and entertainment news, education reporting, and features writing.
Using the Roxhill Media database, we have identified below the key books journalists you need to have on your press lists:
The UK's top book journalists
Laura Hackett
Deputy Literary Editor and Fiction Editor
The Sunday Times
David Shariatmadari
Nonfiction Editor
The Guardian
Emma Loffhagen
Books Writer
The Guardian
Ellen Peirson-Hagger
Deputy Books & Arts Editor
The Observer
Joanne Finney
Books Director
Good Housekeeping
Maria Crawford
Deputy Books Editor
Financial Times
Sarah Shaffi
Literary Editor
Red Magazine
Cal Revely-Calder
Literary Editor
The Daily Telegraph
Robbie Millen
Literary Editor
The Times
Tom Gatti
Literary Editor
The Observer
Laura Hackett
Deputy Literary Editor and Fiction Editor
The Sunday Times
David Shariatmadari
Nonfiction Editor
The Guardian
Emma Loffhagen
Books Writer
The Guardian
Ellen Peirson-Hagger
Deputy Books & Arts Editor
The Observer
Joanne Finney
Books Director
Good Housekeeping
Maria Crawford
Deputy Books Editor
Financial Times
Sarah Shaffi
Literary Editor
Red Magazine
Cal Revely-Calder
Literary Editor
The Daily Telegraph
Robbie Millen
Literary Editor
The Times
Tom Gatti
Literary Editor
The Observer
PR pitching advice
- Align your pitch with the calendar – publishing runs on a rhythm. Think about prize season, the “Super Thursday” autumn rush, summer reading round-ups, and awareness moments like World Book Day. Pitch well ahead of publication dates, as books coverage is planned months in advance.
- Lead with a strong literary angle or hook – open with a clear angle tied to a live trend in publishing or the wider culture, and make it relevant to the journalist’s specific patch, whether that’s fiction, nonfiction or industry news.
- Keep it concise and credible – get to the point quickly, avoid promotional language, and support every claim with solid detail: sales figures, prize nominations, or a genuinely fresh author story. Avoid publishing jargon at all costs.
- Read the publication and understand the journalist’s beat – a literary editor commissioning reviews wants something very different from a books writer chasing features. Don’t pitch without researching the kinds of stories the journalist covers, the angles they take, and whether they’ve recently written on your topic.
- Build lasting relationships – offer exclusives such as first interviews or cover reveals, respond quickly, and invest in long-term connections with the editors and writers that matter most to your clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which journalist is right for my story?
How do I build a relationship with books journalists?
The best relationships are built in person. Attending industry events, launches and festivals opens doors that emails never will. Roxhill hosts regular webinars and events where you can connect with journalists directly.
When is the best time to pitch to a books journalist?
Books journalists work months ahead. Finding the best window of opportunity means thinking carefully about publication dates, prize announcements, festival season and the retail calendar. How are the journalists you’re pitching affected by these set-pieces in their diaries? And can you use these dates to your advantage? For more on pitch timings, take a look at our guide for tips and tricks.
How do I find books journalists in the UK?
The best way to find books journalists in the UK is through the Roxhill media database, in addition to the ones we’ve listed above.
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Roxhill’s all-in-one media intelligence platform will save you time, highlight your impact, and drive your business forward.
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