Chris Hamilton-Emery
Director, Salt

Salt is one of the UK’s most original independent publishers

Since 1999, we’ve championed bold, genre-defying writing across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and short stories – launching the careers of over a thousand writers worldwide. Innovative, curious, and fiercely independent, we publish books that shape the conversation and stand the test of time.

Jen and I founded Salt in our Cambridge kitchen at the end of the nineties, and over the course of the following decade we published over four hundred poetry collections, working with writers around the world. Prizes followed. The addition of further teams in Australia and the USA added to the development of the list, and ambitions rose to change the feisty indie into a broader trade publisher. New distribution deals led to ever greater outreach. International sales expanded. A rights team was created.

A short story list began to emerge in 2006, and since its launch we have now published over one hundred collections. In 2011, the company closed its Cambridgeshire offices and relocated to the coastal town of Cromer in North Norfolk, where we have operated from ever since.

Salt expanded into general fiction and 2012 saw our first Booker Prize nomination with Alison Moore’s The Lighthouse. Salt had successfully pivoted into literary fiction and its reputation and sales grew.

It was a period of great expansion and considerable challenge. Over one hundred novels have now been published and Salt has won, or been nominated for, more than a hundred literary prizes around the world.

In 2024, Kirsty, a senior journalist, joined the team to develop our marketing and publicity. A new international sales team has been appointed, and the company is diversifying into crime, historical and genre fiction, and non-fiction.

As we move further into our second quarter-century, Salt is undergoing its most significant evolution yet. While our roots remain firmly in the 'singular and the daring,' we have expanded our horizon to include a vibrant range of genre fiction. By bringing our signature literary care to crime, historical fiction, and psychological thrillers, we are opening up new conversations with readers while continuing to champion the bold, genre-defying voices that have always defined us. This is the new Salt: rooted in history, but driven by the stories of tomorrow.

A Legacy of Independent Thinking: The Salt Timeline

1999: The Cambridge Founding Salt is established in Cambridge with a focus on the craft of discovery. The press quickly gains a reputation for distinctive design and a commitment to emerging voices.

2008: Industry Leadership & Innovation Salt is honored as Innovation of the Year at the IPG Independent Publishing Awards. This recognizes our pioneering approach to independent letters and our ability to remain lean and responsive in a shifting market.

2012: The Global Stage

The Lighthouse by Alison Moore is shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. This moment catapults Salt into the international literary conversation and validates our mission to publish books of such quality that they demand to be noticed.

2015: Mastering the Short Form Carys Davies wins the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award for The Redemption of Galen Pike. This solidifies Salt’s position as a premier home for short-form excellence.

2024–2025: Renewed Momentum Salt achieves a significant 47% year-on-year sales uplift. This growth is driven by a confident new mix of genre-adjacent fiction and a professionalised approach to how we support our booksellers.

2026 and Beyond: The Future of the Independent We enter our most ambitious phase yet, scaling our list to reach more readers while doubling down on the editorial care that defines us. By focusing on books that combine narrative drive with serious literary ambition, we are ensuring Salt remains a vital, resilient home for distinctive stories for decades to come.

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What they say about Salt

Over the years, Salt has earned the admiration of booksellers, poets, critics, writers and industry leaders. Their words speak to our mission: to publish bold, beautiful books that surprise, delight and endure. Here’s what they’ve said about the spirit and significance of Salt.

‘All human life needs Salt.’ —Simon Armitage, poet laureate

‘In a publishing world where everything seems to be about agglomeration, it’s cheering to see a company making a sustained case for the power of the small and the singular. Watching its list grow and develop has been an unpredictable pleasure.’ —Claire Armitstead

‘Our best Norfolk publisher.’ —Louis de Bernières

‘Chris and Jen were publishing legends BEFORE they pitched up in Cromer, and in being here have consistently kept the bar raised for the quality of publishing in this part of the UK. Salt is internationally recognised as one of the leading lights in the world of independent publishing - I am proud to have had their name emblazoned across the front of my shop for the past 10 years! They are a powerhouse and long may they thrive here!’ —Henry Layte, Owner, The Book Hive

‘Salt is essential seasoning in the world of British books. A fine, independent list, published with great spirit.’ —Robert McCrum

‘Salt is the best publisher of its kind: adventurous, challenging, and original.’ —Sir Andrew Motion

‘Salt arrived onto the UK’s vibrant independent publishing scene at the end of the 20th Century, and have embodied a pioneering spirit and boldness in keeping with the new century, while retaining a timeless adherence to editorial strength of taste and purpose.’ —Stephen Page

‘We don’t have enough small independent and daring publishers like Salt.’ —Gryff Rhys Jones

‘Salt is an essential part of the UK publishing ecosystem, championing a huge range of authors, always finding room for new, innovative voices and a go-to for some of the best fiction around today.’ —Catherine Taylor

‘Salt are not only East Anglia’s leading independent publisher – they are rapidly evolving into a major player on the British literary scene, producing books of a quality that put many a commercial giant to shame.’ —DJ Taylor

‘In a dull and conformist publishing landscape, Salt’s list stands out for its rich flavours, colours and accents. In poetry, novels or the short fiction that the imprint champions so well, Salt titles surprise, intrigue and delight. These are books by writers who find their own voice. They deserve readers who go their own way.’ —Boyd Tonkin