LONDON: Novelist Elif Shafak has been elected president of Britain’s Royal Society of Literature (RSL) after a vote at the society’s annual general meeting on Thursday, The Guardian reported.

She takes over from Bernadine Evaristo, who completed her four-year term at the meeting and called Shafak “a terrifically inspired choice”.

Evaristo recounted her successor’s achievements as “a global bestseller with a renowned reputation as a writer, intellectual and public speaker,” calling Shafak, “a longstanding advocate for literature and the power of storytelling to bridge differences and illuminate multiple perspectives.”

The incoming president said she was “very touched and humbled” and that while she has plans for her tenure as president, she wants to start by listening to “the thoughts and suggestions of my fellow writers and poets”.

In an Instagram post, she said she was “deeply honoured and excited” to be taking on the charge. She said members must regard the RSL as “a much-needed sanctuary, an oasis, a space of togetherness, empathy, inspiration and creativity,” especially in an “increasingly turbulent and harsh world”.

Speaking to The Guardian, Shafak said, “For me, the word ‘fellowship’ does not only mean joining an organisation of such exceptional value and history. I also want to focus on the second meaning of the word. Fellowship, as in companionship, solidarity, togetherness. I find this very important because we live in an increasingly turbulent and harsh world where many in the arts feel very lonely.”

The author said there were “too many challenges” facing writers, librarians, and others who have dedicated their lives to “the love of literature”.

Shafak, who had been serving as the society’s vice-president since 2020, is the author of 21 books — 13 of them being novels. She writes in Turkish and English and is known for works such as The Forty Rules of Love and The Bastard of Istanbul. Her work has been translated into 58 languages.

Two of her books have made the shortlist for the RSL Ondaatje prize, while her 2019 book, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2025