Virginia Evans previously studied at James Madison University in Virginia before coming to Dublin to study at the Oscar Wilde Centre for Creative Writing. Now residing in North Carolina with her husband and children, Evans has pursued writing full time with her debut novel, The Correspondent, having been released in April 2025. An international bestseller, it has been acclaimed for its epistolary approach and unique view on human relationships and the written word. The University Times got the chance to speak to Evans, a Trinity alumna, about her work and creative process.
The Correspondent follows Sybil Van Antwerp, a woman in her 70s who writes letters as a hobby. She writes letters to numerous writers (such as Joan Didion), her daughter, or her best friend. Behind Sybil’s humour and wit, however, lies a life of regrets and pain, which she reflects on through her correspondence. Through her letters, Sybil’s story and personality shine through, captivating the reader who looks to answer the mysterious questions about her past.
First, speaking about the choice for an epistolary approach and an affinity for long-form communication, Evans stated that “I didn’t set out to start a letter writing movement, but I hear that’s what’s happening, which I think is lovely. It seems like as we make our way year to year there are more things we lament with the dawn of tech, but this feels like a bit of a backward motion in a good way. I love the thought of more letters written and read, more human connection, more patience, more thoughtfulness”.
She stated that 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff was one of her inspirations, saying that she “read the book during Covid and it was a balm. I enjoyed the format, how easy it was to get through the story. There is something very easy about reading this format, all the negative, white space and page breaks. It tricks you into reading longer, I think, another lovely outcome of the novel I didn’t anticipate”. Further, Evans noted that this approach, “wasn’t too different, though keeping track of the loose threads could be tricky at times. It took some discipline and attention to keep the story tight and lean, and make sure each person and thread was taken as far as it needed to be. I wrote front to back in time”.
Speaking about the choice for an older character, looking back on her life, Evans noted that “when Sybil came to me, she was in her seventies. That’s how I met her, so that is where the story started. I never considered telling her story in a different era. Having her at this stage of life, I could tell such a long, complete tale in hindsight. I enjoyed that. I enjoyed having oversight of every season of her life, birth to death. I wanted to tell the entire story, her whole life, start to finish. I think having her in this stage also softened some of the trauma and heartache she had suffered”.
Stating that the years of age provided a cushioning for Sibyl’s pain, Evans noted that “I think that makes it a bit more readable, perhaps? I’m not sure I have a good answer, other than I wanted to tell the story from this angle”.
When asked about the influence of nostalgia on her writing, Evans remarked: “I don’t know that nostalgia is a motivator for me as much as memory. There is a Marilyn Robinson quote I love. ‘Memory is the sense of loss.’ I think this plays a great deal into all my work. It’s even playing into the book I’m writing now”.
Speaking about Sibyl’s personal growth, Evans remarked that, “I think there was a part of the story I wanted to write, which was that Sybil could change even though she was at this advanced era of her life”. Adding that, “I think it’s tempting to believe we get more stodgy and set in our ways as we age, but I have witnessed the opposite in some people”.
Citing another one of her inspirations, the poem Deaths of Flowers by Edith Scovall, Evans quoted: “From closed to wide / from one through many perfections / Til wreched, flamboyant, strayed beyond recall / Like flakes of fire they piecemeal fall”, stating that, “I wanted this to be the way Sybil went out, like a tulip. It was a joy to write her this way. I think this happens not as much because of her introspection, though certainly partially, but more because of the people who continue to surround her and come to find her, not leave her alone”.
Looking back at her master’s program at Trinity in terms of developing her writing but also as a life milestone, Evans recalled, “The masters for which I sat in Trinity was monumental for me, not only because of the teaching, which was tremendous, but because it moved my writing life from a side wing onto center stage. I was able to devote my full days to writing and learning about writing. A huge part of it, too, was coming to Ireland as transplants or expats, really starting raw and fresh in a new place. The experience of living in Ireland did change me as a writer, but moreover it changed me as a person, a mother, a wife, a citizen, a student, a human being, and it did these things for my husband, and my children. It was the best decision we’ve ever made hands-down”.
Speaking further about her time in Dublin, Evans noted the strong sense of community, saying, “It was wonderful. I loved getting to know Carlo Gébler and Eoin McNamee as professors (who are now my friends). I thought it felt so lovely how intimate it was, not like in the US, but much smaller. It felt like a community”. As her favourite memory from her time here, related to her literary pursuits, she recalled a “dinner I shared with Carlo and my best friend Sorcha Hamilton at Dunne and Crescenzi in Frederick Street, chatting about the literary world of that moment. I thought, ‘I can’t believe this is my real life, these wonderful, brilliant people’”.
When asked about any advice for aspiring writers, as she once was, or for any aspiring creatives, Evans remarked that, “It takes such time and discipline”. She continued, “When we talk about creative careers or endeavors, it’s like one might think there is a bit of magic, or that inspiration will be the wings on which you soar, but it’s just not true. It’s work. You show up day after day, write when you aren’t inspired. I’d say the days of inspiration are maybe one or two in a calendar year. The other three-hundred odd days are just work, showing up, putting the words down. I didn’t want to hear that when I was young, but it turns out it was true”. Finally, Evans added that, “I do think if you’re meant to do it, you’ll do it. I always say it feels like the stories are chasing me. Only way to outrun them is to write them. I never felt it was a choice I was making”.
Lastly, Evans spoke about which writers she would, as Sibyl often does, write letters to if she had the chance. Expressing a desire to write to Joan Didion, she also noted John Steinbeck as one of her choices, saying, “I’d love to have written (and gleaned the masterful understanding of people, fiction, story from) John Steinbeck. I’ll never get over Steinbeck”. Her current reads are Wayfinder by Adam Johnson and Wuthering Heights, which I love to re-read. It’s a great book for winter”.
