Title: Editor and Publisher
Company: The Sager Group LLC
Location: La Jolla, California, United States
Michael A. “Mike” Sager, Editor and Publisher at The Sager Group LLC, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Artists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Literary Journalism.
Mr. Sager’s career in journalism and publishing spans more than four decades, and more than a dozen books, marked by a commitment to literary excellence, cultural exploration and mentorship. Since 2012, he has served as the editor and publisher of The Sager Group LLC, an independent hybrid publishing company based in La Jolla, California. Under his leadership, The Sager Group has published more than 150 books, earning a reputation for striking cover designs, textbooks for women in journalism, preservation of great journalism of the past, and innovative approaches to the publishing process.
Establishing his company at a pivotal moment for the magazine industry, Mr. Sager aimed to eliminate traditional gatekeepers and empower writers. His vision was informed by his own experience publishing six books with major houses and his desire to empower authors to create new opportunities for themselves. The Sager Group LLC is recognized for working with both well-known writers and novices, and for its celebration and preservation of work produced during the late 20th Century’s Golden Age of Literary Journalism, further cementing Mr. Sager’s status as a trusted figure among his peers.
Since 1990, Mr. Sager has also been a contributing editor and writer at large for Esquire magazine. He is widely regarded as a “writer’s writer,” known for immersive reporting that often involves living among unconventional communities to gain authentic insight into their lives. Notably, during his 47 years in the field, Mr. Sager spent six weeks embedded with a crack gang in Los Angeles, a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, Aryan Nations troopers in Idaho, as well as high school students, street pimps, artsy heroin addicts on New York’s Lower East Side, and high school football players in American Samoa. These experiences have informed his self-identification as a literary anthropologist.
From 1991 to 1997, Mr. Sager lent his expertise to GQ as a writer at large, where he continued to develop his distinctive narrative style and contributed to the publication’s national profile. Earlier, between 1985 and 1991, he served as a contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, covering the Drug War and producing influential stories that helped define his reputation for fearless reporting and cultural commentary.
Mr. Sager began his professional journey at The Washington Post in 1978 as a copy boy before being promoted to staff writer, a position he held until 1984. During this period, he broke several important stories, including one that led to a Senate investigation. His article “Hunting Marlon Brando” published in 1986 in the Washington Post Magazine, marked a significant breakthrough in his career.
In preparation for his future, Mr. Sager received an undergraduate degree in history and creative writing from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, conferred in 1978. While at Emory, he was active both academically and in extracurricular activities, walking on to the varsity soccer team as a freshman, serving as the president of Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity for two terms, as a managing editor of the student newspaper, and as editor of its literary magazine. In the spring of 1978, Mr. Sager completed an internship with the alternative weekly Creative Loafing which was to change his life. Though he moved to Washington, DC. in the fall of 1978 to attend Georgetown Law Center, his love of the craft of writing was the trump. He quit law school three weeks later to pursue a career in writing.
Beyond his professional writing and publishing endeavors, Mr. Sager has contributed significantly to civic life and education. He helped establish the literary journalism major at the University of California, Irvine, and volunteered to teach writing to at-risk youth with Words Alive in San Diego. He also became known for collaborating on projects that serve broader communities. Moreover, Mr. Sager has coached and managed youth soccer and basketball at every level. The Sager Group has been recognized for providing grants to individuals pursuing creative or journalistic projects.
As an author, Mr. Sager has published more than a dozen books. His most notable notable works include “The Devil and John Holmes” which inspired the movies “Boogie Nights,” staring Mark Wahlberg, and “Wonderland,” starring Val Kilmer and Lisa Kudrow. Another of his stories inspired the movie “Veronica Guerin,” starring Cate Blanchett. In all, his stories have produced more than 30 Hollywood options, including documentaries on basketball’s Kobe Bryant and football’s Todd Marinovich.
Mr. Sager’s achievements have been acknowledged through numerous awards, beginning with recognition from the Baltimore Washington Newspaper Guild while at The Washington Post in 1981, several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists of San Diego for columns, and First Place Honors from the San Diego Press Club for commentary and opinion. In 2010, Mr. Sager garnered significant acclaim with an Ellie Award from the National Association of Magazine Editors for a story entitled “The Man Who Never Was,” which became an ESPN documentary.
Throughout his career as a journalist and literary anthropologist, Mr. Sager has sought understanding across diverse communities by suspending disbelief and keeping an open mind. He credits much of his success to the mentorship received from influential figures such as Don Graham, Jan Wenner, Bob Love, and Walt Harrington, who played pivotal roles in shaping his approach to literary journalism. Looking toward the future, Mr. Sager hopes to continue publishing meaningful work while thriving personally, focusing on daily accomplishments as he enters semi-retirement.
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