Every year, our Authors’ Foundation and K Blundell Trust offer grants to assist writers with costs to complete their writing projects. Applicants must have been commissioned or previously published by a commercial British or Irish publisher.

In 2023, the Authors’ Foundation gave out 114 grants with a further 11 awarded from the K Blundell Trust. Over £350,000 was distributed to authors working across a multitude of disciplines. The average grant was just under £3,000.

In increasingly challenging economic times, a grant can be a lifeline for writers working to complete their project. Grants can help to pay for travel for research; for writing equipment, such as a new laptop; or they can buy time out from employed work to focus entirely on writing.

We were delighted to hear from a number of writers about their forthcoming books, made possible by AFKB grants.

‘The grant from the Society of Authors provided me with all the support I needed’

The Authors’ Foundation Award came at a time when I was finding it difficult funding the research and travel involved. It was also difficult finding the time to write as I needed to hustle to care for my family. Life in Nigeria is difficult at this time, more so for writers/artists as there are no support platforms as this. The grant from the Society of Authors provided me with all the support I needed. I completed the manuscript (127,000 words long) in record time. So, I am indeed indebted and grateful to the Society of Authors for this support without which it would have been difficult and nearly impossible to finish my manuscript in the same year as I started it.

Obinna Udenwe

‘the grant let me breathe poetry instead of money worries’

My Authors’ Foundation grant last June completely transformed my next poetry collection, Beast, to be published by Bloodaxe in April 2025. Suddenly I was able to travel to the Languedoc for research, discover and fall in love with the Camargue, which inspired a whole new sequence of poems. Then, when I returned home, I could turn down teaching work to fully focus on writing. I’m the main provider for two, on a freelance poet’s income, and the grant let me breathe poetry instead of money worries. It gave me a timely confidence boost that my project was worth supporting. Poems are elusive creatures, but the grant invited them in. I’m so grateful to the Society of Authors and especially for selecting me for the Arthur Welton award.

Pascale Petit

‘Being able to pay myself for writing time and learn from an author I’ve admired since I was a student has been invaluable’

So much of pre-publication writing is unpaid time, working essentially on a wing and a prayer. The grant I received from the Society of Authors & K Blundell Trust contributed towards the finishing of a collection of short stories, Nightlife, under the mentorship of Alan Hollinghurst. Being able to pay myself for writing time and learn from an author I’ve admired since I was a student has been invaluable, and I’m extremely grateful to the SoA for their support. 

Patrick Cash, K Blundell recipient

We have had the following acknowledgements from authors of books published in 2022 and 2023 that were supported by AFKB grants.

‘it showed belief in my project and poetry, so I could visualise the journey and the end result’

The Authors’ Foundation grant in 2021 came at a critical time in my writing. Due to Covid-19, freelance work had dried up, and the grant bought me space and time for research that formed the backbone of my collection. Aside from the very-welcome financial support, the grant was a creative boost – it showed belief in my project and poetry, so I could visualise the journey and the end result of a published book. This kind of support is invaluable to writers and I recommend any eligible authors to apply for a grant. I am very grateful to the Authors’ Foundation for their help at a challenging time in my writing practice.

Lisa Kelly, The House of the Interpreter (Carcanet Press)

‘not only do [the grants] say ‘we believe in your work’ but also that ‘it is worth doing’, and that is a huge boost’

I received an Authors’ Foundation Award for Hysterical: Exploding the myth of gendered emotions (Canongate, 2022) and it was such a huge help. As a freelance academic and speaker, and mother to two small neurodiverse children, as well as someone with chronic health conditions, this grant gave me time and space to focus on completing this book, and helped me travel for research. These grants are so valuable because not only do they say ‘we believe in your work’ but also that ‘it is worth doing’, and that is a huge boost. This is what every writer needs to hear, and when there is such little support for working parents, and childcare is so expensive, SoA grants are so valuable.

Pragya Agarwal, Hysterical (Canongate Books)

‘it helped make Go Toxic Free more relatable, personal and timely’

As a freelance environmental journalist, taking time out from regular commissioned work to write my first book was a scary prospect. This grant made a huge difference to me because it bought me time to spend longer on my research, speaking to scientists all over the world via Zoom about their discoveries. It also enabled me to get my blood tested for 100 or so pollutants (I couriered the viles to Norway!) and this added enormous depth to my storytelling because it helped make Go Toxic Free more relatable, personal and timely. So thank you.

Anna Turns, Go Toxic Free (Michael O’Mara)

‘The Society of Authors offers an invaluable gift to the struggling writer’

The Society of Authors offers an invaluable gift to the struggling writer, a rarity in this field. I turned to their hardship grant when I was having trouble through the pandemic and to the K Blundell Trust for the development of my memoir. I was incredibly lucky to receive their support both times. It is often very challenging to prioritise the writing, even when you have a commission, and awards like the K Blundell Trust make this possible. I am forever grateful for their support.  

Lilly Dunn, Sins of my Father (Weidenfeld and Nicolson)

The Authors’ Contingency Fund

For a profession where the median income is just £7,000, subsistence can be a struggle. Our Authors’ Contingency Fund offers hardship grants to authors in financial difficulty all year round, covering costs in times of emergency.

In 2023, the fund gave out 273 grants paying out over £400k to authors in need of financial support. The average grant was just over £1,500.

‘I feel like a huge weight has been lifted’

Thank you so much for this incredibly generous grant. I couldn’t believe it when I read your email! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders!

Anonymous

‘I’m both relieved and deeply touched’

Thank you all so muchfor this incredibly generous grant—I’m both relieved and deeply touched by the kindness and support of the Society and its members. It’s a real life-line. Thank you also for the ease of application, the swift turnaround, the assurance of confidentiality and gentleness that’s woven through the whole process.

Benjamin Johncock

‘It is nothing short of lifechanging’

This money will give me the time, space and security to be able to recover without fear or pressure of paying the bills for a few months. It is nothing short of lifechanging.

Anonymous

The Drusilla Harvey Access Fund

Our Drusilla Harvey Access Fund, part of the Authors’ Contingency Fund, provides grants supporting authors for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies and retreats.

In 2023 it gave out 51 grants, paying out just over £11k to meet these needs across the writing community.  The average grant was just over £200.

‘The grant enabled me to pay for a week’s retreat at Moniack Mhor’

The grant enabled me to pay for a week’s retreat at Moniack Mhor earlier this month, where I was able to work on my novel. I greatly appreciated the grant and the time it offered me to write unencumbered by nagging reminders of all the other things that I ought to be doing – the chores and administration that accompany having a home and family in the 21st century.

Angela Jameson

‘it came at a time when I genuinely needed it’

I am really appreciative of getting the Drusilla Harvey [grant], it came at a time when I genuinely needed it. The event has passed, it was brilliant to get this chance and time to work on book two. Thank you for the support. 

Shazia Altaf