Industry Insider – The 40% ceiling: Gender equality in the Scottish literary sector
1 May @ 13:00 - 14:00 BST
Join Dr. Christina Neuwirth as they present findings from their report on gender equality in Scottish publishing, reviewing equality in book festivals and prizes, as well as qualitative findings from interviews with tastemakers. Christina will be in conversation with Dr Helen Sedgwick from the Society of Authors’ in Scotland Committee.
The event includes a chance to reflect, discuss, and ask questions.
Dr. Christina Neuwirth’s report is now live at www.quinereport.com. For a free download as a PDF or Word doc, or in instalments by subscribing to quinereport.substack.com
#SoAatHome Industry Insider events – free for all + donation
As of Feb 2025, our #SoAatHome industry insider events will be free for all but with a donation option when registering for the event.
All donations made go towards the Society of Authors’ Access Fund. The fund is to help provide authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats. If you would like to make a donation with your booking, please do so when registering for the event below.
Accordion Content
Access 20% off your first year of membership of the SoA with discount code SOAATHOME20
The Society of Authors is the UK’s biggest trade union for authors – representing more than 12,000 writers, illustrators, translators and other creative practitioners.
Our standard subscription rate is just £32.50 per quarter (£22.75 for students).
As an SoA member, you’ll get:
- Access to all our #SoAatHome events for free including the Professional Development sessions usually charged at £35 from Feb 2025
- Access to all our Feel Good Friday and Industry Insider events which are usually charged £5 from Feb 2025
- Access all #SoAatHome Vimeo professional development recordings so you can catch up in your own time
- Access Unlimited one-to-one professional advice
- Membership of our online and real-world professional networks and special interest groups
- A range of member-only discounts, including books, insurance and travel
- And much more
‘It was a surprisingly lovely way to meet fellow writers in a friendly, warm surrounding perfectly hosted by the SoA staff. Thank you for all the introductions, the welcome and the nourishment!’ – attendee from SoA in Person: Autumn New Members’ Party 2024
JOIN NOW | PRICING
Programme
- Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Dr Helen Sedgwick (3 mins)
- Presentation from Dr Christina Neuwirth followed by a discussion with Dr Helen Sedgwick (35 mins)
- Q&A with audience (20 mins)
- Summary and closing comments (2 mins)
- This event will be moderated by Elsa Woodmeade – Local Groups Manager, SoA
Who is this session for?
The event is intended for everyone working in the Scottish literary and publishing scene in any capacity, and any others who are interested in gender equality.
What will this session cover?
- A presentation from Christina about their research findings
- A chaired discussion about what their findings mean and how we might respond as a sector
- A Q&A
About the Society of Authors’ in Scotland
Members with a Scottish postcode are added to the group when they join the SoA. If you have not been added but would like to join this group, please contact us.
We offer a varied calendar of activities organised by a committee of volunteers and staff coordinator Elizabeth Frattaroli. Group activities are reported in the SoA’s quarterly magazine, The Author.
Send us your questions
If you would like to send questions in advance, email Elsa Woodmeade on EWoodmeade@societyofauthors.org with ‘The 40% ceiling’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance but will endeavour to answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.
#SoAatHome Fundraising Bookshop
Browse our virtual Bookshop.org store featuring books by authors and speakers taking part in the #SoAatHome. When you make a purchase using our affiliate links, a percentage will go to the Society of Authors’ Access Fund, giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats.
The Line-up
Dr Christina Neuwirth
Dr Christina Neuwirth is a researcher, award-nominated author and bookseller. Teaching and research has taken them to the USA, Germany and Australia and to industry and scholarly conferences within the UK. Christina is a trustee on the board of StAnza, Scotland’s international poetry festival.
Website: https://christinaneuwirth.com/
Dr Helen Sedgwick
Helen Sedgwick is a cross-genre author of literary fiction, sci-fi and crime. She writes about human connection across time and space, juxtaposing science with the supernatural and realism with ghost story. She has been shortlisted for the Scottish Fiction Book of the Year and awarded the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship.
Instagram: @helensedgwickauthor | Bluesky: @helensedgwick.bsky.social | X: @helensedgwick
Need to know
Accessibility
- Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles.
- If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org
Before the event
- Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with the Zoom link
- If the confirmation email doesn’t arrive in your inbox, please check your junk/spam email folder
- Please add events@societyofauthors.org to your Safe Senders list so you receive our confirmation and reminder emails
During the event
- This online event will take place on Zoom Webinar; you will not be visible on screen but will be able ask questions via the Q&A function or interact via the chat box
- This event is 60 minutes
After the event
- Hashtag for this event: #SoAatHome
- Attendees will be able to catch the recording on our Vimeo channel
Booking
Please either use the form titled ‘Register – no donation’ or the option of the different ticket options with a donation amount depending on how much you would like to donate towards the Society of Authors Access Fund.
Accordion Content
Access 20% off your first year of membership of the SoA with discount code SOAATHOME20
The Society of Authors is the UK’s biggest trade union for authors – representing more than 12,000 writers, illustrators, translators and other creative practitioners.
Our standard subscription rate is just £32.50 per quarter (£22.75 for students).
As an SoA member, you’ll get:
- Access to all our #SoAatHome events for free including the Professional Development sessions usually charged at £35 from Feb 2025
- Access to all our Feel Good Friday and Industry Insider events which are usually charged £5 from Feb 2025
- Access all #SoAatHome Vimeo professional development recordings so you can catch up in your own time
- Access Unlimited one-to-one professional advice
- Membership of our online and real-world professional networks and special interest groups
- A range of member-only discounts, including books, insurance and travel
- And much more
‘It was a surprisingly lovely way to meet fellow writers in a friendly, warm surrounding perfectly hosted by the SoA staff. Thank you for all the introductions, the welcome and the nourishment!’ – attendee from SoA in Person: Autumn New Members’ Party 2024
JOIN NOW | PRICING
Accordion Content
Giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats
Every contribution helps us ensure that these needs and costs aren’t barriers to authors wishing to access events.
If you are in a position to help, please donate via the link below. If you are an author facing access issues, please click here to see if we can help.
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Register - No donation
Please use the booking form to register for this event.
Please email
events@societyofauthors.org if you have any questions.
