Lewis, Morgan, McIntyre and Nagra elected to Society of Authors council, 18 November 2021

19 November 2021

Decision to appoint four new SoA Council members ratified at the union’s AGM on 18 November 2021

We are delighted to welcome award-winning poet Gwyneth Lewis, illustrator and children’s writer Sarah McIntyre, award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction Nicola Morgan, and award-winning poet and chair of the Royal Society of Literature Daljit Nagra to the SoA Council.

Membership of the Council, an honorary body of up to 60 eminent authors, is an accolade conferred by the Management Committee on members of high standing who have been exceptional in their support of the SoA.

Commenting on the appointment, Gwyneth Lewis said:

The Society of Authors have supported me since the beginning of my work as a writer. It offers exactly the practical advice and support writers need, so I'm thrilled to be given this honour and am looking forward to repaying a debt to the Society, which I admire so much and to which I'm so grateful.

Sarah McIntyre said of the appointment: 

I'm thrilled to join the Council of the Society of Authors, who champion the professional needs of illustrators, translators, writers and comics creators. Together with The Bookseller magazine and my agent, the Society have been tremendously supportive of our #PicturesMeanBusiness campaign, encouraging people to see how everyone wins when they credit illustrators properly for their work. The Society also provide a valuable link to translators, who run a parallel #NameTheTranslator campaign, and more recently #TranslatorsOnTheCover. While we're working away at our desks, it's incredibly helpful to have highly skilled people on our side who have a wider overview of what's happening in the industry. Collectively the staff and the Society's members keep an eye on shifts in publishing and do the best to make sure we're not shortchanged without a fight, either behind closed doors or more high-profile in the media. I'm glad to be a part of that team, and to be able to speak up for illustrators and their valuable work that we all get to enjoy.

Nicola Morgan, a member of the SoA for over 20 years, said:

The possibility of being invited to join the Council had never crossed my mind so I am incredibly surprised and honoured to join such an august body of authors. The Society of Authors has been a big part of my life since I joined in 1999, always giving me the advice I needed, and it plays a vital role in supporting the rights of writers and illustrators. Thank you!

Find out more about the SoA Council here