#DownTools as part of the SoA’s annual Summer Challenge
We’re encouraging authors to down tools and step away from their writing and illustrating desks to venture outside during 19-23 August as part of this year’s Summer Challenge.
Announcing the opening of the Society of Authors’ Awards 2020
The Society of Authors’ Awards 2020 are now open for entries – with 7 awards spanning fiction, poetry, non-fiction and, for the first time, illustrated children’s books.
Sign our 40th birthday card to PLR!
September marks the 40th anniversary of the introduction of Public Lending Right (PLR) in the UK.
English PEN guidelines for authors attending literary festivals
The Society of Authors is often contacted by members asking for advice on attending literary festivals in countries with poor human rights records.
New report explores what empowers writers to work
19 July 2019 The SoA welcomes the RSL report which recommends more effective support for authors from all backgrounds at every stage of their careers, with findings that confirm our own research. The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) has published a report of findings from its A Room of My Own survey, which asked over 2,000 writers what it takes to nurture an environment that offers the freedom and opportunity ‘to make a life in writing possible for writers…
Management Committee elections open September 2019
We have now received 8 nominations for the four vacancies on our Management Committee, so there will be an election in September 2019. Full Members will receive their ballot papers– and the candidate statements – in the autumn issue of The Author.
The Queen’s Knickers Award to celebrate ‘quirky’ illustrated kids’ books
The Society of Authors is accepting entries to the inaugural round of a new award, celebrating the writers and illustrators of ‘quirky’ illustrated books for children ages 0-7.
SoA urges Hunt and Johnson to support creative industries
The Society of Authors has written to the two candidates to succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, urging them to support authors and the wider creative industries.
£100,000 ‘night of riches’ – announcing the 2019 Society of Authors’ Awards winners
A celebration of inclusivity and ‘the power of story’ as 70-year old debut novelist Anne Youngson joins Rathbones Folio Prize winning poet Raymond Antrobus, Romany writer Damian Le Bas and Granta’s Best of Young British Novelist Nadifa Mohamed in share of Society of Authors’ £100,000 ‘night of riches’.
SoA highlights poetry and short fiction across social media
How do you make a living from poetry? How do short story writers make any money at all? We discussed all this and more in our week-long dedication to poetry and short fiction as part of celebrations around the 2019 Society of Authors’ Awards, taking place on Monday 17 June.
The EU Copyright Directive explained
As we reported last month, the Copyright Directive has finally been agreed by the EU.
Authors recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2019
We are delighted that SoA Council members Sarah Waters and Joanna Trollope, and SoA member Theresa Breslin, have been recognised for their services to literature in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people across the UK. Joanna Trollope has been awarded a…