Use your platform for Climate Action Week – 20-27 September
Write, illustrate and translate your way to a better planet.
Cast your vote in the 2019 SoA Management Committee elections
It’s time to help shape the future of your union and vote in the 2019 Management Committee election. Eight candidates are standing for four vacancies, and we urge you to exercise your democratic right and have your say. All Full Members are eligible to vote. Ballot papers and candidate statements have been distributed with the…
Writers receive £185,000 for works in progress
Each year we are thrilled to be able to support a number of writers with their works in progress through grants from the Authors’ Foundation and K Blundell Trust. This year is no exception – with over 70 authors awarded nearly £185,000 this month, helping them with research costs and giving them valuable time to focus on their latest writing projects.
Audible suspends the inclusion of some US publishers’ work in ‘Captions’ feature
Audible has agreed to exclude works owned or licensed by some US publishers from its new ‘Captions’ feature while copyright issues are resolved.
#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.