21 January 2016 We’re delighted that the plans to make cuts of more than 10% to the Welsh Books Council have been scrapped after protests from Welsh- and English-language writers. More than 500 authors wrote to the Welsh Assembly, as did publishers, to explain the devastating impact the cuts – more than twice those proposed…
More than 400 writers have written to protest against proposed cuts which threaten the future of the Welsh publishing industry. Welsh- and English-language writers are standing in solidarity to oppose the 10% cuts to the Welsh Book Council (WBC). The SoA shares their concerns and welcomes and supports the letters to the Welsh Assembly. The…
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Our President, Philip Pullman, has resigned as a Patron of Oxford Literary Festival because they do not pay authors. He explained his decision: My position as President of the Society of Authors, which has been campaigning for fair payment for speakers at literary festivals, sat rather awkwardly with my position as Patron of the Oxford…
Sean Grundy, Joseph O’Connor and Julian Simpson have been shortlisted for the Tinniswood Award for the best original audio drama script – the UK’s premier prize for audio drama writing. New talent is also celebrated in the Imison Award. Debut audio drama writers Eoin O’Connor, Iain A J Ross and Emma Spurgin Hussey are shortlisted….
5 January 2016 The SoA has today written to publishers to ask them to help improve authors’ earnings by addressing contractual terms. The letter is part of an international collective call to action on creator contracts. In an open letter, addressed to members of the Publishers’ Association and the Independent Publishers Guild, we ask publishers…
4 January 2016 We are delighted that authors Simon Brett and Vivian French and screenwriter Peter Morgan have been recognised in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List. Brett, who receives an OBE for services to Literature, sits on the SoA’s Council and is a trustee of the Authors’ Foundation. Children’s author French receives an MBE for services to Literature,…
14 December 2015 Following the Culture Minister Ed Vaizey’s call for input on the Government’s White Paper on Culture the SoA has made a submission. Our submission is based on four key principles: Culture plays an important role in the economy and investment is essential – as two recent reports have clearly shown. Culture also has…
10 December 2015 On 9 December the European Commission announced its proposals for copyright reform. The SoA welcomes the Communication which puts the need for authors to be fairly remunerated at the heart of achieving ‘a modern, more European copyright framework’. The SoA has contributed to the ongoing process to review and reform European copyright,…
Sarah Howe, a 32-year-old British poet, has won the Sunday Times/Peters Fraser + Dunlop Young Writer of the Year Award for her collection Loop of Jade (Chatto & Windus). Howe was presented with the £5,000 prize at a ceremony at the London Library on 10 December and becomes the award’s 25th recipient. Presenting the award…
Earlier this year the SoA wrote to a cross-section of the many literary festivals in the UK. We contacted 22 festivals and asked them to tell us what they pay authors and what rights they demand in return. 17 of those surveyed responded in detail – others invited us to speak to them. Although these initial…
3 December 2015 On 30 November our Chief Executive, Nicola Solomon, spoke on a panel about ‘The State of the Author’ at The Bookseller’s Author Day. We’ve uploaded a transcript of her speech which addressed the pressing issues for professional authors and what the different parties in the industry can do about them. Fair Contracts…
