On 6 February, people across the UK expressed their love for libraries. The 2016 National Libraries Day was the biggest celebration yet, with over 850 events taking place and massive online interaction. A few days later the Speak Up for Libraries coalition took the fight to Parliament. On 9 February, authors, readers, librarians and library…
16 February 2016 Authors on Twitter have been using the hashtag #litfestshoutout to highlight those festivals who treat their speakers well. We too would like to thank the festivals who have taken the time to contact us to discuss the terms they offer authors. Following our survey and the debate fuelled by Philip Pullman’s resignation as…
As a teacher, I witnessed the decline of the immensely valuable schools library service in England. It was never made statutory, so there was no law to stand between it and the inevitable decay resulting from the devolution of school budgets (and the pressures on head teachers to mend the science lab roof, employ an…
The winners of the Tinniswood and Imison were announced tonight at the star-studded BBC Audio Drama Awards. Eoin O’Connor (Imison winner), Joseph O’Connor (Tinniswood shortlisted) and Gemma McMullan Julian Simpson received the 2016 Tinniswood Award for best audio drama script of the year for his play Fugue State. Newcomer Eoin O’Connor took home the Imison…
27 January 2016 On 25 January, following a huge response to a petition, the House of Commons debated plans to introduce quarterly tax ‘updates’ for the self-employed and small businesses. Changes to tax administration impact on authors and many of you signed the petition and made your concerns known to the Petitions Committee ahead of…
25 January 2016 Our President Philip Pullman tops the Books section of the Debrett’s 500, ‘a positive endorsement and recognition of Britain’s 500 most influential people.’ Pullman is praised for his advocacy of authors’ and readers’ interests as well as his writing: Pullman has campaigned against age and gender labelling of literature as part of…
Earlier this month we wrote to publishers as part of an international movement calling for action on contract terms. In an open letter we asked publishers to take responsibility for their role in authors’ income by reviewing their contract terms and treatment of authors. We were delighted by the widespread media coverage of the story…
Literary festivals’ payment of authors has been prominent in the news this month, prompted by Philip Pullman’s resignation as Patron of Oxford Literary Festival. The SoA President resigned his role at OLF because they do not pay authors. We welcome this principled stance by our President and the support it has attracted. Last year we…
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…
