AGM Week: Industry Insider – The big conversation: Author Care

Join us for  week of activities focused on Author Care. We kick off with our #SoAatHome Big Conversation, chaired by  SoA’s Chief Executive, Anna Ganley. She is joined by author Maame Blue, Canongate Communications Director Anna Frame, and Literary Agent Caro Clarke. They will discuss their experiences of successful working relationships in publishing and the challenges that authors still face.

#SoAatHome Industry Insider events – free for all + donation

As of Feb 2025, our #SoAatHome industry insider events will be free for all but with a donation option when registering for the event.

All donations made go towards the Society of Authors’ Access Fund. The fund is to help provide authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats. If you would like to make a donation with your booking, please do so when registering for the event below.

AGM Week 2025: Author Care

With discussions around transparency, support and inclusion, communication and self-care, we ask how authors and publishing professionals can work better together and how authors can find support if they need it. Author Care Week follows the launch of the Society of Authors’ new digital resource, Author Care: A Toolkit for Authors.

Download the digital resource via our website.

From an Industry Insider, online social and a Feel Good Friday workshop. You can also pop into the SoA Space to update your author photo at a special discounted member rate. 

#SoAatHome

• Industry Insider – the big conversation: Author Care | Monday 17 November, 11.00-12.00
• AGM online member social | Wednesday 19 November, 11.00-12.00
• SoA’s Annual General Meeting | Thursday 20 November, 17.00
• Feel Good Friday – How to love the hands and body you write with – Alexander Technique | Friday 21 November, 11.00-11.45

SoA in Person

• Author Photos | Tuesday 18 November, 10.00-16.00 | SoA Space, Bedford Row

Programme

• Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Anna Ganley – Chief Executive, SoA (3 mins)
• Anna Ganley (SoA) chairs a discussion with Maame Blue; Anna Frame; and Caro Clarke (40 mins)
• Q&A with audience (15 mins)
• Summary and closing comments (2 mins)
• This event will be moderated by Lilly Brend-Fish – Events and Engagement Manager, SoA

What will this session cover?

• how the industry has changed
• the challenges that authors face
• where authors can find support and empowerment

Who is this session for? 

This session is for all authors navigating the publishing industry and at all stages of their careers.

The Line-up 

Maame Blue | Author

Maame Blue is the author of two novels; Bad Love, which won the 2021 Betty Trask award, and The Rest Of You, shortlisted for the 2025 Jhalak Prize. Her short stories have appeared in four anthologies, including most recently in Be Gay, Do Crime. She has written for multiple publications including The Independent, Writers Mosaic and The Bookseller, and she regularly mentors emerging writers working on their debut novels. She also works as a manuscript editor and regularly teaches creative writing in the UK and Australia.

Website: maamebluewrites.com  | Instagram @maame_blue | Threads @maame_blue

Anna Frame | Communications Director, Canongate books

Anna Frame is Communications Director at Canongate Books. An award-winning publicist with over 15 years’ experience, she has run campaigns across almost every genre, including with Amy Liptrot, Travis Alabanza, Nick Cave, Ruth Ozeki and Miranda July. Former Chair of the Publishers’ Publicity Circle and an EIBF Trustee, she regularly speaks on issues around author support and transparency in publishing.

Website: Canongate | Instagram: @anna.frame | Bluesky: @annaframe.bsky.social

Anna Ganley | SoA

Anna Ganley brings 19 years of experience at the Society of Authors (SoA) to the role of Chief Executive. Responsible for overseeing the running of the organisation, Anna took over from Nicola Solomon in April 2024 to drive the SoA’s mission of empowering and supporting authors. Working closely with the SoA’s board of directors (Management Committee), Anna ensures that SoA’s activities and campaigns are aligned with the SoA’s core values.

Website: www.societyofauthors.org | Instagram: @thesocietyofauthors | X: @soc_of_authors

Caro Clarke | Literary Agent

Caro Clarke is the founder and literary agent at Portobello Literary. They founded the agency in 2022 after twelve years working in publishing houses – Transworld (PRH) and Canongate Books as a Senior Rights Manager. They were named Rights Professional of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2021 and a Bookseller Rising Star in 2024. In 2019, they co-founded the Nan Shepherd Prize for underrepresented nature writers. They’ve also recently started a Substack for the agency to demystify the industry and give craft advice.

Instagram: @portyliterary

Send us your questions

If you would like to send questions in advance, email LBrendfish@societyofauthors.org with ‘The big conversation: Author Care’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance but will endeavour to answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.

#SoAatHome Fundraising Bookshop

Browse our virtual Bookshop.org store featuring books by authors and speakers taking part in the #SoAatHome. When you make a purchase using our affiliate links, a percentage will go to the Society of Authors’ Access Fund, giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats.

Need to know

Accessibility

• Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles.
• If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org

Before the eventi

• Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with the Zoom link
• If the confirmation email doesn’t arrive in your inbox, please check your junk/spam email folder
• Please add events@societyofauthors.org to your Safe Senders list so you receive our confirmation and reminder emails

During the event

• This online event will take place on Zoom Webinar. You will not be on screen.
• This event is 60 minutes

After the event

• Hashtag for this event: #SoAatHome & #AuthorCare
• Attendees will be able to catch the recording on our Vimeo channel

Booking

Please either use the form titled ‘Register – no donation’ or the option of the different ticket options with a donation amount depending on how much you would like to donate towards the Society of Authors Access Fund.