The Management Committee (also known as the board) is responsible for the direction of the Society and makes all major policy and strategy decisions. The elected members of the Management Committee are the legal directors of the Society of Authors. With four seats available, this is your opportunity to influence the strategic direction of the Society of Authors over the next few years.

Over the past 12 months, the board has shaped the Society of Authors’ five-year strategy: 2025-2030, which aims to improve outcomes for authors.

Work this year has included developing a framework on the ethical use of AI in the publishing industry and promoting the importance of good author care through the publication of an Author Care Toolkit to support new authors on their publishing journey.

Each elected board member plays a key role in steering SoA strategy to support members individually and collectively, and to improve the working terms and conditions for authors.

Following our annual skills audit, we are particularly interested in strengthening our board with full members who have skills or experience in the areas of finance, fundraising, governance or marketing.

The SoA membership is broad and diverse, representing all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators, of all ages, experiences and background, and therefore it is important that the SoA board is as representative as it can be.

If you are a full member who has been an SoA member for at least six months, and you have skills or experience in any of the areas mentioned above, please do consider submitting a nomination for the board by 15 July 2026.

If we receive more nominations than the available four seats on the board, we will hold an election to enable members to choose from multiple candidates. Voting will be open from 15 September to 20 October 2026, with newly elected board members taking their seats after the 2026 AGM in November.

Your vote will ensure that you have a voice in how the Society of Authors tackles the biggest issues facing authors today.

You can find more information about how to stand for the Board and how to vote in the FAQs below.