The Society of Authors

The Society of Authors Empowering authors since 1884. The largest UK union for writers, illustrators and literary translators.

Entries for our Eric Gregory Awards are now open. This prize is for a collection of up to 30 poems by a poet under 30 an...
08/10/2026

Entries for our Eric Gregory Awards are now open. This prize is for a collection of up to 30 poems by a poet under 30 and is free to enter.

Founded by the late Dr Eric Gregory in 1960, the prize aims to encourage young poets.

Deadline for submissions is 31 October 2026. Please read all eligibility criteria before entering via the Prizes page on our website.

https://societyofauthors.org/prizes/the-soa-awards/eric-gregory-awards/

[Picture shows some of this year's Eric Gregory Awards winners alongside winners of the Cholmondeley Award © Adrian Pope]

07/10/2026

Ask and we shall deliver. Many of our members have been requesting to learn more about Substack.

Last week we welcomed Claire Venus to our online family, presenting our Professional Development session on Substack for Beginners.

Over 200 people attended with a lively question and answer session. There was a lot to learn but fear not. Recordings of all of our Professional Development webinars are available for members to view online. There's a huge range to choose from, from how to pitch to an agent, to sorting out your pension.

You can find them in the resources section of our website.

If you'd like to discover more benefits of the SoA, and details of how to become a member, visit our Join Us Section.

https://societyofauthors.org/resources/

In the autumn edition of The Author, our quarterly journal, Emma Cheshire offers some advice on how to find an agent. Th...
02/10/2026

In the autumn edition of The Author, our quarterly journal, Emma Cheshire offers some advice on how to find an agent.

This includes:

🖊️Get your work into the best shape you feel able to.
🖊️Always read an agent’s website page to see what they’re looking for at the moment.
🖊️Ensure you tailor each approach.

Read the full article on the News page of our website.

The Author is published quarterly and contains a wealth of experience and information. All our members receive a copy as part of their membership. Join today to make sure you don't miss out on the next issue.

01/10/2026

Happy ! The theme this year is Wonder – celebrating the power of poetry to spark curiosity, encourage creativity and help young minds wonder at the world around them.

Last week our Poetry and Spoken Word Group held its first open mic night, so during the evening we asked a few poets what Wonder means to them.

Today is , so it's the perfect time to share our new resource: Why Translators Are Better. Translators read in one lang...
30/09/2026

Today is , so it's the perfect time to share our new resource: Why Translators Are Better.

Translators read in one language and think and write in another. But they do much more than translate and deliver a translated manuscript. Their work begins before the
acquisition process and extends beyond delivery of the translation.

Why Translators Are Better sets out the many skills translators bring to all stages of the publication process, which go far beyond what any automated translation service can offer. You can download the document now on the Resources section of our website.

Today we have also launched the Translators Association Literary Translations Rates survey, which seeks to get a better and up-to-date understanding of the rates and income translators receive when signing an agreement with a UK publisher.

Complete the survey here: https://buff.ly/m9p6eHZ

29/09/2026

"Meeting an author or illustrator can inspire children to read more widely, write more confidently, and see literacy as an enjoyable lifelong activity."

As Abie Longstaff explains here, school visits play a vital role in boosting reading for pleasure, but they can be daunting to plan. Our new school visits toolkit is full of practical advice to help authors and schools navigate the whole process and deliver a visit that is more rewarding for everyone involved, especially the children.

The toolkit is available to download for free via the Resources page of our website.

28/09/2026

As an SoA member, you can sign up to all our our professional development events for free. We cover everything from TikTok to public speaking, with opportunities for questions to our hosts.

Here's a selection of what's coming up

29 Sept Substack for beginners - TOMORROW
6 Oct How to create a talk for schools
13 Oct The nuts and bolts of writing series fiction
2 Nov Writing a synopsis
1 Dec Pitching workshop

If you've missed out on our previous events, members are also able to watch our back catalogue of recordings, available on our website.

Non-members are also welcome to join us with tickets at £35.
https://societyofauthors.org/events/tag/professional-development/

Or for less than the cost of four workshops, why not become a member. Visit our website for details.

Our new Community Hub events aim to bring authors together in our event space to network, share ideas, organise, or just...
25/09/2026

Our new Community Hub events aim to bring authors together in our event space to network, share ideas, organise, or just enjoy one another's company.

Coming up over the next few months we have:

Underrepresented Writers Networks launch and coffee morning
9 October, 11:00 - 12:30. Free for SoA members.
This event is currently full but head to our Groups page to find out more about our Underrepresented Writers Networks and future events.

Boxing class with Roy Summers.
16 October, 13:30 - 15:00. £14.50 for members, £24.50 for non-members
There will be time for refreshments and chat, followed by about 60 minutes of light exercise based around learning some boxing skills, fitness and fun boxing-based games. Suitable for all levels of fitness and abilities.

Shut Up & Write! ®
6 November, 10:00 - 12:30. Free for SoA members
Amaia Robertson Nogues will facilitate a morning of writing. Shut Up & Write! ® is a nonprofit that brings writers together to build consistency, beat procrastination, and finally make progress on their projects.

Head to our Events page for our full programme of online and in-person events, many of which are free for our members. Not a member yet? Now's a great time to join and make the most of our many member benefits.

Meet Lisa Dowdeswell, our Head of Literary Estates. Lisa manages our literary estates, selling rights and building relat...
24/09/2026

Meet Lisa Dowdeswell, our Head of Literary Estates.

Lisa manages our literary estates, selling rights and building relationships with publishers, agents and producers. She also advises our members on a wide range of publishing contracts and issues.

What do you love about the job?

"Whereas some of our more classic titles seem to transcend fashions and remain popular throughout the term of copyright, it is always such a joy to see a long out-of-print book suddenly take flight and reach a new audience."

What book should we be rediscovering this autumn?

"I would recommend GB Stern’s The Woman in the Hall, first published in 1939 and republished in 2025 by the British Library in their Women Writers series."

We manage the literary estates of many distinguished writers, including Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf, Philip Larkin and Rosamond Lehmann. Discover more on our website.

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