About Us
The Society of Authors is the UK’s largest trade union for all types of writers, scriptwriters, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. With more than 11,500 members they have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession for more than a century.
Their members range from household names like Philip Pullman, JK Rowling, Neil Gaiman and Malorie Blackman to authors right at the start of their careers.
In 2020, they awarded more than £600,000 in prizes and grants for work in progress (for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and translation), and more than £1.3 million in hardship grants to authors in financial difficulty during the health crisis.
Press releases
Vanity publishing - writers’ unions call for end to exploitative business
The Society of Authors and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain expose widespread bad practice among companies that charge writers thousands for... read more
29.04.2022 • By Society of Authors
Joanne Harris hails ‘writing as a force to be reckoned with’ as she...
The Society of Authors has revealed the names of the winning writers, poets and illustrators from around the world who will share in the UK’s... read more
10.06.2021 • By Society of Authors
Heartbeat and Holby City actor Sophie Ward joins Booker Prize winner...
Actor and writer Sophie Ward and Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart are among six writers shortlisted for the 2021 McKitterick Prize.... read more
18.05.2021 • By Society of Authors