Society of Authors | The Bookseller

Anne Somerset wins Elizabeth Longford Prize

Publication Date: Mon, 29/04/2013 - 07:30

Anne Somerset’s biography Queen Anne has won the 2013 Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography.

The book, published by HarperPress, was described by chair of judges Professor Roy Foster as: “a psychologically subtle and surprisingly vivid portrait of a ruler who has hitherto remained obscure to her...

Anne Somerset | Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography | HarperPress | Joshua Farrington | Prizes | Queen Anne | Society of Authors
SOA criticises new Pearson author payment scheme

Publication Date: Tue, 02/04/2013 - 09:00

The Society of Authors has criticised a decision by Pearson to change the way it pays some of its authors for their publications.

Instead of receiving royalties based on how many books they sell, Pearson will now pay some authors upfront fees instead, meaning they would lose out on a share of the profit if their title becomes a...

academic | authors' royalties | digital | Home | Lisa Campbell | pearson | Rod Bristow | Society of Authors
PLR to transfer to British Library

Publication Date: Wed, 27/03/2013 - 11:51

The Public Lending Right (PLR) is to be run by the British Library, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced.

The day-to-day running of the scheme is to stay with the existing PLR operation in Stockton-on-Tees, with staff becoming employees of the British Library from 1st October when the changeover takes place...

British Library | Department for Culture | Ed Vaizey | Home | Joshua Farrington and Benedicte Page | libraries | Media and Sport | PLR | Society of Authors
Pullman new president of SoA

Publication Date: Thu, 21/03/2013 - 16:27

Novelist Philip Pullman has been elected as the new president of the Society of Authors.

Pullman will replace crime writer P D James, who will retire from the role in August, the month of her 93rd birthday.

Pullman said: "P D James has been a magnificent president, whose knowledge and wit and wisdom will be very hard to...

Anne Sebba | Authors | Benedicte Page | moves | P D James | People | Philip Pullman | SoA | Society of Authors
Concerns over Hachette contracts

Publication Date: Mon, 21/01/2013 - 08:35

Authors' representatives have expressed concern over changes proposed by Hachette to its author contracts. Updates relating to the acceptance of manuscripts are of particular worry.

Society of Authors chief executive Nicola Solomon told The Bookseller that "thought and discussion" was needed over the changes,...

Charlotte Williams | Hachette | Home | Nicola Solomon | Society of Authors
'Further discussion needed' on copyright exceptions

Publication Date: Thu, 17/01/2013 - 09:45

Further details and in-depth discussion are needed for the proposed exceptions to copyright published in outline by the government just before Christmas, according to publishers and authors' representatives.

The government is to...

Benedicte Page | Copyright | Home | Nicola Solomon | publishers association | Society of Authors | Springer | wiley
Sebba succeeds Davis as SoA chair

Publication Date: Thu, 22/11/2012 - 15:28

Biographer Anne Sebba is to take over as chair of the Society of Authors, succeeding Lindsey Davis who is stepping down after one year in the role.

Davis said: “It has been a pleasure to have been chair for the last year but I am now looking forward to spending more time with my writing. I wish my successor the very best in...

Anne Sebba | Benedicte Page | Lindsey Davis | Society of Authors
Solomon warns on PLR

Publication Date: Thu, 22/11/2012 - 08:55

The Society of Authors has approved the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s plans to raise the PLR rate, but urged that volunteer libraries and e-books should all be covered by the payment.

Each year, the Public Lending Right Registrar recommends to the DCMS the amount that should be paid to authors in compensation for the...

Home | Joshua Farrington | Nicola Solomon | Public Lending Right | Society of Authors
Penguin Random House: Supergroup to redefine trade

Publication Date: Fri, 02/11/2012 - 09:00

Universal shock at the news on Monday (29th October) of a merger between Penguin and Random House - the most fundamental shift in the UK trade publishing landscape for a decade - is giving way to starkly polarised reactions within the trade.

The big publishers declined to comment, amid concern that the deal could prompt a wave of...

Anthony Goff | Bertelsmann | Bookseller News Team | Canongate | David Higham | Faber | Foyles | HarperCollins | Home | James Daunt | Jamie Byng | Kate Pool | Penguin | Penguin Random House | random house | Rupert Murdoch | Sam Husain | Society of Authors | Stephen Page | Waterstones
Solomon presses Vaizey for answers on PLR

Publication Date: Tue, 21/08/2012 - 10:18

The Society of Authors is continuing to press culture minister Ed Vaizey to clarify his stance on Public Lending Right and volunteer-run libraries, with SoA general secretary Nicola Solomon telling Vaizey that his responses to her questions have thus far been "cursory and incomplete".

In a letter sent to the culture minister...

Ed Vaizey | Fight for Libraries | Home | Joshua Farrington | libraries | Nicola Solomon | Public Lending Right | Society of Authors