News

Author Will Kostakis shares his thoughts on the importance of LBTQIA+ representation and the role books play in reflecting the plurality of our society. 

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, this July we're shining the spotlight on First Nations creators, and we're thrilled to share our Spotlight interview with Samantha Faulkner!

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, this July we're shining the spotlight on First Nations creators, and we're thrilled to share our Spotlight interview with Lisa Fuller! 

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, this July we're shining the spotlight on First Nations creators, and we're thrilled to share our interview with Julie Janson! 

Significant concern has been raised across the creative industries after the announcement that the ABC will undergo a restructure involving 120 redundancies - including managing editor of the arts and digital editor of the arts - and the axing of their dedicated arts unit.

We are thrilled to share our June Member Spotlight features Ayesha Inoon! Ayesha was the 2022 winner of the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize, and this month her winning novel, Untethered, was published by HQ, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.

The ASA wrap-up of the Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) Forum 2023.

The inaugural Australian Children's Storytelling Parliamentary Friends event took place at Parliament House last Wednesday 24 May, with over 300 MPs, Senators, staffers, and special guests in attendance. 

Last month the ASA conducted a survey to understand how authors and illustrators are using generative AI and their thoughts about the potential impacts on our sector. The survey results demonstrate overwhelming concern about the threat generative AI poses to already precarious writing and illustrating professions.

An extract from the ASA's Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia's book industry in which Juliet Rogers shares the do's and dont's when preparing your publisher submission.

We are thrilled to share our May Member Spotlight features author and cartoonist Kaz Cooke! Kaz was recently shortlisted for the 2023 Russell Prize for Humour Writing for You're Doing it Wrong.

We're thrilled to launch a new, updated edition of the ASA's Guide to the Australian Book Industry!

Renew your ASA membership or join before 30 June 2023 to receive your free, updated resource ASA's Guide to the Australian Book Industry 2023-24 and go in the running to win one of our Membership Giveaway prize packs! 

We've had a stellar start to the year for our first Virtual Literary Speed Dating event of 2023, with 314 pitches to 12 publishers and 5 agents over two days.

The ASA has had a run of enquiries from authors and illustrators lately regarding disputes about writing or illustrating work in circumstances where no written agreement has been drawn up. 

We are thrilled to share our April Member Spotlight features author and illustrator Jess Racklyeft! Jess was recently announced as the winner of a SCBWI International Bologna Scholarship.

Artificial intelligence has become a hot topic with the rise in new automation programs like Midjourney and ChatGPT, which enable users to generate creative work at the click of a button. While there is much yet to be understood about this evolving technology, what’s clear is that AI presents complications on a range of fronts.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is thrilled to announce the winners and highly commended entries for the 2023 ASA/CA Award Mentorship Program for Writers and Illustrators!

Writer and editor, Zoya Patel, shares her reflections about the representation of women and girls in literature in celebration of International Women's Day.

Last week the ASA joined other peak bodies across literature, broadcasting, screen, music, education, and museums and galleries at a Ministerial Copyright Roundtable hosted by the Attorney General’s Department in order to discuss copyright priorities.

We are thrilled to share our March Member Spotlight features Sasha Kutabah Sarago! Sasha is a writer, filmmaker and speaker, and has now had her debut memoir Gigorou: It’s time to reclaim beauty. First Nations wisdom and womanhood published by Pantera Press.

We're thrilled to launch an essential new book-length resource for Australian writers and illustrators: the ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia’s book industry.

The National Cultural Policy, Revive, was launched by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke on Monday 30 January. Read our analysis of the measures that will most impact our members’ professional careers. 

After lengthy campaigning by the ASA, the Albanese Government has announced the expansion of the Lending Rights Scheme to include ebooks and audiobooks, with a $12.9 million increase to the budget over the next four years.

We are thrilled to share our February Member Spotlight features Christine Helliwell! Christine was recently announced as the winner of the 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History for Semut.

Hear directly from your Board Directors about why they choose to give their time to the ASA. 

The Australian Society of Authors applauds the creation of Writers Australia, together with a substantial increase in investment in literature and the introduction of digital lending rights announced today in the new National Cultural Policy by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Arts Minister Tony Burke.

If you’re thinking of applying for an Award Mentorship, you may be wondering how to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward. We asked assessors Kate Ryan and Julie Ditrich to share their tips for what makes a stellar application, and the common mistakes to watch out for.

The ASA was profoundly saddened to hear of the passing of acclaimed author, journalist, and poet Edel Wignell.

After two years, ALIA’s Online Storytime Program has wrapped up. While the program has now concluded as libraries return to live programming, it remains an example of good industry collaboration, and we congratulate ALIA, and all participating publishers, authors and illustrators.

Our January Member Spotlight features Dr Delia Falconer! Delia was recently announced as the winner of the 2022 Nib Literary Award for Signs and Wonders:  

On behalf of the Blake-Beckett Trust, the Australian Society of Authors is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2022 Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship.

In 2015, Macquarie University researchers investigated the experiences of Australian authors and reported the oft-cited finding that writers earned on average $12,900 per annum from their creative work. This figure has now been updated to $18,200 - a figure that still falls well below the poverty line.

The ASA was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of distinguished poet and author, Antigone Kefala. Antigone was one of the founding members of the ASA and made an invaluable contribution to the literary community.

Our December Member Spotlight features Susannah Begbie! Susannah was recently announced as the winner of the 2022 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for her manuscript, When Trees Fall Without Warning.

The Australia Council has released a summary of the 2022 National Survey of Australian Book Authors, which provides valuable insights into the conditions faced by authors.

In a powerful keynote address to an audience of authors, illustrators, publishers and industry professionals on Tuesday 15 November, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Tony Burke MP affirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering what has been missing for a decade - a National Cultural Policy which recognises the work of authors and illustrators.

We are delighted to announce Sophie Cunningham as the new Chair of the Australian Society of Authors, as well as two new Board appointments: Jock Given and Jennifer Mills.

Thank you to the members who joined us for another outstanding Virtual Literary Speed Dating event at the end of October. Over two days the ASA hosted sessions with 15 publishers and 4 agents, facilitating 337 pitches from members across Australia.

On behalf of the Blake-Beckett Trust, the Australian Society of Authors is thrilled to announce the 2022 Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship shortlist.

The submissions to the National Cultural Policy consultation have been published, and the ASA has been struck by the unified, impassioned and clear call from authors to bring literature in from the sidelines and invest in sustainable writing and illustrating careers. 

A US Federal Court has blocked the proposed merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, finding that the effect of the merger may substantially lessen competition in the market for the publishing rights to anticipated top-selling books.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is thrilled to announce the 2022 Tasmanian Writers and Illustrators Program recipients!

You may have heard the hype about Substack, a platform which enables writers to publish - and monetise - their e-newsletters, used by authors such as Salman Rushdie and George Saunders. But what’s it really like gaining financial support from your readers using Substack? We commissioned Bri Lee to share her strategy and learnings.

Our October Member Spotlight features Shaun Tan! Shaun's work is currently being exhibited in Imagine...the Wonder of Picture Books exhibition at the State Library of NSW, and a collection of his artwork from the past 25 years will be published in his new release Creature, coming out this month.

We are delighted to announce the winner of the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award is S.L. Lim for Revenge: Murder in Three Parts.

Our interview with Jennifer Down, whose book Bodies of Light was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Our interview with Elizabeth Tan, whose book Smart Ovens for Lonely People was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

In this article we explore the purpose of book advances, our survey results on the Australian market for advances, and the questions to ask when negotiating with your publisher.

Our interview with S.L. Lim, whose book Revenge: Murder in Three Parts was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Our interview with Evie Wyld, whose book The Bass Rock was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Our interview with Laura Elvery, whose book Ordinary Matter was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Our interview with Julie Janson, whose book Benevolence was shortlisted for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award.

The Australian Society of Authors is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award!

Thank you to all our members who joined us for our Virtual Literary Speed Dating opportunity at the end of July. Over two days the ASA hosted sessions with 13 publishers and 3 agents, facilitating 263 pitches from members across Australia.

Author Nigel Featherstone writes about launching his new novel, My Heart is a Little Wild Thing, during the age of Covid.

Our August Member Spotlight features Isa Shirokawa! Isa was recently announced as a winner of the Griffith Review Long and Short of It Emerging Voices Competition for her short story, 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain?', which will be published in the 80th edition of Griffith Review.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of booksellers in turning a book into a bestseller. In light of the challenges posed by the pandemic it’s important to ask what authors and illustrators can do to help keep the indie bookshop scene thriving, and to support the booksellers who support them.

Previously, the ASA has reported on the copyright infringement lawsuit brought against Internet Archive by US publishers Hachette, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Wiley. This July marks two years since the lawsuit was filed in New York, and now the publishers have filed a motion for a summary judgment.

The ASA was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Moorhouse AM, acclaimed writer, powerful activist and tireless advocate for authors. 

The ASA recently reported on the outcome of the case before the Copyright Tribunal involving Copyright Agency and Universities Australia and welcomed the decision made by the Tribunal. Universities Australia has now sought judicial review of this decision. 

Our July Member Spotlight features Alex Sarkis! Following a successful match at an ASA Virtual Literary Speed Dating event, Alex secured a publishing contract with Ultimo Press, and her debut novel Something Blue will be published on 6 July 2022. 

Are you familar with what constitutes Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), and the industry protocols regarding consultation and consent?

The ASA welcomes the decision of the Copyright Tribunal in the case of Copyright Agency and Universities Australia, handed down last week, ensuring that creators continue to be remunerated fairly for the copyright materials they produce. 

When you enter a writing competition - whether it be for an unpublished short story, essay, poem, or even a full manuscript - it is essential to pay attention to what you are agreeing to in the terms and conditions, as there could be significant consequences for you and your creative work.

Our June Member Spotlight features Eleanor Limprecht, the 2020 winner of the Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship! The $20,000 scholarship is offered annually to an Australian author to provide them with valuable time to work on a current manuscript, and this month Eleanor's winning manuscript, The Coast, was published by Allen & Unwin!

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is thrilled to announce the judging panel for the 2022 Barbara Jefferis Award: Toni Jordan (Chair), Peggy Frew, and Declan Fry.

Thank you to all our members who joined us for May's Virtual Literary Speed Dating opportunity. Over two days the ASA hosted our largest event yet, with 16 publishers and 7 agents, facilitating 443 pitches from members across Australia.

Our May Member Spotlight features Gabrielle Wang, who was recently named the Australian Children's Laureate 2022-23! 

With the federal election taking place on Saturday 21 May, the ASA is advocating for all parties across the political spectrum to develop policy commitments that better support the careers of writers and illustrators.

Since 1963 the Australian Society of Authors has been the professional organisation, community and voice for Australia's writers and illustrators, and we'd like to help you too

Since the beginning of the year we've been sharing interviews with ASA Ambassadors about Digital Lending Rights - this week we speak to bestselling and award-winning author Markus Zusak.

At the end of March the Federal Budget 2022-23 was announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Was there anything in this Budget relevant to writers and illustrators? Our analysis shows there is little new and nothing targeted to report. 

As an ASA member you have access to a suite of services and benefits including expert advice on the publishing industry, professional mentorships, discounted access to professional development courses and opportunities such as Literary Speed Dating, and much more.

Our April Member Spotlight features Shelley Burr. Following a successful match at an ASA Virtual Literary Speed Dating event, Shelley signed with agent Sarah McKenzie, and secured a publishing contract! Shelley's debut novel, WAKE, will be published by Hachette on 27 April 2022.

The Australian Society of Authors and HQ are delighted to announce that Ayesha Inoon has won the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts with her work Untethered.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is thrilled to announce the winners and highly commended entries for the 2022 Award Mentorship Program for Writers and Illustrators!

Our hearts go out to all members of the Southeast QLD and Northeast NSW communities who have been affected by the devastating floods. We know that many creators and creative organisations are suffering the impacts, following an already disastrous few years for the arts community. We’ve compiled a list of resources for those affected by the floods, and those who wish to support the communities affected.

We know that since PLR and ELR were established in 1975 and 2000 respectively, they have represented one of the most reliable and stable sources of income for book creators. But we are concerned that the value of PLR/ELR will steadily erode if the schemes are not updated to include digital formats.

The Australian Society of Authors and HQ, a publishing division of HarperCollins, are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts.

Last week the ASA made a submission on the Exposure Draft of the Copyright Amendment (Access Reforms) Bill 2021. Our central concern is that the broad drafting of the Exposure Draft will mean that some uses of copyright works which are currently remunerated under licence arrangements will be instead shifted to free exceptions.

Our March Member Spotlight features Melissa Manning, who was recently awarded the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction for her short story collection, Smokehouse!

The ASA has been campaigning for the expansion of the Australian lending rights schemes (PLR/ELR) to include digital formats (ebooks and audiobooks) for a number of years, and our latest research demonstrates the issue is more significant than ever. Read our interview with Ambassador and Board Director Kirsty Murray.

We are thrilled to share our February Member Spotlight features award-winning author and illustrator Frané Lessac, who recently showcased four decades of her original artwork in the exhibition: Frané Lessac Retrospective: The Art of the Story, 50 Books in 40 Years!

In the final weeks of 2021, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications released the exposure draft Copyright Amendment (Access Reform) Bill 2021. 

Our January Member Spotlight features Cath Moore, who was recently announced as the winner of the 2021 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Young Adult Literature for her novel Metal Fish, Falling Snow!

Last month we conducted our Annual Member Survey to better understand our member’s needs, to deliver better services, and to track industry trends. Despite a bumper year for publishers, with a book market increase of 6% when compared to the same period in 2020 and book sales surging following the reopening of bookshops after restrictions lifted, it is clear that this has not translated into improved earnings for the majority of authors and illustrators.

On behalf of the Blake-Beckett Trust, the Australian Society of Authors is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2021 Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship.

In a recently published article in The Age, ASA Ambassadors Nick Earls and Markus Zusak have called for a much-needed expansion of the vital Australian lending rights schemes to include digital formats.

The ASA is delighted to announce the launch of Untapped: Australian Literary Heritage Project on 6 December! 

We are delighted to announce that 48 new illustrators are now featured on the ASA Style File, following our latest round of submissions!

Our December Member Spotlight features Ouyang Yu, who was recently shortlisted for the 2021 Melbourne Prize for Literature's Writer's Prize, and announced as the winner of the Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection at the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards for his collection Terminally Poetic!

Thank you to all of our members who joined us for October's Literary Speed Dating event. Over two days the ASA hosted sessions with 18 publishers and 5 agents, facilitating 370 pitches from members across Australia.

The Australian Society of Authors is proud to announce that the 2021 ASA Medal has been awarded to Bruce Pascoe!

We are pleased to share that, following campaigning by the ASA, the Australian Publishers Association (APA) has amended its Member Code of Conduct to include a provision which improves the recommended terms of publishing contracts for authors. 

The ASA is dismayed to learn that the National Library of New Zealand’s (NLNZ) donation of over 400,000 books to Internet Archive includes a number of Australian books, many of which are still in copyright.

The ASA welcomes the report on the outcome of the Federal Inquiry into the Creative and Cultural Industries, which was released by the House of Representatives Standing Committee of Communications and the Arts: Sculpting a National Cultural Plan; igniting a post-Covid economy for the arts. 

Our November Member Spotlight features Christine Balint, one of two winners of the 2021 Viva La Novella Prize for her novella Water Music!

In celebration of the opening of the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize we interviewed Rachael Donovan, Publisher at HQ Fiction, HarperCollins Australia, about the books HQ are seeking for their list.

Our October Member Spotlight features Kirli Saunders, who was recently announced as the winner of the Children's Book Award at the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards for her multi-award winning verse novel, Bindi!

Do you know that PLR/ELR does not currently apply to digital formats of your books? Read our article on Digital Lending Rights, and why it's important for you as a creator.

Our September Member Spotlight features Shankari Chandran! Shankari was the inaugural winner of the Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship, a $20,000 award offered annually to an Australian author to provide them with valuable time to work on a current manuscript. Now, that manuscript, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, will be published by Ultimo Press in January 2022!

Our July Member Spotlight features Sandhya Parappukkaran. Sandhya won an ASA/CA Award Mentorship in 2020 to work on her unpublished manuscript with Sue Gennaro, and is now having her picture book, Amma's Saree, published by Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, Bright Light imprint!

The third in our series of articles exploring the questions to ask your publisher before you sign your contract.

As we’ve said previously, we consider the Internet Archive to facilitate copyright infringement; it scans around 3,500 books per day according to its website and many of those are still in-copyright. We'd like to remind you that you can opt out of this arrangement by following these instructions.

Thank you to all our members who joined us for our Virtual Literary Speed Dating event at the end of July. Read our update on the results!

The Australian Publishers Association, the Australian Society of Authors and the National Copyright Unit for Australian schools are pleased to announce an update regarding school storytimes to ensure that teachers (including teacher librarians) are able to read stories to students in a virtual classroom environment.  

For this year’s CBCA Book Week (21-27 August) the ASA and the ABA are promoting a shop local, read local campaign online, encouraging readers to buy Australian books from Australian booksellers.

The second in our series of articles exploring the questions to ask your publisher before you sign the contract.

Our August Member Spotlight features Sally Bothroyd! Sally was the winner of the inaugural ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize awarded in 2020, and will have her winning novel Brunswick Street Blues published by HQ in March 2022.

We are thrilled to see ASA member Wai Chim representing authors and the Australian YA community on the current season of Australian Survivor: Brains vs. Brawn. Read our interview with Wai about her experiences on Survivor so far.

This article is the first in a series of articles where we’ll explore the questions you should ask before you sign a publishing contract. This week, we’re looking at the questions to raise before granting rights.

A perennial question we receive at the ASA is whether or not permission is required when quoting another author in your work. In this article we answer the basics for when you need permission and how to go about getting it.

Are you an illustrator or author/illustrator who also does the design work for your picture books? If so, it is important that you are being paid appropriately for this work.

We understand that many writers and illustrators may be struggling with renewed social-distancing and lockdown restrictions across the country, so we've compiled a list of resources for support.

Amazon has opened its first print on demand facility in Australia - what does this mean for indie authors?

The launch day of a book is such an important day for an author or illustrator. We know that many authors’ book birthday celebrations have been impacted by the lockdown in Victoria, so in support of our Victorian authors and illustrators, we’re showcasing their new releases in a reading list.

Last week ASA CEO Olivia Lanchester, and ASA Board Director Kirsty Murray attended the Australian Digital Alliance Copyright Forum, to speak about the case for digital lending right.

Thank you to all our members who joined us for our first Virtual Literary Speed Dating event of 2021 last month! Over two days, the ASA hosted sessions with 13 publishers and 6 agents, facilitating 414 pitches from our members across Australia.

Last week we were thrilled to launch the ASA's essential new resource on respectful storytelling practices, More than Words: Writing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture and Copyright in Australia.

Our May Member Spotlight features one of Australia's most widely celebrated writers, Kate Grenville, who was recently announced as the winner of the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction at the 2021 NSW Premier's Literary Awards for her historical fiction novel, A Room Made of Leaves.

Our April Member Spotlight features Elizabeth Tan whose collection of short stories was recently longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for last week’s inspiring and informative online event, How Did They Do It: three bestselling authors share their journey to the top of the charts. In case you missed it, we’ve collated some of the key insights from our panellists.

Our March Member Spotlight features Filip Vukašin. Following a successful match at the ASA's Literary Speed Dating event in July 2020, Filip signed with an agent and secured a publishing contract! Filip's debut novel, Modern Marriage, will be published by Affirm Press in 2021.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is thrilled to announce the twenty winners and five highly commended entries for the 2021 Award Mentorship Program for Writers and Illustrators!

Last Friday, ASA CEO Olivia Lanchester, ASA Director Melissa Lucashenko, and ASA member Nick Earls attended a public hearing before the Standing Committee for Communications and the Arts conducting the Inquiry into the Creative and Cultural Industries, and called for the prioritisation of digital lending rights.

Keeping informed about defamation law is important for authors, particularly if you're a non-fiction author, and Australia's defamation laws are currently going through significant reform.

In 2018 we launched our Getting to Know You email series, which allows you to hear directly from your Board Directors about why they choose to give their time to the ASA. In continuation of this series, over the next few weeks we'll be publishing articles from the four new Board Directors we welcomed in late 2020: Danielle Clode, Sophie Cunningham, Kelly Gardiner and Melissa Lucashenko.

This year has been tumultuous and challenging in so many ways, but it has also been an opportunity for us to come together as a community, find new ways to connect, and reimagine our future. Throughout it all the ASA has been working hard to support Australian writers and illustrators. Check out our 2020 year-in-review.

On behalf of the Blake-Beckett Trust, the Australian Society of Authors is thrilled to announce the shortlist and winner of the 2020 Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship.

This week, the ASA attended roundtable meetings with the Office for the Arts and other industry bodies to understand the detail of the Government's proposed copyright reforms, and to represent the interests of Australian writers and illustrators to Government.

To conclude our series of articles on the 2020 ASA Survey Results this week we are reporting on Digital Lending Rights, and the universal support for the modernisation of our PLR/ELR payment schemes.

Following our news on the perilously low average author incomes in Australia, this week we continue our series of articles on the 2020 ASA Survey results with a report on author advances and royalties.

Last month, in our first-ever online ceremony, we were delighted to announce Lucy Treloar as the winner of the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award for her novel, Wolfe Island.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA), Trustee of the Barbara Jefferis Fund, is delighted to announce the winner of the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award is Lucy Treloar for Wolfe Island.

Over the past few weeks we have been struck by the groundswell of concern about the sustainability of writing careers in Australia, and the high number of writers and illustrators speaking out about all the challenges authors face to earn a living.

Last month the ASA conducted a survey of Australian writers and illustrators to collect essential data to present to Government in our submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry. Over the coming weeks we’ll be publishing articles on the key results of our survey regarding author earnings, royalties and digital lending rights. 

The Australian Society of Authors has told a Federal Inquiry into the Creative and Cultural Industries that the sustainability of writing careers is under threat and has called for an overhaul in the way the Australian Government invests in and supports Australian writers.

Tara June Winch on The Yield, shortlisted for the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award.

The Australian Society of Authors is delighted to invite you to the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award Ceremony.

Lucy Treloar on Wolfe Island, shortlisted for the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Favel Parrett on There Was Still Love, shortlisted for the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award.

Melissa Lucashenko on Too Much Lip, shortlisted for the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award

One of the most exciting moments of your author’s journey is to receive a publishing contract for your work. However, it is essential (after the necessary celebration, of course) to take the time to review your contract carefully before signing.

Over the weekend the Minister for the Arts announced the members of the Creative Economy Taskforce, an element of the Government’s $250 million rescue package for the arts. Notably, no one from Australian literature was included on the taskforce.

During an unprecedented crisis that temporarily suspended physical borrowings from libraries across the country, and left many creators with diminished income, the Government has failed to adequately respond to the ASA’s calls for the expansion of the PLR/ELR payment schemes to include digital formats. We call on our members to join our campaign to request that the implementation of Digital Lending Rights be made a priority now.

Thanks to the generosity of the Australia Council for the Arts, we received funding to offer Takeaway Creatives Grants: $1000 grants for 14 individual creators to set themselves up for virtual appearances. We caught up with our grant recipients to see how the grants have helped them to pivot in an increasingly digital world.

The federal Government has announced proposed copyright reforms to finalise its response to the Productivity Commission’s 2016 Intellectual Property Arrangements report.

Among Australia’s major literary prizes, the Barbara Jefferis Award stands out for its focus, not just on the literary merit of a novel, but on the representation of women and girls within its pages.

Too much of Australia’s literary heritage is out of print. The ASA is working with a research team at the University of Melbourne and Australian public libraries on a pilot project to breathe new life into important out-of-print Australian books by digitising them, licensing them into public libraries for digital lending, and making them available for sale as ebooks.

Online storytelling platform Wattpad has announced a new collaboration with Screen Queensland which will offer up to three Queensland writers or writing teams the opportunity to write and produce a trailer or pilot for a TV/film adaptation.

The ASA is delighted to announce the 14 recipients of the $1000 Takeaway Creatives Grants.

Despite our concerns about the impacts of COVID-19 upon the literary sector, we have been buoyed by the enduring strength and resilience of the book industry, particularly in Australia.

The Australian Society of Authors is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2020 Barbara Jefferis Award: Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright, Dr Jeremy Fisher OAM and Barbara Horgan.

Last week the government announced a $250 million package for the arts sector, designed to help restart the creative economy.

The ASA has written to the Minister for Education Dan Tehan, calling for an abandonment of the proposed fee increases to higher education arts and humanities courses outlined in the Job-Ready Graduates Package.

Join us for Money Matters, an online series that will teach you how to take charge of your career and create a viable, and enjoyable, small business.

In April the Senate established the Select Committee on COVID-19 to inquire into the Australian Government's response to the pandemic, inviting submissions from industry and the community. The ASA completed its submission to the Committee last week, to ensure that author and illustrator voices are heard by government.

If you’re a children’s picture book author or illustrator (or teacher or parent!), we invite you to visit Story Box Library, an online storytelling hub with a focus on Australian books.

The ASA is thrilled to announce that we have received funding from the Australia Council’s Resilience Fund for a new project designed to assist authors and illustrators to pivot to running their appearances online.

As we enter another month of the pandemic, there finally appears to be good news on the horizon concerning the timeframe for lifting COVID-19 restrictions. However, we are still concerned about the long-term impacts the outbreak will have on our creators, and have been engaging in fortnightly roundtable discussions with government to advocate for Australian authors and illustrators.

A special arrangement for storytime sessions during the COVID-19 outbreak has been announced by Books Create Australia, the collaboration between the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA), the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), the Australian Publishers Association (APA) and the Australian Society of Authors (ASA).

We are concerned that many of you, operating as sole traders, may not be eligible for JobKeeper payments. This is because so many of our members receive income from multiple income streams, in lumpy instalments and royalty payments lag well behind book sales. Is the current government support working for you? To help us advocate for the best support for you, please take this one minute survey.

The ASA has been distressed to learn that the Internet Archive, based in the US, is using the COVID-19 pandemic as justification for making millions of copyright protected books freely available online without restriction as part of its 'National Emergency Library'.

Calling all members who conduct library and school visits! No doubt you’ve watched in dismay as library and school bookings disappear in the wake of COVID-19. We’re delighted to tell you about an opportunity to obtain bookings for online appearances, supported by our friends at ALIA.

The Australian Publishers Association (APA), the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and the National Copyright Unit (NCU) for Australian schools are pleased to announce a special arrangement for school storytimes during the COVID-19 outbreak that will ensure teachers (including teacher librarians) are able to continue to read stories to students, whether they are learning from the school or at home. 

I hope that you and your families are coping during what continues to be such a difficult time. The ASA is working hard to support Australian authors and illustrators through this crisis, and to keep you informed. 

On Monday the government announced a new $130 billion JobKeeper payment scheme for those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This $1500 per fortnight subsidy is available for eligible sole traders and employees.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the creative arts sector, both in Australia and around the world, it has filled us with hope to see individuals and groups of people working together to create an opportunity out of this crisis. We wanted to share some of these stories to inspire you, and to give you ideas about how you might be able to support each other and the industry at this time.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASA has co-signed an open letter to the government calling for specific measures to assist individuals and organisations within the arts sector.

HQ Fiction, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Australia, and the Australian Society of Authors are delighted to announce the winner of the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize.

The Australia Council has announced its first Response Package to support individuals and organisations in the arts sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I hope this news finds you all well, and managing physically and emotionally, in an unprecedented week. Information gathering will continue through various means throughout this year as the impact on authors is likely to be felt most sharply in the longer term.  Despite the immediate hit of cancelled appearances and withering freelance commissions, in the main, authors' losses have not been realised yet.

The ASA is pleased to announce that for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, library-run storytime sessions will be allowed to move online. This agreement was reached by Books Create Australia, the collaboration between the ASA, ABA, APA and ALIA to ensure that children won't miss out on this important and much-loved service.

Thanks to the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, we have been able to offer twenty 20-hour mentorships with an experienced writer or editor and five highly commended awards of an appraisal on their first ten pages.

HQ Fiction, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Australia, and the Australian Society of Authors are delighted to announce the shortlist of unpublished manuscripts in contention for the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize.

On February 19 The Authors Guild in the US issued a report, “The Profession of Author in the 21st Century,” detailing the underlying social, economic and technological factors contributing to the ongoing decline of author incomes.

It has been six months since we created the trackers and as promised we would like to share some top-line findings as well as implement a new tracker. 

The Australian Society of Authors is delighted to announce that the winner of our Festive Flash Fiction competition is Kim Foale. Kim receives $150 cash, a book bundle and of course, her winning entry published on the ASA website, which you will find in this article.

As many of you will know, Juliet Rogers has stepped down as CEO of the ASA after four years in the role. She will be greatly missed by the team and members alike. Here is a letter to the members from Juliet. 

What an exciting year this has been! We are delighted to have brought you so many new services, offered advice where it was needed and fought for positive change on your behalf. We have expanded on a few of our, and your, achievements this year in the below article.  

Juliet Rogers and Olivia Lanchester from the ASA were delighted to meet with Paul Fletcher MP last Friday and enjoyed a constructive discussion about issues important to authors. The fabulous Jacqueline Harvey joined as ASA member and author representative. We look forward to continued collaboration.

If you have licensed international rights to your books over the past ten years, you, your agent or publisher may be eligible to participate in a new Macquarie University study. The team, including Dr Paul Crosby, Professor David Throsby and Dr Jan Zwar, was responsible for the national survey of Australian authors in 2015 (which was strongly supported by the ASA).

In 2017 and 2018, 25% of our membership completed our survey. In 2019 this increased to almost 30%. A big thank you to everyone who took part as we really do value your feedback.

The ASA is proud to be part of the Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative (AIPI), a multi-sector group made up of print disability peak bodies, publishers, libraries, editors, authors, government agencies and more. 

The Board of the Australian Society of Authors announces, with regret, the resignation of our CEO, Juliet Rogers.

Our CEO Juliet Rogers attended Parliamentary Friends of Australian Books and Writers this week at Parliament House where Australian Reading Hour was officially launched.

The ASA have instituted rates trackers to help accurately record trends and monitor rates that are being paid on the open market.

ASA Insider videos from our team are designed to keep you informed with everything happening at the ASA and also give members a chance to ask any burning questions.

On 25 July, CEO of Macmillan, John Sargent, announced his company's new e-lending policy for libraries, claiming in the letter he sent to authors, illustrators and agents,"that library lending was 'cannibalizing' sales and impacting royalties as revenue from library sales are 'a small fraction of the revenue we share with you on a retail read.'  

Last week we alerted you to an email from EC Publishing that has been sent to many of you, stating that your book has been chosen to have a “special spot” at the forthcoming Book Fair in Miami. 

We’re delighted to bring this exciting event to all our Illustrator members, both here in Sydney and throughout Australia, filled with practical, hands-on workshops, inspiration and best of all, the opportunity to show your work to major publishers and receive their feedback.

We have been made aware of a self-publishing company, EC Publishing, emailing authors in Australia with offers to exhibit your book at the Miami International Book Fair 2019. 

Have you received an offer of publication from a ‘contributory’ or ‘partnership’ publisher? Before you break out the bubbly, the ASA encourages you to understand their offer. Over the last year particularly, many ASA members have contacted us confused as to what a contributory offer entails. We interviewed our contract assessor, Olivia Lanchester, to get her views on author-funded publishing.

The Australian Federal Police has this week conducted high-profile raids on the media, including two journalists and the ABC's Sydney headquarters. This has led to a storm of protest in defence of freedom of the press.

We urge the Government to release an Arts Policy at its earliest opportunity and look forward to communicating our highest priority 'asks' of government to Mr Fletcher on behalf of our members.

Are you an independent author? Do you know about legal deposit? Did you know that, upon publication, self-published authors are legally required to send a copy of their book to the National Library of Australia and their state or territory library?

Back in the day, Dal Stivens, Foundation President of the ASA, wrote an article in response to a member challenging the value of his membership. How does the ASA of 2020 stack up?

We are delighted to announce that we have negotiated an agreement with John Reed Books, to provide sales and distribution for ASA members' new print books. This is an extension of the temporary arrangement that was put in place following the liquidation of Dennis Jones & Associates in September 2018. 

Our CEO, Juliet Rogers, appeared on a panel at the Australian Digital Alliance Conference in Canberra last Friday, along with Associate Professor Rebecca Giblin and Professor Kimberley Wetherall.