Ninety years ago, Virginia Woolf said that to be a writer, a woman needed money and a room of her own. In 2019, we want to know what writers – at different stages of their careers, from different backgrounds, and from across the UK – require today in order to flourish professionally.
As writers’ incomes sharply decrease – from £18,000 in 2015 to £10,500 in 2018 according to ALCS’s independent research into authors’ earnings – we want to know what you need to work: from money to mentoring, contract advice to the support of an agent, what do you need to have a career in writing? The Royal Society of Literature is leading this research in consultation with writer development organisations, funders and supporters across the UK, including Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland, Literature Wales, Literature Works, National Centre for Writing, New Writing North, New Writing South, Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Poetry Library, Society of Authors, Spread the Word, The Literary Consultancy, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Writing East Midlands and Writing West Midlands.
The RSL will publish findings of this research on Dalloway Day, Wednesday 19 June 2019. This research is funded by ALCS. Writers can take the survey here: http://bit.ly/UKWritersSurvey
