Writers call for boycott of literary festivals that don’t pay speakers

In the UK, a numbers of writers have called for publishers and fellow authors to boycott festivals that don’t pay speakers’ fees, reports the Bookseller. The calls come after Society of Authors president Philip Pullman announced last week he was stepping down from his role as patron of the Oxford Literary Festival over its refusal to pay authors. Among the writers calling for the boycott are Joanne Harris, Linda Grant, Denise Mina and Francesca Simon, with author and critic Amanda Craig writing an open letter to the Bookseller. ‘We are the only people in festivals who are not paid, and yet without us the festivals could not exist,’ writes Craig. ‘Writing is a vocation but it is also a profession, and it is time we all stiffened our spines, dug in our heels and said no.’ The open letter carries the names of more than 30 authors in support of the petition.

Category: Festivals International news