ASA writers survey, first Perth Fest guests, Booker Prize winner

A new survey by the Australian Society of Authors shows more than half of full-time writers earn below $15,000 per year.

The first guests for next year’s Perth Festival Literature & Ideas program have been revealed, as the ABA and APA make plans for in person conferences in 2021. Meanwhile, the CBCA has restructured its board and confirmed its 2021 Book Week theme and a writer Imbi Neeme’s #vicbookshopbingo competition has the support of the Melbourne City of Literature office.

In awards news, the winners of the Walkley Book Award, the Barbara Jefferis Award, the Speech Pathology Book of the Year and the inaugural Les Carlyon Literary Prize were announced, as was the shortlist for the Voss Literary Prize.

Scottish author Douglas Stuart won this year’s Booker Prize for his debut novel, Shuggie Bain (Picador), while the winners of the US National Book Awards and the UK’s FutureBook Awards were also announced. Also overseas, Pearson has created a direct-to-consumer division, and next year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair—with a new general publishing exhibit—is planned for June.

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Category: This week’s news