The Royal Society of Literature campaigns on important matters such as the teaching of English in schools, the preservation of public libraries, and authors’ rights. It does this – often in conjunction with other organisations – by lobbying government bodies, organising debates, and drawing attention to these issues in the press.

Philip Pullman introduces the work of ‘First Story’, a new initiative to teach creative writing in state secondary schools
Philip Pullman introduces the work of ‘First Story’, a new initiative to teach creative writing in state secondary schools

Campaigns and Outreach Programme

Here are a few of the ways in which Council support the interests of writers:

  • We campaign to ensure that the provision of good books remains the central role of public libraries.
  • We are concerned to make sure that literature remains at the heart of English teaching in schools, and liaise with the Department for Education and Science and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
  • We recently provided a forum for the Royal Literary Fund’s Writing Fellowship scheme, which sends writers into universities to help improve standards of literacy among students.
  • In 2005, we were part of a successful campaign to keep the Recommended Retail Price on books, thus helping to safeguard writers’ royalty payments.
    Concerned about the export of contemporary archives and manuscripts from Britain, we have joined with the Society of Authors in lobbying the Heritage Lottery Fund to make more funds available to buy living writers’ archives.
  • We played a leading role in the Hands Off Reading campaign which successfully opposed the imposition of VAT on books and newspapers.
  • We joined other literary organisations in the campaign for Public Lending Right, which entitles authors to payment when library users borrow their books, and have helped secure a substantial increase in the fund.