Age guidance members poll results

Thank you for participating in our CWIG poll about publishers’ plans to put age guidance on the back cover of children’s books.

50% of CWIG members responded to our email and postal vote.

•  77% Disagree

• 15% Undecided

•  8% Agree

 Please scroll down this page to read a selection of anonymous comments from members.

Meeting with the Publishers Association

Representatives of the Society, together with Philip Pullman (on behalf of nearly 3,000 signatories to his online statement), met the Children's Book Group of the Publishers Association on 3rd July.

We acknowledged that not all authors are against age guidance, but given the strong opposition that has emerged in recent weeks, proposed that the Children’s Book Group's plans should be delayed. We also pressed that if any publishers were to go ahead they should give age guidance only with the author's agreement. The publishers refused to guarantee this.

After lengthy discussion the outcome was summarised in the following:

Joint statement

‘At a meeting involving the Publishers Association, the Society of Authors, and Philip Pullman (on behalf of the signatories of the online statement), the publishers were happy to confirm that there has been, and remains, no question of age guidance being added to a book without full consultation with the author.  The remaining point of difference, which is to be considered further, was that those speaking for authors feel strongly that authors should have the right to refuse to have age guidance on their books.’

Next Steps

We are currently waiting for a further statement from the CBG which we hope will reassure authors that no age guidance will be put on the back cover of their books without their agreement.

We will continue to press the CBG until a solution, which is acceptable to authors, has been reached.

Appeal for further information

To help us represent your views, we need information from members already affected by age guidance plans. If you have a book coming out later this year (Autumn and Winter 2008), we want to know what consultation process was involved.

Please email Anna Ganley (aganley@societyofauthors.org) in confidence with the name of your publisher in the subject line (to help the filing of responses) and a summary of your experiences with your publisher over age guidance.

We want to know:

a) if you have not been consulted

b) if you have been consulted but are unhappy with any part of the process or

c) if you have been consulted and are happy with the process

If you have signed up to Philip Pullman’s online statement (www.notoagebanding.org), you will have already received a request for further information from Anne Fine. Please note that Anne’s email is separate from this request from the Society.

Age guidance debate at the CWIG Conference

There are only a few places left at the CWIG Summer conference to be held at Robinson College, Cambridge from Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August.

Book now to avoid missing out on the hottest debate of the year:

Age guidace discussion chaired by Radio 4's Libby Purves. Speakers include Philip Pullman.

To find out more about all the conference sessions click here

To book your place email Anna Ganley on aganley@societyofauthors.org on by telephone on 020 7373 6642.

If you have any queries about the conference contact Enid Stephenson at enid.stephenson@gmail.com

Prices

Residential: Members £299.62 / Non Members £346.62

Non Residential: Members £188 / Non Members £235

All prices include VAT.

Members' comments about age guidance

A selection of members' comments about age guidance will be added to this page very soon.

See also

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