ALCS commissions new survey on writers' earnings

The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) has commissioned a survey to find out what writers in the UK earn, with a £500 cash prize up for grabs for those who take part.

Completely anonymous, the survey refers to earnings in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 tax years. ALCS said it takes between 20 to 30 minutes to fill in and will also investigate the impact that emerging technologies and markets are having on writers’ working lives.

In 2017, the ALCS commissioned CREATe—the UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre and part of the University of Glasgow—to conduct some independent research into authors’ earnings in the UK, to follow up on previous research carried out in 2005 and 2013.

ALCS has decided to commission the survey again to assess the impact of the pandemic on writers. It said: "During the pandemic, we have relied more than ever on education and entertainment at home. We want to see if that consumption is reflected in authors’ earnings."

The group is keen to hear from as many writers as possible: "There are many types of writer, so we ask that as many writers as possible complete the survey. Whether you’re a fledgling screenwriter, an academic with six textbooks under your belt or a long-time journalist, we want to hear from you," they said.

The survey runs from 1st February to 15th March. It can be completed here.