Regional book awards encourage reading. They create a good buzz around books and they tell teenagers that their opinions and their votes count. But these awards may now be the victims of their own success. Their growing number has prompted the Publishing Association to decide that it has become too expensive for publishers to pay both the travel and hotel expenses of their shortlisted authors – some are refusing to pay either.
The Southern Schools Book Awards was started five years ago by Mandy Rutter, based on her experience with the North East Book Award. It began with nine schools – now it has thirty-eight schools contributing, with a good mix from the state and private sector. The Award set out to give students ownership of itself, and it’s succeeded. Teenagers get involved - right from choosing the books to go on the shortlist if they want to. They read, discuss, review (and the quality of the reviews on the website is excellent, and often quite eye wateringly honest!) and then they vote for the book they like best.
It will make a mockery of the whole thing if the shortlisted authors can’t be there at the ceremony - to make their speeches and give thanks and for one of them to be absolutely thrilled to win.
Mandy Rutter works tirelessly and dedicatedly and with no extra pay for this award to happen. She can do without chasing after sponsorship funds too.
Scotland doesn’t have this problem – its Arts Council is generous with funds. What’s going to happen down south?
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