We can help with:
Accelerate your career
Join us today
Book an event
A unique 3-minute opportunity to pitch to publishers & agents
Do you want to know how to nail your pitch to publishers?
We advocate for members
Stay in the know
Stay in the know with industry news and ASA views.
Search our resources
Find ASA members
FAQs on publishing and more.
Member only guide to the Australian book industry.
MIN READ
The ASA is pleased to launch newly created rates of pay for judges of literary awards for published books. These rates have been established in order to provide creators with authority and confidence in their negotiations with employers, in conditions where, typically, authors have been paid on very inconsistent and low terms.
In consultation with authors and literary award organisers over a number of years, it became clear that not only did judging fees vary significantly between awards, but the rates of pay offered fell far short of covering the time and work involved in literary award judging. Feedback received by the ASA indicates that many award judges feel overwhelmed by the time-consuming task of judging, which often includes reading over a hundred full-length books, assessing the literary merit of all titles submitted, consulting with the judging panel, promotion and media commitments, as well as attendance and presentation obligations for the award ceremony.
The ASA maintains that creators deserve to be paid fairly for their work. It is not sustainable to have authors and illustrators subsidise the costs of literary awards.
The time and work involved in judging literary awards is extensive, and the scope for each individual literary award can vary greatly. The high level of professionalism and experience of the judges needs to be acknowledged through their fee. In determining appropriate payment, the following factors need to be considered:
As a benchmark for literary awards for books written for adults, the ASA recommends judges are paid on a sliding scale according to the below table. These rates are based on the number of books the judge is asked to assess, not the number submitted to the award.
$2,250 – $3,250
50 – 99
$3,250 – $4,250
100 – 149
$4,250 +
150+
The Chair of the judging panel should be paid an additional 20% on top of these rates, as they will be charged with additional responsibilities including coordinating meetings, writing comments for the media, and presenting at the award ceremony.
These rates were developed in consultation with authors approached to judge awards as well as participants of the National Literary Award Managers Group. These initial rates are for books written for adults. In due course, we plan to expand the rates to accommodate judging for children’s books.
All our recommended rates of pay are developed through feedback and consultation, and we welcome any thoughts you may have. If you need guidance on using these rates or would like to share some feedback, contact us at [email protected] or submit a query through our free Member Advice Service.
As part of our core services, the ASA develops minimum recommended rates of pay to provide benchmarks and guidelines for authors and their employers. Now, more than ever, with perilously low author income and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, it is essential to improve the status of creators by ensuring they are paid appropriately.
While many factors may affect the rates of pay an author or illustrator is offered, from the size of the organisation offering the work to the level of experience of the creator, the ASA maintains two principles:
If you’re a creator and you’re not currently a member of the ASA, consider joining. The more members we have, the stronger we are in our fight for fair pay, fair contracts, and robust copyright protections.
Monthly and quarterly payment plans are available for ASA memberships, as well as discounts for concession card holders, FNAWN members, and SCBWI members.
If you’re not a creator or membership isn’t right for you, consider donating to the ASA and help us to strengthen Australia’s literary culture and build a more supportive environment for Australia’s authors and illustrators.
