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When George IV founded the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) in 1820, he set out its goals in a succinct early mission statement: “To reward literary merit, and excite literary talent” was the Society’s purpose and, 189 years on, this remains an accurate summary of our aims.
Over time, however, a third goal has been added: to use the influence and expertise of our Fellowship to campaign for the wellbeing of literature and of writers. In doing this, we often work with other literary organisations, and so we value enormously our friendship with the ALCS.
Rewarding literary merit
But to go back to the first of our aims, how does the RSL reward literary merit? Broadly speaking, in two ways. First, we play a part in nominating writers for public honours, including the appointment of the Poet Laureate (our President, Michael Holroyd, having canvassed a wide range of poets, has recently been advising the DCMS on who might best succeed Andrew Motion). Second, we elect our own Fellows.
There are, at any time, about 400 Fellows of the RSL, and they include the foremost poets, biographers, novelists, historians, playwrights and short-story writers working in the English language. Every year 14 new Fellows are elected. They are officially welcomed into the Society at our June AGM, choosing either Byron’s pen or Dickens’s quill to sign a red, leather-bound tome filled with the signatures of all their fellow Fellows, past and present, starting with George IV himself. Turning the heavy pages of this book is like reading a roll call of literary ghosts – Betjeman, Chesterton, Kipling, Hardy, Yeats. When the Society’s Council (12 writers chosen to represent different genres) gathers at our headquarters in Somerset House for a Fellowship election, the discussion is heated.
Exciting literary talent
... we offer a series of substantial annual awards for authors engaged on their first commissioned works of non-fiction
And how do we “excite literary talent”? In a variety of ways. Working with the Somerset House Writer in Residence (whom we help to appoint) we run an educational programme, bringing school children in for day-long creative writing workshops. In conjunction with the Jerwood Charity, we offer a series of substantial annual awards for authors engaged on their first commissioned works of non-fiction. In conjunction with Prospect magazine, and supported by ALCS, we also run an annual short-story prize – the VS Pritchett Prize – open to all. And we award the £10,000 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize annually to the book – whether fiction, non-fiction or poetry – that best evokes the spirit of a place. Next year, working with Arvon, we will be launching a series of one-day master-classes covering a variety of genres.
Safeguarding the future of literature
But it is not only writers, whether old-hands or first-timers, that we are concerned with.
But it is not only writers, whether old-hands or first-timers, that we are concerned with. Behind the scenes, the Council of the RSL campaigns to safeguard the future of literature itself – to ensure that the provision of good books remains the central role of public libraries, that literature remains at the heart of English teaching in schools, and that as many UK writers’ archives as possible remain in this country, rather than being exported to America (we have been working with the Heritage Lottery Fund to make more funds available to buy living writers’ archives). We recently provided a public forum for the Royal Literary Fund’s Writing Fellowship scheme, which sends writers into universities to help improve standards of literacy among students, and in 2005 we were part of a successful campaign to keep the recommended retail price on books, thus helping to safeguard writers’ royalty payments. We played a leading role in the Hands Off Reading campaign, which successfully opposed the imposition of VAT on books and newspapers, and we joined other literary organisations in the campaign for Public Lending Right, which entitles authors to payment when library users borrow their books.
Council also works to provide a programme of monthly meetings to cater for all with an interest in English literature. The programmes include discussion meetings, interviews, poetry readings and lectures. This autumn’s speakers have included Mark Haddon, Marina Lewycka, Philip Pullman and Claire Tomalin. Among those lined up for next spring are Beryl Bainbridge, Hilary Mantel, Sukhdev Sandhu and Elaine Showalter.
New members welcome
Many friendships are formed, and much wisdom exchanged
Anyone is welcome to join the Royal Society of Literature as a Member. For a subscription of just £50 a year, Members not only receive our magazine, and an invitation to our summer party, but are able to come to any of our monthly meetings, free of charge, and to bring a guest.
These events are friendly and lively, and, once the formal part of the evening is over, the audience has a chance to talk to speakers over a glass of wine. Many friendships are formed, and much wisdom exchanged, but what our Fellows and Members enjoy most of all, perhaps, apart from the chance to celebrate good writing, is the sense of being part of an organisation of beguiling eccentricity, where individual passion and enthusiasm counts.
If you would like to find out more, do visit our website (www.rslit.org) or telephone me, Maggie Fergusson, on 020 7845 4676.