Writers, Unite! – Calling Indie Authors to Influence an Important New Survey about Writing

ALLi's Debbie Young with Dr Alison Baverstock at Kingston University last year

Many indie authors will be familiar with the important work of Professor Alison Baverstock, co-founder of the MA in Publishing at Kingston University, in raising awareness of and respect for self-publishing. Her work complements our #PublishingOpenUp campaign to establish a more level playing field for authors of all kinds. At last year's Matador Self-publishing Conference she declared, only slightly tongue-in-cheek, “We're all just publishers now.”

We are delighted that she has asked us specifically to encourage ALLi's audience around the world to take part in her new survey researching writers' concerns and issues., to ensure indies are well represented in her findings. Over to Alison to explain the substance of the survey, and how YOU can take part. Please spare the time to submit your answers if you can to support and inform Alison's very important work.

• What makes a writer?
• What helps them to create ideas?
• How are they motivated to keep writing?
• What are the main barriers they face?
• Are writers likely to have been keen readers in their childhood?
• What satisfactions come from writing?

We are collaborating with Kingston University and University College London and several other writing organisations to research these and other questions in a project entitled ‘What makes a writer?’

To date there has been a lot of research into the processes, benefits and barriers associated with reading, but very little into those connected with writing.

We believe therefore that the findings from this research will be of significant interest to you as a writer, to us as an organisation, to the wider creative economy and to the education and health sectors.

The findings will be available to us, and it is planned that they will be shared via the press and academic journals, and also presented at a conference for writers.

Important New Survey of Writers

Professor Alison Baverstock is an important voice in the study of modern publishing

The key building block of this research is a survey of writers, and we would be very grateful if you would participate in this by clicking on the link at the bottom of this email. As you will see, when you click, the questionnaire is long, (44 questions which we estimate will take 20-25 minutes to complete), but we hope you will find it interesting and thought provoking. In all cases there is no right or wrong answer; the researchers are interested in your attitudes and perceptions. If you feel a question does not apply to you please just miss it out and move on to the next one.

We would also like you to know that:

• The survey is entirely voluntary (and there are no compulsory questions)
• It is anonymous and all results are confidential
• No information will be kept on whether those approached do or do not take part
• You can drop out at any time

If you have questions about the research or the process please contact Associate Professor Alison Baverstock at a.baverstock[at]@kingston.ac.uk.

The link to the questionnaire is here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/what-makes-a-writer

We would be grateful if you could complete this within the next two weeks.

Please complete this survey only once, even if you receive more than one invitation to do so.

Thank you very much for your assistance with this – and we hope that you will be interested in the findings.