Surveying the diversity of book reviews

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The Stella Prize has taken leaps and bounds to create a cultural shift that recognises and values books by women writers. To further this project it is now expanding this initiative to promote diversity and inclusivity.

The Stella Prize is expanding its annual Stella Count – which focuses on increasing media and review coverage of women authors – to include a Diversity Survey to examine coverage of authors from various backgrounds, especially marginalised groups.

The survey will collect data about the authors who are reviewed in the major Australian newspapers and review journals, and the writers who review them. It will include information about race, disability, non-binary gender identification, and sexual orientation.

‘Women’s books were not being brought to readers’ attention, and thus women writers’ careers were suffering,’ Aviva Tuffield, Executive Director of the Stella Prize previously told ArtsHub.

Read more: How we can bolster female writing