Catton to set up reading grant for NZ writers

Eleanor Catton will use her prize money from this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards to set up a new reading grant for New Zealand writers, reports stuff.co.nz.

Catton made the announcement during her acceptance speech at the awards, where she collected the fiction and people’s choice awards, worth NZ$15,000 (A$13,450) combined, for her novel The Luminaries (Granta).

The grant aims to support New Zealand writers by giving them time for structured reading. ‘Writers are readers first, indeed our love of reading is what unites us above all else. If our reading culture in New Zealand is dynamic, diverse, and informed, our writing culture will be too,’ said Catton.

Catton said the grant has not yet been named in case ‘a nice philanthropist hears about this and would like to lend their name and support’.

Catton added that as she found herself in the ‘extraordinary position’ of being able to make a living from her writing, it seemed ‘only right to do as [The Luminaries character] Emery Staines would do and start giving this fortune away’.

Tags: nz

Category: Local news