Until 2012, there was no major literary prize for women, and female authors were getting nowhere near the levels of public attention as their male counterparts.
Aviva Tuffield was determined to change that.
She became part of the team that founded the Stella Prize, an awards program for Australian women that has since become a major event on the Australian literary calendar and prompted an uptick in the number of women being reviewed by major newspapers and journals.
Carrie Tiffany was awarded the $50,000 Stella Prize in 2013 for her novel, Mateship with Birds, followed by Clare Wright in 2014 for The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka. Stella’s 2015 longlist features 12 fiction and non fiction books from more than 150 entries and will be awarded later this year.
An editor and publisher, Tuffield acts as a spokesperson for the Stella Prize and works behind the scenes fundraising and coordinating the small team that manages the prize. She’s also developed the Stella Prize Schools Program, introducing young role models to schoolgirls.
Her interest in supporting female writers developed after continually coming across unconscious gender bias in publishing: in the books that were shortlisted for major prizes; the authors that received major review coverage; and the novels considered ‘culturally important’ that ultimately end up getting taught in schools.
“I just wanted to do something to actually change some of the structural issues that I’d witnessed for so many years. I was ready to put some of my energy into that side of my industry,” she says.
“In a positive way, though, by doing something celebratory for women writers and bringing attention to the work of female authors and providing role models for schoolgirls and emerging women writers.”
Days after she met with a group of like-minded people who decided to start the Stella Prize, the Miles Franklin Award announced its second all-male shortlist in 3 years (2009 and 2011).
“That spurred us on because we knew what we were doing was necessary and would be welcomed,” adds Tuffield.
The Stella Prize’s own ‘Stella Count’ continues to uncover bias in the literary world – and reiterate the need for an all-female prize. In September 2014, for the third year in a row, it found books by women are far less likely, on average, to be reviewed by the country’s major newspapers and magazines.
Tuffield hopes the Stella Prize, along with its corresponding work in high schools, will shift the balance in the future.
Aviva Tuffield is a finalist in the NAB Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.
The short facts on Aviva’s story:
Born. London, UK
Childhood. Bath, England
Leadership qualifications? As a publisher and as the Executive Director of the Stella Prize, I’m very time-efficient, communicate frequently with my colleagues, and like to draw up lists to delegate tasks clearly.
High school career ambition? To do something that made a difference, although I was very indecisive back then and how I was going to change the world varied each week. Sadly, I’m not good with blood so that ruled out helping people through medicine.
And first, ever job? Working at a pasta restaurant named Pasta Galore – it has put me off mass-cooked pasta for life!
Who and what do you lead? I head up the Stella Prize, a major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing that also runs a Schools Program and collects gender-focused data on the literary and publishing worlds. I lead a very small team – until recently we just had one part-time paid position – and the Stella Prize is testament to the hard work and dedication of the many women on the Stella Board, volunteers and interns, and owes its existence to a number of visionary and passionate philanthropists.
How do you stay informed on a daily basis? I read most of my news online: The Age, The Guardian, Women’s Agenda, The Hoopla, Daily Life
And manage your wellbeing? Luckily I don’t need a lot of sleep but I do need to exercise to clear my head and I need to feel physically tired because I spent so much of my day sitting at my desk. Also, I exercise at a gym and have perfected the art of reading while exercising – so essentially exercise is my reading time, and an excuse not to sit at home in the evenings doing domestic chores.
First thing you do in the morning? Sadly it’s check my phone because that’s also my clock. But a close second is brush my teeth!
An average work day for you? Working for the Stella Prize is so rewarding because it’s always evolving and the work is so varied. It has been a hugely steep learning curve. There is no average day, but each one tends to involve some focus on fundraising or trying to think about how to secure the future of the Stella Prize in perpetuity. We have three months that are part of the intense prize cycle where I might be drafting media releases about shortlisted writers or dealing with other aspects of the prize administration. And now we have the Schools Program, we’re looking at how to extend that into NSW from Victoria with a view to going national in 2016, so there are meetings around that and brainstorming around grants to apply for. Some days are devoted entirely to meetings and spreading the word about the Stella Prize. But other days I can stay in my head and think strategically about the aims and goals of Stella and how we’re going to achieve them.
Your leadership ‘superpower’? Multi-tasking – and writing endless lists. I’m very good at switching from one thing to the next; I have metaphorically learnt to juggle very well. So if someone suddenly needs me to deliver something quickly, or one of my team needs me to assist them with their deadline, that doesn’t faze me.
What, do you believe needs to change in order to better support women at work – particularly in your industry? Women need to be allowed to work as flexibly as they need to fit in their work around their families – and the same thing is required for men, such that there can be gender equality in the both the home and the workplace. Part-time work, which is what a lot of women in the publishing industry return to after having children, needs to be valued and we should recognise the efficiency levels of part-time working mothers and not consider them less committed workers.
Advice to your 18-year-old-self? I think I would say: try to find something you love doing that will also pay the bills. Don’t panic if you don’t find it immediately; over time you’ll work it out. Working in an industry or sector that you’re passionate about will enhance your wellbeing.
Aviva Tuffield’s story is the latest of our 100 Stories Project, in which we’re asking women about a turning point that’s shifted her leadership career. Telling 100 stories from January 1 2015, the project showcases the diverse range of leadership careers available, as well as some of the brilliant achievements and fascinating career paths of women. It also demonstrates how planned and unexpected forks in the road can take you places you never thought possible.
Got an idea? Get in contact. Check out more on our 100 Stories Project here.
Other women featured in this series include:
Angela Ferguson: The woman designing the future of work (Google included)
Jo-Ann Hicks: eBay’s leading woman on the risks that made her digital career
Annabelle Daniel: ‘I’m the unlikely combination of CEO and single parent
Sarah Liu: Multiple job titles and variety: Life as a ‘slashie’
Lindy Stephens: When the power shifts, women should make the most of it
Kate Morris: Why I gave up law to become an online entrepreneur
Jacque Comery: Leading a team of 12 on an Antarctic base