I’m prompted to ask – based on my own memberships, as well as recent posts on an RWA chapter loop – what other writing organizations do you belong to outside of RWA and its regional chapters and special interest groups (which are very valuable on their own)?
My personal opinion is that these groups are a vital link between an author and the professional and writing community. (Of course, it is also fairly true that they are only as valuable as you make them – you have to participate to get the most benefit out of a membership.) But the problem is, any organization can become too insular, can pose too singular a focus, and can narrow the opportunity for networking to a particular niche, as well as the unfortunate problem of providing a pipeline through which incorrect or biased information ends up being presented as ‘fact’ or ‘truth’.
If you are an author of a genre of which there are other organizations, for example – mystery/suspense/thriller: There is Mystery Writers of America (they award the Edgar Award), Sisters in Crime, and Thriller Writers of America. For urban fantasy, paranormal and fantasy or sci-fi authors, there is Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. And there is also the Horror Writers Association for the ghoulishly inclined. And the Western Writers of America (home of the Spur Award). The Historical Novel Society group is out there as well. And as an author of erotica and erotic romance, color me thrilled to discover the Erotic Authors Association (which sponsors its own conference), and the Erotic Readers & Writers Association, both of which act as advocates for this most misunderstood genre of fiction. I expect there are numerous others, say, for authors of the Christian genre, for example. And there are smaller, more specific and less prominent groups, too.
There are also groups specific to certain elements in the publishing/writing community, like EPIC (The Electronically Published Internet Coalition). Their award, the EPPIE is gaining in prominence, by virtue of the proliferation and popularity of digital books.
And there are other general writing organizations, like Liberty States Fiction Writers in New Jersey – formed to be inclusive, rather than exclusive, for writers of every format and genre. And there are groups like The Authors Guild, which is a major force in the publishing industry. And Novelists, Inc. The Writers Guild for playwrights and screenwriters, which author Leanna Renee Heiber will be eligible for, based on her writing of the book for the play of "The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker", at least I think so – it may be that the WGA requires 2 scripts?
Certainly, admittance regulations vary and a number of these groups are not even open to unpubbed folk at all (MWA does have affiliate/associate level members, for example, as does EPIC, if I recall correctly).
If you are not a member of a group outside of RWA, you might want to consider broadening your membership horizons. You will be opening yourself to differing philosophies, a different pool of contacts and information, and a new group of people and genres and levels of success. The networking opportunities are limitless, and you can guarantee that you are not hearing a singular perspective, or a narrow take on a given subject. Even though we are, generally, “romance authors”, the growth of blended genres, and the evolution of what a romance novel is, makes these other organizations vastly helpful because of these different perspectives, attitudes and so forth. (If you don’t believe me, research the different groups some popular authors we consider romance authors are members of – like romantic suspense authors and paranormal authors. They cross-over because their books do.)
What other organizations do you belong to?
