Writers Associations We Know and Love

International Association of Conscious & Creative Writers*

The IACCW was founded by Julia McCutchen, a former managing director & publisher for Element Books and publishing consultant for Random House, who now works as a “writing coach, mentor, and publishing consultant.” Although the organization is based in the UK, the information and writers resources it provides will be valuable no matter where in the English speaking world you live.

There are some good articles on the IACCW website . If you have an interest in writing as a spiritual/personal growth process as well as a way to enjoy worldly success, you will like the way this organization fuses these two elements.

Joining this writers association also gives you access to other writers resources. For instance, Julia has created on online Masterclass Course, How to Write the Ultimate Book Proposal, which members receive a discount on.

Members also get a free gift on joining. This changes each year. At first it was a signed copy of Julia's book The Writer's Journey: From Inspiration to Publication, which is a great resource for anyone wanting to write and publish non-fiction books (and helpful for fiction writers too). More recently, new members get a collection of interviews on useful topics for writers. They also get a discount on a subscription to Writers Digest Magazine.

The IACCW publishes profiles of its members on the website and in its newsletter and uses Facebook to promote networking among members.

However, the main reason you might want to join the IACCW is to listen to the audio presentations which are posted each month online. Julia has arranged for some top experts to share their wisdom on both the writing process and the business side of getting published. Members can listen to past presentations free of charge as well.

There is an annual fee of US$150 a year to join the IACCW, which is not out of line compared to other writers associations. Our one caveat is that, because this organization is so new, it will be a while before we know how much value it delivers over time.

To learn more about the IACCW, visit their website by clicking on... IACCW
Or, to get a FREE report by Julia McCutchen, click on... Top 10 Tips 4 Your Writing Success

The Canadian Authors Association

These days, the CAA has 11 branches, clustered mainly in Ontario and B.C., plus a virtual branch to serve writers in other locations. Members include writers of all genres of books, plus musicians, screenwriters, publishers, producers, and others with similar professional interests. The great thing about the CAA is that it encompasses both published and non-published writers.

There are several benefits to joining the CAA, but a few stand out.

Foremost is the association's annual CanWrite conference. If you can attend one of these, you can participate in a wide selection of writing workshops and networking opportunities. Annual CAA Writing Awards are presented at this event. The conference is reasonably priced and members of this writers association receive a discount.

In addition, many branches host additional writing workshops throughout the year.

Also valuable are the CAA's Writers Circles, which are forums where you can meet other writers, share your writing, and receive supportive feedback.

The association also publishes the Canadian Writers Guide, intended to be a definitive (if that were possible) handbook for Canadian authors. This book is now in its 13th edition and is also available to members at a discount. The CAA also publishes the quarterly newsletter, National Newsline.

At present, an annual membership in the CAA costs C$157.50. A student membership costs only $50, which is quite reasonable compared to other writing associations.

If you live in Canada, the CAA is well worth checking out. You can get complete information, plus access to a number of resources that are free to non-members at ...

Canadian Authors Association

Or, for a complete list of Canadian writers associations, check out the CAA's list by clicking here.

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)

Benefits of joining include:

* networking opportunities - both online and at member events, such as the annual conference.

* a bi-monthly newsletter with news about children's publishing.

* access to grant and award programs

* master classes on writing for children

* access to a lot of information regarding writing, illustrating, and getting published

Possibly the most useful resource is the SCBWI's annual publication guide which lists agents and publishers open to new works, plus information on preparing manuscripts, copyright, book promotion, and school visits.

There are 3 levels of membership. Unpublished authors can join as Associate Members. Authors who have self-published or otherwise paid to be published can join as Full Members. The top category, Published and Listed (PAL) is reserved for authors who have been published by traditional publishers.

PAL membership entitles you to be listed as a speaker on the SCBWI site (a potential source of income) and gives you the right to sell books at SCBWI events.

The cost to join at the moment is US$85 for the first year and $70 annually after that.

Do you have a writers association you can recommend?

If you have received excellent information, support, or help from a particular writers association that is open to new members, let us know! (No advertising please, but firsthand, honest accounts that would benefit readers are appreciated.)

Writers Associations Recommended By Our Readers

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

New! Comments