Writer Organizations
For more information, please visit ForWriters.com
The American Society of Newspaper Editors or ASNE is more in the category of writers organization. It lists conferences for journalists and other useful information.
The Canadian Writers Association bridges the gap between a large national organization with the immediacy of local chapters.
The European Federation of Freelance Writers is open to freelance journalists, feature writers and authors throughout Europe. They offer a variety of services including an insurance policy.
The HWA or Horror Writers Association is a good place for those interested in that genre to check out. They are the presenter of the Bram Stoker Awards and have a variety of benefits for members.
The International Women's Writing Guild describes itself as being 'a network for the personal and professional empowerment of women through writing.'
The National Association of Science Writers is a potential resource to those engaged in writing about science as fact. They also have a list of local chapters with local meetings.
National Writers Association is a nation wide organization with chapters as diverse as Hawaii to New York. They have a range of services available and have been in operation since 1937.
The National Writers Union is the trade union for all freelance writers who publish or work in U.S. markets.
The Pittsburgh Worldwrights is another small writers group on the web.
Criminal Justice Journalists, a non-profit, member supported organization was founded in 1997. Our goal is to improve the quality and accuracy of news reporting on crime, law enforcement, and the judicial system. In January 2001, CJJ affiliated with the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology of the University of Pennsylvania. The center was founded by Jerry Lee, president of WBEB-FM in Philadelphia, and is headed by criminologist Lawrence W. Sherman.
Romance Writers of America is 'a non-profit professional/educational association of 8,200 romance writers and other industry professionals' If romance is your area of specialty this may definitely be an organization to check into.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. is a vital resource as an organization and equally good resource as a homepage. Among its many other resources including style guides and other resources there is the Warnings and Cautions for Writers.
The Writers Guild of America is a tremendous resource site whether or not you are a member. Membership has requirements for admission and a rather large membership fee. However, this site is worth looking at for its own sake.
Local Writers Groups
The Alamo Writers Unlimited is a local San Antonio, Texas writers group that meets regularly and puts on a local writers conference.
Austin Christian Writers' Guild holds quarterly full-day workshops in Austin, Texas, has monthly critique group meetings, and is active via email. Contact Lin Harris linharris@austin.rr.com (512) 601-2216 for directions to meeting site and general ACWG information.
Colorado Authors League is a Colorado's oldest professional writers' organization (est. 1931) Check their web site for details of events and other information.
Eastside Writers Association is based in Kirkland, Washington, and describe themselves as ' a group of like-minded writers, joining forces to hone their craft, and share experiences, successes, and the occasional Editor-From-Hell story. '
Eastside RWA (Romance Writers Association) is an east side of Lake Washington group with an interest in writing this popular genre of fiction. Check out their site if you live in the area and have an interest is this area of writing.
The Federation of British Columbia Writers is an organization with a variety resources for the Canadian writer in British Columbia.
The Heartland Writers Guild is a Missouri based group that has monthly meetings, a newsletter and actively sponsors a major writers conference.
Hong Kong Writers Circle is a group that provides a setting for critique and fellowship for writers in the Chinese city of Hong Kong. It has an annual fee of HK$300. Check out their web site for details.
Kenny/Naughton Society is a group based in Europe established in 1993 following the death of Bill Naughton. Bill Naughton [1910-1992] is the author of "Alfie". The group is also noted for a short story contest that you can find on the Markets page under Contests.
The Missouri Writers' Guild was established in 1917, and is the statewide professional writing organization for Missouri and Missouri-affiliated writers of all genres. They describe themselves as having '10 chapters located throughout the state, all who meet regularly, and in addition to meetings, hold workshops, contests, give readings, etc. ' They also both a contest and an annual writing conference.
Maryland Writer's Association is, as their name indicates, a Maryland based group that offers services as diverse as critique groups, publications, contests and special events, an annual conference and more. Check their web page out for details.
The North Carolina Writer's Network is an organization that brings together poets, fiction writers, essayists, playwrights, technical writers, and journalists of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels.
The Oklahoma Writers Group is a web site in progress as well as a local group with progressively more information available on line. Check it out if you are in the area and see if it is right for you.
The Panhandle Professional Writers describe themselves as 'One of the oldest writing groups in the nation, formed in 1920, based in the Texas Panhandle.' They also have a variety of links and a local writing conference that you might wish to check out.
The Pen and Brush Club is a 100 years and more old organization of professional women in the arts - writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, and artists in craft. Located at 16 East 10 Street, in New York City, they have a variety of events posted on their web site that you might want to check out. Their web site states ,'All exhibitions and speaker nights are open to the public free of charge.'
Professional Writers of Prescott is a local writers group that includes published and unpublished writers of fiction and non-fiction in the Prescott, Arizona area. They publish a newsletter and have regular meetings. Check out their web page for details.
The Red River Romance Writers is a local writers group that describe themselves as 'Chapter 124 of the Romance Writers of America, Region 5. Based in Wichita Falls, Texas, we serve members from all along the Red River Valley and Texoma Region of North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Our purpose is to provide a forum where authors and aspiring authors alike can come together to exchange ideas, refine their works and hone their skills to create the very best in romantic fiction.'
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is a Colorado based group with the goal of helping established and aspiring writers of novel length fiction. They have classes, regular meetings, critique groups and an annual writer conference. Check their web page for details.
The Rhode Island Writers and Journalists Society describe themselves as a "Non-Profit forum and community of writers, journalists, and photographers from RI and beyond. Contests, posted works, photos and much more."
Southbay Writers Group began with a meeting of 'Jack London, poet George Sterling and short story writer Herman Whitaker'. It now numbers 18 chapters and counting. If you are in the San Francisco Bay area, this could be a possible place to check out.
The 6 foot Ferrett Writing Group Home Page is the how to start your own writers group helper page authored by a group that has been operating since 1989.
The T Party is a informal local writing group based originally in London, England, but now expanding a bit to the south (according to their web site). Check it out and see if this might be something for you. They specialize in fantasy, sf and horror writing.
Tulsa Christian Writer's Club was founded in 1981. This club is Tulsa, Oklahoma based and offers speakers, six bi-monthly workshops, a critique group, an eight-page monthly newsletter, mentoring, resources, an on-line newsletter, as well as a newly-established mail list.
The Squirrel Hill Writing Group is, according to their webpage, a Pittsburgh based writing group that meets in the Squirrel Hill Branch of the Carnagie Library.
The Willamette Writers Group descrbies themselves with glowing words as the following: '2005 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Willamette Writers. With over 1,100 members, WW is the largest writers' organization in the NW, and one of the largest writers' organizations in the U.S. WW is based in Portland, with satellite groups in Eugene and Ashland. Founded by Kay Snow in 1965, WW is a non-profit, tax-exempt Oregon corporation led by volunteers. Its mission is to provide and encourage a creative environment and support system for current and aspiring writers. Willamette Writer's provides a monthly newsletter with tips on techniques and job opportunties, monthly meetings with keynote speakers, a focus on fostering literacy in the community through our "Books for Kids" program and the Young Willamette Writers, and an annual writer's conference. The conference takes place in Portland every August, and features 3-days of workshops, a highly charged networking environment and opportunites to sell your work through pitching to over 100 reputable literary agents and editors, as well as film agents, producers and managers - all looking for the next hot property.'
Write or Die is a science fiction, fantasy and horror based free writing group that has been going since 1996 and meets in the Monroeville, Pennsylvania area. Check their web site for directions and details.
The Writer's Center is more than just a writers group, with a writers and editors registry, workshops and a host of other resources on their web site and in their facility in the Washington D.C. area. Well worth a look see and consideration as to whether it could be useful to you.
Writer's Cramp is a Seattle/Tacoma Writing group that has been meeting for a number of years and has several Clarion graduates among it's members.
Writer's Garret is a full featured group with a broad range of services for writers in the north Texas area. check out their extensive web site for details both about their group and other events taking place in the north Texas area of interest to writers of all persuasions. The site is also the home for Twig - an online literary magazine that will publish selected prose and poetry by The Writer's Garret members only.
Online Writers Groups
The Alien Flower Poetry Workshop will fulfill the needs of those interested in poetry. Also, be sure to visit the extensive Poetry Links at this site. They are extensive and useful, I think, for those interested in Poetry.
Aylad's Writing Group is an email critique online group. Her site also has a variety of resources that might prove useful, including extensive agent listing.
Bobette Bryan's Silver Quill Fiction Writers' Forum is an online Delphi Discussion group. You will need to log in the first time to begin participating.
BOOST is an online community of children's writers. We specialize in forming critique groups for new and experienced writers. BOOST also provides a forum, magazine and book publisher guidelines, contests, a forum, articles about writing and more. Membership is free.
Christian Writers Group Homepage is a geocities community sites with resources and encourage for Christian writers that include forums and other resources.
Coffeehouse for Writers is a number of things, including resources, for pay workshops and free critique groups. Most of this handled through mailing lists. Check it out and see if works for you.
Comedy Screenwriting Discussion Group is an egroups mailing list with associated egroups page for those interested in comedy screenwriting.
Critique Circle is a free-to-join writing forum where both new and experienced writers can post their work online and receive critiques from other members, as well as offer critiques on other work posted. Handy tools to help writers are also available, as well as a forum for discussion with members.
Critique Partners Connections attempts to match writers with critique partners. The one cautionary note in this is that you are charged $15 to be added to the database.
The Critters Writers Workshop is the first of several writers workshops I hope to have links to from here. Writers workshops that accept and dispense critiques via the Internet. I would also like to point out it's Workshop Library which has a wealth of interesting links to peruse.
4-Writers.Com and Writers' Village University is a combination of free areas and an online writers' group with an annual membership fee.
Fantasy Writer's Outlet is an online critique area with an emphasis on fantasy. Check their web site for details.
Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal (FFP) Chapter of Romance Writers of America focus is helping those interested in more speculative themes for romance and helping those writers to get published.
The Hatrack Writers Groups is a collection of online writers groups based off of the Orson Scott Card site.
The Internet Writers Guild is an online free service for those who have used the Internet in general and the web in particular to publish their works and those of others. Well worth a look see.
The Internet Writing Workshop appears to have a get serious workshop approach that might appeal to those who need some motivation and structure. Worth checking out at the very least. They have a whole range of mailing list to provide the means for review and critique.
Longhand-The Black Quill is an internet based round robin group that describes itself as 'Our current Project is titled, "Catch Me If You Can!", which is a mystery-action-thriller set in the world of cybercrime and high finance. Our next adventure will be ala "24", with this twist ... These project grow synergistically, by topsy and we are never sure of the direction they will take or the outcome of the story.'
Mystic Visions is an online community for writers of speculative romance. This could be a possible useful resource for any interested in SF and fantasy romance, psychic romance or cross-time romances.
The National Association of Women Writers describe themselves as being 'founded in Jan. 2001 to support, encourage, entertain, motivate, and inspire women writers. NAWW offers a FREE weekly inspirational/how-to e-magazine, an online Member Portfolio, a Member Publications page, a bimonthly printed WRITER'S GUIDE, Daily Inspiration, a Writer's Online Library, and much more.' Check their web site for further details.
NovelDoc is the web presence for a mailing list that concentrates on revising and critiquing completed novels of 60,000 words or more.
Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror is the successor to the Del Rey Digital Writing Workshop and now has a free one month trial and then an annual fee to belong to the workshop.They also have the Online Writing Workshop for Romance which is currently a free workshop while they build up a membership.
rememory.com is a very nice site indeed from the land down under. Here is a virtual spot where people from all over the world can share their memories and experiences with each other. This is both an example of electronic publishing and electronic community in a very nice package.
The Imaginaries is a global writer's copperative for science fiction, fantasy and horror and also a group that shares stories via the web and solicits critiques as well as many other roles.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop is a by mail critique workshop and newsletter that costs $15.00 for the newsletter and $5.00 for membership in the workshop. It does appear to have possibilities and has been around since 1980.
The Science Fiction Writers Workshop is an AOL based writers workshop concentrating on science fiction. They includes critique areas, chat rooms and more. They have online chats on AOL the 2nd Monday of each month and on iPlanet open to the entire internet every fourth Monday. And all of this is free.
Screenwriters - Producers Welcome describes itself as 'A virtual meeting place where Spec screenplay writers and Producers do lunch!' What this means is a simple, virtually graphicless message board where writers, producers and others can leave requests.
SFRT on the Web is an ongoing online community for readers and writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror and now it's on the web. Of particularly interest here is their Writers Workshop.
Short Story Writers Group is a noble effort to group writers from novice to expert in a mailing list critique group. They also have a bookworm group as well. Check their web page for details, especially (as is the case as of this posting) that their active member list is full and how to get on the waiting list.
Spoiled Ink is an online community, news and magazine that describes itself as '
Spoiled Ink is a community of writers that provides each other with feedback for eachother's short stories and poems.'
The Wild Poetry Forum is precisely that, a broad range of forums in which you can share your works with other writers. Take a close look at the requirements for joining. The emphasis here is on producing and rightfully so. Check it out and see if this is a point in your development as a writer.
Wolfrunners is an online community for women writers and artists working in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Their own description of themselves has as their goal 'to encourage members to form lasting ties, both professional and personal, to aid in the conceptualization, composition, and marketing of their work. Works-in-progress may be offered for critique, new markets and submission tips shared, and ideas bounced off the only people who can truly understand the life and mind of the writer: other writers in that genre.'
Women Who Write is an AOL based writers group with a website that has a wealth of links and a schedule of meeting times for AOL chats at the Jugglers chat room.
The Writer's BBS - Message Forums is a site with a host of discussion areas to leave messages and share ideas. It is a sole effort of Writer's BBS after the closure if inkspot.com.
Zeugma is an online workshop and peer group for serious and skilled poets. Zeugma is free, but you must apply to join.
