Updated Forms Notice

Individuals who submit applications for membership after close of business at 5:00 p.m. on 12/30/2011 must pay $95 annual dues, a $25 new member fee, and postage, if applicable. Any payments and/or applications received after the deadline that do not reflect the accurate fees will be returned to the sender with an updated membership form and request that correct payment amount be submitted.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that may be experienced due to outdated membership applications that may have received from some other entity than RWA’s corporate office.

Become a Member

All individuals who have attained the age of 18 and who agree to accept the purposes of RWA and to faithfully observe and be bound by the Bylaws of RWA shall be eligible to apply for membership.

Classes of Membership

General Membership: open to all persons seriously pursuing a romance fiction writing career. Only General members shall have all rights of membership, and only General members shall have the right to vote and the right to hold office in RWA.

General membership is not available to: non-writers who work in the publishing industry, writers pursuing a writing career in something other than romance fiction, or writers who are seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction but also work as an editor or reader for a publisher or agent, and whose responsibilities in any way affect whether or not a submitting writer’s work is accepted or rejected by that publisher or agent. These individuals must apply for Associate membership within the association.

Download General Membership Application

Associate Membership: open to all other individuals, including employees of RWA and its contractors, who support the organization and its purposes but who do not meet the requirements for General membership or who are not permitted to participate on RWA’s general discussion listservs by reason of being involved in the acquisition process*, i.e. publishers, acquiring editors, or agents who actively acquire romance fiction or actively offer representation to writers of romance fiction, as further described in RWA policy. Associate members shall not have any voting rights or the right to hold office in RWA.

*“Acquisition process” means the process by which manuscripts are reviewed and evaluated by any individual who is employed or contracted by a publisher that actively acquires romance fiction or by a literary agency that represents authors of romance fiction, for the purpose of either recommending that a manuscript be considered for acquisition or representation, or be rejected and removed from consideration by that publisher or literary agency.

Download Associate Membership Application

Affiliate Membership: open only to booksellers and librarians. Affiliate members shall not have any voting rights or the right to hold office in RWA.

Download Affiliate Membership Application