Board Meeting Highlights

• The Board approved the 2020 RITA Contest rules. Major changes include:
  • RITA contest entrants are not required to judge the preliminary round.
  • Preliminary round judges will be chosen using Judge Volunteer Questionnaires completed by individuals who are eligible to judge. The Judge Volunteer Questionnaire will collect basic identification data, voluntary demographic data, and such other information that is consistent with the purpose and needs of the contest.
  • All General RWA members, Associate Writer RWA members, non-member RITA entrants, current or former booksellers and librarians, and romance reviewers with an interest in, and knowledge of, the romance genre are eligible to submit a Judge Volunteer Questionnaire.
  • All individuals chosen as judges for the preliminary round of the RITA contest must complete the judge training required by RWA for this purpose.
  • The 2020 RITA contest will be open to 1,200 paid entries, provided that there are a sufficient number of eligible judges for each judge to score no more than eight entries.
  • Each entrant may enter one entry during the first seven days the contest is open. After this period, if space is still available in the contest, the entrant may submit one additional entry for a combined total of two. After the first entry, the cost of the second entry will increase.
  • The category name for Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements changed to Romance with Spiritual Elements.
• The Board approved a mentorship program for unpublished and underpublished romance authors that will help these members publish in the traditional and indie markets. The program will launch in the fall of 2019. More details to come later.
• A Policy Advisory Committee was created to monitor public policy and legislation that has the potential to impact RWA members’ careers; the committee will make recommendations regarding actions the Board may undertake.
• The Board delayed the start of the Diversity Advisory Committee to September 1 to give the Board time to gather input from members and the DEI consultant on the committee’s task(s).
• The Member Code of Ethics was revised to resolve timing and consistency issues and to be in line with the Chapter Code of Conduct.
• The RWA Forum rules were updated to add that harassment and invidious discrimination are prohibited in forum posts.
• Philadelphia Romance Writers chapter’s transition from limited to full affiliation was approved.