Thread by @CTLafollette

I've been seeing a lot of writers organizations pitching their membership to people affected by the recent #RWA conflagration. The thing is these organizations offer some good services and benefits (assuming your genre of Romance overlaps with their main genre focus). 1/23

For instance, I edit a lot of SFF Romance that would fit in either RWA or SFWA (Science Fiction Writers Association). I've also edited some Paranormal Cozy Mysteries that would fit in RWA, SFWA, and MWA (Mystery Writers of America). 2/

Almost all of these books would qualify for the 3rd alternative option I've seen mentioned - NINC (novelists, inc) which has no genre requirements, other than having published works over 30,000 words. 3/

However, all of these books are indie authors. This is one of the areas that the RWA has changed for the better over the years. They've adjusted their rules to be friendly to smaller indie authors. 4/

The numbers I've seen to get a PAN (Published Authors Network) are $1000 in sales for 1 book and, to my knowledge, no time limit. Most of the requirements for indie authors at these other organizations are significantly stiffer, almost to the point of why bother. 5/

So, let's look at the requirements for the other organizations trying to pick up members from this fiasco.

First, the SFWA. If your Romance book falls in the speculative or horror realms, this is an option. The requirements are an Advance or Royalties of $3000 from a 12 6/

month period. This is for full membership. The same standard applies to Indies. Great, you think. But look at the details.

You could get a trad contract, sell one book for a $3000 advance but never sell another book your entire life and be a lifelong voting member if you 7/

pay your dues.

As an indie, it takes a long time and some luck to have that a book take off. You could publish a book and sell $2900 every year, year after year, and that book won't qualify you for a membership. You can keep writing books, and each perform the same 8/

for multiple years and not qualify for membership. Now they say this is to maintain writers who are "professional." But who's more professional? The Trad contract who sold one book to a publisher or the indie who keeps grinding year after year? In the SFWA's eyes, the 9/

the contract.

They also have an Associates level membership, which thanks to recent changes, has voting rights. The only qualifiers are selling short stories to qualified markets. But if you're trying to be a pro and make a living off writing as an indie, hustling 10/

short stories at $0.08 a word isn't going to pay the rent.

Now, let's look at the MWA.

If you're a writer of Cozy Mysteries or other crime related Romance books, there's your membership overlap.

To qualify as a trad, you need to have sold $1000 in paperbacks or hardbacks 12/

and it can be in a combo of royalties or advance. For ebooks, only $500 in royalties and/or advance. For short stories, $200 with the a story having a $25 minimum. You hit any one of those to qualifying markets, you're a member.

What about indie numbers? 13/

$5000. But, it can be combined totals of all your qualifying works. Oh, also, you don't get to participate in their awards program.

Now what about the most open of the 3 alternative groups? novelists, inc.

Any book (regardless of genre) qualifies as long 14/

as it's over 30,000 words.

As a trad writer, you'll need to have published 2 30,000 word books that have earned $2000 each within a 12 month period. They don't have to overlap and only one has to be within the last 5 years. So one advance of $2000 7 years ago and 15/

one with royalties of $2000 3 years ago would do the job.

Indies, same time requirements but $5000 earnings for EACH of the two qualifying books. 16/

These are great organizations with their own benefits and flaws. SFWA, the one I pay attention to the most, has really done some good work to protect marginalized authors and reduce bigotry in the ranks (although, as always, more work is always needed). I've also heard 17/

great things about the other organizations. But the one thing none of them are, is friendly to smaller indie writers.

That's one of the areas the RWA has beat them to the punch. And it's added a lot of small and diverse voices. A lot of indies are marginalized creators 18/

who've been stopped at the gates of traditional publishing because of racism and bigotry.

I write this not to bash on the other orgs, but to put the info out there and also encourage those orgs to reevaluate how they can welcome smaller indies into their ranks.

I also 19/

want to encourage the folks considering starting a new, inclusive Romance Writers org to remember the small folks who have benefited from the RWA's inclusiveness of small indies to bring them along with you.

Today's small indie could be the next bestseller. It seems unfair 20/

to exclude them until they've gotten big enough to notice. They can benefit from inclusion in the organization, and the organization can benefit from the added revenue and adding more diverse voices.

Self-pubbing indies are becoming an ever increasing part of the 21/

publishing landscape, generating more and more revenue. It seems wise to include them early instead of waiting until they're viewed as successful enough to include. Although by then, they may not be interested in an organization that wasn't interested in them until 22/

they were important enough.

I hope this helps those who are considering their options after their resignation from the RWA. I also hope this helps promote more interest listed in including smaller indies earlier at the organizations.

Thanks for reading!

23/23

*I also hop this helps promote more interest in including smaller indies earlier in the process at the organizations listed as well as other writing organizations.