Some Professional Bodies You Might Like to Join

The Society of Authors

You have to be published to join but these days they are accepting self-published authors who have significant sales. If you have enough short stories they will accept you. Curiously, if you design web-sites commercially, they will accept you.

There is also an associate membership if you don't quite qualify yet. You can join any of the email lists without being a member. You can also access much of the site without being a member.

They offer:

·         Free vetting of publishing contracts

·         Cheap public liability and indemnity insurance

·         Useful events with reduced fees for members

·         Awards

·         Web space for your books

·         Specific groups for different sorts of writers

·         Listing as an author for the public to see

·         Free membership of ALCS

·         Advice on many aspects of publishing – lots of downloadable PDFs

·         A helpful quarterly publication

·         Regular emailed newsletters for different sections

·         Regional events

They act as a trade union for authors and fight furiously and professionally to look after us. Find out more at: http://www.societyofauthors.org/

National Association of Writers in Education

This is of interest to those who work in Higher Education, schools and colleges, writers who visit schools, all sorts of writers who teach and writers who use writing as therapy.

They offer:

·         A vibrant annual conference

·         Two journals to which members can contribute and benefit from

·         Free public liability insurance for professional members (£10,000,000)

·         Free listing for professional members

·         A weekly bulletin of opportunities 

·         Helpful training courses

·         Processing of DBS checks

·         Reduced rates on all events

Again, you can access much of the site without being a member. Read more here: https://www.nawe.co.uk/

SCBWI

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. https://www.scbwi.org/ This is the professional organisation for both published and unpublished writers for children. Its headquarters is in the US, but the UK has a very active chapter.

In the UK you can:

·         Join a local regional group – enjoy their events, networking opportunities and crit groups

·         Attend the annual conference at Winchester.

·         Read Words and Pictures, the daily e-zine http://www.wordsandpics.org/  (You don't have to be a member to access this.)

·         List your books

·         Have a profile on the site

·         Join in discussion boards

·         Be eligible for the Crystal Kite award 

The Writers' Guild

This is very similar to the Society of Authors. Both are good for fiction writers. If you write scripts for any media and video games, the Writers' Guild may be more favourable. The Society of Authors is also good for poets, educational writers, academic writers and web designers. Find the Writers’ Guild at: https://writersguild.org.uk/ .

Members benefit from:

·         Support and advice

·         Free events

·         Free and discounted training

·         A weekly e-bulletin

·         Listing in the find-a-writer directory

·         A welfare fund

·         Discounts

·         A pension scheme

·         Contract-vetting 

 Would you like more tips like this? See below: