I would chime in, but I'm not familar with them. :?

First thing that bugs me is that I’m not published, so I can’t join. LOL After seeing that, I don’t see anything about what the association is or does. There are reviews and interviews, but no mention of a charter or an ‘about us” page. Why would I want to join? (After I get published!) :wink:

Jules wrote: "First thing that bugs me is that I'm not published, so I can't join." You got anything online? Self-published counts. The whole question of membership qualification worries me because it's when one is starting out that one is most in need of a professional advice. Most professional writers' organization have much more stringent requirements for membership than the EAA currently does, such as this heinous set of requirements. However, the RWA does allow non-published authors to become members, so I'll address this question to the current EAA members and see what they think. "There are reviews and interviews, but no mention of a charter or an 'about us' page." Yes, the current "About Us" is tucked away in the opening paragraph of the "Join" page; I'm planning to make it more prominent and clearly labelled. Plus, make a list of member benefits. cupnjava wrote: "The colors are hard on the eyes, but the font is good." A question for everyone: Do you like or dislike it when a Website overrides your default font? (I have my browser set to override Websites that try to override my default font, but most people don't think to do that.) It's possible for me to simply set the type as "variable width," in which case the visitor's default font will be used. "With the blogs and websites list as well as the new books list, I'd recomend having a linked alphabet at the top of the screen to assist the viewer." A moment of honesty here: I've never understood the point of alphabetical links within a page. As you say, somebody who's looking for a particular author can do a Find search, and I just can't imagine anyone saying, "Hmm, I think I'll browse through the S names." Or am I missing something? "When it comes to the blogs and websites, I'd recomend alphabetizing that list" Are you talking about this page? Because it looks alphabetized to me. "Something that might be helpful with the author's list is to put something that might indicate what genre they write." Yes, I'd like to add that. If only so I can find the authors who write stuff I like. :)

Alphabetical links give an appearance of order regardless of whether it really makes sense. But yes, it is alphabetical by last name, which I prefer. Blogs and such often use first name but I am more likely to recall more distinctive last names than look for a specifc Bob, Harry or Sue. As for membership. I see this as an organisation for those who are published dealing with concerns of that type. That is marketing and promotion, relationships with publishers, representing the industry in broader contexts, challenging public perceptions and providing reliable industry information etc. Groups for people developing their skills, seeking publication or writing for reasons other than broad distribution would have different and sometimes somewhat divergent needs. RWA encompasses this different with a teired system (members and RITAs) which is sometimes unfortunate in that the latter get very little in terms of extra or different benefits and the former seem to exist as a lower 'class' in some settings? I see the point of including all making a serious antempt to write for publication/distribution but it can mean a high turnover or people who never get around to doing any such thing. As you mention, at least some product available for consumption would seem to be a reasonable request. It all comes down to what exactly the nature of the beast is and I was seeing it as an industry group or guild more than a writers club, or the middle ground somewhere--like a union.

"RWA encompasses this different with a teired system (members and RITAs)" I see that it's tiered for awards, but is it tiered for memberships? Here's what's on their membership page: * * * General membership shall be open to all persons seriously pursuing a romance fiction writing career. (Serious pursuit is self-determined and is not subject to outside challenge.) 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. Associate Membership: Associate membership shall be open to all other individuals, including employees of RWA and its contractors, who support the organization and its purposes and who do not meet the requirements for general membership. Associate members shall have no voting rights nor the right to hold office in RWA. * * * "I was seeing it as an industry group or guild more than a writers club, or the middle ground somewhere--like a union." Could you say more about the distinctions you see?

Dusk, will you flag it up here when the time for applications comes? Thanks.

I just had a quick look. Here's my non-sweetened summary. 8) - the colours are very hard to read and anything red written on green(ish) is not accessible to a colour blind person. Ergo: I would not bother to read the site because it is hard on my pretty healthy eyes. - the graphics don't look professional for 2007. They remind me on the web buttons one got in the late 1990s for one's websites. Ergo: I wouldn't take the site seriously. - the site looks cluttered and thus unprofessional - the links make no sense to me at all. I can't even be bothered to click around to try figure out what might be behind them - what is the site about? An index page that doesn't tell me what I just came to makes no sense and makes me click away. Bottom Line: I wouldn't browse this site for more than the 30 seconds it takes to get to it. But I luv ya'll. :wink:

The RITAs get special badges at cons, their membership is distinguished in various other ways too but I'm a little vague on it as this is based on a year old conversation. I'm not an RWA members so it is second hand but it seems like the RITAs are a tad like RTs faery court in some ways. The distinction I see is as to what the organisation does. Is it primarily to help writers write better, a bunch of people with a common interest chat, or (and this was what I thought) help published writers establish erotic as a mainstream genre by being available, and supporting each other, as a visible group of people with a professional attitude (whether rolling in actual money or not). It seems to me that a 'meta' group concerned with erotica as a commercial genre would logically consist of people using or providing an avenue of mass distribution be that paper, e, subscription web site, podcasts or whatever. So more SFWA than Romance Divas. (I love both, but they fill different roles)

For the record, on the RWA: RITAs are the RWA book awards, and PAN (Published Author Network) contains the people eligible for them. You can't belong to PAN without being published by an RWA-recognized press. Other benefits of PAN include really cheap entry to BEA (Book Expo America), plus participation in the RWA signing there. You also have to be recognized to have your book sales announced, so you lose promo opportunity if you're with an unrecognized press.

Dusk:A question for everyone: Do you like or dislike it when a Website overrides your default font? (I have my browser set to override Websites that try to override my default font, but most people don't think to do that.) It's possible for me to simply set the type as \"variable width,\" in which case the visitor's default font will be used. I let the website play with the font. I like to see things as the website creator wanted me to. A moment of honesty here: I've never understood the point of alphabetical links within a page. As you say, somebody who's looking for a particular author can do a Find search, and I just can't imagine anyone saying, \"Hmm, I think I'll browse through the S names.\" Or am I missing something? An example...who was that author...the chick who wrote that thing...umm I think her name began with an S. Damn, I'd know it if I saw it. In that situation if the did a search for S they'd get every single S on the screen. Also it saves the finger and the scroll wheel if you're just looking for a quick name. I tend to forget about the find function until AFTER I've found something. Are you talking about this page? Because it looks alphabetized to me. D'oh! It sure it. I must have looked at it wrong. Sorry. :oops: Yes, I'd like to add that. If only so I can find the authors who write stuff I like. :) Yep, yep, exactly!

Lamia asked: "Dusk, will you flag it up here when the time for applications comes?" Yes, of course. I'll be doing that at every writers' forum I'm on. Marquesate wrote: "Here's my non-sweetened summary." You don't have to sugar-coat it for me; I didn't create the site. :) "the links make no sense to me at all. I can't even be bothered to click around to try figure out what might be behind them" Can you say more on this? veinglory wrote: "It seems to me that a 'meta' group concerned with erotica as a commercial genre would logically consist of people using or providing an avenue of mass distribution be that paper, e, subscription web site, podcasts or whatever. So more SFWA . . ." I'm a bit confused. As far as I know, SFWA isn't providing an avenue of mass distribution for its members, other than publishing articles in its newsletter and journal. Could you say more about this? Also, it's also still not clear to me whether *members* of RWA are tiered, as opposed to people who are eligible for awards. Anyone here from RWA want to comment? cupnjava wrote: "An example...who was that author...the chick who wrote that thing...umm I think her name began with an S. Damn, I'd know it if I saw it." Ah, okay. That makes sense.

I'm not saying *provide* distribution, I'm saying provide services, representation and networking to writers who do--c.f. those who talk about being writers in cafes. i.e. (this is where we started) I think the group should be for published writers--albeit with a broad defintion of publication that includes many types of mass distribution. Otherwise I fear it will become another social network when that is not what writers are short of. Just my 2c.

Dusk, I’m new to RWA, but from what I read and understand RWA is basically open to anyone. The membership is tiered by accessability. As an unpub author, I can say I’m a member, have a member number, see the forums, and go to the national and local conferences and meetings. As well as enter the yearly con-*test*-('") for unpub writers. Once I have made a submission of 40,000 words or longer to a recognized publisher, I can join the PRO group. This shows I am more serious, and I get access to better networking, mentoring etc. There are no additional fees for the PRO or PAN memberships. (cut and pasted from RWA website) PRO - To promote the interests of RWA members who have submitted at least one completed manuscript but have not yet been published by an RWA recognized publisher; and, to enhance communication between those members and publishing professionals. To create networking opportunities for PRO members within RWA and with publishing professionals. To inform PRO members about current publishing industry issues and practices. To educate PRO members about a career in romance writing. Once I have a contract, I graduate to PAN. Then I can have my website linked from the main website and have greater access to networking and support of RWA as an organization. (cut and pasted from RWA website) PAN – The purpose of PAN is to establish within the RWA framework a network of communication and support to effectively promote and protect the interests of published romance authors; to open channels of communication between those romance authors and other publishing industry professionals; and to encourage professionalism on all levels and in all relationships within the publishing industry. There are also local and special interest groups you can join once your a national member. I also belong to Passionate Ink. The Erotic Romance special interest chapter of RWA. (http://www.passionateink.org) and The Heart of Carolina Romance Writers. HCRW has, by far, been the best resource for me. I have met and talked with some very experienced authors. Samantha Kane is currently looking over the first three chapters of a novel I’m preparing for submittal. She writes M/M/F regency erotic romance. So, there is a tier system that is based on your achievements as an author, but no one is excluded completely.