Dear Friends,
If you are a women’s fiction writer (duh) you may want to read the Writer Unboxed post by Laura Drake I’ve linked below. It explains what has been happening with RWA (Romance Writers of America) and why the chapter (of which I am Secretary) — the Women’s Fiction chapter — has decided to disband.
In a nutshell? It’s because RWA will no longer allow us to identify ourselves as writers of women’s fiction, first and foremost, and still be voting members. Oh, they still want us to pay dues, but they won’t let us have a chapter or vote. Um, no thank you. To stay active, members need to claim to be romance writers.
But, on the bright side, the current board is charging ahead to establish a new group of writers and enthusiasts of women’s fiction where we can be honest about what we write.
Please know that this new loop or group or whatever it will be called will have no direct impact on Women’s Fiction Writers! This blog has become my online home, and yours! But, I will be on the ground floor of what’s going on, I’ll be posting information here, so that anyone and everyone who writes women’s fiction can benefit.
I think the best is yet to come!
Amy xo
women's fiction writers 
I had been contemplated joining RWA for the women’s fiction section of the group. I look forward to your updates about the new women’s fiction organization– very interested in this new development. Thanks for the update!
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I truly do believe we’re moving in a fabulous direction. Case in point – I’ve gotten no work done today because the board of RWA-WF is very busy planning, planning, brainstorming, brainstorming, drinking coffee, eating chocolate, etc…:-)
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RWA seems to have both feet firmly planted in the last century and resists all urges to move into this one. Such a shame. They won’t accept self-published authors, even those who used to be trad-pubbed. They used to be so important to writers of all fiction for women. Now they’re just a wing of Harlequin, making sure that women writers are ghettoized with low pay and little respect.
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It’s shortsightedness, as far as I can tell, Anne. You can’t take from members and deny their mission and give them no rights. I mean, you can try…
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I was about to leave a comment almost precisely the same as Susan’s. Susan – maybe we’ll meet when Amy starts up the new women’s fiction writers group and we both join. 🙂 I’ll be checking in often for updates, too.
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Great, Julie! 🙂
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Talk about timing being everything! I am a new fiction writer – working on my first fiction book having left the world of work to follow my more creative passions in retirement – AND – I was just about to join RWA. Guess Ill wait as I am not sure what I am crafting is “romance” in the purest sense of that word. Thanks!
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Please keep me in the eloop, Amy.
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Absolutely! As soon as there is some news, I’ll post it here and keep everyone up-to-date!
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Amy
Thanks for drawing our attention to the changes, for those of us with our heads in the sand. I’ve made a comment over on Laura’s post, but I’ll reiterate here: I’m glad we found each other and I hope this community sticks together as we move into the next “chapter” whatever that may be.
MA
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Twice I entered RWA’s Get Your Stiletto In the Door contest. Both times the feedback had a decidedly Romance bent, even though it was a Chick Lit category, and unfortunately was less than helpful. A friend had a similar experience and we both stopped entering the contest. I’ve debated over the years about joining RWA to become part of the Chick Lit chapter (I’m sorry I didn’t even realize there was a Women’s Fiction chapter) but it seemed like a lot of fees and work to get to a small group that best represented my work.
I’m excited to see a new organization form. Thank you!
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I think this is really exciting news. Like Laura points out in the WU post, this will only allow the group to expand and include writers who may have been previously excluded because their books had no romantic elements at all, but are still women’s fiction. Some of my favorite books would fall into this exact category. Thanks for sharing, Amy, and thanks for all the great work you do to make sure women’s fiction is rightfully represented!
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Keep me in the loop too, Amy! RWA is awesome for so many things but I’m sorry they’re digging their heels in on something so innocuous as what you call your own writing. But I’d love to join whatever community is replacing it, if there’s room.
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Yes, please, keep me posted. Sounds like a great plan I’m interested in.
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Thanks for the update, Amy!
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Oh, do keep us updated. I left RWA for this reason this past year.
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Yes, I also look forward to hearing what the next move will be. I would definitely not call my books “romance” so would be interested in being part of a group of WF writers.
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Well said, Amy!! 🙂
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Here’s to new beginnings!
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Wow! I disappear from the internet for a few days, and so much changes. I’d been hemming and hawing about joining RWA for months, and I was finally going to bite the (financial) bullet and join so I could access the Women’s Fiction branch in January. AND I was thinking about making my first conference the RWAs in Atlanta next summer. Glad I held onto my money. I can’t wait to hear where women’s fiction writers go from here. Thank you for the update, and please keep them coming!
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Amy, wow, I didn’t even know you were secretary of RWA-WF, lol! That said, I never seriously considered RWA since I knew they wouldn’t take me anyway (indie author). I’d love to see Women’s Fiction have its own group dedicated to it, completely apart from romance-writing, because they really are very different, and there are so many branches of WF that thrive outside of “romantic elements”. I’m sure whatever you guys come up with will be infinitely better and more appropriate for WF writers.
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I’d like to be included in whatever new group transpires. Thanks for keeping all of us updated, Amy!
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I am definitely not a romance writer, but I love your blog for women’s fiction. I like to think of my writing similar to Jodi Picoult (although I don’t claim to be even as good as her little pinky finger). Current events, lots of drama. So here is to new beginnings for Women’s Fiction Writers. I’d love to be a part of your new group.
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