To renew my RWA membership or not to renew
| That has been my dilemma since I received my renew form on the mail last week. $75 for renewing my membership? That's a lot of money. To me anyway. Especially now. With the $105,000 mortage, the recent increase in the prices of gas, electricity, and water. On top of that there are all these odd-and-ends that you have to repair around the house. All is going up except my paycheck. I didn't get a raise last year, and I'm not holding my breath this year. So those $75 will make a hole in my budget. Some think that I should think of the benefits I'm getting. Honestly, I've been a member for 2 years, and I've not seen much benefits out of it. The only thing I get is their RWR magazine, which is good with its updates on the romance industry. Other than that... I signed up for a three of their special interest groups online. In the beginning I posted on RWA Online and From the Heart. But I was in other more active romance online groups, and trying to keep up with all the posts was too time consuming. I was spending too much time on the net rather than writing, so I stopped posting on them. I didn't even participate in Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal after I signed up for it. Then there's the RWA National conferences. Big deal. I'll never go to one anyway. Too expensive. I can't afford to spend thousands of dollars when there are other (more important) things I could pay with that money. Yeah, I know you're wondering why I've got my panties on twist over that matter when the reasons for not renewing my RWA membership are so clear. Want to know why? Peer pressure. I want other romance writers to take me seriously. There you go. My little secret is out. Let's face it I'm already sick and tired of other romance writers thinking that I'm in it as a hobby just because I'm not interested in getting an agent and don't care about writing for NY publishers. That is already making me an oddball in my peers' eyes. Well, I am not. I'm damn serious about writing romance novels. If I weren't, why would I be wasting my time writing at all? So it hurts sometimes to see that attitude towards me. I've got to make myself sound "official" about my writing. To validate my reasons to be a romance writer. So I feel that if I'm not part of RWA, then I'd giving another reason to look less serious about writing. Well, the last day to send the papers with the check is this Friday. Otherwise, I'll have to pay the full fair. I still don't know what to do. Still waging the ramifications of whatever decision I make. |
posted by Silma at 8:43 AM
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post a commentI don't think you're oddball deary! You have very valid reasons for doing what you're doing. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. I debated renewing this year, but with Nationals practically in my backyard it didn't take me long to decide. But I did drop several of my RWA chapter memberships.
I don't think you're oddball. I know of at least two authors who right romance that are (vocally) not members of RWA.
IMO, RWA's main benefit is the groups/chapters, and if you haven't found them to be helpful ... I don't think there's much point. Publishers as a general rule don't care whether or not you're in RWA. (Same for any of the other genre associations like SFWA or HWA, at least from what I've heard editors say.)
Personally, I don't intend to join RWA because the only thing I would be interested in is the conference -- and if I have the money to go, I can afford to pay the non-RWA price. For me, I don't see that joining would benefit me because RWA is still very straight-laced and not particularly open to non-traditional romance.
You don't have to be a member of RWA to be a romance writer. If people give you crap about it -- well, then they're elitist snobs and I'd tell them where to shove it.
I never felt like I got my money's worth from RWA either, so I don't think you're oddball either. :)
Why on earth do you let it bother you what other people think? You feel you aren't benefitting much, you can't afford to pay for something you won't get a good return on (except magazines!) so it isn't right for you...so don't do it!
I'm not obsessed with the agent/NY thing, I'm going to try it just so that I have, but it doesn't make me less serious than anyone else. Same goes for you.
Silma! I wish I could send you a 'don't give a sh** tablet'. Luvvie, life is short, don't waste time worrying about what others think. It's your life, and if you're happy - GOOD!
Now do what you love doing and write. Just because.
Best wishes.
:o)
Well hon, if you aren't interested in NY, or agents, and the big "RWA RECOGNIZED WORLD" then I'd say why bother renewing? Seriously, I've struggled with this at times too. I mean RWA doesn't seem to give a shit about the epubs, except the ones that can prove they're raking in the $$. Two to be exact. One I have no intention of subbing to.
How funny I just saw you signed my blog as I was signing your!!
So what IS RWA doing for you? Maybe take a year off. If you decide to shoot for NY or agents then join up again. But Divas is fabulous, quite honestly, better than any support and info then I've gotten from RWA.
I'll stay in RWA, cause I'm the freaking VP of my chapter :) But honestly if I wasn't aiming for NY I wouldn't be in it. No point.
Is your disillusionment due purely to the struggles of the e-pubs vs. the traditionals? AKA feeling as though e-pubbed writers are treated like second-class members (PRO-Plus rather than true PAN)? I know a lot of members who are wrestling with this.
I think RWA is currently suffering growing pains as it struggles to adjust to the rapid changes taking place in both the publishing world and in readers’ tastes. New sub-genres are popping up left and right and it always takes the establishment a while to catch up. I get that this is frustrating, but there are groups (like the Passionate Ink chapter), as well as numerous individual members, working to effect the changes that we think will drag RWA into the 21st century (like demanding a new erotic romance category for the Golden Hearts and Ritas).
Don't let the peer pressure dictate your decision. Only YOU know what you need to do.
Best of luck.
Grins*
If it doesn't feel right or if money's tight, don't worry about renewing. :)
I'd say go with your heart.
If the benefits of RWA membership are not worth the cost (and it does not sound as if they are to you), let it lapse a year and see how it goes.
You've got to do what's right for you.
*hugs* and keep writing!
Frankly, given your current goals and finances, I'd drop it. All you are getting out of the deal is a magazine subscription - and who pays $75 a year for a magazine?
Interesting take - you're right about the peer pressure. And there isn't much benefit to RWA if you don't have a chapter or go to conference. Like Tess, I dropped several chapter memberships because it was all email and I couldn't keep up.
Good luck with your decision!
I'm with everyone else on this one. If you aren't getting much from it other than an interesting magazine every month, then why bother? I like the idea of taking a break. If you all of a sudden feel the need to renew in a year or two, then go for it. Otherwise, use that money where you want to use it.
And don't succumb to peer pressure! Do what you think is best for YOU. :)
Hey Silma. I say, just like everyone else, if it's not working for you, don't renew. The RWA doesn't determine whether you're a serious author. Only you can do that.
I LOVE the new look, Silma. Gorgeous blog!
These days it's easy enough to keep up with the market without being a member of RWA. Divas is an awesome group with great support. There are quite a few big name authors that aren't members. As someone said, RWA is changing slowly. It will take time but they'll always be there to rejoin at a later time. You're not an oddball :)
I fought with the same question last year. In the end, I reupped with RWA, but dropped most of the extra chapters. I will probably drop even more, since I'm not attending meetings. Like you, I wasn't getting a lot out of them. I keep the membership strictly for the news updates and conferences. Never do anything based on peer pressure. Most of the people pressuring you are only doing so to make themselves feel like 'they' made the right decisions. It all boils down to the writing. It should always speak the loudest.
I hear you, Silma. I can't afford to join RWA, and I figure I'll worry about an agent when I actually land that NY deal.
Don't let the nay-sayers get you down. Everyone's a critic, and if they're going to put your value on whether or not you're in RWA, then I'd ask to see a list of their NYT best sellers, kwim?
When you put your time into writing, dear heart, you are a serious writer. Don't let anyone tell you different. ((HUGS))