Professional Affiliations
General Writing and Editing Organizations
Organizations for Special Markets and Purposes
General Writing and Editing Organizations
Editorial Freelancers Association
“The Editorial Freelancers Association is a national, nonprofit, professional organization of self-employed workers in the publishing and communications industries. Members are editors, writers, indexers, proofreaders, researchers, desktop publishers, translators, and others who offer a broad range of skills and specialties.”
EEI: Editorial Experts, Inc
The Editorial Eye and EEI’s numerous seminars and workshops help keep editors up to date on editing standards and practices.
National Writers Association
Along with the “usual” assortment of membership benefits, one stands out: complimentary third-party contract reviews, which provide objective and knowledgeable sets of eyes to make observations and recommendations.
American Society of Journalists and Authors
The ASJA is the largest group of freelance nonfiction writers in the country. Its primary concerns are enforcing a strict code of ethics, serving as an advocate for the industry, and providing educational and networking support.
National Writers Union
“As a freelance writer you may work individually, but you’re not alone. Our community of more than 4,000 freelance writers . . . works to advance the economic and working conditions of writers . . . through legislative action, lawsuits . . . collective licensing alternatives . . . and . . . mobilizing members to fight in their collective self-interest.”
American Copy Editors Society
ACES “is dedicated to improving the quality of journalism and the working lives of journalists. Our main purpose is to educate our members—and others in the news business—in ways of improving the standards of copy editing and increasing the value the news industry places on our craft.” Many states also have chapters; if not, several regional chapters are available for local training and networking.
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs
AWP was founded in 1967 to fight the belief that “the best, most respected writers were those long dead and safely entombed in anthologies and libraries.” By continuing to promote the concept that writing is a living, growing, evolving art form “that can be enjoyed by anyone who can read,” hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have awakened or resurrected writing programs. In doing so, a new generation of writers and admirers has been created.
Writerfind.com
Writerfind.com is a source for locating freelance writing (including ghostwriters, screenwriters, and scriptwriters), editing, and related talents any place in the world. If you need a writer who knows the Russian countryside to make your story work, you can probably find one here. Likewise, if you need a PR person to promote your new publication in Argentina. However, if you need an editor to help you out, I hope you know by now to look no farther!
ALA: American Library Association
As you might suspect, the ALA site provides a large amount of information for writers. The site links to a number of discussion groups, forums, and interest groups as well as several book lists like those for teens that can be found in the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) division. Much of the basic information is free, but members have access to additional resources, such as annotated lists.
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Organizations for Special Markets and Purposes
SCBWI: The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
SCBWI is the membership organization for anyone who is serious about working in the children’s or young adult markets—writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers, and others (if you can name any others). SCBWI has regional networking chapters (such as SCBWI Florida), online discussion boards, and numerous news and research links.
NMSA: National Middle School Association
Publications and special reports and studies from NMSA enable writers for this market to stay abreast of teaching methods, reading reforms, and current trends in the world of young adult students.
International Reading Association
Since the 1950s, the IRA has been “dedicated to promoting high levels of literacy for all by improving the quality of reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, [and] encouraging the lifetime reading habit.” After all, if you write, you need readers! “No matter what your professional context, IRA has a professional publication [and research] to match your needs and interests.”
National Council for History Education
Good old-fashioned quality education seems to be growing scarce! Thanks to the NCHE and its History Matters as well as the group’s annual Kids Learning History Conference, I feel the war is not yet totally lost. Even if history is not your passion, this group’s ideas will inspire you to keep the faith and keep hoping for a return to the basics.
Association of Personal Historians
“The many members of the Association of Personal Historians . . . care deeply about helping others preserve their personal and family histories[,] stories [that] can provide a link with the past for future generations—a priceless gift for loved ones that will be treasured beyond material goods.”
AASLH: American Association for State and Local History
“Knowing where you have come from is important in forming an idea of where you want to go.” Perhaps more familiar as its acronym, AASLH, this organization releases interesting, timely, and accurate information in the field of social history so we have enough information to put to use those words from Alexander Stille.
American Association of Museums
“AAM is the only organization representing the entire scope of museums and [the] professionals and nonpaid staff who work for and with museums. AAM currently represents more than 16,000 members . . . including directors, curators, registrars, educators, exhibit designers, public relations officers, development officers, security managers, trustees and volunteers.” Industry news, results of audience and visitor studies, information about special writing needs, and developments in museums and the museum field make this group valuable to interested persons.
Small Museum Association
“SMA’s mission is to develop and maintain a peer network among people who work for small museums, giving them opportunities to learn, share knowledge and support one another, so that they, in turn, can better serve their institutions, communities and profession.” The SMA holds two national conferences and numerous regional events each year for the purpose of meeting and sharing face to face.
Association of Children’s Museums
Once the Association of Youth Museums, ACM promotes the role and value of children’s museums and the importance of museum education through “exhibits and programs that stimulate curiosity and motivate learning.”
Association of Educational Publishers
Formerly known as EdPress: The Educational Press Association of North America, AEP now supports the international growth of educational publishing by (among other things) “strengthening the educational publishing community through opportunities for collaboration, interaction and communication within the industry and beyond [and by] providing research, information and analysis to the industry.”
SPAN: The Small Publishers Association of North America
Many authors are looking into the benefits of self-publishing with a small press. “The membership of SPAN includes independent presses, self-publishers, authors, and vendors who supply products and services to the industry. Our membership runs the gamut from one-book micropublishers to a house with 800 titles in print. They are located in virtually every U.S. state and Canadian province.” What better place to go for help and inspiration?
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