CWA Membership Benefits and Requirements

Join the international professional writers' association that provides news, information and education to the public on all aspects of cats -- the Cat Writers' Association, Inc. (CWA).

Annual membership fee is $30.00 (30.00 USD). Members must renew by December 31 preceding each membership year.

New applicants must also pay a non-refundable $10.00 (US10.00) application processing fee. So, when you apply, send $40.00.

Now, you can pay your new membership fee using PayPal!

NOTE: You must also complete the membership application in order for your membership to be considered.
Membership Requirements | Guidelines for Submitted Work Samples | Membership Application

The Cat Writers' Association, Inc. offers many benefits to you as a member:

• Numerous networking opportunities, including an annual roster listing each member's contact information and areas of expertise.
• Our quarterly newsletter, the award-winning MEOW, keeps you updated on official CWA business and tells you what your fellow cat writers, artists and other professionals are doing. The MEOW also includes helpful and informative articles, writing tips, market information to help you sell your work and inspirational essays from seasoned writers and other professionals who communicate about cats.
• A press card to facilitate your attendance at cat shows and events.
• Our annual Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest to recognize outstanding cat writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry and more), broadcasting, artwork and photography.
• Our annual CWA Writer's Conference offering superb networking opportunities and professional guidance and advice from seasoned writers and other professionals.
• Opportunities to make mutually beneficial professional contacts -- and good friends!
• News and tips on publishing opportunities and markets.
• Free subscription to the CWA-ProList mailing list, an email discussion forum for CWA members only.

Members of the CWA help contribute to the appreciation and welfare of all cats by providing accurate news, information and education on all aspects of felines, their nature, health, care and lore.

CWA Membership Requirements

To be considered for membership in the CWA, you must include, along with your application and $40.00 fee (including $10.00 non-refundable application processing fee), CAT-RELATED samples of your work published or publicly produced during the preceding 12 months (24 months for books). All work samples must be dated, include the publication's name, and must contain significant "cat content," not just mention cats in passing or use them as props or scenery. Works that portray cats in a negative, inhumane or irresponsible manner do not qualify as work samples for CWA membership.

Applicants: Please review additional work sample guidelines, below, before selecting work samples to accompany your application!

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP: For published cat writers, artists, broadcasters and other communications professionals who may or may not be paid for their work. Acceptable samples FOR ASSOCIATE STATUS include:

• 1 published exhibit from newspaper, magazine, ezine/online publication, or internal publication; OR
• 1 broadcast or file script or tape; OR
• 1 public relations speech or technical materials exhibit.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP: For published cat writers, artists, broadcasters and other communications professionals who are regularly published and are paid for their work. Acceptable work samples for PROFESSIONAL STATUS include:

• 2 published exhibits from newspaper, magazine, ezine/online publication, or internal publication; OR
• 2 broadcast or file scripts or tapes; OR
• 2 public relations speeches or technical material exhibits; OR
• 1 book published within the preceding 24 months.

Need a CWA member sponsor? Applications naming CWA member(s) as sponsor(s) receive the highest consideration. The CWA encourages prospective members to contact a current CWA member to discuss possible sponsorship. (See http://www.catwriters.org/members.html) Don't specify a sponsor without their consent. Most CWA members will be happy to discuss your cat-related work and your CWA membership application with you.

CWA guidelines for submitted work samples

1. Vanity-published work, whether printed text or illustrations/photos, will not be accepted as work samples for CWA membership. The CWA defines “vanity publications” as works which the creator pays someone else to print, or which are self-published without meeting the criteria below or which are not professional quality. Applicants are responsible for affirming the type of publisher they work with. However, the CWA Membership Committee can be guided by other typical “vanity publisher” criteria, such as the fact that vanity publishers usually have numerous "published titles" in contrast to small, lesser-known presses which have only a handful of legitimate titles; or the fact that the publisher is a known vanity press.
2. Any work submitted for CWA membership consideration must be to a large extent about, or relevant to, cats. At least one-third of the content of non-fiction articles/books should cover cats. In fictional works, it’s not essential that a cat be the main character, but felines must be integral to the plot and story, rather than incidental characters or walk-ons.
3. Electronically-published work (e.g., from online magazines or other "e-publications") are not considered qualifying work samples for professional or associate status if the works only appear on, or are printed from, an applicant's personal web site, blog, or a special-interest or discussion group web site. Applicants should affirm that they have been remunerated in some way for their electronically-published work. Materials published on commercial web sites or even on non-paying online sites can be acceptable if the applicant provides supporting documents (such as historical site information, evidence of a verifiable audience via subscription numbers or the number of site hits, a letter from the commercial site’s "editor" or "employer") upon request.
4. Applicants submitting broadcast or film scripts, tapes that have been released to the public, or public relations speeches or technical material exhibits that have been presented to the public, must include substantiation of such distribution, presentation or publication, such as a signed letter from superior, clip of the publication, etc .
5. Books submitted by applicants as work samples will, ideally and preferably, be published/distributed by a commercial publisher. Authors of self-published books must submit supporting documentation that the book is being offered for sale by professional outlets such as book stores (whether physical buildings or online bookstores), commercial web sites, or other venues not owned by the author/creator. The CWA Membership Committee may additionally ask applicants for proof of book sale figures or other information.
6. Applicants submitting any other self-published work (articles, songs, photos, calendars, artwork etc.) must additionally submit one of the following proofs. Either:
   a) Evidence that the published work has been vetted by a qualified professional; OR
   b) Up-to-date sales figures; OR
   c) Proof of payment/remuneration. AND
   d) Any other substantiating material requested by the CWA Membership Committee (e.g. additional previously-published samples, writers resume, etc.)
7. Any member of the CWA Membership Committee has the right to request additional writing or other work samples, or supporting documents, from any applicant. The Membership Committee also has the right to make exceptions to admit applicants under special considerations.

In all cases, if the CWA membership Committee requests additional substantiation and/or information from an applicant, the amount of time given for consideration before final approval of the application may be extended by up to 30 days.

CWA Membership Application

I am applying for:

	_____Professional Membership

	_____Associate Membership


Name: ______________________________________________________________

Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________

City/State/Zip:  ________________________________________________________

Home Telephone #: ( ____ ) ___________________________________

Business Telephone #: ( ____ ) ________________________________

Fax #: ( ____ ) _________________________________________

E-Mail Address: ______________________________________________

Your Special Area(s) of Expertise (for Directory Listing): 

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Professional Affiliation(s):
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

CWA Member Sponsor:

_______________________________________________

If you'd like help in contacting or selecting potential sponsors, check out the 
CWA online member list or drop an email to the CWA Secretary.

Any other information you'd like the Membership Committee to consider:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Membership Dues

All payments must be made in U.S. Funds only. Sorry - we cannot accept credit cards, etc. We do accept PayPal, or you can send check, cash or money order drawn in US funds.

Now, you can pay your membership fees using PayPal!

Cat Writers' Association membership fees

Please Select an Option Renew your CWA membership - $30.00 Apply for CWA membership - $40.00

All memberships must be renewed in full for $30.00 annually by December 31 of the year preceding the membership year.

New member dues are $40.00 (includes $10.00 non-refundable application processing fee). If your membership application is approved in the last two months of the fiscal year (November 1 to December 31) you will automatically become a member for the following full year.

If the CWA Membership Committee declines your application, $30.00 of your $40.00 membership application fee will be refunded to you.

Send your completed application, along with your work samples, to the CWA Secretary, who will review your materials and pass them along to the CWA Membership Committee. The Membership Committee has 7 days to decide whether or not to accept your application. You will be notified as soon as the Committee has made its decision.

Send your application and work samples to:

JaneA Kelly, CWA Secretary
53 Sheridan Street #3
Portland, ME 04101
USA

For further information, or if you have questions, email the CWA Secretary.