Writing can be a lonely profession: Gain a sense of community with PWAC

By Malene Jorgensen

Writers, who work hard on a daily basis to craft content for clients, may often work from home, local cafes or libraries, where they can get easy access to resources and references. And while this lifestyle may sound tempting, the reality is that writing for a living can be a very lonely profession.

The Professional Writers Association of Canada, also known as PWAC, provides the piece of the puzzle that is missing. The President of the Saskatchewan chapter, Ashleigh Mattern, particularly enjoys the supportive network that comes from PWAC. She sees the association as a great tool to brainstorm with other like-minded professionals.

 “As a full-time freelance writer, having a support networking is incredibly important. Working from home, you often don't have people around you who you can bounce ideas off of, or go to for help or advice,” Mattern explains. “Joining groups like the Professional Writers Association of Canada give me a sense of having coworkers who I can reach out to, for whatever reason.”

Other than the networking opportunities, new members can also explore marketing and promotional opportunities offered by PWAC. As a professional member, you get a press card on behalf of PWAC that can help you get access to industry events, museums, and research for related projects. 

Professional members will also have the ability to access career and development opportunities at low or no cost at all, which is beneficial to new writers who are looking to turn their passion of writing into a full-time career.

The Professional Writers Association of Canada has chapters all over the country, including Saskatchewan. Our chapter President, Ashleigh Mattern, and our Vice President, Malene Jorgensen, are both located in Saskatoon. But there are members in Regina, White City, Weyburn, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Martensville, and Kelvington. Even though members are spread out, the chapter maintains dedicated to serving the needs of all members.

“As the Vice President of the Saskatchewan chapter, I’m constantly on the look-out for new ideas and online courses that our members can benefit from since we are spread out,” says Jorgensen, who just joined the executive this year. “We want our members to know that we are here to help and support them in their writing careers, no matter what their individual needs are.”

Saskatchewan member, Bonnie Zink, has shared her thoughts on PWAC on her website, bonniezink.com. She thanks PWAC for helping her turn her dreams of being a professional writer for a living into a reality.

“Five years ago I held dear the hope of becoming a working professional writer,” Zink writes in a blog post, where she highlights some of the features she has enjoyed. “As I look back on these past five years, I believe that my success as a working writer is directly due to my professional PWAC membership.”

PWAC Saskatchewan will be present at this year’s Word on the Street festival in Saskatoon. The Word on the Street festival, or WOTS, takes place on Sept. 21 near Saskatoon’s City Hall. Our chapter President and Vice President will be on location in the PWAC booth to answer any questions you may have about becoming a member. Since the WOTS festival is all about booksellers, publishers, authors and retailers, some of our members will also be selling their books at our stand. 

So, if you have a lingering dream about becoming a professional writer, come down to our booth at the WOTS festival and talk to us. We look forward to seeing you there and hear about your big writing dreams.

Reactions to university decisions on Access Copyright

Last week, the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario (Western) announced they would no longer pay an annual collective royalty fee to creators through Access Copyright, the copyright licensing agency. The creators affected include professional writers and photographers who qualify, based on their published work, to receive annual Payback royalties from Access Copyright.

Here are some links to press releases and articles outlining the news and reactions from various writers' organizations:

PWAC: 
http://www.pwac.ca/files/PDF/UofTandWesternwalkaway.pdf

The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC):
http://www.writersunion.ca/news/universities-toronto-and-western-ontario-refuse-pay-copies

Access Copyright: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/media/39538/2013_12_11_canadas_writers_and_publishers_disappointed_by_u_of_t_and_westerns_non_renewal_of_licence.pdf

Association of Canadian Publishers: 
http://publishers.ca/images/downloads/ACP-Statement-AC-licences.pdf

Canadian Magazines blog (for reaction and background): http://canadianmags.blogspot.ca/2013/12/u-of-t-and-western-back-out-of-paying.html

What are your views? Please leave a comment.

Access Copyright: Reminder for PWAC Members

It's that time of year again, when we remind PWAC members about Access Copyright, the agency that serves as the Canadian Copyright Licencing Agency.

If you hold the copyright for your published work, i.e., if it's not work-for-hire* with all rights owned by your client), then consider signing with Access.

Even though the Professional Writers Association of Canada is a member organization of Access, individual writers still need to submit their information, including publication credits.

Here's the FAQ blurb from the Access Copyright site:

If I am a member of PWAC (or any other Access Copyright member organization), does that automatically make me an Access Copyright affiliate?
No. Being a member of an Access Copyright member organization does not automatically make you an affiliate. Please click here to learn how to become affiliated with Access Copyright.

Access manages licensing, collection of licensing fees and distribution of royalties on affiliates' behalf, so that we can focus on what we do best — creating.  

Benefits of being an individual Access member include Payback royalties for your published work. Sign up before the end of December, 2013, to to be eligible to enter your publications for the next series of payments in 2014.

1. To learn more about joining Access as a creator, see: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/creators/.
2. To learn more about Payback royalties, see: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/creators/payback-for-writers-and-payback-for-visual-artists
3. And, to join, see: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/creatorregistration.html

 _______

And a note on that sometimes wonderful, sometimes contentious work-for-hire*  thing... This may be fine under many circumstances, especially if the pay is great... But keeping your own copyright to your original, creative work is also a wonderful thing for freelancers to consider. You can learn more about copyright by visiting Accesscopyright.ca and PWAC.ca - or by talking others in your local PWAC chapter.   

-- posted by Shelley Banks