Applications for Membership are also available at the NSW meetings membership desk.

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry and related fields of writing are represented by members of California Writers Club branches.

There are two categories of membership, active and associate. Both active and associate members are eligible to sit on the central board of directors and enjoy full benefits and discounts offered by the state organization.

  • Active membership is accorded those writers whose work is in print and meets some minimum criteria. There are no limits to the number of active members in any branch. 
  • Writers who are not yet published but can show work in progress may be given associate membership. In any branch, the number of associate members must not exceed active. 
  • Supporting membership is for people who are interested in the writing craft but either do not meet the minimum qualifications or must wait for an opening in the associate ranks.


Qualifications


Active Membership
Fiction, Nonfiction or Poetry:  Have a book published by a publisher of standing within the past ten years or have a book currently under contract; or publication or acceptance within the past three years of three stories in a periodical or periodicals of general circulation.

  • Photojournalist:  Generally the same as for fiction, nonfiction or poetry, except including material submitted for consideration should contain photographs and text of evident quality.
  • Playwrights:  A writer of stage plays, screenplays, radio plays, television plays, or videos, must have had a publication, performance, production, or production in development within the past 10 years.
  • Literary Occupations: Editors, feature writers, columnists or regular bylined reporters may be considered eligible for membership, provided the work is the writer’s professional occupation.
  • Self Publishers or Electronic Publishers, whose material has been published under their own imprint, will be judged at the discretion of the branch accreditation committee. The material will be judged on: Professional presentation of writing style and graphics, and plans of distribution.


Associate Membership

  • Associate membership shall be accorded to those persons who qualify by submission of writing material that is approved by the branch Accreditation Committee as clear evidence of acceptable writing quality.
  • Non-writing literary professionals, including agents, booksellers, publishers, producers, directors and book illustrators also qualify as associate members.


Fees and Dues

  • The annual membership fee is $45 plus a one-time $20 CWC Member Fee (July1-June 30)
  • New members that start at the first of the year membership fee $42.50 (Jan. 1-June 30)
  • Student Membership (6-plus units) is $20 plus a one-time $20 CWC Member Fee 

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