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ARWA’s Purpose and Mission |
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The Alberta Romance Writers' Association (ARWA) is a non-profit society incorporated under the Society's Act of Alberta, whose purpose shall be to provide a support network for romance writers in all genres. |
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ARWA believes |
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members benefit through association with fellow romance writers. |
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ARWA exists to: |
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promote excellence in the craft of writing romantic fiction. |
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ARWA helps: |
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members to become published authors and establish their careers in writing, specifically the romance genre, to educate and inform both published and unpublished writers. |
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ARWA provides: |
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a forum for members to obtain and disseminate information about writing techniques, publishing, marketing and networking with other writers, information and support to all its members, both published and unpublished. |
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ARWA accepts: |
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new members from September 1st to October 31st each year and meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, except for July, August and December. Click here to find out more information about the registration process. |
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ARWA’s History: |
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ARWA came into being as a result of a workshop sponsored by Alberta Culture and the Calgary Public Library. Over one hundred writers applied to take the course titled, Write Yourself a Romance, and library staff selected a shortlist from which Judith Duncan, the instructor for the course, chose the twenty-four writers who were lucky enough to make the final cut. The hands on course started April 2, 1987, and on the last night of the course, May 7, the participants, with the encouragement of Judith, decided to form a romance writing group. The first official meeting of our newly formed group was held on May 28, 1987 in the basement of the Memorial Park Library, which was our home for several years. At the November meeting, it was decided to call the organization the Wild Rose Romance Writers. That name did not remain in existence for very long as several members thought the name was too difficult to wrap a tongue around, and the acronym was even worse. The wild rose symbol did, however, live on in our logo. In May of 1988, the current name of Alberta Romance Writers' Association was decided upon and by the next year, bylaws had been established. On September 18, 1989, the Association was incorporated under the Societies Act of Alberta. ARWA began to expand its horizons with a five week writing course held at the University of Calgary in October of 1990 and with a major conference in 1992. In 1993, ARWA moved into its current location at the Old Y and continued to present various programs, bringing in editors and authors for the edification of both its own members and the writing community at large. Conferences in 1994 and 1996 helped increase the membership of the organization and provided writers with the opportunity to meet and learn from established and multi-published authors. ARWA continues to provide a variety of programs for its members both at the regular monthly meetings and at daylong workshops throughout each year. The vision of the women who started the Alberta Romance Writers' Association lives on in the ongoing effort to support and educate those who wish a career in romance fiction.
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Alberta Romance Writers' Association (ARWA) 223 - 12 Ave. SW Calgary, Alberta T2R 0G9
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