Here are just a few of the benefits offered by MWA to its members. New benefits are constantly being added, and all benefits are subject to change without notice:
- Ten issues annually of The Third Degree, our national newsletter.
- Chapter membership. There is no additional charge for membership in any of MWA's eleven regional chapters. Chapters often host meetings and special programs of their own, and each chapter produces its own newsletter. All chapters have their own e-mail discussion lists at yahoogroups.
- Breakout Advanced Level E-List: This e-mail list at yahoogroups is limited to practical issues, including touring, contracts, publicity, agents, foreign rights, movie options and other business questions. This private list is for active status members only.
- The Rebound Program offers help for traditionally published active writers who have been dropped by their publishers.
- MWA's Rebound Grants will give six writers who have been dropped by their publishers a grant of $1,000 each.
- Access to health, vision, and dental insurance.
- Discounts on rental cars.
- Discounts through Working Advantage to numerous entertainment venues, including Broadway plays, movies, amusement parks, ski resorts, cruises, and much more, as well as for a wide variety of merchandise.
- Discounts on books ordered from Writer's Digest Books and Writer's Digest magazine.
- Discounts on subscriptions to Publishers Weekly and The Writer magazine.
Discount subscription rate to Publisher Alley. - Access to EMWA, our e-mail discussion list at yahoogroups, which is open only to MWA members, and databases associated with it, such as our list of libraries looking for speakers.
- The MWA e-Bulletin, sent by e-mail whenever special announcements - such as Edgars® Award nominees & winners, a call for participation in MWA's anthologies or announcing new member benefits.
- The Edgars® Week Symposium provides a chance to learn from the best in the business and for professionals to discuss issues affecting writers today. Members receive a discount on the Symposium fee. Invitations mailed to members annually.
- The Edgars® Awards Banquet. Invitations mailed to members annually.
- Agents and Editors Party is held in New York during Edgars® Week. Meet literary agents and editors from top publishing houses in an informal get-together open to members only.
- MWA at Mystery Conventions. MWA frequently hosts receptions for its members and maintains a table in the dealers room of many mystery conventions.
- The MWA Library Database has contact information for hundreds of libraries interested in programs featuring mystery writers as speakers.
- The MWA Bookstore Database lists hundreds of bookstores of interest to mystery writers.
- The MWA Loan Fund helps members in need of temporary financial assistance, either to pay their dues or to ease a personal problem.
There are many other benefits of membership in MWA. Some of them are less tangible but perhaps more valuable than those listed above: the opportunity to belong to an organization which has represented leading writers in this genre for more than 60 years, the fellowship of other writers, and the chance to work together to promote the genre and protect writers' rights. Mystery Writers of America is proud of its members, past and present, and welcomes you to join us.
