CWA Member Benefits Summary

 CWA Member Benefits Summary

(updated February, 2019)

 CWA’s biggest benefit: Networking! Networking! Networking! Endless opportunities to make mutually beneficial professional contacts — and good friends!     Plus… 

                 Official CWA Member Communications

The official CWA web site at www.catwriters.com : The Members Only Area of the web site (your 2021 password is 4Ailuros??cAt!) includes lots of goodies like the full member Directory (a downloadable pdf), DigitalMews and MEOW archives, blog badges, CWA store, links to resources for writers, and much more.

DigitalMEWS emails: Timely news, announcements and more, sent directly to all members. (Make sure we have your current email address!) All DigitalMEWS emails are archived in the Members-only area of the CWA web site.

The official CWA blog: To get the latest in CWA news, subscribe to the blog. (Blog posts also appear on the CWA web site.) CWA encourages all members to guest blog on the official CWA blog. For more information about the blog, and opportunities for guest blogging, contact CWA Blog Editor Janiss Garza (jgarza@fitcatinc.com).

Subscription to the members-only CWA ProList email discussion forum: To subscribe, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CWA-Prolist and request to join the group.

                        CWA on Social Media

The private CWA-members-only Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/CWAMembersOnly/):

CWA’s private Facebook page is open to all current CWA members. It’s the perfect place to ask advice, gain insights, and share news, announcements, brags, and other timely information with fellow CWA members. Just go to the group and submit your request to join.

The public CWA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CatWriters): This page is open to the general public. See news and updates about CWA, members, activities and events, and sponsors. There’s news and information about writing, publishing, blogging, social media, photography, and more.

CWA’s Twitter feed at @CatWriters

CWA’s Instagram at @catwriters_com 

         Resources and References for Members

Exclusive, members-only, access to the CWA Member Directory, with contact information for all your CWA colleagues. (The Directory is a downloadable PDF file on the CWA web site, in the Members Only Area.) Need an interview subject? An expert on any feline topic? Guest blogger? Art for your new book cover? Turn to your CWA colleagues first! Among your CWA colleagues are veterinarians, cat behaviorists, TNR experts, broadcasters and podcasters, humorists, novelists, bloggers, marketing mavens, publishers, editors, photographers, web designers, graphic designers, illustrators, artists, cartoonists, and much more.

For Professional members, your CWA membership card doubles as a Press Card, to facilitate your attendance at cat shows and other feline-related events.

An extensive list of links valuable to professional pet communicators: editor and publisher contacts; writers’ groups and writing support; reliable cat information resources (including Schools of Veterinary Medicine); cat registries; animal welfare resources; and selected commercial links of particular interest to writers. To access these links, click “References” in the Members Only Area of the CWA web site.  CWA Merchandise

CWA full-color logo lapel pin. See Members Only Area of the web site to order your pins. (Click on “CWA Store”)

MUSE™ lapel pins and MUSE™ pendants featuring CWA’s distinctive MUSE™ Medallion. MUSE winners: show off this prestigious award wherever you go! See Members Only Area of the web site to order your pins and pendants. (Click on “CWA Store”)

Beautiful metallic MUSE™ Medallion stickers for your MUSE-winning books. See Members Only Area of the web site to order your stickers. (Click on “CWA Store”)

            Opportunities and Programs for Members

Listings (with sales links) for all your books (not just your cat books!) on the online CWA Bookstore, on our web site. To add your book, contact the CWA Secretary  For each book, send: title, category, and sales URL where book can be purchased.

Exclusive, members-only, right to display the CWA logo and CWA blog badges on your own blog and/or web site, with ready-to-use images available to members. There’s also a distinctive CWA Officer badge for officers of the organization. See the Members Only Area of the web site to access badges.

Access to official CWA MUSE™ Medallion winner badges, Certificate of Excellence winner badges, and Special Award winner badges – so all CWA’s winners can brag about their awards on their own web sites and blogs. See the Members Only Area of the web site to access badges.

The annual CWA Writers’ Conference offers superb networking opportunities, professional guidance and advice from seasoned writers and other professionals, chances to meet one-on-one with editors and publishers and — the highlight — the annual CWA Awards Banquet. (See “Conference” tab on the CWA web site.)

Opportunities to serve as a Contest Judge (Professional members), and receive discounts on your own entries to the annual CWA Communications Contest. The Contest recognizes outstanding cat writing (including fiction, nonfiction and poetry), broadcasting, illustration, photography, cartooning, blogging, and more with our prestigious Certificates of Excellence, Muse™ Medallions and industry-sponsored Special Awards, many of which come with cash prizes. See “Contest” tab on the CWA web site for details on the current Contest.

Mentoring: The CWA offers informal mentoring among members, and the more formal CWA mentoring program. Contact Janiss Garza, CWA’s Mentoring Coordinator (jgarza@fitcatinc.com) to find out more, to sign up as a volunteer mentor, or to ask for mentoring.

Important Reminders!! The CWA relies on our ability to reach each and every member by email in order to bring you CWA news, announcements and information in a timely manner. If you change your email address, PLEASE don’t forget to tell us! To update your email address, or any other information in your CWA profile (Directory listing), or to add additional book titles to your CWA Bookstore listings, please contact CWA Secretary Sue Doute (secretary@catwriters.com). Make sure that emails from these email addresses are “whitelisted,” and not going into a spam folder somewhere: CWA Secretary’s email addresses: wendy@wendycats.com and secretary@catwriters.com CWA President’s email addresses: dbarnes@zeezoey.com and president@catwriters.com                  SPREAD the WORD! Do you know professionals who communicate about cats, but aren’t yet CWA members? Tell your colleagues about the many benefits of CWA membership. Encourage them to apply. Offer to sponsor their applications. Get more information, and application forms, at our web site (www.catwriters.com, click on “Join us”) or via email from CWA Secretary Sue Doute (secretary@catwriters.com).