About Our Chapter

Writing can be a very solitary business and spending time with other like minds is both refreshing and encouraging. RWA NYC ® is made up of a potpourri of members pursuing their dreams. We write all genres of romance and much more. We hope that you find the camaraderie and support that you need in your writing career within our chapter.

We try to cover the broad base of our members’ needs by having programs focused on things like law enforcement or alternative publishing methods. In additions, we encourage one another to actively pursue our dreams.

RWA/NYC's purpose is to nurture budding writers and to support published ones. RWA/NYC is in a unique and advantageous position for both published and unpublished writers, as it is located in the heart of the romance industry. Monthly meetings have featured a variety of industry professionals, including editors, agents, booksellers, book buyers and leading romance authors. Some of our meetings focus on writing exercises to hone writing skills or stimulate creative juices. Our membership includes writers knowledgeable about contemporary and historical romances, mainstream fiction, Gothics, Regencies, true confessions and short story fiction. And they are all delighted to share their expertise with other members.

We are first and foremost writers, but beyond that, you will find that we make good friends and great supporters.

                                            --Elizabeth K. Mahon, President RWA/NYC

New York City Chapter

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Chapter History

The Romance Writers of America®/New York City Chapter celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2006.

The New York City Chapter was the brainchild of Nora Siri Bock, who gathered her author friends together  Regency author Theresa Grazia, glitz author Sarah Gallick and childrens author Kathryn Hayes -- and with the advice and financial support of the Hudson Valley Chapter, formed a chapter.

In the beginning, the chapter met at the NBC building in the Upper West Side in the cafeteria. As the chapter membership grew, the meeting location changed several times to meet chapter needs. Today, RWA®/NYC meets at TRS on 32nd Street.

Being in the Heart of the Romance Industry, RWA®/NYC has been fortunate enough to get front-line editors, publishers, agents and industry professionals to come speak at chapter meetings, a tradition begun by our founding mothers.

RWA®/NYC is also proud to host the annual Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter Contest and the Golden Apple Awards. For a few years, the chapter even had its own From Dream to Reality conference, and we experimented with one-day writing workshops and Published Author Networking Dinners.

In the past 20 years, chapter members have been Golden Heart finalists and winners, RITA finalists and winners, National Regional Service winners, and our own Shirley Hailstock was even RWA President. Today, RWA®/NYC has almost 100 members  published, pre-published and aspiring authors.

We invite you to join us at a monthly meeting, as we gear up for our next 20 years.

                                                                                 -- Maria Ferrer, Past RWA/NYC Chapter President