the international association of professional writers

the international association of professional writers

The Importance of Joining the International Association of Professional Writers

1. Benefits of Joining

Another benefit of joining I.A.P.W. is that the organization offers helpful tools to its members. Some examples of this include guidelines on how to write a bill, work on copyright laws, how to do public relations work, managing a newsletter, and some advice on how to identify and use media tracts. These tools can be of great help to a writer. New writers can learn the ropes of the trade and the veterans can use these tools to better their work. This is a resource that is not available to writers outside of the organization.

The first and most important benefit of joining this organization is that the writer is provided with an opportunity to network with others in their field of work. Writers can communicate with others about issues they are facing in their line of work. They can share ideas and just chat about what is going on in their work life. Often times when working at home, a writer can begin to feel secluded and out of touch. I.A.P.W. wants to offer a sense of community to its members.

It is beneficial for a writer to join I.A.P.W. (The Association of Professional Writers) because there are many benefits that a writer can reap from joining it. To join I.A.P.W., there are certain criteria that must be met. This criteria is not difficult but must be met. Once a writer has met the criteria and joined I.A.P.W., a writer can take full advantage of the benefits the organization has to offer.

2. Networking Opportunities

Having made a case for writers joining the IAPWE, let’s take a look at how the organization serves to benefit its members. A most apparent way that IAPWE benefits its members is through its job board. This job board not only lists freelance and full-time writing opportunities, but also allows employers to post on the IAPWE front page to seek prospective writers. This means that members are given potential exposure for paid writing work via the IAPWE as employers may see a writer’s profile and contact them directly. This feature has encouraged employers to find talented writers from the IAPWE and has helped connect members to potential clients. This job board serves as great opportunity for writers to find work they are interested in, as well gives them an advantage to utilize their craft and earn money. Another direct opportunity IAPWE creates for its members is through “members only” paid content writing opportunities. At times, IAPWE will offer content writing jobs for anything from SEO-optimized articles and copy to ghostwriting full eBooks. Invitations to these jobs are sent to members’ email and involve small writing tasks that pay anywhere from $10-$40. If a writer is interested in the task, they may reply for more details on the project. These jobs serve as an easy and flexible way for members to earn side money in spare time doing various writing tasks. This may serve as a long-term opportunity, as IAPWE hires members they are familiar with and trust for many ongoing projects. Lastly, writing tasks for small amounts will sometimes serve as a trial for higher paid content writing opportunities.

3. Professional Development Resources

Members of AIPW have free access to employment, contract, and copyright information concerning writing and writing-related fields in publications, often before this information reaches the general public. AIPW provides sample contracts for writers, information on payment rates, and other useful guides, and keeps solid templates of guidance on various laws and regulations in the field of writing and copywriting. AIPW supported legislation protects the writer’s right to control and exclusively license the primary and derivative works, bearing the writer’s name, to others, and to terminate such licenses or transfers. In 1988, amendments to the copyright laws, The Berne Convention Implementation Act and The Visual Artists Rights Act established these rights for all writers. This is just one of the benefits we provide to members who are seeking to further their careers in writing or a writing-related field. AIPW offers these resources free of charge to members in the hope that writers will take advantage of an opportunity to increase their income using knowledge and skills obtained from the resources provided by AIPW. Members of AIPW also have access to the Pro-Bono Contract Review by experienced lawyers. Our attorneys will provide pro-bono half-hour consultations after reviewing contracts and materials provided by writers with written assessments of the contracts and agreements that can be referred to. This is a useful service to members seeking legal counsel that may not be able to afford expensive attorney fees often spent on consultations and other legal services. This service also educates writers, enabling them to prevent legal problems by learning what to avoid when entering agreements or writing contracts. This service can be initiated by submitting a request for a contract review. This review will assist in the prevention of such legal problems by enabling the writer to understand the necessary terms or the detrimental terms to the contract being entered. Through this educational process and understanding of the terms, the writer can elect to use an agreement that is recommended or make any necessary changes by consulting the person who presented him with the original agreement.

4. Access to Exclusive Job Opportunities

Job opportunities for professional writers are not very widespread. Because of the nature of their craft, the amount of available work is often slight. Many companies do not employ full-time writers. They turn to freelancers to accomplish writing tasks. As a result of the scarcity of jobs, writers must compete to get any available work. This is even true in the teaching of writing. Many English departments have few positions for full-time writing instructors. ATA members can benefit from exclusive access to job announcements in Targeted Job Banks. Searches can be made on all the job banks combined or job seekers can search jobs on a specific bank. Targeted Job Banks are in: Academic, Language Education, Education, Interpretation/ Translation, and Sales/ Marketing. All the job announcements in the Targeted Job Banks are those that match a specific job category. For example, a French to English translation job can be found in the ATA FLD Job Bank. Job Bank employers are seeking professional translators and interpreters. In addition to the Targeted Job Banks, ATA offers the Resume Service which matches up job seekers and employers. Job seekers can post their resume while employers can review posted resumes and contact job seekers about potential job opportunities. This can all be done at the ATA website.

5. Enhancing Your Reputation and Credibility

When people think of authors, poets, or even professional writers, the concept of reputation and credibility is important. However, reputations can be destroyed in mere minutes and here the harder you climb in regards to reputation and credibility, the further there is to fall. The International Association of Professional Writers can help you to create solid foundations for your reputation as a professional writer. You can become a member that carries with it certain privileges, responsibilities, and a set code of ethics. These measures are designed to provide consumers with sufficient knowledge of what to expect and to prove competency. In the eye of the consumer, you are only as good as your last piece of work. By joining the IAPW and producing consistent quality work, a good reputation will come much easier. A positive reputation is enhanced by credibility and level of skill. This is measured by how your peers and consumers value your work and by joining an association made up of professional writers, you are adding to the vote of credibility by where you accepted as a member or fellow of the association. The IAPW’s directory of its members is a great resource for buyers of written work to find credible writers, safe in the knowledge that all IAPW members have had their credentials and qualifications screened before being accepted into the association.