Romance Writers of America

Romance Writers of America (RWA) was founded in Houston, Texas, in 1980 by 37 charter members. The purpose of the organization was to organize writing conferences and to create a network to provide information and support for romance writers and other professionals. RWA now has over 9,500-member members worldwide; with 1,600 members published in book-length romance fiction. It is the largest fiction writing group devoted to a single genre. Unlike many writers' organizations, the RWA is open to both published and unpublished authors. RWA has more than 140 chapters throughout the world, with chapters in almost every state in the U.S. Some individual cities have multiple chapters--such as the three chapters in Houston, Texas.

The RWA Annual Conference is held during the summer. It is an important meeting for the romance industry, including a literary book signing and the giving of the various awards and contest winners.

On The Web

The Romance Writers of America

Awards

The RWA Hall Of Fame honors a select group of top authors. The Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at the RWA Annual Conference honors an author's entire body of work.

Contests

• Golden Heart
• RITA

Chapters

Special Interest Chapters

• Celtic Hearts Romance Writers
• Chick Lit Writers of the World
• Electronic and Small Press Authors Network (ESPAN) - An on-line chapter for electronic and small press authors
• Elements of RWA - Chapter #211, authors with a special interest in non-traditional romance fiction.
• Faith, Hope, & Love for writers of inspirational romances
• From the Heart Romance Writers - an online chapter
• Futuristic, Fantasy And Paranormal RWA - Futuristic, Fantasy & Paranormal RWA
• Golden Network Chapter - winners of the Golden Heart competition
• Gothic Romance Writers
• Hearts Through History Romance Writers for writers of historical romances
• Kiss of Death Chapter for writers of mystery/suspense romances
• Outreach International Romance Writers - an online chapter available no matter where the member lives
• Passionate Ink - Passionate Ink for writers of erotic romance
• Published Authors Special Interest Chapter/PASIC
• RWA Heartbeat - Medical Romance subgenre
• RWA Online - Chapter #136, the first online chapter
• Scriptscene - for authors who want to write screenplays
• The Beau Monde, which aims to 'to promote excellence in romantic fiction, set primarily in the Regency period (1811-1820)'

Local Chapters

US Chapters

Alabama

• Gulf Coast Chapter
  
• Heart of Dixie
  
• Southern Magic
  

Alaska

• Alaska Chapter of RWA
  

Arizona

• Desert Rose Chapter
  
• Northern Arizona Romance Writers of America
  
• Tucson RWA Chapter #58
  
• Valley of the Sun Romance Writers of America
  

Arkansas

• Diamond State Romance Authors
  

California

• Black Diamond Romance Writers
  
• Inland Valley Romance Writers
  
• Los Angeles Romance Authors
  
• Monterey Bay Chapter
  
• Orange County (California) Chapter
  
• Sacramento Valley Rose
  
• San Diego RWA
  
• San Francisco Area
  
• Silicon Valley Chapter
  

Colorado

• Colorado Romance Writers
  
• Heart of Denver
  
• Pikes Peak Romance Writers
  

Connecticut

• Charter Oak Romance Writers
  
• Connecticut RWA
  
• Romance Writers of Southern CT and Lower NY (COLONY)
  

Delaware

Florida

• Ancient City Romance Authors
  
• Central Florida Romance Writers
  
• First Coast Romance Writers
  
• Florida Romance Writers
  
• Southwest Florida Romance Writers
  
• Space CoasT Authors of Romance
  
• Tampa Area Romance Authors (TARA)
  
• Volusia County Romance Writers
  

Georgia

• Georgia Romance Writers
  
• Heartland of Georgia Romance Writers
  

Hawaii

• Aloha Chapter
  

Idaho

• Coeur du Bois Chapter (Boise, ID)
  
• Southern Idaho Romance Writers
  

Illinois

• Chicago-North RWA
  
• Heart & Scroll RWA
  
• Love Designers
  
• Prairie Hearts
  
• Quad Cities Romance Writers
  
• Windy City RWA
  

Indiana

• Indiana Romance Writers
  
• Northwest Indiana Romance Writers
  

Iowa

• Heart of Iowa Fiction Authors
  
• Iowa Romance Novelists
  

Kansas

• Mid-America Romance Authors (MARA)
  
• Midwest Romance Writers
  
• Wichita Area Romance Authors
  

Kentucky

• Kentucky Romance Writers
  
• KYOWA
  
• Louisville Romance Writers
  

Louisiana

• Coeur de Louisiane
  
• Heart of Louisiana
  
• North Louisiana Storytellers and Authors of Romance (NOLA STARs)
  
• SOLA (Southern Louisiana)
  

Maine

• Maine Romance Writers of America
  

Maryland

• Maryland Romance Writers
  

Massachusetts

• New England Chapter
  

Michigan

• Grand Rapids Region RWA
  
• Greater Detroit RWA
  
• Mid-Michigan RWA
  

Minnesota

• Northern Lights Writers
  
• Midwest Fiction Writers (MFW) MFW website
  

Mississippi

• Magnolia State Romance Writers
  

Missouri

• Heartland Romance Authors (NW Missouri)
  
• Mid-America Romance Authors (MARA)
  
• Missouri RWA
  

Montana

Nebraska

• C.A.M.E.O. Inc.
  
• Nebraska Romance Writers
  
• Prairieland Romance Writers
  
• Heartland Writers Group
  

Nevada

• Cactus Rose
  

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Romance Writers of America
  

New Jersey

• New Jersey Romance Writers

New Mexico

• Land of Enchantment Romance Authors (LERA)
  

New York

• The Capital Region Chapter
  
• Central New York Romance Writers
  
• Hudson Valley RWA
  
• Lake Country Romance Writers
  
• Long Island Romance Writers
  
• Romance Writers of Southern CT and Lower NY (COLONY)
  
• RWA New York City
  
• Saratoga Romance Writers
  
• Southern Tier Authors of Romance
  
• Western New York Romance Writers
  

North Carolina

• Carolina Romance Writers
  
• Heart of Carolina Romance Writers
  

North Dakota

Ohio

• Central Ohio Fiction Writers
  
• KYOWA
  
• Maumee Valley RWA
  
• Northeast Ohio RWA (NEORWA)
  
• Ohio Valley Chapter
  

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Romance Writers (OK-RWA)
  
• Romance Writers Ink
  

Oregon

• Mid-Willamette Valley
  
• Rose City Romance Writers
  

Pennsylvania

• Bucks County Romance Writers
  
• Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers
  
• Pocono/Lehigh Romance Writers
  
• Valley Forge Romance Writers
  
• Western Pennsylvania Romance Writers
  

Rhode Island

South Carolina

• Lowcountry RWA
  

South Dakota

Tennessee

• Music City Romance Writers (Nashville)
  
• River City Romance Writers
  
• Smoky Mountain Romance Writers
  

Texas

• Austin RWA Chapter
  
• Dallas Area Romance Authors (DARA)
  
• East Texas RWA
  
• Heart of Texas
  
• Houston Bay Area
  
• North Texas Romance Writers of America
  
• Northwest Houston RWA
  
• Red River Romance Writers
  
• San Antonio Romance Authors (SARA)
  
• West Houston RWA
  
• Yellow Rose Romance Writers
  

Utah

• Utah/Salt Lake RWA
  

Vermont

Virginia

• Chesapeake Romance Writers
  
• Virginia Romance Writers
  

Washington

• Eastside RWA (Washington)
  
• Greater Seattle RWA
  
• Inland Empire Chapter RWA-Spokane, WA
  
• Olympia RWA
  
• Peninsula Chapter (Washington)
  

Washington, D.C.

• Washington DC Romance Writers
  

West Virginia

• KYOWA
  

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin RWA
  

Wyoming

Canada Chapters

• Calgary Association of the Romance Writers of America
  
  • Greater Vancouver Chapter
    
  • Marshlands Romance Writers (Moncton, New Brunswick)
    
  • Ottawa Romance Writers Association
    
  • Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
    
  • Toronto Romance Writers
    
  • Vancouver Island Chapter (Victoria, British Columbia)