This year I'm the vice-president of the Crime Writers of Canada. I like the organization, it's small but it's coast to coast in Canada and a pretty diverse bunch; from international bestsellers Linwood Barclay, Louise Penny, Giles Blunt and Peter Robinson to "pre-published" members.
We hold our Annual General Meeting at the Bloody Words Convention which this year will be in Ottawa from June 5th to 7th.
The CWC represent crime writers at events like BookExpo and Word on the Street, we publish a catalogue of member's books, send out a newsletter and notices of member's book launches and readings and organize the Arthur Ellis Awards for crime writing in Canada.
So far in my vice-presidency all I've managed to do is talk to the folks at Sony about a discount on their e-reader for our members (right now it looks good, more info to follow).
My question now is, what do people look for in writers' organizations? What should we be doing at the Crime Writers of Canada to better serve our members and maybe even to get more members?
Of course, this wouldn't be my blog without a little self-promotion, so I'll just say that yesterday Thomas Dunne Books agreed to publish Swap in the USA in early 2010. I'll have more on that soon.
8 comments:
Good to see U here John,and it was great meeting U at Bouchercon. I have tow of your books on my TBR and look forward to when I can sit back with the coffee pot
Best
ali
I've never belonged to a writers group, so I'll have to ponder what a group might offer that could inspire me to join.
What I really want to say is how happy I am to see that United States publication of SWAP is now a Dunne deal. (Sorry.) It gives hope to see that it wasn't an orphan for long.
Nice one on the Thomas Dunne deal, John.
Television, U.S. publication, Vice Presidency, dare I say it is the year of McFetridge? I believe so.
Great to see you here, John. Thanks.
Mazel tov on your Dunne deal.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Congrats on the US publication!!! Pretty low-key way of self-promoting it. I look forward to more on it, though. Whenever you're ready, like.
As for attracting members -- does the organisation offer any crime fiction awards? That might raise the profile and in turn attract more members.
gb
Hmmm, just clicked on the CWC website and see that they already do the award thing. Should have taken a second to check before I typed.
gb
Congrats on the kids first,and the deal second.
You've Dunne a good job
(sorry,all the good puns were already taken-would've gone with The Needle and the Damage Dunne in keeping with the Neil Young song titles but couldn't make it fit in)
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