In February 2016, I officially became a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada.
Hey all, as of February 2016, I officially became a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada. My profile can be found online here.
Becoming a member of The Writers’ Union has been on my bucket list since I first attended a Writers’ Union conference five years ago. I received a complimentary pass to attend as a Humber College School for Writers student and, at that time, learned that becoming a TWUC member is application based and dependent on having a published book that is recognized as successfully demonstrating commercial intent and professionalism. There are many organizations for writers that allow you to sign up for a fee and require no previously published work, but TWUC is not that kind of organization. In other words, at that time, I saw membership to the Writers’ Union as a sign that you had “made it” as a writer. To join the Union, you had to be recognized by your peers as a professional writer – exactly what I always wanted to be.
It’s still mind-boggling for me to think that now, five years later, I am a Writers’ Union member – a professional writer with a book on its way – and I will actually even be presenting at the next Writers’ Union conference this summer (more on that later)! By my past self’s definition, it feels like I’ve “made it.” From this vantage, I’m not too sure what “making it” in the writing world really is anymore. Perhaps it’s seeing my first book do really well. If that happens, then perhaps it will be publishing a second book, and then a third, and then a fourth… And on and on it goes. I love to set milestones and see if I can meet them. I recognize now that “making it” – in writing and in life – will always be elusive and changing in definition. Needless to say, I was pretty much jumping for joy (clichéd, but true!) when my membership package arrived. I was able to look back on myself and say I’ve achieved at least one of the definitions of “making it” – at least in my little world.
Looking forward to sharing more news with everyone soon!