The mission of Romance Writers of America (RWA) is to “advance the professional interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy.”
Serving as an advocate, and to inform and educate its membership, RWA has created definitions for romance publishers. Eligible publishers, who meet the RWA criteria, can participate in the national conference and RWA sponsored advertising. Their authors can enter RWA sanctioned contests. Publishers defined as subsidy or vanity presses, cannot. RWA maintains a list of eligible and non-subsidy, non-vanity publishers.
With Harlequin’s recent creation of Harlequin Horizons, a self-publishing/marketing arm of their company, RWA has announced to it’s 10,000 member community that Harlequin is no longer an eligible publisher, will not participate in the national conference as an eligible publisher, (i.e space for booksignings, author/editor appointments, etc.) and has removed them from their marketing catalog.
Harlequin, having long been a leader in the romance publishing world, has participated in RWA conferences and events for many years, likely since the inception of RWA. Harlequin authors have won the prestigious Rita award.
Stay tuned.
Related article: Harlequin Horizons offers self-publishing option for romance authors
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