OIW Aims

• To promote all genres of writing and writers in Ottawa by making members and their work visible in the community.
• To provide writers with market and financial information, so that they may become familiar with all the opportunities to make an income based on their expertise.
• To provide writers with information on the resources available to them in the community, through our regular newsletter.
• To provide writers with a network of professional contacts. To provide a lobbying voice on legislation, grants and municipal activities.
• To provide workshops to assist budding and aspiring writers to learn the craft of writing.

Benefits of OIW Membership

• Free admission to eight regular program meetings each year where guest speakers often discuss issues relevant to writers
• Exposure for your books at our annual FALL BOOK FAIR
• "Bragging / celebration session" at each meeting
• Networking opportunities with fellow members
• MEMBER NEWS packed with current information about opportunities, activities and accomplishments
• Four or five hard copy newsletters annually, with the opportunity to have your work published therein
• Opportunity to contribute your works to our annual anthologies, GEMS and JEWELS, which publish short and longer pieces
• Potential for book launches at the Library and Archives of Canada
• List your skills in the "WRITERS FOR HIRE", "SPEAKERS FOR HIRE" and "READERS FOR HIRE" areas on the OIW web site
• Discounts on all OIW EVENTS, which carry a fee, such as workshops and the annual fall book fair
• Free entry to the OIW WRITING CONTEST that is part of the Ottawa Literary Awards
• Opportunity to read your works to members at events during the year
• Summer social party
• Subsidized Christmas party with a poetry contest
• Placement of your published BOOK COVERS on the OIW website, with SYNOPSIS, ORDERING and CONTACT information included
• Placement of your published book in OIW's BOOK CATALOGUE, which is available in CD format and on the OIW Web site to showcase books written by OIW members to bookstores, public libraries, school boards and others who buy books.
• Opportunity to serve on the OIW Board of Directors, or as a volunteer helping a Director, to lead OIW and strengthen the Ottawa writing community
• Membership discounts for two-year memberships, seniors and students
• Inclusion in our "SPEAKER'S ROSTER" for outreach events at schools and other venues
• OIW offers Visa service for the convenience of new applicants for membership and renewing members. It can also be used for purchase of OIW publications such as Ottawa Gems and Jewels, and is available on behalf of exhibitors at our annual Book Fair. We do not accept any other credit cards or debit cards. The service is only provided manually, and all inquiries about the use of Visa should be directed to the Past President, Bill Horne, at wghorne@rogers.com.

CAPITAL LETTER

CAPITAL LETTER is a compilation of OIW members' work. An archived version will be available shortly.