About Us

Purpose | What We Do | How to Join | Book Sale Guidelines 
Bylaws of the Maryland Writers' Association (Adopted July 2025)

History

History of the Maryland Writers Association

Celebrating 30 years of encouraging Maryland writers, poets, playwrights, and authors

One year of fun through writing and playing with words

The Maryland Writers’ Association started like many other groups; one person has an idea and acts on it.  In 1984, Irene Solovij got the urge to write and searched for other writers in Anne Arundel County.  She met Susan Rivers at the Severna Park Public Library, and the two decided to start a writers’ support group, which began in September 1985 in Irene’s living room. By December, the group had grown to twenty members and officially called itself The Writers’ Association of Anne Arundel County (TWAAAC).  

In March 1988, on the recommendation of several Past Presidents, TWAAAC agreed to change its name and gave birth to the Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA). From one regional club, the MWA has grown into a respected state-wide organization that hosts Maryland’s Annual Writers’ Conference, has chapters in seven counties, sponsors the Pen in Hand literary journal, and is supported by the Maryland State Arts Council. 

The MWA (www.marylandwriters.org) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting Marylanders in the art, business, and craft of writing in all its forms. MWA strives to: 

• Bring together aspiring, emerging, and established writers of all genres and disciplines

• Serve as an information and networking resource

• Help members make contacts that lead to publication

• Encourage writers to reach their full potential 

• Promote writing within Maryland communities

Austin Camacho, an early president, encouraged the organization to form regional chapters. In 2007, Paul Lagasse founded MWA Baltimore, the first chapter, with the co-sponsorship of the CityLit Project and the Creative Alliance. Howard County was formed about six months later.  

Two publications have been associated with MWA: the bi-monthly newsletter Pen In Hand and Scribble, a creative journal. Pen In Hand (est. 2001) published information about MWA events, articles of interest to writers, and creative works. In 2017, Pen in Hand matured into a literary journal published twice yearly that showcases MWA literary talent.   

The MWA held its first annual writer’s conference in 1988 and has maintained the unbroken tradition of a spring conference, held in Baltimore, MD. The Annual Conference has been described as a year of monthly meetings packed into a single day with keynote addresses and seminar topics, fiction, non-fiction, various genres, and business concerns. 

MWA's diverse membership includes professional freelancers and published authors, writers aspiring to be published, and those who write as a creative outlet. Members produce nonfiction and fiction, including novels, short stories, picture books, poetry, plays, scripts, speeches, feature articles, and essays. Some work in specific genres such as romance, science fiction, thriller, fantasy, children's literature, travel writing, or biography.

Most writers begin writing when they are very young, but somewhere along the way, they are taught to believe they are not “qualified” to write.  As a result, MWA members have a strong interest in encouraging and mentoring young writers.  In 2009, MWA launched the Teen Writing Club program, which partners with local libraries to provide constructive mentoring relationships for groups of 13-18-year-olds who want to improve their writing skills. Led by a local MWA member and hosted by a local library, most clubs operate in a workshop format so teens can share their writing and get feedback from their peers. Leaders offer guidance and advice, writing exercises, and constructive criticism. Libraries can contact Teen Club Coordinator at [email protected] about hosting a Teen Writing Club.

MWA is always open to new ideas, and we welcome new members and volunteers who wish to launch new clubs or help with community efforts. Contact MWA at www.marylandwriters.org.

Purpose

The Maryland Writers' Association (MWA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the art, business, and craft of writing in all its forms. MWA strives to: 

• Bring together aspiring, emerging, and established writers of all genres and disciplines

• Serve as an information and networking resource

• Help members make contacts that lead to publication

• Encourage writers to reach their full potential, and

• Promote writing within Maryland communities

Who We Are

MWA's diverse membership ranges from professional freelancers and published authors to writers aspiring to be published and those who write as a creative outlet.

Members produce both nonfiction and fiction, including novels, short stories, poetry, plays, scripts, speeches, feature articles, and essays. Some work in specific genres such as romance, science fiction, thriller, fantasy, children's literature, travel writing, or biography.

Current MWA President Stephen Donald Huff, PhD

What We Do

Among MWA's activities and services:

• Monthly chapter meetings featuring guest speakers, open mic readings, workshops, and more

• Annual from Brain to Bookshelf writers' conference (click link to learn about the conference)

• Member newsletter, Pen in Hand

• Critique groups throughout the state

• Literary contests

• Teen Writers' Groups

• Support for the creative expressions of other community nonprofit agencies

• Publication of anthologies

• First Fridays open mic readings 

What Members Get

Members of MWA have access to:

• Free attendance at monthly chapter meetings

• Forums to present your creative work including author showcases and submitting works to Pen in Hand

• Reduced fees to MWA-sponsored events

• MWA's annual conference and a free agent pitch

• Marketing opportunities at art and literary festivals

• A spot to be interviewed on our podcast

How To Join

To join or to renew your membership, click here. For more information about membership, contact the Membership Chair.

Annual membership dues are:

• Regular Membership: $50 (or $95 for two years)

• Student: $40 (or $75 for two years)

• Second in a Household: $40 (or $75 for two years)

Guidelines for MWA members to sell/sign books at festivals where MWA has rented exhibit space

There is no charge for this member benefit. Prior to an event, the state or chapter officers will designate a person or committee to coordinate the exhibit space. This person or committee will be responsible for notifying members about the event, providing logistical information, developing a staffing and exhibition schedule, and coordinating exhibitors before and during the event.

MWA offers two options for selling books at events: by selling in-person, and by providing copies to MWA to sell on behalf of member authors. Please understand that, while MWA will make every effort to display the maximum number of books at each event, the number of available slots for each option will vary depending on the event.

In exchange for this member benefit, participating authors are asked to represent the Maryland Writers' Association as well as themselves. Professional courtesy requires that authors do not compete with other authors or MWA representatives for the attention of visitors. MWA event coordinators have the discretion to deal with interruptions, "hard sells," and other unprofessional or disrespectful behavior as they deem in the best interests of MWA and fellow authors.

1) For authors who sell and sign in person:

• Slots are offered on a first-come, first-served basis following the event announcement by MWA. Instructions on how to apply will be provided in the event announcement.

• Authors must provide their own books and be physically present at the exhibit space when their book(s) is/are on display, with reasonable exceptions for bathroom and food breaks, etc. at the discretion of the MWA coordinator.

• Authors will be asked to designate the day(s) and time(s) that they will be at the event. The MWA event coordinator has the discretion to enforce that schedule as appropriate.

• Authors may choose to be responsible for their own sales, including applicable charge and remittance of state sales tax, or they may designate the MWA to handle sales at a 20% commission. All authors who handle their own sales must meet be able to demonstrate that they meet all applicable state sales tax requirements.

• Authors must be flexible with display space. Typically, between 1/3 and 1/2 of the exhibit table is reserved for MWA materials, while the rest is available to MWA authors.

• The MWA coordinator will inform authors in advance about the need to bring folding chairs and refreshments, limitations on storage space, and other logistical issues.

2) For authors who provide books for sale at events where they will not be present:

• MWA will maintain a waiting list of authors who wish to take advantage of display space. Each author's title will be displayed at two (2) events and then will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list to enter normal rotation for future events. Instructions on how to apply will be provided in the event announcement.

• The event coordinator will request at least five (5) copies of the author's book, to be delivered by the author in advance of the event. Author has the discretion of providing signed or unsigned copies and designating the sale price.

• Authors intending to sell more than one title will be informed in advance whether sufficient space is available for the sale of multiple titles.

• MWA will handle sales at the event and will subsequently remit the profits to the author minus a 20% commission. Members may also choose to donate books so that all sales benefit the state organization or chapter as designated by the author. In such cases, MWA will provide authors with an acknowledgment letter that can be used for tax deduction purposes.

• Authors may choose to arrange to pick up unsold books following the event, or to restock any sales. Books that have not been restocked will be removed from the waiting list rotation following the sale of the last copy.

Contact MWA

To get in touch MWA, please use our contact form or email [email protected]

For business correspondence or payments by check, our mailing address is:

Maryland Writers' Association
9466 Georgia Ave. #91
Silver Spring, MD 20910