In addition to regional chapters of larger organizations, there are a number of local organizations available to writers; one such organization in my area is the Tampa Writers Alliance (TWA). TWA is open to anyone who is interested in the craft of writing and supporting others who are working towards their best writing ability. Founded in 1989, TWA serves the greater Tampa Bay area.

Membership

I joined TWA in November 2019, after attending a monthly meeting on first page critiques. A one-year membership costs $35. The group has a broad range of backgrounds and experience levels.

Benefits

TWA holds monthly meetings with speakers of interest to writers. There are several groups, including a fiction critique group and a poetry group. I’ve submitted Chapters 1-5 of “Rust Boy and the Brass Ring” to the critique group, and am waiting on the scheduled dates for review.

Past Experience

I was a member of TWA in the past, probably around 2004-2007, and during that time, I attended monthly meetings, which were held in a downtown Tampa library. My unpublished novel, Strandlock, won third place in an annual writing contest and a portion of it was published in Wordsmith 2006. I also served as a TWA judge at least two times for a children’s writing contest held by the Hillsborough County School District. My involvement in TWA ended because of time pressures from my full-time job.

This post relates to Networking: Writer’s Organizations.