The purpose of the Heartland Writers Guild is to promote and support the concept of professionalism in published and unpublished authors, and to aid all members toward the goal of successfully marketing what they write. Backgrounds of members are diverse, ranging from novices to published novelists.
Meetings are conducted on the second Sunday of each month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Highway 61 North, Sikeston, Mo. Annual membership is $24, which includes a subscription to The Heartland Writers Journal and a membership directory.
During years in which the conference is held a $20. discount is also offered to members. The conference is held on even years. A number of random workshops are held on both even and uneven years.
In 1988, a series of Sunday afternoon writing classes taught by author Robert Vaughan led to the formation of a writers' support group that eventually became the Heartland Writers Guild...The 12 charter members came together once a month offering fellowship, inspiration, and encouragement as they planned their first writer's conference. Held on June 9, 1990, in cooperation with Southeast Missouri State University, the first workshop featured seminars conducted by eight published authors as well as one agent and one editor from New York. The staff of New York publishing professionals was tripled in 1991, and the following year the Guild made the decision to serve as sole sponsor of the event. By 1996 the one-day workshop had grown into a four-day conference with a reputation of being one of the finest of its kind in the country. The Guild is proud to note that nearly one-third of its members are published, and many attribute their success to the professional information they received from active participation in monthly meetings and from the contacts they made through the Heartland Writers Conference. At monthly meetings, members have the opportunity to attend a program that focuses on essential aspects of the writer's craft and career. The voices of both professional and novice writers blend in an open, democratic forum that allows the solitary scribe to engage in social and professional exchanges. Members from throughout the heartland come together to learn, to share their experiences and knowledge, and to participate in spirited shop talk. Whether you're just beginning to write or are a seasoned professional with numerous publications to your credit, we believe you'll find value in belonging to the Heartland Writers Guild. Sign up now to join!
Tidbits . . .FYI: A rose by any other name ... Why is there no apostrophe in our name? As writers, naturally we try to pay strict attention to detail and grammar. We've discussed this at length and have debated various versions of our name, including: The Heartland Writer's Guild The Heartland Writers' Guild The Heartland Writers Guild We decided to go without the apostrophe because the guild is not a possession of its members, but is an organization of writers in the plural form. So for matters of style, the Heartland Writers Guild currently has no apostrophe. Now you know! At HWG, we take our punctuation seriously. Did you also know that in Missouri, approximately half the people pronounce the word "Miz-zoo-ree" and the other half say "Miz-zoo-rah"? We feel right at home! |
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