简体中文
EnglishWhat is the Calgary Association of Romance Writers of America (CARWA)?
Updated
CARWA is the Calgary-based chapter of the Romance Writers of America: a local writers' group whose stated purpose is to support and motivate members, study the craft of writing, and learn how to promote their books and build careers across the various sub-genres of romance writing. If you write romance (or want to) and are looking for a chapter that combines craft education with marketing and peer encouragement, this is what it offers.
What the chapter says it does
The site describes CARWA as "a friendly group of writers who meet to support and motivate each other." Three activities are named explicitly:
- Craft — studying the craft of writing
- Promotion — learning how to promote themselves and their books
- Career — building careers in the various sub-genres of romance writing
So the focus is not only on drafting and revision, but also on the business side of a romance writing career.
What membership includes
According to the site, membership includes:
| Benefit | What it is |
|---|---|
| Chapter-sponsored events | Attendance at events run by the chapter |
| Discounted workshop registration | Reduced pricing on workshops |
| Email loop | A group email discussion channel |
| Facebook Secret Group | A private space for "water cooler discussions" |
| Facebook Page | A public page for promoting members' books |
| Membership List | Access to the current member list for networking purposes |
How meetings work
All meetings take place on Zoom, with occasional in-person meet-ups. That means geography is not a hard barrier to participating in the regular programming, though the chapter itself is Calgary-based.
How to join
The site directs interested writers to the JOIN tab for instructions. If you want to attend before committing, note that the public page does not spell out dues, meeting schedules, or a guest policy — those details would come from the join instructions or from contacting the chapter.
Conduct expectations
CARWA states that RWA is committed to providing all members with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, and that discrimination and harassment of any sort are prohibited in RWA. This is framed as an antidiscrimination and antiharassment policy.
Who this is for
CARWA fits you if you:
- Write romance, in any sub-genre, at any career stage
- Want structured help with both craft and book promotion
- Prefer a chapter with regular Zoom meetings plus occasional in-person meet-ups
- Value a peer network — the email loop, private Facebook group, and member list are all built around networking
It is less useful if you are looking for a general-purpose writers' group outside romance, or if you need published, in-person-only programming in a city other than Calgary.