Self-Published and Small Press Now Able to Join SFWA

Note: this article was also published on SciFi4Me.com.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have now changed their membership rules to allow writers who self publish or have been published in small press to become active members of the organization.

While specific details will be posted on their website by early March, the organization has tentatively decided that if you make a minimum of $3,000 for a novel or 10,000 words of short fiction paid at six cents a word, you now can be an active member of SFWA. If you have a single story of at least 1,000 words paid at six cents a word, you can be an associate member. This can be a combination of existing income as well as advances earned in a 12 month period. Self-published and small press works were already eligible for the Nebula and Norton Awards.

“Writers write,” Steven Gould, the president of the SFWA, states in the announcement about the change. “Professional writers get paid a decent amount for what they write. For the past five years it’s been apparent that there are ways to earn that decent amount that were not being covered by our previous qualification standards. Though these changes took a substantial amount of time, I’m grateful to everyone who worked toward this end.”

The organization will open for applications for qualifying members on March 1, 2015. More information will also be available at that time on their website.