Horror Writers Association

THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF WRITERS AND PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD, DEDICATED TO PROMOTING DARK LITERATURE AND THE INTERSTS OF THOSE WHO WRITE IT. HWA WAS FORMED IN THE LATE 1980S WITH THE HELP OF MANY OF THE FIELD'S GREATS, INCLUDING DEAN KOONTZ, ROBERT MCCAMMON, AND JOE LANSDALE. TODAY-- WITH OVER 1400 MEMBERS IN COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD--IT IS THE OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUCH LOVED WRITERS WHO HAVE BROUGHT YOU THE MOST ENJOYABLE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS OF YOUR LIFE. OUR MISSION -- IS TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INTEREST IN AND FOSTER AN APPRECIATION OF GOOD HORROR AND DARK FANTASY LITERATURE. TO THAT END, WE OFFER THE PUBLIC AREAS OF THIS WEB SITE, WE SPONSOR OR TAKE PART IN OCCASIONAL PUBLIC READINGS AND LECTURES, WE PUBLISH A BLOG AND PRODUCE OTHER MATERIALS FOR BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS, WE FACILITATE READINGS AND SIGNINGS BY HORROR WRITERS, AND WE MAINTAIN AN OFFICIAL PRESENSE AT THE MAJOR FAN-BASED

DIVERSITY -- TO ENSURE THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) INCLUDES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE WORKING IN THE HORROR/DARK FANTASY GENRE, THE HWA HAS FORMED THE DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITEEE. THIS COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH ACTIVELY SEEKING WRITERS AND EDITORS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. THE COMMITTEE HAS ADOPTED THE BROADEST DEFINITION OF THE WORD DIVERSITY TO INCLUDE GENDER, GENDER IDENTITY, RACE, ETHNICITY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

OUTREACH -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS GUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM -- WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF THE HORROR GENRE IS BY HELPING TO EDUCATE BEGINNING WRITERS IN THE INS-AND-OUTS OF BOTH THE CRAFT AND THE BUSINESS OF WRITING. YET WRITING COURSES ARE EXPENSIVE, NEVER LAST LONG ENOUGH, AND RARELY DEAL WITH THE PRACTICALITIES OF ESTABLISHING A CAREER IN WRITING. FOR THAT REASON, WE'VE CREATED THE HWA MENTOR PROGRAM. PARTICIPATING PROFESSIONAL HORROR WRITERS ARE PAIRED WITH AFFILIATE AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS WHO WISH TO LEARN A LITTLE OR A LOT ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE CRAFT OF WRITING TO THE PITFALLS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. SCHOLARSHIPS -- HWA ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND APPRECIATION OF THE GENRE AND LITERATURE IN THE GENERAL BY PROMOTING EDUCATION. WE'VE DONATED MEMBERSHIPS TO WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKED WITH UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE GENRE EXPERTS AS QUEST LECTURERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE -- TO ENSURE THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) INCLUDES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE WORKING IN THE HORROR/DARK FANTASY GENRE, THE HWA HAS FORMED THE DIVERSE WORKS INCLUSION COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE IS TASKED WITH ACTIVELY SEEKING WRITERS AND EDITORS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. HWA MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE -- THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION IS PLEASED TO LAUNCH ITS MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE, A COORDINATED ROLL-OUT OF EVENTS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES INTENDED TO PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, FOSTER THE CONSEPT OF HOPE, AND CHALLENGE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE HORROR GENRE. THE INITIATIVE, RUN BY THE ORGANIZATION'S WELLNESS COMMITTEE, DEBUTS IN JUNE 2022 AND WILL FORM PART OF AN ONGOING PROGRAM.