If you make all or part of your income from writing, you should consider joining The Authors Guild, an organization that has been advocating on behalf of authors for more than a century. There are many benefits to joining the Guild, but here are six that make membership a winning proposition for authors at any point in their careers:
- Free legal services. This is a biggie. The Guild’s top-notch attorneys, who have been at the forefront of copyright litigation and know contracts from the inside out, will review your publishing contract and let you know what changes need to be made, if any, before you sign on the dotted line.
- Get your books back in print. The Guild’s Back in Print program helps authors get their backlist titles back into circulation. Most titles can be brought back into print for no charge. Learn more here.
- Website services. You could pay someone thousands of dollars to build your website, but it really isn’t necessary. The Guild will build your website for free and host it for just $6 per month.
- Phone-in seminars. Participate in free phone-in seminars with experts and industry leaders. Past topics have included the author-agent relationship, tax tips for writers, publicity, and book contract negotiation.
- Professional media liability insurance, covering “claims of libel, invasion of privacy, copyright or trademark infringement, plagiarism, errors and omissions, and other related risks.” Just in case.
- Dental insurance. If your unfinished novel makes you grind your teeth at night, don’t worry. The Guild’s dental insurance plan has you covered. Read more.
Check the Guild’s eligibility requirements. Go here to join the Authors Guild.