Frequently Asked Questions about the Guild
How can I join the guild?
We have two levels of membership: Associate and Professional Members
Our Associate Membership is open to all interested writers and those involved with manuscript approval or employed in the publishing industry. Visit the Join Associate page for more details. Note that a non-refundable $10 application fee is required.
Our Professional Membership is open to qualifying authors who are:
- Traditionally Published
- Professionally Independently Published
- Agented or Under Contract
- Whitney Award Winner or Finalist
For definitions for each of the above bullets and specifics about qualifying book lengths, formats, etc. on qualification specifics, or to apply for membership, visit the Join Professional page. Note that a non-refundable $10 application fee is required.
Do I need to be in the guild to attend the conference?
Short answer: Nope!
Writers of all levels, from all over the United States and beyond have attended and continue to attend the conference regardless of guild membership or whether they’re affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Same goes for workshop presenters and special guests such as editors and agents.
Everyone is welcome, provided they abide by the nondiscrimination and non-harassment policy.
what are the benefits of membership?
Having access to hundreds of like-minded writers for support is one of the top membership perks, but there’s definitely more!
- Members-only programs in Storymakers U, which features webinars on a variety of topics from craft to marketing and everything in between.
- Conference discounts and perks, such as guild-member-only workshops.
- Access to the guild Facebook group
- Guild newsletter, which includes member new releases and more.
- Opportunities to volunteer, lead, learn, through serving on various committees, the Board of Directors, etc.
- View the professional and associate guild pages to learn more about each level and their benefits.
What’s the difference between the guild and the conference?
The Storymakers organization runs the conference. The nonprofit organization itself includes three arms: the Storymakers Guild, the Storymakers Conference, and the Whitney Awards.
The Whitney Awards are sponsored by the guild, and the Whitney Awards president is a member of the Board of Directors, though the awards program largely runs independently so there aren’t conflicts of interest.