National Writers Union - Twin Cities

Welcome to the National Writers Union Twin Cities Chapter
 – Celebrating our 20th Year -

We are book authors and writers, freelance and in-house, as varied in experience as we are with our genres. The Twin Cities boasts of many writing groups – but ours is unique. We are a union.

In 1981, the National Writers Union was formed, despite the popular opinion that “you cannot organize freelance writers,” the result is a union of chapters nationwide, representing its members with contract advice, legal assistance and a network of fellow writers like no other. The Twin Cities Chapter began in 1987 and is one of the strongest in the country.

Letter to Twin Cities Writers

“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”  
~ Albert Camus ~

Noteworthy dates throughout May are plentiful and culminate with Memorial Day, the ‘unofficial first day of summer’. Festivities may vary as dictated by customs in specific regions of the country; but these celebrated dates have the singularity of purpose – to serve as a to reminder – to remember past events that allowed changes or rights that may or are often taken for granted otherwise.

These reminders hold true for writers too. The outcome of the infamous Hay Market Massacre in Chicago, (May 4, 1884) changed not only the history of labor (it paved the way for unions), but triggered major changes to our legal system as well.

The Freedom of Expression is a fundamental human right as stated in Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2008 marks 60 years of this right. It is also the official day designated to pay tribute to the fallen of our profession.

Few realize that mortality statistics for journalists are extraordinarily high as they are often targeted for kidnapping, torture and murder, whether in war zones or cultural ‘hot spots’.  This grim reality should remind writers that when covering a story in this country, the likelihood of injury, let alone death, is nearly non-existent.

In Solidarity and in remembrance,
Jan

Jan Alan, NWU-TC Chair

Steering Committee meetings are open to all interested members. Next meeting is Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 1:00pm, East Lake Library, 2727 East Lake Street, Minneapolis. Please join us.

Steering Committee: Jan Alan, Sue Grieger, Mark Connor, Marly Cornell, Kate Havelin, Richard Nadler, Sharon Smith, and Paul Zerby

The deadline for the June issue is May 28.  Please forward your submissions to the editor, jangigi@earthlink.net