- Met with Senator Kennedy's aide to urge the Senator to press for national, universal, publicly-funded health care for all.

- Informed members and public on NWU advocacy re: crucial issues

- Co-Chair Charles Coe represented NWU on state-wide panel (AFTRA, SAG, Musicians Union), re: Orphan Works bill

- Promoted NWU stands on Amazon Book Surge rights-grab and WGA strike settlement

- Backed member in her successful arbitration against major book publisher

- Took first steps to actively support Universal Health Insurance

- Opposed Proposition 1 (would have eliminated MA income tax)

- Urged members to buy books from independent bookstores

 

Supported national NWU initiatives

- National Member Directory

- Dollar a Word List

- Authors Coalition (our members responded at high rate)

- International Women's Day commemoration: "Insights into the Lives of Women in the U.S. & Abroad" (3 speakers)

- National Writers Union Service Organization (NWUSO): Charles Coe is president, Jim Barton on board of NWU's educational "arm"

- State of the NWU discussion with members & UAW administrator

- Writers-with-disabilities teleconference: Jeanne Harnois guest speaker

- Gave NY and Seattle activists event ideas & how-tos

- Created handout of recent NWU advocacy/initiatives

 

Built an impressive communication system

- NWU public access TV show: "The First Book" (in process)

- Monthly eNews links to www.nwuboston.org (event write-ups, articles on "Capturing an Audience Online," "Scope Creep," etc.)

- NWU business cards for each SC member ("labor donated")

- B banners for writers' conferences/demonstrations

- Event PR goes out to 30 outlets

 

Collaborated with labor, writers' organizations, and bookstores

- Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts executive spoke at annual Book Party

- Posted Labor Day poster/members' books list in 6 independent bookstores

- Represented chapter at UAW political action council and UAW regional events

- Set up mutual event promotion with PEN, Grub, NWU & Writers Room

- Linked members' books to Powells.com (chapter gets a percentage of sales)

 

Offered Skill-Based Workshops to members and potential members

- Marketing Your Home-Based Business

- Optimizing Your Web Presence

- Memoir Workshop

- Cautionary Tales (lessons learned from mistakes made)

- Writers Life series: first book, sex writing, anthologies, social issues

 

Promoted Networking Among Writers

− Writers Seeking Writers Groups, Manuscript Swaps, Writing Buddies (event)

− Writing For Publication at Boston Public Library (ongoing workshop)

− Gathering of self-published and small press published authors (event)

− Social Issues group (ongoing)

− African American book writers' gathering planned

− Summer potluck (all-member social/business)

 

Membership numbers & activism:

&minus 212 members

− Activated dozens of members in a variety of ways

&minus Grew our Steering Committee to 13: our 3 new members have each launched a new initiative

 

Beefed up outreach: held workshops/talks in addition to display tables

- Women Action & Media conf ("How to Get Heard: The Art of Strategic Communication with Editors" workshop/display table)

- First Annual Cambridge Book Fair (display table)

- NH writers conference ("Writing for Love & Money" workshop/display table)

- Cape Cod Conference (talk/materials)

- Black New England conference promotion & materials)

- Grub St. writers conference (Contracts 101 workshop/display table)

- Harvard Extension School (talk)

- Nieman narrative journalism conference (hosted NWU gathering)

- Dance Friday (writers as guests (with book display/sales)

 

Next year, we  plan to:

− Build visibility via public access TV, Internet, talks, etc.

− Activate members regarding advocacy on health insurance & other issues

− Enhance this website with more links and photos