Welcome to the Vermont chapter of the National Writers Union
The NWU works to improve conditions for book authors, journalists, poets, business/technical and other writers throughout the US. We offer contract and grievance advice, programs to collect revenues from photocopying and other reuses of writers' published work, and a forum for writers to support one another. As an NWU member you will not be alone when you deal with publishers, whether they are media oligopolies or your hometown newspaper. Our job is to help you navigate through the business of writing.
This site contains profiles of selected Vermont members of the NWU, including excerpts of their work, along with facilities to help editors find writers to carry out specific assignments. We also have discussion forums, links to the NWU's national office and other resources for writers and a listing of books written by local NWU members. We encourage you to check them out and to "buy union" when you are thinking about gift-giving for holidays and birthdays.
If you're already a member, join your colleagues in organizing and in honing your craft. If you're not, take a look at what the union offers -- you can even sign up online.
(For more information about this site and rules for using it, see our Policy Page.)
| Next Page >> | Last Page || |
A Tribute To Grace Paley, Vermont Poet Laureate and NWU member
On Wednesday, August 22nd, Grace Paley died at her home in Thetford, Vermont
after a long battle with breast cancer. Grace, one of the country's
outstanding short story writers and poets, was also a human rights activist and strong
supporter of the labor movement and writers' rights. Small wonder that she
happily served as an NWU Advisory Board member and spoke on several occasions at
our Vermont chapter's annual meeting. Last year, we asked if she would agree to
our establishing a Grace Paley Fund for Vermont Writers. With the kindness,
warmth and genuine enthusiasm she always showed to other writers, she
graciously accepted -- even while admitting that she was somewhat embarassed! She
never let her designation as Vermont's poet laureate to go to her head. As she met
with Vermonters all over the state -- in libraries, schools, and social
gatherings, she was down to earth and modest to the end.
You can find more about the Grace Paley Fund here. Althoug the NWU administers the fund, it is open to applications from all low income Vermont
writers who need some financial assistance for their writing projects.
Obituaries in The New York Times and The Washington
Post are fitting tributes to Grace's creative skills. (Additional obituaries can be found, among others, at Democracy Now and maudnewton.com; Grace's last major interview was with the Los Angeles Times in June.)
We will miss Grace
terribly, and offer the Union's sincerest condolences to her husband Bob Nichols
and her family.
Below is a tribute from NWU-VT member Robin Lloyd:
The last time I saw her was during the effort to bring the troops
home,
and the protest at [Congressman] Peter Welch's office, a few months ago. We
all
walked together down from the Peace and Justice Center to Welch's
waterfront office and she waited with us for a word from Welch. Six
were arrested as I recall. Her philosophy seemed to be to make 'little
disturbances' by putting her body on the line regardless of the law or
what people might think; but she always found kindred souls to do it
with, which made it a cause rather than a lonely mission. She just made
it a reasonable way to live a life.
Amazing Grace: we'll try to keep your steadfastness and humor with us
in the difficult months ahead.
(This tribute is also posted at the Vermont Writers Blog; we invite writers who
knew Grace to add their comments.)
Vermont Writer Wins Amazon Short Story Contest
John Caruso, a member of the NWU-VT steering committee, won Amazon's short-story contest this summer. As a result, his story "The Art of Finding" is available for download from Amazon at $0.49 a copy. There's a short discussion of Amazon's contract terms at the Vermont Writers Blog.
Graff Firing Raises AP Credibility Questions
The sudden firing of Christopher Graff, a 27-year Associated Press veteran and most recently Vermont bureau chief, has prompted calls for AP to explain itself, from the state's political leaders as well as its respected journalists. (Coverage here includes one newspaper's request for information on how to terminate its AP membership. An NWU-VT statement can be found here.)
Graff's firing also highlights the precarious position of writers not covered by fairly negotated contracts: if, as is widely believed, AP terminated Graff because top management didn't like his political views, the company might be within its legal rights in Vermont regardless of the self-inflicted damage to its reputation.
| Next Page >> | Last Page || |