Professional Writers Association of Canada : The Periodical Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) was formed in 1976 when a group of freelance writers started meeting to share information about writing for Canada's magazines and newspapers. They realized that when writers worked together--by, for example, talking about rates they were being paid--they could more effectively protect their interests and strengthen the writing community as a whole. Under its constitution, PWAC was governed by an Annual General Meeting and a National Executive, composed of a president, vice-president, past president, treasurer, and regional directors. Membership was limited to freelance writers with a proven record of paid publishing. A point system based upon recent paid writing for periodicals determined whether applicants were eligible for full membership in the association.
During its early years, PWAC developed a standard contract for freelance articles and a code of ethics for periodical markets to protect the interests of freelance writers. It negotiated agreements with specific magazines to use this contract and endorse the code of ethics. A national grievance committee and local grievance committees were created with the mandate to mediate disputes between freelance writers and periodicals. The Toronto Grievance Committee was particularly active in this regard on behalf of writers across the country. To assist its members in selling their work, PWAC published a Membership Directory which promoted member writers and outlined their experience and expertise. It also conducted fees surveys of paying periodicals and published a regular "Fees Survey" to assist its members in identifying the best-paying markets and to promote higher fees in general for articles. The "Fees Survey" was later called "Magazine Markets and Fees" and then "Who Pays What". Guides providing advice for freelance writers were also published, such as "Words for Sale", which went through several editions.
PWAC advocated the interests of writers and lobbied governments to expand financial support for the arts and the publishing industry. It was particularly active in defending freedom of expression in the fight against censorship, and in working to extend and protect the copyright rights of freelance writers. In this respect, it played an active role in the Copyright Institute of Canada, the Book and Periodical Council, and most notably in the development of CANCOPY, a copyright or reprography collective. CANCOPY, later known as Access Copyright, negotiated and collected payment for the use of copyrighted material by libraries, schools, governments, and businesses on behalf of writers, to whom it distributed royalties. Another important role of PWAC was to provide a forum to offset the isolation often felt by freelance writers. To this end, it produced a national newsletter, organized local chapters, and developed workshops and seminars for professional development. PWAC changed its name to the Professional Writers Association of Canada in 2005 to better reflect its evolving role. Today, it represents about 600 writers across the country.
