Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can attend the RWA Conference?

Anyone can attend the RWA national conference, though RWA members pay a reduced registration fee.

2. Is there a partial fee if I want to attend only part of the conference? Or is there a special guest fee if I want to bring my spouse or a friend who’s coming just to keep me company?

There are no "partial" conference fees. RWA members must pay the full conference fee in order to attend any part of the conference. There are guest packages available for meals only and for attendance to the awards ceremony only. These are available only to non-RWA member guests.

3. Should I attend the conference if I am unpublished?

Of course! While there are special workshops that only members of the Published Authors Network (PAN) may attend, most workshops are geared to authors at every stage of their writing careers. It is also a wonderful opportunity to "network" with other writers -- chat about writing, share writing woes, exchange good information. If you have never attended a conference, be warned that RWA National is very big and overwhelming. You might want to spend some time on your first day at conference making a schedule of events you don’t want to miss, such as special workshops and your agent/editor appointments.

4. Is this conference geared towards readers as well as writers?

RWA’s primary goal is to advance the professional interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy, and the conference is developed with that in mind. If meeting your favorite authors is your biggest interest, you are most welcome to attend the "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing on Wednesday night, which features hundreds of authors and is open to the public. You will not have to pay the conference fee to attend the book signing (though conference registration is required for a signing author).

5. What if at the last minute I find I can’t make the conference? Can I get a refund of my registration fee?

Requests for refunds made by the dates on the registration forms will be granted.

6. How much will it cost me to attend the conference?

There are some expenses that are finite, such as the conference fee, and others that depend on how much you can save versus what makes you the most comfortable. The biggest expenses involved are much like any trip (several of these topics will be discussed later in more depth):

• Conference Fee: A set price determined by RWA. A few scholarships are available.
• Travel: Plane, train, or automobile? If you can drive, don’t forget to budget for gas and parking, though car pooling with a friend will spread these costs out.
• Transfers: Some major hotels have shuttles for their customers. Most major airports also offer shuttle service for a fairly reasonable fee, or if you want to feel like a NYT best seller—limo service. A call to the hotel should give you a good idea of the cost for a taxi from the airport, and if you can share the ride with someone, that will help spread the cost. A car rental will give you more flexibility, especially if you plan to do some sightseeing, but you should check with the hotel for the possibility of parking fees.
• Hotel: Staying alone in a suite is obviously going to cost more than sharing a standard room with one, two, or three others. You can also consider a near-by budget hotel/motel, but you’ll sacrifice being right in the ‘midst of the action’ all the time. The other factor involved is how long you stay, whether you arrive early for pre-conference sight-seeing, or just at the "official" opening of the conference.
• Food: Some meals are included with the conference fee. For the rest, you can opt for sit-down meals, or save some cash with fast food.
• In-conference "shopping": The conference offers its annual "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing, where you can purchase autographed books from your favorite authors and help a worthy cause. There are also the Bookfair, Moonlight Madness Bazaar, and workshop tapes for sale—all good places for which you might want to bring some extra spending money.
• Sightseeing / souvenirs: This one is entirely up to you, but should be considered.

7. What day should I arrive? What day should I leave?

Though prior to the "official" opening, Wednesday of conference week is pretty busy. Registration and the Goody Room are open, and several chapters hold pre-conference activities this day. The "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing is also held Wednesday evening.

The conference officially starts bright and early on Thursday morning with an opening session. Then, we'll have the AGM and PRO and PAN Retreats. Once the conference has started, it goes non-stop until the RITA/Golden Heart Awards Ceremony and Gala Saturday night. This is the official end of the conference, though tape sales and the Bookfair continue into Sunday. Check the RWR and the Schedule section of the RWA Conference Web site for a complete schedule to help you decide.

The majority of people arrive on Wednesday, so you may run into lengthy lines at hotel and conference registration. But as these are done separately, you can try the other line if the first one seems busy. And by arriving on Wednesday, you will be all settled and ready to go when the conference gets under way on Thursday. You might also want to come a few days ahead to get in some sight-seeing if you don’t want to take a minute away from the conference once it’s started.

8. I will be traveling alone. How will I recognize another RWA member, in case I want to share a taxi with someone, for instance?

Many chapters have offered chapter or RWA pins, which members display on collars and tote bags. Many RWA members have a large red heart pin with RWA written in white, for example. You might also look for someone with their RWR poking up out of their bag. We’re all romance readers as well as writers; chances are good that when you arrive in the hosting city airport, you will see or hear someone chatting about their favorite authors or the latest publishing gossip, or with a romance book open in their hands!

9. Is there some sort of travel agency and/or roommate matching service available through RWA?

RWA does not contract with any travel agency or airline in getting conference attendees a reduced airfare. Neither is there an official roommate matching service. There are a variety of e-mail lists sponsored by RWA, RWA chapters, and RWA members where members can ask for help or seek roommates.

10. How do I reserve a suite/room at the conference hotel?

To reserve a room in the conference hotel at the special conference price, you must first be registered for the conference. A hotel reservation form link is available in the "My Transactions" section of your Account Profile on the RWA Web site, once you register for conference. Or, fill out the form from the February RWR.

11. Is the room rate per person? Will we be charged extra for a third or fourth person? Can we get a cot?

Rates vary at each hotel. More hotels are charging for extra people since the cost of laundry, etc is higher when more people stay in one room.

12. If I’m going to be sharing a room, how can we split the bill?

One of you will need to make the deposit through your conference registration, and roommates should be listed as well. When you check in, you can each give a credit card to the reception desk, and they will be able to break down the bill accordingly. The deposit will be applied against the bill of the person who sent in the registration.

13. How will I know that my reservation is all set?

You should receive a confirmation directly from the hotel to let you know that your reservation is made and ready, all your roommates are listed, etc. If you don’t get it quickly or if you have any questions, your best bet is to call the hotel directly and check with them, just to be sure.