Name

CHICAGO WRITERS ASSOCIATION

Legal name

Chicago Writers Association

Website

https://chicagowrites.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI), Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ)

Keywords

• Writer community association
• Writing conferences workshops
• Literary contests awards
• Nonprofit writers membership
• Author publishing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to community, resources, events, and member benefits including discounts on workshops and contests.
2. Conference Registration: Revenue from annual Let's Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference. The 2026 conference was sold out with ticket prices ranging from free to paid sessions.
3. Contest Entry Fees: Fees for Book of the Year Awards and First Chapter Contest submissions. First Chapter Contest charges $15 per entry.
4. Speakers Bureau Fees: Members pay to list programs in the Speakers Bureau directory: $45 for one listing, $85 for two, $120 for three listings.
5. Workshop Fees: Fees for educational workshops and writing sessions. Members pay reduced rates ($15) compared to non-members ($30). Some sessions are free.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Chicago Writers Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that serves individual writers in the Chicago metropolitan area through community programming, educational events, contests, and publishing-related services. Its core offerings include annual membership access to a writer community, the Let's Just Write! annual writers conference with agent pitch sessions, the Book of the Year Awards and First Chapter Contest, writing workshops, the Speakers Bureau, the Write City Ezine publication, and the Chicago Writes Podcast.

Product overview

The Chicago Writers Association is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of writer-focused programs and events. The core offerings include the annual Let's Just Write! Writers Conference featuring presenters, agent pitch sessions, and educational workshops; the Book of the Year Awards recognizing published works; the First Chapter Contest for unpublished writers; Write City Ezine for member publications; and the Speakers Bureau connecting member authors with speaking opportunities. Additional services include the Chicago Writes Podcast, Literary Bus Tours, Conference Scholarships, and a Member Directory. The organization hosts regular educational workshops, networking events, and participates in the Printers Row Lit Fest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Let's Just Write! Writers Conference Annual writers conference featuring presenters, agents, publishers, pitch sessions, and educational programming for writers at all levels; 2026 edition held at Steppenwolf Theatre.
• Book of the Year Awards Annual awards program recognizing excellence in published books across multiple categories including Traditional Fiction, Indie Fiction, Traditional Nonfiction, Indie Nonfiction, Traditional Poetry, and Indie Poetry. Ceremonies held at venues such as The Book Cellar.
• First Chapter Contest Annual contest for unpublished fiction writers to submit the first chapter of their work, with prizes including scholarships to writing retreats (e.g., Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp) and cash awards. $15 non-refundable entry fee per submission.
• Write City Ezine E-zine publication featuring member writing, reviews, and literary content from Chicago-area writers, with archived past issues available.
• Speakers Bureau Program connecting CWA member writers with event programmers for speaking engagements, featuring diverse presentation topics. Bureau menu distributed to 200+ Chicago-area libraries and venues. Listings priced at $45 (one), $85 (two), $120 (three) for one calendar year.
• Pitch Sessions Five-minute pitch sessions where writers present their book concepts to literary agents and publishers during the annual Let's Just Write! conference.
• Conference Scholarships Scholarships awarded to selected applicants to attend the annual Let's Just Write! writers conference.
• Member Directory Searchable directory of CWA member writers with profiles and contact information, available as a member benefit.
• Literary Bus Tours Guided bus tours exploring Chicago's literary history and iconic locations related to famous authors.
• Workshops and Educational Sessions Educational workshops and writing sessions held throughout the year, including AI for Writers and other topical programming. Members pay reduced rates ($15) compared to non-members ($30). Some sessions are free.
• Just Write Day Retreat Day retreat event priced at $35 early bird / $45 general, including continental breakfast, beverages, and lunch.
• Chicago Writes Podcast Podcast featuring interviews, writing tips, and discussions with authors and industry professionals, hosted on Podbean.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois Woman's Press Association (IWPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 July 2019Joint Summer Social events co-hosted annually bringing together members of both writing organizations. Collaborative programming provides cross-networking opportunities for members of both IWPA and CWA. Events feature shared social gatherings, sometimes with special guest authors.
• Chicago Women in Publishing (CWIP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2017Joint mixer event co-sponsored with University of Chicago Graham School. Networking event for publishing professionals and writers. Social mixer format providing cross-organizational connections in the Chicago publishing community.
• University of Chicago Graham SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored 2017 mixer event with CWIP. Partnership provides access to the Graham School's professional network and student population for CWA programming.
• Columbia College ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner for workshops and educational events. Creative Writing Department co-sponsors programming including the Path to Published event. Located at 600 S. Michigan Ave, Ferguson Hall. Provides meeting space and student access to CWA events.
• Printers Row Lit FestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago Tribune's annual outdoor literary festival. CWA maintains its own tent at the festival, hosting author signings and book sales. The largest free outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, drawing 100,000+ visitors. CWA has participated for multiple consecutive years.
• The Book CellarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLincoln Square bookstore serves as venue for Book of the Year Awards ceremonies. Book Cellar acts as bookseller for CWA events. Located at 4736 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago.
• Steppenwolf TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Let's Just Write! conference venue partner. Prestigious Chicago theater providing event space for annual CWA conference.
• Warwick Allerton HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference venue for 2022 and earlier Let's Just Write! conferences. Located at 701 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago. Hosts annual conference and Book of the Year Awards ceremonies.
• Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing RetreatminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWriting retreat in Wisconsin provides scholarship prize for First Chapter Contest winners. Cedar Valley Center & Spa, near West Bend, Wisconsin. Value of approximately $1,385 per scholarship.
• Windy City ReviewsminorOthersCWA-affiliated literary publication at windycityreviews.org. Related but distinct entity from CWA, serving as a platform for book reviews and literary content.
• Rosecliff LiteraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLiterary agency participating in conference pitch sessions. Agent Jessica Berg attends annual Let's Just Write! conference.
• Neon LiteraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLiterary agency participating in conference pitch sessions. Agent Eloy Bleifuss Prados attends annual Let's Just Write! conference.
• The Purcell AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLiterary agency near Chicago participating in conference pitch sessions. Tina P Schwartz attends annual Let's Just Write! conference.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GrubStreet: Boston-based nonprofit literary center running workshops, conferences, and a writing community — the closest functional analog to CWA, just in a different metro.
• Hugo House: Seattle-based nonprofit literary center offering classes, workshops, readings, and a writers' community — structurally very similar to CWA.
• Lighthouse Writers Workshop: Denver-based nonprofit writing center offering workshops, contests, and community programming for writers — directly comparable nonprofit community model.
• The Loft Literary Center: Minneapolis-based nonprofit literary center providing classes, workshops, mentorships, and community events for writers — same community-workshop-conference model as CWA.

Broad incumbents

• Romance Writers of America: National nonprofit trade organization for romance writers offering conferences, contests, and chapter networks — analogous member-services-plus-events model.
• PEN America: National literary and free-expression nonprofit with membership, events, and advocacy — broader writer-and-readers mandate that overlaps with CWA's nonprofit literary mission.
• AWP (Association of Writers & Writing Programs): National nonprofit supporting writers and writing programs, including a major annual conference — broader in scope than CWA but operates in the same writer-community space.
• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI): National membership organization for children's book creators offering conferences, awards, and networking — genre-specific broader incumbent in CWA's writer-community category.
• The Authors Guild: National advocacy and membership organization for published authors — a broader, more national peer to CWA's writer-membership model.
• 826 National: National nonprofit network of youth writing centers offering workshops, tutoring, and publishing programs — adjacent writer-development mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chicagowrites
• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagowrites
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-writers-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHICAGO WRITERS ASSOCIATION