BCATW - Membership APPLICATION

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MEMBER BENEFITS

The following is a summary of BCATW membership benefits

Informal meetings - These 'mix & mingle' gatherings are not scheduled on a regular basis but will be held, if there is enough interest from the membership. Attendance is entirely voluntary.
Low Membership Cost - Fees are kept as low as possible -- $48.00 per year. There is no 'Sign-Up' fee. Dues are pro-rated from the month you join.
Press pass - All Members are entitled to a Press Pass. Individual passes are issued to each person in the Couple Member status. Associate Member passes will have the designation of "Associate Member" on the pass and these are valid for one year.
Personal web pages - Members have their own personal web page created and maintained for them on the BCATW Website. As a member you receive:
1. A personal listing. Name, address, tel, fax, e-mail etc.
2. An Introduction Web page with your photo and mini-bio, and,
3. A one-time posting of 3 of your travel stories with a maximum of 3 photos per story, plus web links where editors can view, if applicable, your published online work. Although these are not replaced with ongoing fresh stories, the carefully selected trio provides an online showcase for a member to use when marketing their work and credentials to specific editors and the travel trade.
4. Not counting your membership listing, your personal web page actually consists of four pages. (Intro page, and 3 Stories at a page per story). These personal web pages are a promotional online showcase for our individual members to use when marketing their work and credential to specific editors and the travel trade.
Networking with other members via email - BCATW provides a platform where members can network with each other and share travel related information. E-mailed data from members may include issues such as upcoming events, i.e. trade shows or product launches where travel suppliers present their new tours, destinations, hotels, packages etc. BCATW will also make every effort to alert the membership of press trips which are offered to BCATW members , as well as forwarding information on industry related press releases. This networking forum may also be used to share marketing tips and strategies or to spread the news of writing courses, informative online sites, writers' events or seminars. Networking only as effective as members make it, so the more we share, the better it will be for us all.
Monthly 'Travel Buzz' - Contents for the BCATW newsletter will be compiled from member's contributions (e-mail Irene Butler at raiv@shaw.ca)
Suggested topics are:
1. Travel writing tips
2. Marketing suggestions
3. The business of travel writing
4. Web URLs featuring travel sites
5. Open forum Web postings relating to travel writing news and views
6. Media contacts
7. Copyright and media related issues
8. Brag Bag: Who's been published and where
9. Narrative excerpts from travel books authored by members
10. Rants and raves
Annual Symposiums - Your membership dues includes attendance at our yearly symposium featuring inspiring presentations, opportunities for meeting fellow writers and chances to win terrific travel prizes. As of 2010, a slight fee will now be charged to offset refreshment costs.