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July/August 2004

Joining ASJA Just Got Easier: New Online Membership Application

By Lisa Collier Cool

ASJA is now well over 1,000 members strong—and is always looking for more qualified freelancers. And for professional writers who want access to our great membership benefits, networking opportunities, and insider information, applying just got easier, thanks to our new online membership application. The form, which appears on our Web site (www.asja.org), is designed for applicants who can provide all of their supporting documentation online, such as URLs to their clips or book chapters (in PDF or HTML format) on their own or a publisher's Web site. (Paper applications continue to be accepted as well.)

Following a mandate from ASJA's board of directors, Webmaster Bruce Miller and executive director Brett Harvey worked together to make the process as convenient and user-friendly as possible. "The online applications are terrific," says membership committee chair Janice Hopkins Tanne, who reports that she received two of them in June, the month the new form was launched, along with 13 standard applications. "They're like a billboard: We can look at everything as if it had come on paper."

And that's more than just a convenience for Janice and her team, adds Brett. "These applications can be processed faster, because no in-house photocopying is involved, and bulky packets won't have to be shipped to the membership committee." Applicants' names and bios will still have to appear in the subsequent issue of the newsletter, but applying online could shave a month off the response time for prospective members. And if the answer is yes, they can begin enjoying the many advantages of ASJA membership, including discounts at our annual conference and monthly programs, that much faster.

The application update is part of a series of changes that have transformed ASJA into a truly national—or even international—organization, says Bruce, who created our group's first Web site in 1995. At that time, we didn't even have our own domain name. Rather, Bruce ran the site off one of his own Internet accounts. Back then, our Internet presence consisted of just five megabytes of content, compared to the 410 information-crammed megabytes we have now, including the new online application database, original Web-only articles written by Web editor Christine Larson and other ASJA members, and our confidential Warning List, PayCheck reports, and private discussion forums.

Ten years ago, when Janice first began serving on the membership committee, all members of the committee had to live in New York City. "We met once a month, in person," says Janice, "to go over the paper applications. The next step was to photocopy the applications, so a packet could be sent to each committee member by mail, which cost a great deal in staff time and clerical expenses." Today, committee members are from all over the U.S., and discuss the applications by e-mail.

As ASJA moves into the 21st century, the membership committee is evaluating applicants with increasingly diverse credits. In the past, our group only considered nonfiction books, articles from national consumer magazines or major Internet publications such as Slate, and in some cases, freelance radio, TV or movie scripts. A few years ago, our bylaws changed to give equal weight to clips from major or substantial trade publications.

"It used to be that when an application came in, you usually heard of the magazines, because they were sold on newsstands," says Janice. "Now, with the growth of niche publications, a lot more of them are unfamiliar." She and her committee spend more and more time researching publications to determine if they meet ASJA's criteria for membership. To simplify the process, she's developing a FAQ to address such questions as, "What if the applicant only has old clips?" or "How many words must a book have to qualify?"

But as many things evolve, there's one constant, emphasizes Janice: "Our membership standards remain high." And ASJA remains an organization that writers aspire to join when their careers flourish. If you know someone who has reached that benchmark of achievement, share the good news: With our new online application, membership could be just a few convenient keystrokes away. And for each new member you recruit, you'll get a 10 percent discount on next year's dues. That's a win-win situation for everyone!

LISA COLLIER COOL of Pelham, New York, is president of ASJA. E-mail the president through www.asja.org/contact.php.