26 Ways to Get Your Money’s Worth from ASJA in 2026

How well do you know ASJA?

Did you know that in the past year, your favorite professional organization for independent nonfiction writers launched a weekly online coworking session and an affinity group for writer-parents of young children? 2025 also saw the return of Virtual Pitch Slams for pitching editors of well-paying freelance outlets in real time, along with regular chats about retirement and diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI).

Whether you’re new here or have been involved in the organization for years, you might not be aware of all the amenities ASJA provides – most of them free to members. ASJA  continues to add benefits and perks despite lowering membership fees last year to meet the challenges of the current publishing landscape – which means you’re getting more for less. 

Consider this a refresher course on everything you get when you plunk down your hard-earned money for an ASJA membership. Keep these resources in mind when you’re reserving time and attention to improve or expand your business in 2026.

Take Advantage of New and Returning Benefits

1. Sign up for a Virtual Pitch Slam. ASJA’s well-regarded Virtual Pitch Slam (VPS) is an opportunity to pitch stories to representatives from publishing outlets that are eager to work with new writers and have decent rates to boot. Participating in a VPS is free and open to ASJA professional members in good standing. ASJA members at any level can listen in live or to recordings after the fact. In 2026, VPS events will take place in February, June, September, and December. Read more about VPS here. Virtual Client Connections, a truncated version of ASJA’s signature Client Connections networking event with fewer clients, will also return in 2026; stay tuned for details.

2. Join an online chat. In 2025, ASJA added several regular online chats, including: 

• A DEAI chat takes place the second Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. Eastern time, and focuses on a specific DEAI-related prompt. Links for monthly chats are shared on ASJA’s private Facebook page. Read more about ASJA’s DEAI activities and offerings here. 
• A retirement chat hosted by member and former ASJA president Russell Wild, a “mostly retired” writer and financial planner. The next retirement chat takes place Thursday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Get more info here. 
• Newer chats join ASJA’s long-standing weekly virtual coffee chat, which happens Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Eastern time on Jitsi Meet. Get details here.

3. Join an online coworking session. Looking for some accountability? Join the ASJA weekly coworking session every Thursday (except holidays) at 12 p.m. Eastern time. Check the ASJA members-only Facebook page each week for a post from session organizer Emily Paulsen with the session Zoom link in the comments.

4. Participate in the parenting affinity group. ASJA’s first non-location based affinity group welcomes self-employed writers who are parents of younger or school-aged kids. The group meets virtually once a month — during the school day, of course — to chat about the challenges of freelancing while raising little ones. Discussion topics include: time management, support systems and planning. To find out more or join the meeting, visit the private ASJA Facebook group or email christinahsherwood@gmail.com. Affinity groups – including location-based groups throughout the country – are an ASJA member-only benefit.

5. Fill out the Question of the Week. One of ASJA’s newest benefits is the Question of the Week, a survey that gives you the opportunity to weigh in on trends, issues, tools, and other matters important to independent writers. The Question of the Week is posted on ASJA’s homepage and social media channels and results are published there as well, and in the ASJA Weekly newsletter. To get the most accurate picture possible of what writers think and feel, the Question of the Week survey is open to all – feel free to share a link with nonmember writer friends.

6. Download ASJA’s free e-book on freelancing. Published in fall 2025, ASJA’s e-book, “Building an Independent Writing Business,” by yours truly, is free for all new and existing ASJA members. It’s a timely resource for independent writers looking to take their careers to the next level, established writers who are new to self-employment, and people for whom freelancing is a second or third act. It covers creating a business plan, marketing, pitching, picking a specialty, and more. Get details and download a copy here.

Learn Something New

7. Register for the 2026 ASJA annual virtual conference. Make plans to attend this year’s conference, which takes place virtually April 20-22, in conjunction with Client Connections 2026, April 23-24, ASJA’s signature client networking event. The conference features three keynote speakers, dozens of sessions on journalism, content writing, and nonfiction books, as well as networking opportunities. Scholarships are available for members and nonmembers. Early bird registration rates of $259 for members and $329 for nonmembers run through Feb. 15. Get more details and register here. The 2027 conference will be in person at a yet-to-be-announced location.

8. Attend a free webinar. ASJA’s virtual education committee hosts free webinars that teach new skills, explain new approaches to marketing yourself, and offer opportunities to learn from experts. Webinars take place every month except during months the annual conference is held. The next webinar is Jan. 28, on AI and the writing profession. Recent webinars covered generative engine optimization (GEO), Substack newsletters, leveling up your writing business, working with international clients, and self-publishing nonfiction books. Webinars and webinar recordings are free for ASJA members, $20 for others. Visit the  Events page for details.

9. Make your writing and business practices more diverse and inclusive. ASJA is committed to being a diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive organization reflective of the demographics of our profession, country, and world. ASJA strives for diverse representation in our events, activities, and communications, and encourages members to seek out diverse sources and stories. In addition to monthly DEAI chats, DEAI Ambassadors are joining ASJA committees to help suggest and implement inclusive practices; read more about the program here. The ASJA website’s DEAI center offers a variety of resources, including free recordings of DEAI webinars and style guides to inclusive language.

10. Subscribe to ASJA Weekly. ASJA’s signature newsletter is delivered Tuesday afternoons Eastern time, and comes packed with ASJA news and events, plus offerings from other writers’ groups—including grants and writer residencies–as well as media industry trends and news. New members are automatically added to the mailing list. Nonmembers can sign up for the newsletter here.

11. Read ASJA Confidential. The ASJA Confidential news channel is your go-to place for in-depth information on ASJA events, awards, scholarships, advocacy, DEAI initiatives, and more, plus daily news from the annual conference. The Confidential also runs features on writing skills, markets, productivity, and other topics related to working as an independent writer, plus Meet the Member profiles, and articles on ASJA partners. Look for posts twice a week, more before and during conferences. Use the Resource Finder database to look up past ASJA Confidential articles as well as recordings of webinars and conference sessions. 

Get Benefits and Promote Yourself

12. Enter the ASJA Awards. ASJA recognizes exceptional freelance writing and nonfiction book authors through the annual ASJA Awards. Honors are given for stellar work in freelance journalism, essays, content writing, and nonfiction books. See 2025 ASJA Award winners here. Applications for 2026 awards – including new awards for reporting on AI and cultural criticism – open Jan. 12; get more info here.

13. Receive emergency aid. ASJA provides financial aid to freelance nonfiction writers in need through Writers Emergency Assistance Fund (WEAF). Providing WEAF funds is part of ASJA’s ongoing mission to support eligible writers who experience natural disasters or other unexpected crises. WEAF awards qualified recipients up to a maximum of $1,000 to help meet living expenses. Writers do not need to be ASJA members to receive the funds, but must meet the qualifications for ASJA professional membership. Find out more about WEAF here.

14. Fill out your profile. Add details to your profile in the ASJA Member Directory. Including details about your niche, experience, and location as well as clips increases the chances that your name will pop up when an editor or content manager uses ASJA’s Find a Writer service to look for a writer with a specific background or specialty for an assignment. ASJA promotes Find a Writer on social media, and many members have landed lucrative assignments from editors who found them through the ASJA website.

15. Use the Paycheck Database. Explore what publications, content marketing agencies, book publishers, and other freelance outlets are like to work with by perusing the Paycheck Database. When ASJA members fill out the Report a Payment form with details about a completed assignment, the information is anonymized and added to the Paycheck Database, including project or assignment type, outlet, word count, fee, contract terms, and overall experience. Paycheck is a members-only benefit, and sharing information with nonmembers is a violation of ASJA’s Code of Conduct.

16. Get health insurance advice and access. ASJA partners with Gallagher (formerly known as LIG Solutions) to offer free advice and analysis of health coverage options for you, your family, and your business or employees. LIG is licensed in all 50 states and works with leading national, regional, and local insurance carriers. LIG can also help with Medicare, indemnity medical plans, short-term health insurance, and supplemental options. Read more here and fill out this form to request more information from an LIG representative. 

17. Have a lawyer review a contract. ASJA offers members discounted legal consultations with Joseph Perry, an attorney and literary agent well versed in the ins and outs of publishing and contract law. Perry provides guidance on publishing contracts, libel, right of privacy concerns, and intellectual property issues. He offers ASJA members consultations at a one-third discount from his normal hourly rate; any additional work is billed at his regular hourly rate or at a flat fee, depending what is needed. Find out more and fill out a form to request assistance here. 

18. Use the Examine+ database. ASJA members get full access to the Examine nutrition database, an extensive database of peer-reviewed nutrition research. To learn more, watch an ASJA Examine webinar here or sign up here.

19. Get a 20% discount on the AP Stylebook Online. ASJA members get a 20% discount on a single-user, one-year subscription to the AP Stylebook Online, the digital version of the venerable writing guide produced by the Associated Press. Members can also get 20% off registration for the AP Stylebook Workshop, which covers the principles of AP style and how to apply it. The workshop includes access to AP Stylebook Online and AP Stylebook Study Guides. Find out how to claim your discount here.

20. Promote your ASJA membership. Download a copy of the ASJA logo to tell the world—and prospective clients—that you’re a member of North America’s leading organization for professional writers. Display the ASJA logo on your website or social media accounts.

21. Get a press card. Press cards are an important part of an independent writer’s tool kit. They instantly identify you as a journalist and ease access to political events, press conferences, and emergency scenes. ASJA press cards are only to be used for professional journalism purposes. Fill out the form to apply for an ASJA press card here.

Find Companionship and Camaraderie

22. Share your good news. Get a book deal? Byline in a dream publication? Award or other honor? Share your good news by submitting an item to the Member News section of the ASJA Weekly, which has close to 3,500 subscribers. Submit your professional news here.

23. Join our community in the ASJA members-only Facebook group. When ASJA debuted a redesigned website several years ago, the ASJA members-only FB group replaced the old online member forum. Members gather here to post questions about sources, contracts, payments, potential red flags with assignments, and other writing-related topics. The page is a great way to find out about ASJA events, benefits, and resources—or just hang out with your peers. 

24. Be an advocate. ASJA champions the rights of freelance writers, with a particular focus on issues of national importance, including book bans, censorship, copyright, and legal or industry changes that prevent independent writers from making a living. ASJA created an advocacy toolkit you can use to stay on top of issues affecting freelancers, write op-eds, contact or meet with your elected representatives, request city or town resolutions, ask associations to get involved, and spread the word. 

25. Volunteer on a committee or at an event. ASJA doesn’t work without its members. The organization retains a professional management company to run the annual conference, handle dues and payments, keep the books, and act as our liaison with vendors and service providers. Member volunteers run or oversee awards, publications, webinars, WEAF, DEAI initiatives, and client networking. If you want to meet fellow independent writers and keep up with what’s happening in the organization and industry, use the ASJA Call for Volunteers form to sign up today.

26. Learn all ASJA has to offer. By now it should be clear that ASJA has a lot to offer! To decide which benefits are right for you or learn more about the organization, plan to attend a Jan. 21 virtual new member orientation at 1 p.m. Eastern time hosted by ASJA’s membership engagement committee. Stay tuned for details on how to register. Or watch this one-hour YouTube video recorded by the membership engagement committee that explains how ASJA helps you connect with other writers, make money, learn valuable skills, and take advantage of discounts and partnerships.

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Michelle Rafter is a Portland Oregon, ghostwriter specializing in business, enterprise technology, and people management. She’s an ASJA board member and chairs the publications committee, which manages the ASJA Weekly newsletter, ASJA Confidential news channel, and ASJA social media presence.