Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Kelley.
Allison, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am proud to be a native Houstonian, although I admit to having lived in San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin. I returned to Houston after graduating from the University of Texas, because the job market in Houston was much better at that time.
I graduated with a double major—English, and History. I had originally planned to attend law school, but I decided to work for a few years first. While working at a manufacturing facility in south Houston, I began taking night classes in Business at the University of Houston. I was recruited by someone I met at UH to work for an accounting firm whose primary business was auditing of nonprofit organizations. After working three years for a public accounting firm, I took a job in banking. I remained in banking until my first child was born, after which, I was home for four years.
When my younger son turned four, I realized that I really wanted to return to work, so I began looking for a part-time job. I answered dozens of ads. One of those ads was for a part-time controller for a nonprofit organization. That turned out to be Romance Writers of America (RWA), and I was fortunate to be hired!
Within six months of my taking the job, the previous manager resigned, and the board asked me if I would consider full-time employment as the Executive Director. I threw my hat into the ring and was hired. That was 23 years ago. I feel very fortunate to have found a job that pertained to my interests (reading and writing) as well as my business strengths (accounting and management).
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not always been smooth. Publishing has changed a lot over the past twenty years, and RWA has had to adapt to keep up with the changes. Fortunately, sales of romance fiction have remained strong.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
RWA was formed by a group of romance writers and an editor (Vivian Stephens) who met at a writer’s conference at the University of Houston. At the time, writers groups and conferences largely ignored the romance genre, and these writers and editor recognized the need for an organization dedicated to the needs of romance writers in the rapidly growing American romance fiction market.
The first Annual Romance Writers of America Conference was held in June 1981 in The Woodlands. The response to the conference was overwhelming and exceeded everyone’s expectations. The membership of the association took off, and, soon, chapters developed across the US, foreign countries, and online chapters. Today, RWA has more than 9,000 members and 120 chapters.
I am proud that RWA is known as one of the largest and most successful writer’s organizations in the world. Romance authors are known for their entrepreneurial skills and aptitudes and for sharing their knowledge with fellow writers. RWA is financially successful and professionally managed.
Pricing:
- Dues for general members for 2017/2018 are $99/year
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rwa.org
- Phone: 832-717-5200
- Email: info@rwa.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/romancewriters
- Facebook: facebook.com/romancewriters
- Twitter: twitter.com/romancewriters
Image Credit:
Tom Smarch Photography
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