Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986 by a group of dedicated writers who were as passionate about the romance industry as they were about becoming published. Romance pioneer June Lund Shiplett was one of our founding members. Originally known as Northeast Ohio Romance Writers of America (NEORWA), we were a chapter of the Romance Writers of America until disaffiliating from RWA in October 2021 and changing our name to GLFW.
GLFW was originally established to provide support and encouragement for all authors writing in any sub-genre of romance. We now welcome fiction writers in any genre at any point in their career who wish to explore writing romance or including romantic elements in their stories. GLFW is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where all members feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or any other bias.
GLFW’s meetings are typically held once per month at one of the Cuyahoga County Public Library branches or online via Zoom. We also take field trips from time to time to areas of local interest. In the past few years, we’ve taken a guided tour of a wedding dress exhibit through the Cleveland Historical Society, had a tour of the special exhibits and reference materials available through the Cleveland Public Library, and visited Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens. We also hold an annual writers conference in August as well as an annual members-only retreat in November at Punderson State Park.
Whether you’re a newbie just starting out or a veteran author with multiple publications to your name, we invite you to stop by and check us out. For more information about GLFW or to learn how you can become a member, please drop by a meeting or email us at greatlakesfiction@gmail.com. If you’re ready to join us, visit the Join GLFW page.