Romance Writers of Australia

Romance Writers of Australia The heart and home of Aussie romance writers since ’91 💘
Want to become a romance writer? Tickets on sale now! 🎟️ A prize might be awaiting you!

Join RWA to find friends &
learn how to rock the romance genre ⭐
Annual Conference: Romance Queens of the Desert, 21-23 Aug | Darwin. 🌟 Welcome to RWAus: Excellence in Romance Writing 🌟

Established in 1991, the Romance Writers Association of Australia (RWAus) began as a dream shared by eight passionate writers. Fast-forward to today, and we're a global family that includes voices from Australia,

New Zealand, Singapore, the US, and the UK. Recognised and celebrated by publishers worldwide, we're all about uplifting romance in every form.

📚 Dive Deep with RWAus 📚
✨ Sharpen your romance writing with our expertise.
✨ Engage with a vibrant community of romance aficionados.
✨ We embrace all romance, no matter your sub-genre 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ 🖤💛❤️

💬 Engage, Learn & Grow 💬

RWAUS CONTESTS: Dream of experienced feedback on your writing? Visit our website and participate in our contests. ACADEMY COURSES: Ready to elevate your skills? Our academy courses are tailored for every romance writer's journey. HEARTS TALK MAG: For in-depth insights into the romance writing industry, delve into our monthly, unmissable 'Hearts Talk' magazine. CONFERENCE: Eager to connect with kindred spirits? Join us at the next RWAus conference. Make life-long friends who 'get it'.

🌱 Volunteer-Driven Passion 🌱
RWAus thrives because of passionate writers like you! We're proudly volunteer-run, powered by the dedication and big hearts of our writing community. Volunteer with us - share the love!

🔔 Stay Connected 🔔
Hit 'like' for our latest updates! For an immersive RWAus experience, select 'get notifications' from the 'like' button dropdown. Engaging ensures you're always in the know. For our cherished members: Craving more camaraderie? Dive into one of our RWAus Facebook Groups. It's the perfect space to connect, share, and dream together. Your romance writing career + RWAus = A match made in heaven 😍 ❤️

This award is given to a member of our community in honour of our wonderful first President and founding member, Lynne W...
19/06/2026

This award is given to a member of our community in honour of our wonderful first President and founding member, Lynne Wilding.
The award recognises those who continually go above and beyond to make a positive impact on RWAus, our members, and their experiences. While many of our volunteers have a long history of giving back to RWAus, your nomination should focus on the work your nominee has done in the past year of service (August 2025 to August 2026). Being nominated for this special award is a big honour for our members. If you would like to nominate a volunteer, you can do so using this

link: https://form.jotform.com/261517471146860

Nominations for the Lynne Wilding Award will close on Friday 3/7/26.

✨ SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT ✨ Get to know our Foundation Sponsor, HQBooks!HQ (formally known as Harlequin) was founded in 1949 a...
19/06/2026

✨ SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT ✨ Get to know our Foundation Sponsor, HQBooks!

HQ (formally known as Harlequin) was founded in 1949 and has experienced more than 70 years of success as a leading publisher of books for women. By the 1990s, Harlequin had become synonymous with romance novels, grown the category into a score of successful subgenre lines—from the historical to the contemporary, the sweetly romantic to the sensually passionate—opened offices around the world and seen its books made available in 100+ countries and 30+ languages. Now, HQ looks to move beyond romance novels and expand the breadth of its editorial into all genres of fiction for women.

At Romance Queens of the Desert, you’ll find HQ:
💕 Popping up at the HQ Writers Room - Creating a space for delegates to drop in and let their creative juices flow
💕 Taking pitches from delegates - Pitch your work to HQ's Rachael Donovan
💕 Sponsoring the dazzling HQ Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday evening

A huge thank you to HQBooks for supporting Romance Queens of the Desert and championing romance writers across Australia and beyond.

✨ PRIDE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ✨ Romance writers, the spotlight is on q***r urban fantasy author Kell Shaw! Let’s hear from Ke...
18/06/2026

✨ PRIDE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ✨ Romance writers, the spotlight is on q***r urban fantasy author Kell Shaw! Let’s hear from Kell on q***r stories and the urban fantasy subgenre, what Pride month means, and Kell’s upcoming book 🎙️

And don’t forget to check out Kell’s website kellshaw.com and follow Kell on socials .

💖 FRIDAY WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT 💖 You've written a great book. Now it's time to use your online platforms to support a long ...
17/06/2026

💖 FRIDAY WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT 💖
You've written a great book. Now it's time to use your online platforms to support a long and successful career.

Jane Friedman is a leader in the publishing industry with 25 years experience in business reporting, author education and how the digital age is transforming writing careers and storytelling.

Now, she's bringing all that knowledge to Romance Queens of the Desert!

Join Jane for a full-day intensive program designed for romance authors who want to sharpen the assets that drive long-term earnings: a solid author website to support direct sales, a reader-centric newsletter, and a diversified income portfolio.

Whether you're an aspiring writer or established in your career, this practical and insightful workshop is a must-attend. Lock in your place now!

⏰ Friday 21 August - Darwin Convention Centre
🎟️ Add-on a workshop ticket to your conference registration or book a Friday Workshop Only ticket.
🔗 https://willorganise-rwa-2026.eventsair.site/friday-workshops

Tonight at 7pm Brisbane time — it’s happening.Anna Cowan · Red, White and Query Blues · From Rejection to LaunchStil...
16/06/2026

Tonight at 7pm Brisbane time — it’s happening.

Anna Cowan · Red, White and Query Blues · From Rejection to Launch

Still time to grab a ticket. The replay is included with every booking.

Ticket sales close at 6pm!
Book now: https://romanceaustralia.com/pages/rwaus-academy

See you tonight.

Tomorrow night. 7pm Brisbane time.Anna Cowan is sharing the story of 83 rejections, one dream agent, and a New York book...
16/06/2026

Tomorrow night. 7pm Brisbane time.

Anna Cowan is sharing the story of 83 rejections, one dream agent, and a New York book deal—and the practical tools that will help you write a better query letter, find the right agents, and keep going when it feels impossible.

If you’ve been meaning to book, tonight is the night. The replay comes with every ticket, so even if you can’t be there live, you won’t miss a thing.

Members $49 / Non-members $65 · https://romanceaustralia.com/pages/rwaus-academy

Want to attend Romance Queens of the Desert for FREE?! 💸 This is your chance! Our next ticket deadline is just weeks aw...
15/06/2026

Want to attend Romance Queens of the Desert for FREE?! 💸 This is your chance!

Our next ticket deadline is just weeks away and we're giving one lucky Queen the chance to WIN back the cost of their conference registration.

💖 To enter: Book and pay for your Romance Queens of the Desert ticket before July 20 and you'll automatically go in the draw to win back the cost. If you've already booked your ticket, you're already entered.

You've got to be in it to win it, Queens! Book now 👉 https://willorganise-rwa-2026.eventsair.site/tickets

3 days. That’s all that’s left before Anna Cowan walks us through one of the most practical querying workshops we’ve eve...
14/06/2026

3 days. That’s all that’s left before Anna Cowan walks us through one of the most practical querying workshops we’ve ever hosted.

In 90 minutes you’ll get:
What makes a query letter work (and what kills most of them)
How to find agents who are the right fit for your story
The tools Anna used to track 83 queries without losing her mind
How q***r and diverse romance is being sold in traditional publishing right now

Wednesday 17 June · 7pm Brisbane time · Replay included · Members $49 / Non-members $65
Book here: https://romanceaustralia.com/pages/rwaus-academy

🎁 Our Pride Readathon is on! 🎁 Members, here's your chance to win while being an excellent ally this Pride. 🏳️‍🌈 The win...
13/06/2026

🎁 Our Pride Readathon is on! 🎁 Members, here's your chance to win while being an excellent ally this Pride. 🏳️‍🌈 The winner of our prize pack of books will be randomly drawn from among members who participate in our readathon!

To be in the draw, use one of our five readathon templates from Google Drive or Canva to show off your Pride reading. Post the template on your socials completed with books featuring LGBTQIA+ main characters and/or are written by LGBTQIA+ authors. Templates are available for sharing books you've read this Pride, books you're currently reading or books you have on your TBR list. Once you've posted on your socials, share the link to your own post in the comments of this post by 5pm AEST on 30 June 2026 ⬇️

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1J9Wne6aMP8ArzjZBMtrJwKWzI2ycrQw3?usp=drive_link

Canva: https://canva.link/x4w6b87bisabkep

➡️ We'll be adding names to the draw from the comments on this post (both the Facebook & Instagram versions), so you must comment with a link to be included ⬅️

❣️ See our instructions document for further details. And if you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]. We can't wait to see your posts 👀

What would you do differently if you knew rejection number 83 was the one just before yes?Anna Cowan sent 83 queries bef...
12/06/2026

What would you do differently if you knew rejection number 83 was the one just before yes?

Anna Cowan sent 83 queries before landing her dream agent Kate McKean and selling her q***r historical romance The Duke to St Martin’s Press, New York. This Wednesday, she’s joining us to share everything—the craft, the process, and the mindset that got her there.

Red, White and Query Blues: From Rejection to Launch
Wednesday 17 June · 7pm Brisbane time · Zoom · 90 minutes · Replay included
Book now: https://romanceaustralia.com/pages/rwaus-academy
· Members $49 / Non-members $65

Address

PO Box 3474 Mandurah East WA 6210
Mandurah, WA
6210

Website

, ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Romance Writers of Australia posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category