CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS 3: Roll out the red carpet...for Awards Night

Whether you attend the Academy Awards of romance writing (aka the RWAmerica Awards night), the Aussie or New Zealand awards dinners, you'll be in for a wonderful few hours of showcasing the best our organisations have to offer.

RWA Emerald:ST winner - Alli Withers

The RWAustralia Awards dinner can be celebrated by anywhere between 100-150 people and you sign up to a table prior to the night. Sometime during the Saturday you'll be reminded by our MC that if you're going to the dinner to put your name on a table-sign in sheet.

If you don't know anyone, just pick a table and put your name on it. You'll get to know them before the night is over.

RWA R*BY Award - Sharon Archer

This is the night we showcase our unpublished finalists in the swag of contests run throughout the year (culminating in the RWA Valerie Parv Award, and Emerald Awards for category and single title) as well as our published authors (with the R*BY Awards), media award and Lynne Wilding Meritorious Service Award.

The awards are announced and handed out between each course of the meal. And (my favourite part) is towards the end when people are asked to stand up and acknowledge our personal achievements (started by Anne Gracie), whether it be finishing their first book, to entering a contest, to submitting a manuscript or getting that elusive contract!

RWNZ Clendon winner - Chris Weston

This format is similar to the RWNZ Awards dinner. There's usually a 'theme' to come dressed to though - last year it was a fantasy theme. The highlight of the night is the RWNZ Clendon Award for unpublished writers & the Clendon Readers' Choice Award.

The number attending tends to be a little smaller (anywhere between 70-100) but this makes for a very intimate and special setting and you get up close and personal with our special guests and finalists.

Clendon Readers' Choice - Michelle de Rooy

At RWAmerica, prepared to be blown away by the sheer size of the night - glamor and glitz, red carpet style presentations, jumbo-tron TV screens so the 2000 strong audience of fellow writers, published authors, agents, editors and other officials can see everything that goes on up on stage, the RITA's, the Golden Heart presentations, etc.etc.

If you're lucky enough to be a RITA or Golden Heart finalist you get to sit at a table right at the front accompanied by one special guest, usually at a table mixed with other finalists and industry professionals.

RWAmerica Awards night

Whichever awards dinner you go to, be prepared to dress up and celebrate the romance genre and those who have done well in contests, publishing, promoting romance and volunteering to make our organisations the best they can be.

Roll out the red carpet...and celebrate romance!