The Writer's Guild stands with writers and helps them with fair treatment and contract negotiation. They also act as a mediator between motion picture networks and the writers to make sure the credits are right and the writers are receiving fair treatment. It may seem strange that the "unseen" talent of the media industry would need protection but because we are sometimes taken for granted, it is important for every writer to join WGAE in order to prevent these things from happening.
Writer's deal with everything from not being paid fairly to not being paid at all. They have to deal with late payments on residuals and not being recognized correctly on the credits. The Writer's Guild is so much more than just protection for writers. They have job postings, screenplay readings, and special events all dedicated to helping their members succeed.
The Writer's Guild also helps their members get health insurance depending on their work status. The benefits are endless for professional writer's as well as writer's who aren't sure what fair treatment is. There are so many writer's that are clueless about what they deserve and what constitutes them as a writer on certain projects. In addition to these benefits there are discounts on software such as final draft and final cut pro for members. A member of the Guild also receives discounts on hotels and rental cars. It is worth the cost of the monthly dues to become a member of the WGAE or Writer's Guild of America, West (WGAW). East coast writers should register through WGAE and West coast writers should register at WGAW.
I use the Writer's Guild mostly to register my screenplays. It gives me the opportunity to have my script protected quickly while I wait for the Copyright office to protect my work. The difference between the Copyright office and the WGAE is that writer's are protected throughout their careers in almost every aspect. Whereas the Copyright office, only protects the writers works. This is not say that a writer shouldn't protect their work through the Copyright office because they should. It's important that a writer know that their work is protected and cannot be duplicated without repercussion. The Writer's Guild is another form of protection that goes above and beyond just the writer's works. It protects your rights, your financials, and gives you the credit you deserve so that your residuals are paid correctly.
