First... To thumb our nose at slush piles and create opportunities for good, talented writers to break into print. Because, as a whole, we believe in contributing to and strengthening the genre of SF/F. Altruism, I suppose. And we don't think the current system works. Eat your young, kill off the old and drink your own bath water. That's arguably what has happened to the SF/F writing/publishing community. We, as readers and writers, think this area of literature deserves better. After all, Neil Armstrong and Albert Einstein didn't point to Reader's Digest as their inspiration to change the world. We think there is value to the human race in this kind of literature. Okay - that was the soap box point. On to the other points.

Second... to get our membership published, provide quality control to publishers/editors looking for sure-fire bets on new talent, and to that end, to continue to sharpen the edge on all our members' skills. Rather like a guild for craftsmen. We inspire, motivate, and when needed, coerce one another to keep our writing sharp and insightful, our manuscripts circulating, and our pens moving. We also collaborate and network... this IS show biz (sad to say but the truth is the truth) and the more people you know the better. We are a network. To know one of us is to know most of us in a sort of vicarious way.

Third... to make money. I mean, if we don't earn a living we can't continue to do points one and two (the one's nearest and dearest to our hearts) and give back to the industry and community that made us the artists, professionals and humans we are.