Welcome to the Web site of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers, an organization created for folks who write about the dead for a living. Most of us are journalists, who work for news organizations.

We want those who write articles about the recently deceased to regard obituaries as once-in-a-lifetime stories that should be researched, reported and penned with as much care and attention as any other newsroom assignment.

We hope to help obit writers improve their skills and to elevate their stature in the newsroom, in the eyes of their editors and in the field of journalism.

We invite other obit writers to join SPOW - which, like this Web site, is being revamped - and to attend future SPOW Conferences and enter future SPOW Awards competitions.

The Society of Professional Obituary Writers (SPOW) is taking a hiatus from hosting a conference and handing out awards for obit writing for 2012 during the group’s reorganization.

SPOW Awards honoring obituary work published in 2011 will be presented along with awards for obits published in 2012 during the 2013 SPOW Conference at a location to be determined.

SPOW seeks to elect a new director, revamp its website and make the organization more relevant in the changing world of journalism.

Interested SPOW members, associate members and friends are invited to participate in the reorganization, recommend director candidates and volunteer for various duties by directing comments and questions to info@obitwriters.org.