The Catholic Writers Guild 2024 Conferences and All the News You Need!

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The Catholic Writers Guild 2024 Conferences and All the News You Need!

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Since it’s November and, in the United States, we’ll soon celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to share a little game I play with myself. I often challenge myself to name 10, 15, or 25 things I’m grateful for in the moment or from throughout the day. (I’ve never not been able to exceed my challenge. God is good!)

Here’s an off-the-cuff list of 10 things I’m grateful for about the Catholic Writers Guild:

  1. Camaraderie with members who share similar goals and missions.
  2. People who get the “Catholic stuff” in my writing.
  3. The online conference, through which I’ve learned so much during seasons where getting away for in-person events was difficult.
  4. The live conference, through which I’ve met so many fantastic people – writers and others – in person.
  5. The connections I’ve made with publishers, editors, authors, bloggers, etc.
  6. The goodness of our members, who are quick to lift up others in prayer and with practical means of support.
  7. The generosity of our members who, though busy, are willing to take on volunteer responsibilities to serve their fellow Guild members.
  8. The Guild’s founders, who saw a need and invested the time and effort to make this organization a reality.
  9. The dedication of our Board members, past and present, who truly have the best interest of the Guild at heart.
  10. The retreats hosted. Would a Catholic writers retreat even be a thing if the Guild weren’t offering it? (And I’ll just take this opportunity to thank Guild member Margaret Rose Realy for all the work she did to make last month’s Guild retreat a success! Thank you, Margaret.)

See how easy it is? I bet you could come up with a list of your own.

There’s a lot going on in the Guild, so please read on for news about our online and live 2024 conferences and other Guild activities and opportunities!

Finally, according to our bylaws, November is the time for our annual elections! Look for a separate email for nominations within a week.

I’ve served the Guild as president since September 2021 and before that as vice president. As the list above indicates, I’m so grateful to the members who have been kind, supportive, and have stepped up to help in so many different ways. You are a generous bunch!

While I’ll be continuing to serve as the Evaluator Coordinator for the Seal of Approval and assist in transitioning to our new website for continuity’s sake (we are so close, and we can’t wait to share it with you!), I will not accept a nomination for president for 2024.

God is still laying stories on my heart over these past very busy years, and I want to get back to writing them. I won’t bore you with my list of other obligations and commitments beyond the Guild – we all have them! – but it’s time for me to scale things back a little bit.

To that end, I hope that some of you will be generous in considering who might be willing and able to take on this role and then submit your nominations.

Guild Member-Hosted Retreat in Sunny Florida!

Sorry, gentlemen. This one is for ladies only.

Longtime Guild member Karina Fabian is  hosting a writing retreat open to ladies of the Catholic Writers Guild.

When: January 5-9, 2024.

Where: The Fountains, Orlando, Florida.

How much: $300 includes accommodations, food, and transportation to Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of the Universe.

Limited to the first six paid registrations.

Questions? Email Karian Fabian at [email protected].

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Registration is Open for CWCO 2024!

CWCO 2024 is scheduled for February 23-25, 2024, with pitch practice on February 26 & 27 and pitch sessions on February 28-March 1. Register at https://catholicwritersguild.org/online-conference

Here are some of the things you can look forward to:

  • A greater emphasis on how our faith informs our writing. We have speakers who will discuss writing as a Calling, literature as evangelization, and even how genre fiction like horror and science fiction can still reflect our Catholic values.
  • Practical advice and tips you can put to work immediately. From managing your time to reconstructing your plot, and developing great characters to building your social media presence, our experienced and well-published presenters share their best practices.
  • Webinar format that incorporates audio and visuals. It’s easy – if you can handle Skype or FaceTime, you can do this! Or call in to listen to the presentations if your internet is slow. (Don’t worry, there’s still chat available for talking or “passing notes.”)
  • Networking. We’ve built in time each year for open chat, sharing links and books, even reading and on-the-fly critique.
  • Recordings! We’ll have recordings of each session available free for attendees.

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Spread the Word

Help spread the word about CWCO 2024 to fellow Catholics by sharing the information below and the image above in your parish bulletin.

The Catholic Writers Guild is hosting its annual online writing conference February 23-24. It features presentations on faith and writing, chances to meet fellow authors, and opportunities to pitch to Catholic publishers like Ave Maria and Chrism Press. It’s totally online—no travel!—and costs $60. Learn more at https://catholicwritersguild.org/online-conference

 

CWG Live Conference 2024

The Guild is excited to announce that our live conference will once again be hosted in conjunction with the Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) meeting in Chicago, Illinois!

Our conference dates are Tuesday, May 28 through Thursday, May 30. We have an invitation to attend the ACP’s breakout sessions on Thursday afternoon, and we look forward to the chance to get to know their members. You’ll definitely want to plan your departure for Friday morning to take advantage of this opportunity to meet and learn from Catholic publishing experts. We’ve also invited the ACP members to consider joining us as attendees, speakers, panelists, and mentors!

Consider sharing your expertise as a speaker or panelist: to apply, fill out our Speaker and Panelist Application.

Last year’s conference was our first time working with the ACP, and we’re grateful to be invited back and to have the opportunity to integrate better with their conference. Mark your calendar now; we’ll open registration in February.

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Job Opportunity

Catholic Book Publishing, located in Totowa, New Jersey, has served the Catholic community for 112 years. We are currently seeking an experienced editor.

Description

As an editor, you will join a dedicated team that is committed to the publication of timely and timeless Catholic resources that achieve the highest quality of content and production. Our extensive line includes Bibles; Missals; Prayer Books and Devotionals; Spirituality, Marian, and Saints Titles; Liturgical Books; Spanish Resources; Communion Gifts; and Children’s Books.

The successful candidate for this position will possess a strong command of the competencies and requirements listed below.

Competencies:
·      Solid knowledge of the Catholic Faith and familiarity with liturgy
·      Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills
·      Well organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
·      Attention to detail
·      Excellent communication skills
·      Capable of demonstrating resourcefulness in problem-solving
·      Strong initiative
·      Marketing capabilities

Requirements:
·      Proven editorial work experience for a minimum of 5 years in the Catholic publishing sector
·      Work in office (no remote or hybrid)
·      Collaborative, cooperative spirit
·      Dedicated, hardworking, adaptable
·      Willingness to travel occasionally
·      Knowledge of Spanish a plus
·      Trade and consumer show experience a plus

Qualified individuals for this full-time, salaried position should send a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to carla@catholicbookpublishing.com.

Heartbeat

Whether you’re a new member or you missed the email invitation in your inbox, we’d like invite you to join the Catholic Writers Guild Heartbeat community!

More than 280 of our members have joined, and it has become a lively place for our members to discuss, chat, critique, plan meet-ups, and more!

If you are an active member (meaning your dues are paid up) and have not received or have lost your invitation, reply to this email, and I’ll be sure you receive an invitation. (If you’re not a member, you can still access our Sunday night chats and the public portion of our community.)

Seal of Approval

Currently seeking an Author Coordinator!

The Author Coordinator prepares the Main Spreadsheet before the start of each quarterly submission period, communicates with submitting authors as to whether their submission has been accepted or if they are waitlisted, updates the Main Spreadsheet to reflect new applications, and uploads book files to the appropriate SOA folder. To volunteer, email [email protected].

Application dates for 2024:

  • Monday, January 15
  • Monday, April 15
  • Monday, July 15
  • Monday, September 16

During the 24-hour application window, you can access the Seal of Approval application form. Reminder: If your book has received an Imprimatur, it is ineligible for the Seal of Approval but receives all benefits associated with the Seal. More information on the Seal of Approval process.

Reminder: Books designated with an Imprimatur or nihil obstat are not eligible for the Seal of Approval but automatically enjoy all the benefits of that designation.

To become a volunteer evaluator, email the SOA committee at [email protected]. Training is provided.

 

CWG Member News: January 2023

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Guild election results, conferences, retreat, & new Heartbeat community

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January 2023

I don’t have a pretty picture for you this month, but with Saint Thomas Aquinas’ feast day coming up, this quote seemed apropos. “It is only God who creates. Man merely rearranges.”

First, it’s a great reminder that our creativity ultimately comes from God. Second, we’re doing some re-arranging lately at the Catholic Writers Guild. So, let’s get right to it.

Election Results

Thanks and congratulations to our new officers according to our election results (certified by our vice president, Barb Szyszkiewicz).

President – Carolyn Astfalk
Vice President – Barb Szyszkiewicz
Secretary – Michael Shelton
Treasurer – Cesar Chacon
Committee Coordinator – Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

One-hundred fifty members voted in the election, and four of our five elected officers are incumbents. Welcome to Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur, the new Committee Coordinator, who has served the Guild in a variety of ways, most recently as the Author Coordinator on the Seal of Approval Committee.

Thank you to Patrick Chalmers, who so generously gave his time to the Board as Committee Coordinator in 2022. Your input and wisdom is much appreciated, Pat!

There are many roles in which you can support the Guild besides being an officer. I hope you’ll consider how you can assist the Guild, whether as a 2024 officer, supporting our events, joining a committee, blogging, or more. I’ll be listing volunteer needs in our newsletter each month.

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Catholic Writers Conference Online

February 24-26, 2023
Price: $60 non-Guild members, $40 for Guild members.

Register today!

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Save the date!

Our in-person conference is scheduled May 30 – June 1, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois, at the Holiday Inn O’Hare. This year we’re partnering with the Association of Catholic Publishers, and we look forward to this new conference adventure! Registration links, room rates, and more will be available soon. You can view the conference schedule: CatholicWritersGuild.org/live-conference.
Catholic Writers Retreat 2023!

 

Our retreat is back after a hiatus!

Member Margaret Rose Really, Obl. OSB, has graciously volunteered to coordinate a retreat set for October 9-13, 2023 at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan.

More details on theme and presenter coming soon!

 

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One of the Catholic Writers Guild’s greatest strengths, as we discovered from our informal survey in 2021, is our community. Relationships are at the heart of what we offer the Catholic writer, along with education conferences and other support for the writing craft and publishing business.

We have a lively Facebook community and a thriving Discord community. (But nary the twain shall meet.)

Additionally, many members are not active on either Facebook or Discord. Some are wary of social media or disenchanted with Facebook, where users are subject to its whims and changes. Discord is sometimes difficult for new users to access or acclimate themselves to. Both sites have various advantages and disadvantages.

In an effort to unify our membership and expand our community, the Board has decided to use Heartbeat as the place where our members meet and interact.

You can learn more about Heartbeat and what it has to offer. Our hope is that it will integrate well with our (new) website and provide a place for not only discussion threads and critique groups but events as well.

I know we’re all comfortable where we’re at. And we’re all tired of adding another app. (Even my puppy’s vet expects us to download an app!) But, I hope you’ll give Heartbeat a look. It’s fairly simply to join and navigate. Is it a perfect solution? No. Is it an improvement for our community? Yes, I think so.

We’ve started inviting our Discord members over, and, if you’re an active member, you’ll be receiving an email invitation soon. Heartbeat is accessible both from your desktop computer and by mobile app. Please take a few minutes to check things out.

(Our Facebook and Discord groups will remain operating as we all learn to navigate Heartbeat.)

Volunteer Corner

Our blog is a place where Catholic Writers Guild members can publish their articles and showcase their writing. We are looking for volunteer writers and editors to join our blog team for 2023.

We especially need editors who can edit one or more articles per month. If our team of editors grows, we will have the capacity to publish more writers.

If you are interested in writing or editing for the blog, please contact [email protected].

Thank you!

 

Seal of Approval

The Seal of Approval application opens for the 2nd quarter on Friday, April 14, 2023 at Noon EDT. Once open, you can access the Seal of Approval Application Form for 24 hours. Reminder: If your book has received an Imprimatur, it is ineligible for the Seal of Approval but receives all benefits associated with the Seal. More information on the Seal of Approval process.

Remaining application dates for 2023:

  • Fri., April 14
  • Fri., July 14
  • Fri., September 15
You may notice that the dates have shifted from the beginning of the month to the middle. This was done to avoid regular conflicts with New Year’s, 4th of July, and Labor Day.

Check Your Spam!

If you’re waiting on a reply from an official Guild email account (one ending in catholicwritersguild.com or catholicwritersguild.org), please be sure to check your spam or junk folder. Unfortunately, our messages have a way of ending up there.

If you’ve not received a reply to a message in a reasonable amount of time, please check your junk or spam folder before resending your message.

With rare exception, I personally reply to messages within 2-3 days, maximum.

Copyright 2023 Carolyn Astfalk

Does your creativity need a jump start? Give this a try.

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My family just returned from a short camping trip. Only 48 hours at a Pennsylvania state park campsite. Though I didn’t consider our destination to be too far off the beaten path, we did not have cell phone service. What a blessing!

If your creativity is waning, you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged, I recommend unplugging and soaking in the natural beauty of God’s creation. After two days without pinging notifications or time wasted staring at a screen, my gratitude, optimism, and creative well are replenished. (Mostly. It was, after all, only two days.)

Below is a photo one of the 19 waterfalls we hiked to in Ricketts Glen State Park. What a gift that the master Creator allow us to participate in a small way in His creativity through our writing.

I hope that you make time to unplug and refill your creative well this summer, and, if you’re able, I hope that includes next month’s live conference.

Carolyn Astfalk
President

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Catholic Writers Conference Live:
Have you registered yet?
There is still time to register for our 2022 live conference held in conjunction with Catholic Marketing Network’s Momentum ’22. All the details are available at our website, including a schedule and Conference FAQ.If you’re on the fence, I sadly can’t solve problems related to inflation or the cost of fuel. However, I can assure you that your attendance will be worthwhile. Our team of volunteers has scheduled a wide array of informative sessions and panels, opportunities for networking, and pitch sessions with Catholic publishers. We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting like this since 2019, and I can sense the excitement of our attendees!

Questions? We’ve tried to anticipate those.
Registration is being handled through the Catholic Marketing Network. When you register, remember to click on “Catholic Writers Guild Track.” This is the only way for CMN to properly credit the Guild for its registrations, which help to cover our expenses.

Already registered? Here’s what you need to know.

This conference doesn’t happen without volunteer power. We need your help. No experience necessary.

Our remaining needs:

  • Presenter’s aide to introduce Tony Kolenc’s ever-popular session “Legal Issues for Writers.”
  • Pitch session assistants (2) to help move people through the process.
  • Trade Show Booth staff. This is a golden opportunity to meet those strolling the trade show floor: bookstore owners, publishers, creators, and more.
Current members who serve at least six hours will receive reimbursement for the conference fee after August 1. If you can’t serve for a full six hours but still want to help, your assistance is most welcome. Sign up today to volunteer.
Meals with Mentors, Pitch Sessions
Registrants should receive an email from Amy Cattapan to sign up for Meals with Mentors programs and pitch sessions.

Please be patient as it may take up to a week for assignments to be made.

 

Member Seal of Approval Book Display

Has a book of yours received the Seal of Approval since last year’s mini-conference? If your book received the Seal of Approval (or an Impirimatur) in the second half of 2021 or the first half of 2022, it is eligible to be displayed at the Guild’s trade show booth.

If you’d like your book to be displayed, please send a single copy to Amy Cattapan at PO Box 447, Prospect Heights, IL 60070.

Please be sure to note that the book is for the Guild’s display table.

Want to share a room or a ride?

Check your copy of the member newsletter for links to our Room Share and Ride Share interest forms and lists of members looking to share! If you didn’t receive a copy of this month’s newsletter, check your spam and updates folders of your email before contacting [email protected]

If you are unable to attend, please share news about the conference with your Catholic writer friends via email, social media, or word of mouth. This conference is very reasonably priced and not only does it benefit members, but it also helps raise the Guild’s profile and increase its membership.

A final note. I will not be attending this year’s conference. Do I think the president should be there? Yes, I do.

However, I’m still in that season of mom life where I have young children that need supervision, work schedules to juggle, and a tight budget. My limited ability to travel played heavily in my hesitancy to accept the presidency.

I will sincerely miss being at the conference as I’ve found the three conferences I’ve attended to be an absolute delight, both in helping me to grow as a writer and in meeting so many truly wonderful members of the Guild. Please do not take my absence as an indication of the value of this event.

Our officers will be represented capably by Vice President Barb Szyszkiewicz and Treasurer Cesar Chacon.

 

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Our Blog Has a Fresh Look
You may have noticed some changes to the Guild’s blog. For one, it’s a lot more active. If you’re subscribed, you’re seeing our members’ work in your inbox regularly. If you’re not subscribed, you can do that easily in the left margin of the page.
Second, the blog has a new look. It’s more contemporary, cleaner, comments are functioning properly, and it’s visually consistent with our website.

If you haven’t visited the blog, please do and share the articles that resonate with you.

Thank you to Katelin Cummins for all her work in revitalizing the blog and Barb Szyskiewicz for her expert assistance.

Volunteer Opportunity: Bigmarker Managers

Do you like tech and want to help the Guild? We need of a couple of volunteers to manage the Bigmarker system. (It’s as easy as Zoom.)

What you need to know:
To increase our webinar offerings, volunteers are needed for beyond the annual online conference.
Assistance is needed with setting up the online conference. (The next will be February 24-26, 2023.)
Webinar masters are paid (usually a percentage of paid registrations).
Training videos are available as well as assistance from our resident Bigmarker expert, Karina Fabian.
Interested? More questions? Ready to commit? Let us know.

Seal of Approval

The Seal of Approval application opens for the 3rd quarter on Friday, July 1, 2022 at Noon EDT. When open, you can access the Seal of Approval Application Form. Reminder: If your book has received an Imprimatur, it is ineligible for the Seal of Approval but receives all benefits associated with the Seal. More information on the Seal of Approval process.

Copyright 2022 Carolyn Astfalk

Images: (top) copyright 2022 Carolyn Astfalk, all rights reserved. All others: Catholic Writers Guild

 

Member News: All the Details You Need for 2022’s Live Conference

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Our 2022 live conference will be held in conjunction with Catholic Marketing Network’s Momentum ’22.

The only place to register for the conference is on the CMN website. The MOST IMPORTANT part is that you click “Catholic Writers Guild Track” when you sign up. That is how the CMN will know who is to get credit for that registration. Credit = $$$ (READ: This is how we will cover our expenses, so it is very important that you click you are interested in the Catholic Writers Guild Track!)

Schedule

View the full conference schedule.

FAQs

View answers to our most frequently asked questions about the conference.

Do you have questions that you don’t see answered at the link above? Please send them to [email protected].

Conference chairperson Amy Cattapan will answer your questions in a live session on Facebook. It’s tentatively set for Wednesday, May 4 or Wednesday, May 11 at 8:00 p.m. CT, but either way, the session will be available for viewing afterwards.

Volunteer Opportunities

You can help the Guild by volunteering at the conference. Current members who serve at least 6 hours will receive reimbursement for the conference fee after August 1. If you can’t serve for a full six hours but still want to help, your assistance is most welcome.

Sign up to volunteer.

Sponsorship

Whether or not you attend the live conference, you can support the Guild by becoming a Catholic Writers Conference Live sponsor.

Sponsors will have the option of submitting an ad (16:9 aspect ratio – think Google or PowerPoint slide size) to be included in a slideshow of sponsors shown at the beginning of each of the CWG sessions.

You can select from three levels of sponsorship:

Gold Level Sponsor – $200 (full-screen ad)
Silver Level Sponsor – $100 (half-screen ad)
Bronze Level Sponsor – $50 (quarter-screen ad)If you choose to include a horizontal image (again, think PowerPoint slide), please email it to Amanda Lauer at [email protected].

Ride and Room Sharing

The Guild has forms for ride sharing and room sharing for those planning to attend the conference. If you’d like to share costs with fellow Guildies by carpooling or sharing a hotel room, complete the forms linked in the member newsletter dated May 1, 2022, and then contact other members by email to make final arrangements.

If you missed the newsletter, check your spam folder as well as your updates and promotions folders before emailing [email protected].

Copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz

CWG Member News March 2022: Opportunities Galore!

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We’ve been gearing up to revive some activities that have fallen by the wayside, asking you to prayerfully consider where you can pitch in. This month, we have some concrete opportunities. Please read on for details.

I pray that despite the many distractions and crises in our world, these grace-filled weeks of Lent bring you closer to our suffering Savior.

Carolyn Astfalk
President

[Editor’s note: email addresses and links to members-only forms are included in the newsletter sent to all CWG members. If you did not receive your newsletter, which was sent on March 10, first check your spam folder before emailing [email protected].]

By Popular Request

There was great interest at the online conference in a listing of members and their websites, podcasts, and social media. This will help our members connect, share ideas, and promote each other’s work. We’ll provide access to a spreadsheet with this information in our next newsletter. Please fill in the members-only Google form linked in the March newsletter if you’d like to participate.

Showcase Your Writing

Write for the CWG blog! We’d love to revive the blog as a showcase of member writing. We have a survey for members who would like to help with this project as a monthly writer and/or editor. We’re also seeking blog committee members. Please fill in the members-only form linked in the March newsletter, and our CWG blog project manager, Katelin Cummins, will be in touch.

Social Media Help Wanted

We could really use a volunteer or two to assist with social meda. Currently we have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and MeWe. We also have some software to help with certain social media scheduling. We’d like to post about twice per week, plus engage with our followers. Interested? Contact information is available in the March newsletter.

 

Testimonials Wanted!

Would you like to share a brief (max 25 words) testimonial like the one above about the Catholic Writers Guild for our social media promotion? This could be a general testimonial or something about our conferences, awards, Seal of Approval, critique groups, or other activities. Contact information is available in the March newsletter.

CWCO Wrap-up

Our pitch sessions were a great success! To clarify last month’s update: Twenty-seven pitches resulted in manuscript requests. An additional eleven pitches sparked some interest that may result in a later request. Thanks to all of those who coordinated and participated! If you attended the conference, you should have received email links to the recorded sessions. If you did not, please let Carolyn know.

Ohio Writers: Let’s Start a New Chapter

We’re looking for writers interested in starting a Catholic Writers Guild Chapter in the Cincinnati/Dayton Area. Contact information is available in the March newsletter.

Catholic Writers Conference Live 2022

Mark your calendar and make your reservations! Our live conference returns this year, held in conjunction with Catholic Marketing Network’s Momentum 2022 July 25-28, 2022 in Schaumburg, Illinois (same location as last year). Would you take a couple of minutes to fill our this interest survey? It will help immensely with the planning for the event. Thank you!

From the President’s Desk – The Importance of Being Needed

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Photo credit: Gustavo Kralj/DWF Conference/Gaudiumpress Images

Photo credit: Gustavo Kralj/DWF Conference/Gaudiumpress Images

“I guess being needed is almost as good as being loved. Maybe better.” Betty Smith, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”

It’s been a busy – and overwhelming –  two weeks. I attended and spoke to a group of women at the Dynamic Women of Faith Conference in Toronto a few weeks ago (photo above), finished three different editing projects and currently in the process of completing five others.  I finished two writing projects. I’m reading submissions, negotiating two contracts for my publishing company and coaching three authors in their self-publishing journeys. For the Guild, I am answering daily emails (sometimes up to 25-35), working on updating membership, welcoming new members, helping to organize the upcoming live conference and assisting with a variety of other committees. My husband and I teach NFP and will be speaking to a group of engaged couples this weekend at our diocesan marriage preparation course. This is all in addition to my duties as a wife and mother.  My daily “to do” list is so long that I rarely complete everything. Given how overwhelmingly busy I’ve been, I’m greatly anticipating the quiet solemnity of Holy Week and the joy of Easter Weekend.

The other day, I happened to mention to an elderly friend of mine in an email that I was overwhelmed.  She has no family, no relatives left. She wrote: “This may sound unsympathetic, though I hope not. Be grateful for them. It means you are needed and wanted. Yesterday, I had the unusual circumstance of being needed four times, three for counseling and one for an errand. I went to bed very thankful. The two young persons whom I counseled rather intensively will grow up and grow away from any need of me, and it’s likely I’ll never see them thereafter. (Though they might deny that if asked, experience tells me it is so. And I must be glad it is so.) Yet, for now, for today, I fill a need–and how wonderful that is. Not because I “should” be glad, but because I know from direct experience what it’s like to be unwanted, unneeded. There are few feelings worse than being superfluous, a burden at best. It’s a feeling that people who have no family know, especially after retirement.”

Wow.  My friend’s comments put the busyness into perspective for me. I am needed, not only by my family, but by the Guild and my clients, by the women who listened to my talk. Being needed is a wonderful feeling, even if it is overwhelming at times.

Look again at the photo above. (This crowd represents less than half the number of CWG members). We currently have just over 600 members and yet less than three percent of our members step forward to volunteer. Do you want to feel needed? Remember…”being needed is almost as good as being loved.” Please consider volunteering for one of these essential positions!

CALA coordinator (Catholic Arts and Letter Award)
This is an awards contest held every other year.
Duties: Email judges in September to find out if they will judge another year and find new judges if necessary
Email all SoA FICTION recipients (email addresses will be provided) to invite them to submit their SoA books that were published in the two preceding years to the contest before January 31 of the award year
Mail books to judges
Send judging forms by email to judges
Follow up with judges
Collect forms and tally results

Publicity Coordinator
Write press releases and coordinator the Guild’s Social Media presence

Our live conference is approaching.  It will be held July 22-24, 2015 in Somerset, New Jersey. For more information or to register, here is the link:
www.catholicwritersconference.com

Or if you’re looking for something quieter, our Catholic Writers Retreat will be held Octber 25-29, 2015 at the St. Francis Retreat Center in Dewitt, Michigan. For registration, click on this link:
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=eKwj2NrM6vzT*Beln09Jpg#

If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to contact me: president(at)catholicwritersguild(dot)(com). (I won’t be answering emails during the Easter Triduum, but will respond by Easter Monday).

Wishing you all a blessed Holy Week,

In Jesus and Mary,

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, Catholic Writers Guild

From the President’s Desk – January 23, 2015

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photo copyright 2014 Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo copyright 2014 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Happy New Year to all new and long-time members of the Catholic Writers Guild!

For the past month, I’ve been busy sending out invoices to members who are not on auto-renew through PayPal. Many of these emails are coming back as undeliverable. To ensure that we have your most up-to-date email address, could you please send it to me: president(at)catholicwritersguild(dot)com.

If you haven’t paid in a while, you should have already received an invoice by now. The dues have increased to $40 a year for those of you who are not paying automatically through PayPal. If you haven’t received an invoice, we may not have your most recent email address.

Are you on Facebook? Please ask to be added to our members-only Facebook group! Lots going on there!

As always, we have a few volunteer positions opening up. The Catholic Arts and Letters Award committee and the Catholic Book News committee are in need of volunteers. We may also have an opening on the Seal of Approval committee within the next month or so. If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact me at the email above.

In personal news, today is my fourth son’s 19th birthday. A child’s birthday is always something to celebrate. When it comes to my two youngest sons’ birthdays, however, I always feel a special joy in my heart because we were told (ordered!) not to get pregnant after I nearly died from complications of an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy when my third son was 10 months old. In fact, one of the doctors strongly urged me to have my remaining tube “tied.” I refused. As faithful Catholics, my husband and I have only ever used natural family planning to avoid pregnancy. The decision to be open to having more children was not one that my husband and I made lightly, but it is a decision that we have never regretted. Read more about it here in a blog post from 2011. (And this post might be especially pertinent given Pope Francis’ recent statements on Responsible Parenthood…)

As always, if you have any concerns, comments or questions, please feel free to email me:
president(at) catholicwritersguild(dot)com

Ad Jesum per Mariam,

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President

Catholic Writers Conference, July 29-August 1, 2014

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EWTN Bookmark interviews at the CWG Booth

EWTN Bookmark interviews at the CWG Booth

Headed for Catholic Writers Conference next week? Are you excited? You should be! Take a look at this photo to get a sense of the energy and opportunities that await! What an opportunity to rub shoulders with industry professionals, to put names and personalities to folks you’ve met online, to renew friendships, and to network. This is a once in a lifetime experience; make the most of it. There will never be another gathering of exactly the same people at this point in their faith and writing journeys. Truly you are in Chicago, Illinois, because God has called you to be there!

Each of you has a specific reason for attending, a goal you hope to accomplish. If this is your first conference experience, the coming days are likely to be a roller coaster of euphoria juxtaposed with self doubt. Be assured that you are not the only one grappling with these feelings. I hope this knowledge translates into a greater sense of ease in a new and sometimes intimidating environment. Here are some words of advice (of wisdom, too, hopefully!) for both newbies and veterans, for authors, for agents, and for editors, geared toward making this conference the best it can be for everyone:

1) Everyone’s goals are the same, ultimately. Editors want to find the next diamond of a manuscript to publish. Agents want to discover the next author whose career they can guide to new heights. Authors want to find a publisher and/or agent to promote their awesome work. And in this particular setting, all of these people want to serve God with their talents and gifts in the way that pleases Him the most.

When viewed through that prism, competition loses the edge of greed and rejection loses its sting. We’re all on the same side, and God’s looking out for the good of each person’s life and career. This doesn’t mean you should fail to promote your product, just that there is no need for fear. Which brings us to the next point.

2) Be confident. You have something no one else does: your voice, and your work. These are gifts that God has given you, gifts that you have honed with hard work and prayer. No one can duplicate your contribution. Take heart in that fact, and know that your work will find its home. Maybe through this conference; maybe not – which leads to…

3) Don’t take rejection personally. Sometimes it just isn’t a good fit for the publisher or agent. Imagine a library with thousands of books. You have three days to find the best two. You will have to create a system to sort and discard the ones that aren’t suitable for your purpose. Do you see that many wonderful, deserving books will be overlooked? This does not reflect on the worthiness of each one, the same way it does not reflect on your particular project. And in today’s climate, many options are available. So…

4) Be open. There are many possibilities that we may not recognize in our limited, human view. Be open to new ideas, new directions, new options. You may discover a brand new path, or even a calling! You may discover it through…

5) Networking. This is the whole purpose of a conference. Meet people! Ask them what they write, who they want to represent, what they want to publish. Have a brief answer ready when others ask you these questions. (I write ____ and my current project is about ____.)

This is a remarkably small community, and the contacts you make in the next few days will serve you for your entire career. Do not discount the importance of these interactions. They are crucial for your success. But remember…

6) Be nice. This should go without saying, especially in this setting, but we are human and sometimes we need to be reminded. Keep your comments positive; you never know who might overhear or repeat something you said in a frustrated or disappointed moment. Again, this is a remarkably small community even though it may not seem that way.

Also, restrict your interactions to appropriate venues. Don’t try to pitch to an agent or publisher in the restroom, or shove your manuscript under the door of the stall. I have seen the first and have heard of the second, so these are not as far-fetched as they seem. Be considerate of folks. If the target of your interest has a headache or gets a pained look on their face when you approach, be brief. Introduce yourself and say you’d like to send them a query if that is acceptable; believe me, they will remember and appreciate your kindness. And that goes a long way. Which leads to the last point…

7) Be yourself. This may call for leaving your comfort zone, though. If you tend to be shy (many writers are!) push yourself to be more sociable. It’s not hard; smile and ask people around you about themselves. You’ll be glad you did. If you are an extrovert, recognize your tendency to overshadow the more timid among us and let them shine, too.

8) Use social media to keep the non-conference-goers among us updated! There’s the CWG Facebook page and your personal Facebook/Twitter, etc. accounts. The ripple effect can be unlimited. Share the love!

I hope each one of you has a wonderful experience at the Catholic Writers Conference! And… Oops! I forgot the most important words of advice! HAVE FUN!

Seal of Approval 3rd Quarter 2013 Notice

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We will NOT be accepting Seal of Approval applications for 3rd Quarter 2013.

In the last six months, we have lost two volunteers on the Seal of Approval Committee. In addition, we’ve been experiencing an increase in submissions.

We’re working on restructuring the back end. We have put a few things in place, including a limit on the number of titles an author can submit each quarter as well as a limit to the total number of submissions we’ll accept. We’ll be employing a waiting list in the future.

If you’re interested in being an evaluator for the Seal of Approval process, we’d love to have you. Evaluating includes:

  • Reading at least one book a quarter;
  • Determining whether a book is appropriate to be sold in a Catholic bookstore;
  • Determining whether a book has earned the Seal based on being true to the teachings of the Magisterium;
  • Assessing whether a book needs further editing to bear the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval; and
  • Completing the SOA Evaluation form and submitting it by the deadline stated to evaluators.

The purpose of the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval is to help Catholic bookstores and venues in their determination of the Catholicity of a work. This reassurance from a professional organization can assist authors in marketing and promoting their works to Catholic bookstores.

For more information, feel free to contact me directly. I’m going to be contacting a few people personally to try and flesh out the committee vacancies before 4th Quarter submissions begin in September. I will also be contacting the current evaluators to touch base and make sure we’re all on the same page with expectations.

Thanks for your support and prayers!

2013 Catholic Writers Conference Online CANCELED

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2012 proved to be a difficult year for many of us, and we’re sorry to have to begin 2013 on such a sad note.  Circumstances beyond our control have caused us to cancel the Catholic Writers Conference Online, which was scheduled for March 4-15.  It was a combination of several factors, and not a decision reached lightly.  We had high hopes for this conference and some wonderful workshops planned, but alas, it was not meant to be.

We’d like to thank the generous people who volunteered to present and moderate at CWCO in March; it is through no fault of yours that the conference faltered this year.

In the meantime, we are still going ahead with the writers’ retreat October 13-17, 2013, at St. Francis Retreat Center, Dewitt MI.  The speakers will be Michelle Buckman, Al Kresta, Father Matthias Thelen, David Krajewski.  We are not sure of the fee yet, but will keep you informed.

In addition, we are also holding the Catholic Writers’ Conference Live on August 7-9, 2013 – Garden State Exhibition Center, Somerset, NJ.  We are in need of presenters, and thanks to a generous contribution, are able to pay small stipends to speakers this year.  Please contact Ann Lewis at treasurer(at)catholicwritersguild.com if interested.  We will also need volunteers, and as always, will provide hotel rooms and free admission.

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Eaton, IN 47338

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