Volunteer Drive: Publicity

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CWG MEMBERS ONLY: This is the next in series of activities the Guild does, and that it needs volunteers to help with. The CWG wants to be a force for promoting quality Catholic works–and quality works by Catholics. Won’t you give of your time and talent for this worthy endeavor? If the program below doesn’t appeal to you, but you want to help, check out the other programs here.

We are starting at ground zero on this one. Right now, our publicity efforts have been haphazard at best. However, the wonderful Clare Bills has agreed to start by being out press release person. She also wants to brainstorm with other committees about coordinating efforts. Right now, however, she needs

Contact lists: Do you have a Catholic contact list you’d be willing to share? Maybe for magazines, podcasters, reviewers, etc? If so, pass them on to clarebills(at)live.com.

A Social Media Marketer: Clare has a of expertise to share in the realm of traditional publicity. However, she is not yet up to speed on harnessing the social media phenomenon. Someone with that expertise would be a great help.

A Crew: People who will send out press releases, call radio stations, process publicity requests, etc. We’re only talking about promoting the Guild activities, but you can use the knowledge and resources you gain here to help your own publicity efforts.

Contact Karina Fabian karina(at)fabianspace.com if you can help.

Volunteer Drive: Inside the CWG Newsletter

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CWG MEMBERS ONLY: This is the next in series of activities the Guild does, and that it needs volunteers to help with. The CWG wants to be a force for promoting quality Catholic works–and quality works by Catholics. Won’t you give of your time and talent for this worthy endeavor? If the program below doesn’t appeal to you, but you want to help, check out the other programs here.

Inside the CWG is our monthly newsletter. It’s grown into a great source of information about the Guild and has some great marketing tips, too. However, Maria Rivera, our intrepid editor-in-chief needs:

WRITERS: folks to do regular columns, book reports/critiques, once-in-a-while columns, etc. This is a once-a-month commitment for a short article (500 words or less)
EDITORS: Folks who can look the final over for typos, etc.
LAYOUT: Someone familiar with HTML to codify the document. (It’s simple stuff, mostly links and bold-italics and such)

For more information, contact Maria Rivera at mariarr(at)wi.rr.com

Volunteer Drive: CWG Guest Chats

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CWG MEMBERS ONLY: This is the next in series of activities the Guild does, and that it needs volunteers to help with. The CWG wants to be a force for promoting quality Catholic works–and quality works by Catholics. Won’t you give of your time and talent for this worthy endeavor? If the program below doesn’t appeal to you, but you want to help, check out the other programs here.

One Sunday a month, we have a guest speaker attend out online chat. They talk about their books, publishing, or some other aspect of writing. This is a great way to meet some wonderful people!

Theresa Henderson is the fearless leader, but she would like the following.

An Assistant: This person would help her in

1. seeking our people to come to the chats (We have a list of presenters to contact and are glad to seek more.)
2. getting their bios
3. sending out the notice (We have a template you fill out and send to the people listed)
4. send a reminder e-mail to the guest of honor
5. send a thank-you note to the guest afterward

We also need moderators for these chats. They run very much like the CWCO chats.

If interested, contact Theresa Henderson at steve_and_theresa(at)yahoo.com

Volunteer Drive: Catholic Writers Conference Live

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CWG MEMBERS ONLY: This is the next in series of activities the Guild does, and that it needs volunteers to help with. The CWG wants to be a force for promoting quality Catholic works–and quality works by Catholics. Won’t you give of your time and talent for this worthy endeavor? If the program below doesn’t appeal to you, but you want to help, check out the other programs here.

The Catholic Writers Conference Live is is one of our biggest events. Not only do we provide valuable information and networking to authors, but we provide a Guild face to publishers and bookstore owners at the accompanying Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. This is BIG, and we will need help before, during and after the conference. The conference is August 2-5 at Valley Forge, PA. We need helpers both now and/or during the conference. Many folks who have helped with this conference came away with new friends, new writing and marketing opportunities, and even new writing contracts.

The Laudable Laura Lower will coordinate volunteers this year. If you are attending the conference and want to help, please go here to sign up: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GVSVRSL

NEED NOW AND DURING CONFERENCE:

The Excellent Ellen Gable Hrkach will again coordinate the booth on the trade show floor. Here is where we contact publishers, wholesalers and bookstore owners. She needs an assistant coordinator for the booth. This person will assist Ellen Hrkach in evaluating books that have been asked to be part of the booth to ensure they do not contradict Catholic principles. Contact Ellen at ellengablehrkach(at)gmail.com

LOCAL TO VALLEY FORGE? We will need someone to buy some supplies, get us a coffee urn (borrowing if possible), etc. The Guild will reimburse and get you access to our Sam’s or Costco membership.

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE:

–Someone to schedule book signings. This person will take names of members who want to do a signing and make a schedule for the booth.
–Someone to create a schedule we can put in the CMN program brochure.
–Someone to print items for the booth–this varies from brochures to business cards to cover art or other art for the booth. The Guild will reimburse you for printing costs.

DURING THE CONFERENCE:

Booth Set-up/Tear down the booth: We have a fabulous booth and CMN gives us a terrific spot each year. This is done on Tuesday afternoon, so you’d need to come to the conference a day early. Tear down is usually after the last day of the conference. It’s a lot of fun–sometimes, we get free stuff from the other booths that don’t want to deal with carrying stock home!
People to man the booth: You will watch the booth, talk to people about the Guild, man the coffee pot, keep things neat, etc.
People to work with the authors at the book signing: You’ll make sure they have a sign and pens, and make an announcement over the PA system.
Technical Assistant: To handle AV equipment for presentations
Presenter Aids: You will make sure presenters are at their classroom on time, lead the group in a short prayer and introduce the presenter. You may also get supplies (pens etc) and water for presenters.

Volunteer Drive: List of Programs

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Have we really been around only five years? The Guild started out as a small group of folks on Yahoo that wanted to do something more than chat about writing. They wanted to band together to become a force for Catholic writing and Catholic writers–and to help themselves in the process.

In just those few short years, we went from a chatty Yahoo group to a national non-profit corporation that hosts two conferences a year, runs two newsletters (one for members and one for bookstores and readers), has a process to evaluate the Catholicity of a book (the Seal of Approval), and even has a national award–the Catholic Arts and Letters Award, which will be given out at the live conference in August. Just as nice: Probably 20 people or more can attribute their book contracts or writing gigs to something they’ve done in the Guild. And we’ve done all of this on a shoestring budget.

How are we doing this? Volunteers. People who give of their time and talent to make these things happen. We are growing, and the demands are growing, too. We need more folks helping out, even if only a task or two a month.

Why volunteer? It is work, and we know folks are busy. However, volunteering gets you a lot of benefits, too:

–Making friends: Our volunteers band together on and off the project. I’ve made some of my best friends in the Guild.
–Networking: Working with the Guild can give you a way to make contact with publishers, other writers, and folks in other areas of publishing. Several of our volunteers have found this foot in the door helpful. (Like I said–writing gigs have come about as a direct result of Guild work!)
–The satisfaction of being part of something bigger than yourself. The Guild is going to be a force, not just for writing, but for promoting our faith. What a mission! We are doing God’s work on earth.

What do you need to volunteer?

–DEDICATION: We don’t need folks to volunteer a lot of time, but we do need to know that if you volunteer for a task you will complete it or get help if needed. Most tasks take less than an hour a week, or are a once in a while thing.
–Eyes, ears, a computer with internet access and a phone. Very few of our volunteer tasks need special skills, and we are willing to train folks for specific tasks as needed.

Where do we need volunteers? Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sending out information on the various programs and projects we have, and what kind of help we need, both on the new CWG blog (http://blog.catholicwritersguild.com) and via direct mail. Please be on the lookout for them, and if interested, contact the program coordinator. However, here are the absoluter basics: If you are willing to help now and want to contact me directly, please do so at karina(at)fabianspace.com.

Seal of Approval: Needs a coordinator to take half the books; readers to evaluate the books. To help with the Seal of Approval, contact Sarah Reinhard at sarah(at)snoringscholar.com
CWG Chats: An assistant coordinator to find and schedule special guests once a month; moderators to run chat (like at CWCO). If interested, contact Theresa Henderson at steve_and_theresa(at)yahoo.com
Inside the CWG: Reporters; editors; layout person (layout person must know HTML): Contact Maria Rivera at mariarr(at)wi.rr.com
Publicity: We’re just putting this committee together, so we need leaders; people to contact the media; people to compile contact lists, etc. Contact Karina Fabian at karina(at)fabianspace.com
Facebook: Some folks to post news; ask folks to “like” the pages or follow our blog. Contact Karina at karina(at)fabianspace.com
CWG Wiki: To be a list of articles specifically about Catholic writers. Need writers and editors and fact-checkers. If interested, contact Dave Law at davealaw(at)shaw.ca
Volunteer Coordinator: Someone(s) to contact new members and get them involved, track and fill needs of committees. If interested, please contact Karina Fabian karina(at)fabianspace.com
CWG Blog: Glad to take more guest bloggers. Contact Jennifer at currentresident(at)fitzes.com.
Catholic Writers Conference Live/Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: This is big and we have many needs both before and after the conference. Contact Ann Lewis at annlewis(at)joesystems.com.

If you aren’t sure how you can help, please check the blog each Thursday for our call for volunteers. I will be posting more detailed duties and needs. We can do so much for Catholic writing if we work together–and you can benefit personally as well!

What’s Up, CWG?

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Happy Friday! I am so looking forward to the weekend, but there’s always so much to do–and it starts with telling all of you about the exciting stuff going on with CWG!

We had our officer’s meeting last night–what a crazy thing that was! You’d think getting 5 people together would be easy, but not with our schedules! Here’s what kept some of us going until nearly midnight:

We are hosting a Catholic Writers’ Retreat October 5-9 in DeWitt, Michigan. We’re still working the price with the St. Francis Retreat Center, but we have a draft program set up. Pat Gohn, Claudia Volkman, Father Charlie Irvin, Fr. Joe Krupp, and Father David Bosenberg will have workshops on faith in writing, and how faith inspires writing. There will be ample time to write and regular critique sessions. This is an intense workshop with limited attendance. We’ll be sending out a notice when we get things finalized, but in the meantime, mark the dates!

We are working on a Members-Only page for the website where we will post such things as useful mailing lists, copies of the newsletter Funds for Writers, and other goodies just for Guildies!

Incidentally, as many of you have noted, our website is difficult to navigate. We want to hire a professional company to revamp it, but that takes money. We’ve decided to start by asking for donations. We’ll let you know when we get that set up. We’ll also be doing some raffles and other fundraisers. We figure we need at least $2000 to get a really rocking site that will be easy for members to navigate–and take some of the pressure off those working the back-end.

We’re planning an essay contest! Guildie Maria Rivera has wanted to do this for a long time. The topic is “How to promote a Pro-Life culture” and it will have a $10 entry fee, but pay prizes to the top three winners–plus up to seven will be in an e-book the Guild will publish. We’re just working details now, and plan to start the contest around August, so get your ideas brewing. If you would like to help judge, please comment on this blog.

We want to recognize Jennifer Fitz and Sarah Reinhard for starting this amazing blog! KUDOS!

The Catholic Arts and Letters Award for 2011 is in the judging stage. Thanks to the amazing folks who made this happen!

The Seal of Approval program has been going well, but we’ve also learned a lot in the process. We made a couple of changes to the judging criteria, and have decided to make a couple of standards a little more stringent as well. Stay tuned and be sure to check out the website for current guidelines when submitting.

Finally, the topic dearest to my heart. We do a lot in this guild, and want to do more, but we need more helpers. Right now, about 15 people are handling a dozen projects of national scope–and usually are involved in several. We need some leaders, but we also need some worker-bees: folks who will read a book, do a mail-out, contact an individual, write a short article or press release… If we get more folks doing just one task a week–a month!–we would relieve some pressure. I’ll do a separate blog on this next week, but if you want to help, just comment below!

Our meetings always begin and end with a prayer. Please know that we pray for all of you–for your writing successes and that you may always stay close to God the Inspirer.

Blessings,
Karina

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P.O. Box 77
Eaton, IN 47338

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