Live Conference | Catholic Writers Guild

The Rebirth of Catholic Arts and Letters

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Opportunities

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 sponsorships@catholicwritersguild.com.

Volunteers

You can help the Guild by volunteering at our live conference. Stay tuned for volunteer needs!

Conference FAQ

Are you considering attending the conference for the first time? Learn more here.

Need help? Mailing List Member Help

Catholic Writers Conference Live 2023

The Catholic Writers Guild will hold its annual live conference Tuesday, May 30 - Thursday, June 1, 2023, in conjunction with the Association of Catholic Publishers meeting at the Holiday Inn O'Hare, 5615 N Cumberland Ave, Chicago, IL 60631.

We'll provide information on reserving through the ACP room block as soon as that's available.

Save the dates!

Conference Schedule:

Tuesday, May 30

12:30 - 1:00 Check-in

1:00 - 1:45 Opening Session (led by Antony Barone Kolenc and CWG Board members)

2:00 - 2:45 How to Sell Your Book Without Selling Your Soul (Lisa M. Hendey)

3:00 - 3:45 The Importance of the Best POV (Michelle Buckman)

4:00 - 4:45 A Crash Course in Course Creation (Erin McCole Cupp)

5:00 - 5:45 KEYNOTE: Write to Change the Culture (Alexis Walkenstein)

7:30 - 9:00 Fine-tune Your Elevator Pitch (Karina L. Fabian & Ann Margaret Lewis) - Erie Room, Second Floor

Wednesday, May 31

9:00 - 9:45 Nature Prompts: Seeding Your Writing Skills and Growing in Faith (Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB)

10:00 - 10:45 Panel: Self-Publishing (Moderator: Annie Harton; Panel: Kate Frantz, Maria Riley, Phillip Campbell, G.M. Baker)

11:00 - 11:45 Who Is Your Ideal Reader? (Stephanie Landsem)

12:00 - 1:00 Meals with Mentors

1:30 - 2:15 KEYNOTE: Beyond the Memoir: Turning Life Experiences into Books That Help Others (Vinita Hampton Wright)

2:30 - 3:15 How Being Trendy Builds Engagement (Allison Gingras)

3:30 - 4:15 Panel: Traditional Publishing (Moderator: Amanda Lauer; Panel: Antony Barone Kolenc; Amy Cattapan; Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB; and Ann Margaret Lewis)

4:30- 5:15 Becoming a Resilient Writer (Jennifer Thomas)

5:30 - 6:00 Closing Session & Book Raffle

Thursday, June 1

8:00 - 12:00 Pitch sessions - Erie, Ontario, & Huron Rooms, Second Floor (by appointment only)

All talks will be held in the Superior Ballroom with the exception of the Fine-Tune Your Elevator Pitch on Tuesday evening, which will be in the Erie Room on the second floor. This session is for those who will be pitching book ideas on Thursday morning.

First-page critiques (by appointment only) will be held in the Huron & Erie Rooms. Those who have signed up and paid for a first pages critique will be emailed their time and location.

Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning and afternoon, the Ontario room will be open as a Hospitality Room. Stop by to grab a little refreshment and chat with your author friends.

To see the floor plan, check out the Conference FAQ.

Registration fee (includes boxed lunch on Wednesday):

CWG Members $100

Nonmembers: $140

The CWG has been a blessing at both local and national levels. With the encouragement and support from you, I have truly grown as a fledgling writer. I look forward to next year! Paula Babadi

Through all this week's seminars I was so encouraged by such friendly members, and especially the liberty to express our faith throughout the writing process. Colleen Blevins