April 2011 – Catholic Writers Guild

The CWG Booth at the CMN Trade Show

April 29, 2011/2 Comments/in CWG member benefits/by Karina Fabian

As Karina has already stated previously, Fridays are reserved for CWG board members. I’m the CWG Vice President, but I am also the editor of the Catholic Book News and the CWG booth organizer for the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show, which will be held in conjunction with the Catholic Writers Conference Live from Wednesday, August 3 to Friday, August 5. The image above is from the 2009 Trade Show.

For the past several years, the CWG has participated in the Trade Show with a booth which displays many of our members’ books. I organize the booth, arrange book signings, meet people and enjoy the fellowship of other Catholic writers.

If you have written a book which you would like to display at the CMN Trade Show, please email me at ellengablehrkach(at)gmail.com. You don’t have to be in attendance to have your book displayed, but your book must either have the CWG Seal of Approval (or an imprimatur) OR it must be approved by one of our readers before it can be displayed. Deadline for book approval is June 1st. Books which already have been approved for the booth last year will be considered “approved” this year.

Keep in mind that the CWG Booth is there to promote the collective works of all our members and not just one particular member. Last year we had 20 authors who participated in book signings and more than 20 additional authors and presenters displaying books.

If you have written a book and would like submit your book for the CWG Seal of Approval, check out the CWG website. Each book which receives the Seal of Approval is showcased in a future issue of the Catholic Book News. The SOA is an award you can use to promote your book, increase visibility and sales. (The absolute deadline for consideration for the SoA before the conference is June 1 for e-mailed submissions and postmarked by May 15 for snail-mailed submissions. No exceptions.)

Only member books are displayed at the booth.

Ellen Gable Hrkach is an award-winning novelist and editor of the soon-to-be published “Come My Beloved: Inspiring Stories of Catholic Courtship.” Her blog is called Plot Line and Sinker. She lives with her husband and five sons in Pakenham, Ontario Canada.

Volunteer Drive: Seal of Approval

April 28, 2011/2 Comments/in Catholic Writers Guild/by Karina Fabian

CWG MEMBERS ONLY: This is the first of a 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.

Seal of Approval:

This is a BIG project for the Guild. Not only are we providing a perk for marketing, but we are developing relationships between the Guild and bookstores. However, as this has increased in numbers applying, Sarah Reinhard, the hardworking coordinator, is getting overwhelmed as are the small core of readers. Here’s what Sarah needs:

A SECOND COORDINATOR TO SHARE THE LOAD: You two would decide how to split the load of applicants. Here’s the process Sarah follows:

1. Receive the application via email. (Though some applications come via hard-copy in the mail.)
2. Gather information into email, send to distribution list of possible reviewers.
3. Enter information into spreadsheet (which I can share with you if you’d like, it’s a Google Doc) as reviewers reply.
4. Send appropriate electronic copies OR contact submitter with addresses of those who get hard copies.
5. Track down reviewers to find out if they have finished reading the book (this is what leaves things lingering; some people take the full 60 days, or find out halfway through that they can’t do it. Also, there are the times that people raise questions/concerns about aspects of the book and I then contact Father Pat Toner, who’s my “is it okay theologically etc” expert.
6. Once I have the responses from reviewers, send letter to submitter confirming or denying.
7. Copy Margot Davidson on that email if it’s an award letter, because she takes care of sending them the actual seals.
8. Once a month, I send an email of all the SOA titles awarded to Maria and a few other folks (Ann, Ellen, Jennifer Gladen, Margot, you, Ann).
9. Rinse and repeat.
Sarah wants four volunteers who are well-versed in Catholic teachings to be a core go-to group for when a reader has concerns about a book. These people would read the book and make a final decision.

WE ALSO NEED READERS! This is your chance to get free books! You just need to read them for their Catholicity and minimum quality standards. (We are not a critique group, but if a book is so badly edited that it would embarrass the Guild to approve it, we will reject on those grounds.) Sarah sends out a call for readers. You pick what you’d like, send back a request (and whether you want it electronic or print.) You do not have to read all the books! Once you read it, you fill out the judging sheet, send it in–and that’s it! The book is yours to do with as you will. (except resell on eBay.)

To help with the Seal of Approval, contact Sarah Reinhard at sarah(at)snoringscholar.com

"Enjoy em while they’re little"

April 27, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Karina Fabian

When my oldest was a rambunctious toddler, I always groaned inwardly when a well-meaning matron would advise me, “Enjoy her while she’s little!”

Easy for HER to say, I’d fume, she’s probably forgotten the intricacies of enjoyment.

Now, a few years and a couple of kids later, I have a glimpse of just what those well-meaning matrons meant.

Enjoying is a choice, and it’s not always an easy one. In the face of spilled milk, spit-up green beans, and a gallon of water you-don’t-wanna-know-where, you can laugh or you can scream. You can see the opportunity for grace in action or you can berate the circumstances that aligned to ruin your moment.

I’ve found the same to be true of blogging. At first, your blog’s a new baby, perfect in every way. Ten fingers, ten toes. Look how it smiles and shimmers!

And then come the sleepless nights: you don’t wanna keep writing, you can’t think of anything clever, and it’s starting to feel suspiciously like work.

I often wonder if people know how I long for older children. Being told to enjoy my kids while they’re little is like advising a cat lover to curl up with a Jack Russell.

Even so, there are fleeting moments and things I find myself forgetting. There are treasures waiting to be stored and shared thanks to the little people in my life.

Don’t forget, when the shine starts to wear off of your blog, that you should still be enjoying it and that enjoying it is a choice you can make. Do you need to rework your topics? Do you need to spruce things up, invite some folks to guest post, take a little breather?

Don’t give up on your blog. Enjoy it, whether it’s little or not.
—
Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, and certifiably addicted blogger who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

Busting Writer’s Block

April 26, 2011/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Karina Fabian

Last week, I talked about writer’s block being a lie that keeps writers from their dreams because it hides the real reason writers don’t produce:

1. Intimidation
2. Sloth
3. Perfectionism
4. Guilt
5. Rather talk about being a writer than write

Regardless of the reason, hiding behind writer’s block will stop you from doing what you want to do–write! Here are some tips for busting the lie of writer’s block.

#1 Sh**y First Drafts. In her book, Bird by Bird, Anne Lamont talks about giving herself permission to write a “sh***y first draft.” The idea is that you can always fix your prose, your story, your characters—but only if write it out first.

This is the best advice I can give someone who feels intimidated by the task or shackled with expectations of perfectionisn. Give yourself permission to write tripe. Order yourself to put words to paper (or to the screen), even if (as one presenter at CWCO put it), you end up with a virtual “steaming pile.” When you are done. If you let yourself–make yourself–do this, one of three things will happen:

1. You will discover you wrote better than you expected.
2. You will write junk that you can fix.
3. You will burn part of all of the work in the name of public safety, but you will have written. And havin written once, the next time will be easier. There is a saying that the first million words you write are practice.

A last note on this–resist the urge to edit while you are writing. Make notes if needed, but get the entire thing written unless you already know you can finish the task.

#2 BICHOK: Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard: You cannot be a writer unless you write. You can make writing a habit.

This is hard. Remember my analogy last week that plumbers don’t get plumber’s block? If they did, they don’t get paid. Ditto the reporter–reporters don’t get writer’s block. No work=no pay.

Many of us aren’t there yet, however, so we need other ways to motivate ourselves. Maybe write 20 minutes, then play a game? Go out to dinner when you finish that novel? Have a special place to write–or leave your house until you have the habit. Some authors make mock-ups of their covers to motivate them. Others take their day’s goals before the Blessed Sacrament. Find what motivates you and do it.

#3 Set realistic goals. This helps Guilt as well as Sloth. If you are busy and writing is a sideline, developing the habit is more important than the actual number of words you produce. For an example, when I still had a baby and a toddler and homeschooled my older two, my goal was simply “one sentence before bed.” Now, with older kids in public school, I can devote a few hours a day. In both instances, I kept a habit of writing.

#4 Don’t control your creativity. Perfectionists hesitate to start a project until they think they are completely ready to do it. Those who are intimidated worry that their creative ability isn’t up to the job. Others find a story stalls because the characters won’t do what they want them to do. Some would-be writers never get past the research stage.

Let go and let flow! You can’t always control the direction of the creative process. Let your characters lead you in the story. Start writing that article and discover what the Holy Spirit (or your subconscious) drives you to write. Stop researching, outlining, profiling, and write. If you run into a fact or a question or a scene you’re not sure of, just flag it and move on.

#5 Stuck, still? Take a break and write something else. Can’t figure out the next chapter? Skip it or write a different scene with the character–or a character interview. Can’t figure out the next chapter on your book? Write a related article. Start a new project if you like, but remember to come back to the original one and finish it.

Writing is 10 percent creativity and 90 percent productivity. Even more, when creativity stalls, productivity can get it started again. The lie of writer’s block, however, can stop you from seeing that.

Got questions or a comment on writer’s block? Post them. I’ll answer as best I can, and maybe blog again on it next month.

Volunteer Drive: List of Programs

April 25, 2011/2 Comments/in CWG Needs Volunteers/by Karina Fabian

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 (https://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!

The Lie of Writer’s Block

April 19, 2011/1 Comment/in Uncategorized/by Karina Fabian

Has your plumber ever canceled an appointment because “the pipes aren’t talking to me?” Have you ever heard of an architect who wouldn’t finish designing a building because he’s not “feeling it”? Yet the most common reason writers give for not writing is “writer’s block.”

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I see writer’s block as a socially accepted lie that keeps writers from achieving their goals. Sound harsh? Consider this:

Benjamin Franklin said invention is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. The same holds true for writing, I believe: 10 percent creativity, and 90 percent productivity. Even more, the simple act of writing can inspire greater creativity. However, writer’s block disregards the 90 percent and places undue importance on the small percentage of the writing act.

So what really causes writers to stare at the blank screen for hours before turning with disgust to Facebook or YouTube?

#1 Intimidation. A blank page is intimidating. Having a whole story perfect in your mind except for that first sentence is intimidating. Taking on a project you feel will bring people closer to God is intimidating. Sometimes, just the throught that strangers will read your blog is intimidating.

What happens when you are intimidated? You freeze. But instead of recognizing that fear and meeting it head on, writers say they are “blocked” and don’t address the issue.

#2 Sloth. Writing is work, but too often, writers, especially new writers, believe that if they are truly inspired, the words will flow from their mind to the keyboard. When that doesn’t happen, it’s easy to claim “writer’s block.”

#3 Perfectionism (or the need for excellence right off): This, to me, ties into both intimidation and sloth. It’s the idea that if you are “truly a writer,” then each sentence comes out as perfect. If not, you are a failure as a writer. Who wants to face that? Easier to say you’re “blocked.”

It’s also the trap of believing you have to have everything perfect–from your research to your carefully mapped plot and characters–before you can even start.

#4 Guilt. This especially happens to those who are not making a living off their writing. Getting published is a long, slow process, and you can’t wait for a contract before you write your book or story. Yet it’s hard to justify taking time “away” from family, the house, social or charitable obligations. (What kind of mother, after all, would forego a PTA meeting to work on her sci-fi novel?)

Recently, a friend told me about a “writer” who complained of writers block for a year and a half. He got lots of sympathy, but never produced anything. Some people choose to talk about being a writer instead of confronting the realities of writing. Writer’s block provides an easy way to do that.

Don’t let writer’s block keep you from your dreams.

Next week, we’ll talk about ways to break writers’ block.

What’s Up, CWG?

April 15, 2011/2 Comments/in Catholic Writers Guild, CWG Needs Volunteers/by Karina Fabian

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

Coming Up with Blogging Content

April 13, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Karina Fabian

“How do you write so much?”

Usually, answering this by saying that I either (a) have to keep the voices in my head quiet or (b) that I have a lot to say doesn’t satisfy the people asking.

So here you go. Here’s the secret to how I come up with content: People, Life, and Books.

People:
I have three kids. They are a great source for blogging material, especially the resident preschooler.

That said, other people in my life often inspire me, though I will often be careful of identifying characteristics. Paying attention to the people in my life has been the lifeblood of much of my writing, but then, I’m a people person.

Who’s in your life to inspire you, to make you think, to serve as a writing prompt?

Life:
I live in the country, so nature is at my fingertips. My old farmhouse seems to be an ideal stopping place for lots of little flying insects, including wasps. My pets and livestock seem to have almost as endless a supply of antics as my preschooler.

And then there are the sunsets, the odd moments of driving or parking or just being, the duties of my vocation.

What’s your life? Where do you live? What’s your work? How can you turn something that’s ordinary into something that’s altogether different?

Books:
I’m happiest when my nose is in a book, so it’s natural that I blog about books–reviews, thoughts, excerpts, contests, lists. Books also give me ideas for my own writing, inspire me to deeper thought and contemplation on topics that I might never have approached on my own, and serve as a gateway to the world.

Do you have a hobby or a passion? How can you include it in your blogging?

YOUR TURN: Think of three things that can serve as a content base for your blogging efforts. I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, and certifiably addicted blogger who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

To Blog or Not To Blog

April 6, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Karina Fabian

At the Catholic Writers Conference Online, I led a chat called “Beyond the Blog.” It was great fun, and the discussion turned to how someone would know if they should or should not blog.

It seems that all writers think they must blog. After quite a few years as a blogger, I disagree. Loudly. Often. With a list in hand.

Blogging can take a lot of time. It can be tiresome. It can drag you down.

These are all reasons why I advise people (including writers) to discern carefully–and often, if you are blogging already–about whether it’s worth the investment.

In that chat a few weeks ago, someone asked me how they would know if they should blog or not. I started listing some of the indicators that would signal, to me, that blogging was a no-go. I’ll share them here, and invite you to add to them in the com-box.

1. You will get so obsessed you lose sight of your primary vocation.

2. You will not have ANY TIME for your regular writing.

3. You have NO INTEREST in it.

4. You will embarrass your family, yourself, or people you love (perhaps by sharing stories that you shouldn’t).

5. You feel like you can only do one thing well, and blogging ain’t it.

6. You don’t write well without an editor or editing help. (Maybe a group blog would be a better choice for you, or one where there is someone to guide your writing a bit.)

7. You will not be able to keep other commitments.

8. You can’t juggle things, such as the interactions that are part of the blogging realm.

9. You can’t keep up your own commitment to the blog

10. You will end up quitting

What would you add to this list of reasons not to blog?

The CWG Booth at the CMN Trade Show

Volunteer Drive: Seal of Approval

"Enjoy em while they’re little"

Busting Writer’s Block

Volunteer Drive: List of Programs

More Readers for Your Blog

The Lie of Writer’s Block

What’s Up, CWG?

Coming Up with Blogging Content

To Blog or Not To Blog

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