The Catholic Writers Guild

You know the adage, “Birds of a feather flock together?” It’s an old one. Ancient sayings last a long time because they are true. So if you are a writer, ask yourself, are you hanging out with other writers? The next step to getting over your insecurities is to do so. And the best way to meet other writers is to join a writers’ group. If you don’t know of one in your area, call your local library. They will know the nearest one.  If there isn’t one available via the library, call your nearest bookstore. If you live in some small town in the middle of nowhere, ask your nearest library if you can start one. Or call your parish and ask if you can start a local chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild.

Writing groups all have different formats. However, one of the most important points of a group is to offer gentle critique of your writing. You need to have a thick skin. Some authors are so sensitive and protective of their work that they become easily offended. It is as if their story is their baby. It is not. I always think that the criticism of your peers is great preparation for dealing with editors and publishers. If you think they are not going to change, edit, and turn-around your perfect piece of literature, you are wrong. Your work is always fluid, always in a state of flux. Once you, the writer, think it has reached the state of nirvana, you will find that it is surprisingly only the first stage for most pieces. All writers have their weaknesses. Some can write great descriptive settings but fall short when it comes to dialog. Others can create great characters, but create plots that are just not plausible. That is where your writing group’s critiques prepare you. It is your fellow writers who will help you hone your skills. Your group is also an invaluable source of information about publications, editors, and marketing.

A writing group brings you into relationship with like-minded people who all have a similar goal – getting published. I belong to a secular writing group that has facilitated great improvements in my work, taught me how to get published, and educated me about marketing. This group is made up of writers of all kinds of genres, which I think is invaluable. I hear stories about detectives and zombies. I listen to technical non-fiction articles. I blush during romance novels and shiver through horror novels. Each member’s writing gets equal play. We are not there to judge content. We are there to improve our writing. The group has a habit of spinning amateurs into published authors. We support each other, encourage each other, and promote each other. I have developed life-time friendships from this group and encourage you to find such a local group. Somehow, needing to share something with a group of friends who are anxiously awaiting your next chapter sparks your creative flow.

Another thing you need to do while accepting yourself as a professional writer is subscribe to some professional magazines.  I subscribe to Writer’s Digest and a number of literary magazines. They guide me and inspire me by making the mark I am trying to reach just a little higher. I also subscribe to magazines that publish my kind of writing. For me, that is Catholic and Christian magazines that publish tales in my genre. I never know when the publication will inspire me or even publish one of my works. There is nothing that makes you feel more like a professional than the arrival of a professional journal. So do some research and subscribe to a few magazines about writing or your genre.

Join a national organization. There are national groups for mystery, romance, Christian, and political writers. There are organizations for bloggers, short story authors, and non-fiction writers. Look up your genre and join an organization that fits. They hold conferences where you can usually ‘pitch’ to publishers or attend classes on marketing. They may hold retreats for intense honing of your skills. It helps you keep your pulse on what direction your readership is headed for.  You will learn what kind of works the publishers are searching for. It makes you a professional. Next week we’ll talk about more moves to help you realize who you are and who God created you to be.

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in NJ with her retired husband Michael. She has two grown children and two grandchildren. She is an award-winning novelist and writes a children’s series for Chesterton Press

Karen Boyce

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She is a mother and grandmother. She is the author of “The Sisters of the Last Straw” series published by Tan Books. You can see her work and learn more about her on her website: www,kkboyce.com