September 2022 News: Resources and Opportunities for CWG Members

As the days in my part of the world grow shorter and the nighttime temperatures cooler, I’m mourning the end of summer. If it could stay another month, that would suit me just fine. Still, the advent of autumn brings with it a dose of nostalgia. I think many writers appreciate memories of breaking open new textbooks, sharpening #2 pencils, and replenishing stationery supplies. A new school year is a little like a blank page, waiting to be filled.

I’m reminded of the excitement I felt in third grade as a couple friends and I filled our own blank pages with a a short mystery we wrote and illustrated. “Chrissy Cygococo and the Case of the Missing Jewelry Box” remains, mercifully, unpublished. It was, however, immediately adapted as a play and performed for Mrs. Mehalcik’s class at St. Luke School.

Do you remember the excitement you felt when you completed a creative project? Maybe writing. Maybe something else. Maybe it was many, many moons ago. Maybe it was last week. Whenever it was, I hope that this season brings you the satisfaction of using your God-given talents and skills to create. If in the process, you sniff a rubber eraser or an old book, for old time’s sake, I won’t tell.

Searching for a little creative boost? We’ve got something to get the creative juices going, below.

Speaking of creative juices, thank you to everyone who responded to our poll regarding conference and retreat options for 2023. Votes for a conference tied to the Association of Catholic Publishers meeting in late May in the Chicago area narrowly exceeded votes for the retreat options.

So, look for more in the coming months on the May 2023 conference and news about a retreat later in 2023.

Catholic Writing Prompts:
Let’s create some!

A while back, we received an email request from a member for Catholic writing prompts. Not finding any online or among our membership, it seems like a simple creative resource we could provide – together!

Each member is invited to contribute up to four writing prompts – two fiction, two nonfiction.

We’ll share these prompts on our website. And, depending on volunteer support and response, we may share these on social media. They could also be used for flash fiction contests. What do you think?

Use this Google form to submit your prompts.

Thank you to the many members who logged in and renewed last month! If you haven’t yet done so, please do.

In a couple of weeks, we’ll be sending out the member and clergy discount codes for the Catholic Writers Conference Online in February 2023. (See below.) Codes will be shared with active members only, so please be sure your membership is up to date!

By renewing your membership, not only do you benefit, but you support the Guild’s goals as we seek to offer more and better opportunities for you, such as awards, retreats, conferences, and an upgraded website.

Renew your membership at this link.

Conference registration

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 editors to edit one or more article per month or to join our substitute editor team.

Substitute editors are available to consider covering for regularly scheduled editors when needed. If you are interested in being one of our editors, or writing for the blog, please contact blog@catholicwritersguild.com.

Thank you!

Opportunities

Occasionally the Guild receives email messages from businesses and ministries seeking our writers’ services. I’ll share these here for our members to contact directly.

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Discover Publications is developing a monthly publication for evangelization via direct-mail distribution and is looking for freelance writers to take assignments of various lengths (350 to 1,500 words).

Writers should be well-catechized and doctrinally orthodox. We
want to discuss the Catholic reasoning behind the Church’s formal teachings on “controversial” issues so prevalent today such as abortion, LGB, transgenderism, CRT, divorce, etc.

Writers must be facile with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Code of Canon Law to be able to cite them as authoritative.

Compensation in the $100 – $300 range.

Leo Zupan
Publisher (and Catholic Writers Guild member)
Discover Publications
Leo.zupan@discoverpubs.com

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Job: Business Writing Course Designer/Developer
Description: Create asynchronous online business writing courses for online career resource company for high school students
Qualifications: Required: Past experience with creating online courses and experience with resume writing, interoffice communications, college application writing, and scholarship application writing.
Pay: Negotiable
To learn more, contact: Walter Crawford at wcrawford@goodcounselcareers.com

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 checking your junk or spam folder before resending your message.

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

Seal of Approval

The Seal of Approval application opens for the 1st quarter on Monday, January 16, 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.

Application dates for 2023:

Mon., January 16
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.