The award was also surprise — Doug Keck received the Catholic Arts and Letters Lifetime Acheivement award, presented by our president Ann Lewis this morning with the CMN.
Never surprising but always exciting: Eight publishers heard a full slate of authors’ pitches today, and many of the submissions were accepted for consideration! Nothing more fun than sitting at the registration desk over lunch, chatting about the future of a manuscript that’s moving on to the next step towards publication. Watch this space for more news in the months to come. There are a pile of good books in the works from CWG writers.
Wisdom in a multitude of counselors: Teresa Tomeo, Gail Coniglio, and the T-Team, walking us through the basics of PR — internet, radio, and three different 10 Stupid Things Authors Do to Make the Radio Host Hate You lists. Yep. Priceless.
A beautiful story: Collin Ray spoke this evening, and as soon his talk is uploaded, we’ll link it here. An absolutely magnificent, heartbreaking, and uplifting story of faith and the preciousness of every human life. If you have a chance to invite Collin to your diocese, do it. Outstanding.
Jennifer Fitz
Jennifer Fitz is the author of The How-to Book of Evangelization: Everything You Need to Know But No One Ever Taught You from Our Sunday Visitor and Classroom Management for Catechists from Liguori Publications. She writes about all things evangelization and discipleship at jenniferfitz.substack.com. For updates on where else to find her, visit JenniferFitz.com.
What I learned at the Catholic Writers Guild Live Conference
Listening to the presenters and learning from the writers, editors, publishers and bloggers at the Catholic Writers Guild and Catholic New Media Conferences was like trying to drink from a waterfall. The many educational and inspirational speakers were on fire with the joy of the Lord. The whole atmosphere was joyful, with mass everyday and a confessional and an adoration chapel set up near the conference rooms, not too close to the busy noise of the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show.
The homilies and instructional talks charged us to “Be not afraid” to share our faith and to call others closer to the Lord through the media. Now my heart tells me to meditate on those moments of joy and integrate their message into my everyday life. One thing I know: we don’t always have to write perfectly or eloquently, just convey truth from our hearts. Like Moses, we need not doubt our ability to influence others. We have the Internet as our Aaron to carry the message to those hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive our words.
Since this is my second conference I knew a few people from last year and one of them became my prayer partner during the week. Others I had met online were happy to see me in person. A couple of them seemed surprised that I look like my photo. I was surprised that many of them did not, but had “grown-up” a little with a new look.
Several new programs debuted for the coming Year of Faith at the banquet with about 300 people attending. Catholic convert and country singer Collin Raye was amazing and his personal story very touching.
All the media equipment worked smoothly until time for the last presentation. The master of ceremonies couldn’t get the trailer to play for the movie based on the Confessions of St. Augustine, “Restless Heart.” The crowd became a little restless! I looked over at a friend next to me and we both said at the same time, “Let’s pray!” She began a “Hail Mary” and it spread to several other tables. As the crowd said, “Amen” the movie trailer came up on the two big screens. God is everywhere waiting for us to ask for his assistance.
“The whole atmosphere was joyful, with mass everyday and a confessional and an adoration chapel set up near the conference rooms, not too close to the busy noise of the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show.”
Yes. This. Just completely different than any other conference out there. I’m so glad I could attend.