The excitement in the air grows as we anticipate Catholic Writers Conference Live! CWCLive is set for July 26-July 29, 2016, in Chicago. The work of many committees supports the conference. During the CWG Meeting and Welcome Session – open to all – the officers, led by President Joe Wetterling, […]
Marketing – Writing and using Press Releases (for 6/29)
Many years ago, my late friend and fellow writer Karen Riley taught me how to write a press release. She spent many years in journalism and knew the importance of using press releases in your marketing plan. Journalists are always looking for new stories and pieces that will interest […]
Creating a Marketing Strategy
So you finished your novel! Maybe it was traditionally published or perhaps you self-published. It doesn’t matter. The box of books has arrived in the post and holding your finished product is akin to holding your first newborn. It is exhilarating, a moment you will never forget. However, that feeling […]
Monday’s Writing Tips – Building a Farmer’s Stand
This is the last blog about potatoes. I promise. It is just too good a metaphor to give up easily. So now you have your edited manuscript. You have sent it out to all the agents you thought would be interested and nobody seemed to want it. As a […]
Monday’s Writing Tips – Selling Potatoes
During the last blog we asked you to think of your novel as a potato. As silly as that may sound, I want you to continue to think of your work as a potato. Why? Because now that you have your finished product – a polished manuscript – you […]
Rotten Potatoes
You have worked on your novel, and had it edited. Now here you are with a completed manuscript. You’re sure it is the very best you can do. You know it is inspired and that it will rock the world with its wisdom. Who should you send it to? How will […]
On the air for CWG and DFWCW — What a privilege!
The Catholic Writers Guild (CWG) teaches me about writing through its website, blog, critique groups, networking and conferences. Talking about CWG (and our local DFW Catholic Writers) teaches me what a privilege it is to speak about these interconnected organizations on the air. Here’s a link to my interview with […]
A Defense of Catholic Commercial Fiction by Maggie Zapp
I have the good fortune to be surrounded by educated people. People who love reading literature that is so heavy I shiver at the thought of slogging through it. Don’t get me wrong, I did my fair share of heavy reading and there were many times where I enjoyed it and […]
Catholic Writers Conference, July 29-August 1, 2014
Headed for Catholic Writers Conference next week? Are you excited? You should be! Take a look at this photo to get a sense of the energy and opportunities that await! What an opportunity to rub shoulders with industry professionals, to put names and personalities to folks you’ve met online, to […]
Catholic Writers Conference Live! A Two-fer Blog for conference goers (and stay-at-homers)
Are you headed for this year’s Catholic Writers Conference Live? If you are, check out my blog from last year regarding conference etiquette. It was good advice then, and I can’t think of a thing to improve on it. Just substitute the words Somerset, New Jersey for Arlington, Texas. If […]