SLHWSA – TURNS SEVEN YEARS OLD

Reflecting on why I love the Society of Latino and Hispanic Writers,

I found the group in December 2005. And I say "found", because I had been looking for them since August.

I really didn’t know the group existed but I figured a city like San Antonio should have a writing group in Spanish. I attended First Monday at Gemini Ink and I met a lady, who gave me a name, Nancy de La Cerda, and told me that there was a group that met at Barnes & Noble San Pedro.

I arrived at Barnes & Noble San Pedro on a Thursday night; John Ward was leading the Sun Poets Society Workshop. It was in English. This is six years ago, and back then, I didn’t feel I could write in English. I met Nancy de La Cerda there and she referred me to Barns & Noble De Zavala.

I finally made it to the last meeting of 2005 at Barnes & Noble de Zavala. That day I met Ruben, Rebeca, Martha, Alfredo, Carlos, Santiago, Trinidad Sanchez and Ivan. They welcomed me into the group, and I was really excited. I had found a Hispanic Writers Group!!

The very first time I shared my writing, my ears were burning, my voice was cracking and my hands were sweating. I got several comments, but two of them really made an impression: “Lo tuyo está muy trillado”,and “Sería bueno que te compraras un diccionario.” Not very easy to take! But that was exactly the reason I was looking for a writers group: to share my writing and improve my skills.

The Society of Latino and Hispanic Writers of San Antonio didn’t give up on me, and I didn’t give up on them. I have been a very active member for 5 ½ years and I have grown as a writer because of each one of you. The most important gift the society has given me is the opportunity to network and meet people that are interested in writing, publishing and selling their work. Because of the contacts in the society, I have joined other groups such as Las Mujeres at Our Lady of the Lake, where I gained the confidence to write in English and The Society of Children Writers and Illustrators.

Because of my involvement with the society I have continued writing and have grown to believe in my dream

Thanks to the society, I met Santiago, who published my very first piece Las Babuchas de su Santidad in LabraPalabra, the UTSA Spanish Department virtual magazine. Martha, who has always been very involved with different aspects of the Arts and San Antonio and connected me with Las Comadres, a networking group of Hispanic women.

I also I met people like Vince and Ruben who are always optimistic and encouraging; I enrolled in lists that announce contests, book fairs, writing workshops and tell about writers visiting our town.

Thanks to the society, I met Sarah Cortez, and two of my stories were published in her anthologies, and Becky who encouraged me to submit articles to the magazine where she was editor in chief. These are but incremental steps that have built up my confidence to submit stories to magazines and local papers and although they are not always accepted, when they are, is a big reason to celebrate. I even got paid for one of my stories last year!

I am not about to quit my day job; we need to be realistic. Let’s say that I want to make $40.00 per hour and my royalties are $0.50 cents per book. After doing the math, I would have to sell 80 books/ hour which translates to 640 books per day, 3200 books per week,
12 800 books per month and the staggering amount of 153, 600 books in one year! That is a lot of books!

I will continue supporting the society because my friendship with many of you has grown based on our common interest; I love to exchange ideas, projects and attend critique groups. I can honestly tell you that because of my involvement in this society, I have come to believe that I, too, can be a writer.

Bertha