Q&A with featured writer Elizabeth Banfalvi
Elizabeth shares her experience with writing non-fiction, choosing a publishing path and being the director of a writing group
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If you pick up a copy of the book Word Fest: Celebrating Family, Friends and Neighbours and turn to page four, you may notice that I wrote, “I am especially grateful to Elizabeth, the director of the Mississauga Writers Group, for her writing support and encouragement.”
Elizabeth and I met online when I joined the Mississauga Writers Group around 2020. Elizabeth has been instrumental in helping me find writing and publishing opportunities for some of my poems, and I was glad to learn that our community recognizes her supportive, encouraging nature too: in 2023, Elizabeth was awarded the Hazel McCallion Volunteer of the Year Award.
You can visit Elizabeth’s website and read her bio here: “Elizabeth Banfalvi started writing her meditation series books in 2008 and now has nine in print. She has taught meditation and how to relieve stress naturally in the Dufferin-Peel DSB, Peel DSB, Halton CDSB, Brampton Parks and Rec, and the Mississauga Library System. She is the director of the Mississauga Writers Group, which was formed in January 2013, and has been a part of putting together the group’s yearly anthologies and seasonal e-zines. She has also been a Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist since 1996. Everything she has done has taught her how the mind and body work together.”
Marisa: When did you first know you’re a writer, and that you wanted to write books?
Elizabeth: I first started writing in high school but it was just about the classes I was involved in. I wrote different poems and stories, but not constantly.
Eventually, in 2008, I was single and I had done so many workshops in meditation and stress that I decided to write about them. I had just moved into my new condo when I started writing more often.
Marisa: Can you tell us about your writing process? For example, when do you do most of your writing, and how deeply do you plan or not plan as you write a new story?
Elizabeth: I was lucky enough to have to do a class plan for the eight weeks when I led the original meditation workshops and I decided to adapt that process in the form of multiple books.
I had another friend who also wanted to publish a book. She told me about a publisher in Ottawa so we both tested each other to see who would get their book done the fastest. She actually drew the cover of my first book. By the time we got our books done, we were just happy we did it.
When I start a book, I put a large piece of paper on the wall, write the book title on the top, and then add different items I want to add to that book. (I usually have three books in the works at a time.) That’s how I got my books written.
Marisa: When you’re done writing your first draft, what is your editing process?
Elizabeth: I usually read it after I finish writing but at least a week later. I edited my first book, and then I asked the wife of one of my fellow workers to check it out. I knew she was into yoga, so I knew it would be good. She did a great job and changed some of the wording for the poses to match the words used in yoga. That was great but when she did it a second time, she completely edited and changed the wording and that was too much. Since then, I edit my books myself.
Marisa: You’ve published multiple books about meditation. What inspired you to write about this topic?
Elizabeth: I taught meditation workshops in multiple places and created different ways of breaking down the content for each place, which taught me to vary what I wrote for each book. My books are based on my classes and what I learned from my students when they asked me questions.
Marisa: Do you have advice for other writers who’d like to write non-fiction?
Elizabeth: I write self-help and that is my genre. If that is what someone wants to write, then learn different aspects of the help you want to write about. It’s good that people can learn about themselves and what can help them.
Marisa: Can you tell us more about how your books were published (self-published, traditionally) and any advice for writers who are considering that path?
Elizabeth: My first book was published by an Ottawa publisher but I was dissatisfied with how he treated me. He sold my books but kept the money so I dropped him. That book and the next four books were self-published. They’re on Amazon but don’t get a lot of action. My sixth book I gave to a publisher who accepts self-publishing authors.
Check out each path. A publisher takes control and once you sign it over to them, they can rewrite it and do what they want and they own the rights to it. With self-publishing, you have to find a printer and/or distributor to print and distribute your books. It is harder but you own it.
Marisa: You’re the president of the Mississauga Writers Group. As a member of the group, I can personally attest to how encouraging you’ve been when it comes to entering contests and submitting work for publication—and I am grateful for that! Can you tell us more about the club’s goals and the benefits for members?
Elizabeth: The goal at first was just to be able to learn from each other about writing and getting published, and that was 10 years ago. Since then, we added the Word Fest anthologies, different themed anthologies, ezines and contests.
We used to meet at a private place and then one of the members got us a place at the central library. Then we became a city culture group and we started to increase our presence in the community with 12 monthly meetings and a year-end event to celebrate our accomplishments. With COVID, we ended up cancelling the live meetings but we learned to have virtual meetings.
Now we’re back to live and virtual. We have been interacting with so many other city groups and it’s great. Each year there is something new we look forward to, and we learn from all the activities we do.
Marisa: You won the Hazel McCallion Volunteer of the Year award in 2023. Congratulations!! You do so much supporting writers and our writing; I’m glad you were awarded this recognition! Can you tell us more about your passion for supporting fellow writers and the different ways you volunteer to support the community?
Elizabeth: I knew how it felt to write a book but not what I was going to do with it or whether somebody would be interested in buying it. I had so much help so I wanted to help others. Our group grew and grew and I met some wonderful people who share their writing and interact with other members. I didn’t do it alone and now I have been acknowledged for it. Feels great!
Marisa: What’s some advice that has helped you grow as a writer?
Elizabeth: Keep going. This is about you learning how creative you are. Not everyone will be interested in what you write—like me about meditation! But write for yourself and enjoy the exchanges you experience with others.
Elizabeth, thank you so much for sharing your insights and writing experience with us, for talking about the Mississauga Writers Group, and for all you do for the writing community!
Dear readers, you can purchase Elizabeth’s books online or learn more about her writing career on her website. You can also contact her by email at elizabethkb2001@gmail.com.
Q&As are available to all subscribers, with early access granted to paid subscribers. Access is granted to free subscribers a couple of weeks later.
Paid subscribers also have the chance to pitch questions for the next Q&A featuring C. Elyse by leaving a comment or sending an email to marisabwrites@gmail.com.
I hope you enjoy and wish you happy writing!
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