LDSPMA

Using YouTube and Social Media to Inspire and Help Others Grow Spiritually

May 5, 2023 By LDSPMA 2 Comments

The social media community can be overwhelming, negative, suffocating, and even toxic, but it doesn’t always have to be this way. If we remember we are all children of God with the light of Christ in our souls, social media can become a connecting, encouraging, and uplifting place.

Almost every person I know is somehow involved in this online world. Some people thrive on posting about their lives while others are bystanders who just like to consume content. When I decided I wanted to build my own space on YouTube, I had two goals in mind:

Inspire people to start living life to the fullest.
Share my testimony with the world.

That is how Never Ends Now, my YouTube channel, was created.

My husband and I were driving from Utah County to our home in St. George. This drive was very familiar to us, and we often used the time to talk about how we wanted our channel to go. I told him how I wanted to take the fear out of living and persuade people to find the good in their current situations. I wanted us to be unique and adventurous and take full advantage of our time on earth. That’s when my husband suggested that we do things we have never done and call the channel Never Ends Now. I fell in love with the concept, and now, that is what we do weekly!

YouTube started out as a fun way to document our growing family, but when our channel took off, we decided to make a career out of creating and publishing videos of our experiences. Our platform consists of us starting a family, traveling the world, and everything in between. Our biggest hope is that others will go out and try things they’ve never done and appreciate the joy in life.

Staying Grounded

The more engagement you receive, the more profit you make, and so it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers when you’re relying on your social media income. I often find myself consumed by questions like, “How many views did I get?”, “Why didn’t people like this post as much as the other one?”, or “What’s trending, and how can I follow along?” Remembering my two goals keeps me grounded when I find myself wandering down those paths. As long as I’ve inspired people and shared my testimony in every video, I’ve learned to be satisfied with whatever the resulting numbers may be.

Shining Authentic Light

I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person, so I tend to get carried away sometimes. In the beginning, I would try extremely hard to bring up God or a principle of the gospel in any way that I could. I wanted to make sure I shared my testimony with the world. My pure intention was there, but honestly, it didn’t feel authentic. I felt like a child being told what to say in a fast and testimony meeting. I came to realize that I don’t necessarily have to speak my testimony for others to hear, but I can show my testimony where others will see. I stopped trying to force it and just shared my beliefs through the way I lived. This understanding brought me joy and creativity instead of pressure.

Showing Your Testimony

When my daughter was born, I remember editing the video and feeling so anxious about posting it to the world. Her birth was one of my most sacred experiences, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to share something so personal. I didn’t want to pollute it by letting the world have access. After praying about my decision, I decided to move forward and upload it. It became one of our highest-viewed videos. I received comments and messages from complete strangers about how much the video impacted them. I realized that the Spirit was able to testify to everyone watching without me even opening my mouth. I believe in eternal families. I believe that bringing life into this world is a sacred thing. I believe that the veil is open, and heaven is so close when a child is born. None of my beliefs were spoken aloud, yet the Spirit was able to touch people’s hearts about these truths.

You don’t need a formal testimony to be a light on social media. God magnifies efforts and the Spirit always testifies of truth in any form. Living a life patterned after the Savior’s example is testament enough for the world to notice.

Aspen Bailey

Aspen Bailey and her husband, Drake, are popular YouTube creators documenting their lives as Latter-Day Saints, parents of their daughter, Rainee, and having new adventures. You can see their channel here.

The Importance of a Good Book Cover

April 20, 2023 By LDSPMA 3 Comments

When I decided to self-publish my Legends of Muirwood trilogy, I didn’t know a lot about book cover design. Actually, I didn’t know anything. It probably shows.

My goal at the time was to get the trilogy out in the world without spending a lot of money. I bought a package that included cover design through a self-publishing platform for a bargain price, and I gave some suggestions about abbeys, forests, and fonts. They delivered what they promised: three book covers. But they were all missing what really mattered—a way to help potential readers judge whether they might like the book.

The original covers of Jeff Wheeler's first three books.

As a hybrid author with over thirty published novels, I’ve gained an unusual perspective about the process of designing cover art. I want to give you three BKMs, or “best-known methods” about book cover design so you can see what an author—indie, traditional, or hybrid—needs to keep in mind when designing or choosing a cover.

BKM #1: It’s the Wrapper

Imagine standing in line at the grocery store and seeing a king-sized Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on sale. You buy it with your groceries, get in the car, unwrap it, and prepare to sink your teeth into that chocolatey-peanut-buttery nirvana . . . but it’s a York Peppermint Patty. You might feel frustrated because you were expecting one thing and got another. Book covers, like candy wrappers, set expectations with the reader up front. The cover clearly shows the genre of the story.

It’s very easy to check on Amazon what the bestselling books are by category and see what design elements are common to the genre. You can look at the size of the fonts, the placement of the author’s name, any bestselling tags, and the color schemes. It’s not a coincidence that a Reese’s candy wrapper looks the way it does or that stores shelve similar items next to each other. Authors are brands too, so if you want a reader to anticipate a certain genre or style of book, it helps if your cover looks similar to others in the same genre.

BKM #2: It’s Professional

Long gone are the days when mediocre-to-cringeworthy book covers (like my original Muirwood ones) would be tolerated. If I tried that now, I can’t imagine what would happen. Readers do judge a book by the cover, so it’s important to hire a professional cover designer because you don’t get a second chance to make that first impression. In fact, especially in the indie space, even the New York Times bestselling authors I know will redesign the cover of a book when they feel it isn’t connecting with the proper audience. Even if the first cover looks amazing, it’ll hurt sales if it doesn’t resonate with the right audience. Many authors have created new covers and found that the second one worked better.

This year marks the 10th anniversary release of my Legends of Muirwood trilogy. We redesigned the covers to strengthen the brand for the series and tie the series in with other books written in the same world. There’s quite a difference from the originals.

The redesigned covers for Jeff Wheeler's first three books.

I highly recommend Bryan Cohen’s Five-day Author Ad Profit Challenge. Even if you haven’t written a book yet or have one to sell, you can still join his Facebook page and watch the videos when he runs the challenge. You’ll learn a ton (for free) about how Amazon algorithms work, how to design a cover, and how to write killer ad copy for your books. I wish this existed back when I first self-published.

Readers can tell the difference between a cheap cover and a professional one. Cover designers are mostly freelance these days, and with a little research, it’s not difficult to find ones you like. For example, most books include the name of the cover artist in the front matter, which you can see for free on Amazon using the “look inside” feature.

A screenshot showing where to find the "look inside" feature on an Amazon book.

I can’t recommend enough getting a professional to do the job right. There are cover art stock photos you can purchase if you’re on a budget, but at the very least, hire a graphic designer to help you with the fonts, styling, and sizing. The last thing you’d want is to spend a lot of time writing a book that no one will read because it looks amateurish. I was satisfied with the covers my publisher used for my first several books, but it wasn’t until they hired Shasti O’Leary Soudant to design the cover of The Queen’s Poisoner that I learned firsthand the power of an amazing cover. You know the saying that “A rising tide lifts all boats”? After that book came out, all my books began to sell better. I’ve now hired her to do some of my indie titles as well.

BKM #3: It’s Expected

Word of mouth is the number-one way people find books they enjoy. There just isn’t a replacement for the solid recommendation of a friend or someone you trust. Readers find new authors all the time through email subscriptions to Amazon’s top Kindle book deals, BookBub, or Goodreads. There is promotional text there, of course, but the cover catches the reader’s eye first. They look at the cover for a second or two before reading the blurb. If they’re still intrigued, they’ll click on the link to see how many reviews it has, how many stars it has received, etc. These are all ways that a book is “judged” before it’s read. The reader’s visceral reaction to the cover starts it off. That’s why readers expect the cover to tell them about the genre and author. They expect a title that’s easily searchable and interesting enough to entice them to learn more.

So, let’s get over the out-of-date and untrue adage about not judging a book by its cover. We base our judgment on if the wrapper matched the content, if it was professionally done, and if it met our expectations for what we purchased and why. A great cover can’t turn a meh book into a bestseller, but there aren’t many bestsellers with a meh cover. Writers today have to be professional to come up with stories that will keep a reader turning the pages. Thankfully, there are skilled wizards of the imagination who can help aspiring authors design book covers that catch readers’ eyes and delight their hearts.

Jeff Wheeler

Jeff Wheeler is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the First Argentines series (Knight’s Ransom, Warrior’s Ransom, Lady’s Ransom, and Fate’s Ransom); the Grave Kingdom series; the Harbinger and Kingfountain series; the Legends and Covenant of Muirwood trilogies; the Whispers from Mirrowen trilogy; the Dawning of Muirwood trilogy; and the Landmoor novels. Jeff is a husband, father of five, and devout member of his church. He lives in the Rocky Mountains. Learn more about Jeff’s publishing journey in Your First Million Words, and visit his many worlds at his website .

April 11: Resting your Mind in Christ—Avoid the Mental Pitfalls to Creative Success

April 7, 2023 By LDSPMA

A discussion with mindfulness coach Kim Beecher

April 11, 2023, 12:00–1:00 pm Mountain Time

Do procrastination, self-doubt, stress, or lack of clarity keep you from completing your creative project? In this month’s discussion, mindfulness coach Kim Beecher will help you kick mental pitfalls to the curb and learn practices for stillness in Jesus Christ.

Kimberly Beecher is a mindfulness instructor known for her ability to help transform lives with increased happiness, calm, and self-compassion. She is also a speaker, coach, and bestselling author of The Sacred Door: Resting Your Mind in Christ. She loves boating with her family, bike rides in the canyon, and accidentally making mushy things in her instapot. She adores her husband Mark, their children, and their 10 grandchildren. You can find her at kimberlybeecher.com.

Watch the Recording

How I Research for a Historical Project

March 31, 2023 By LDSPMA 2 Comments

By Heather B. Moore

Some people love research, while others don’t. They want to get into the meat of writing as soon as possible. But if you’re planning to write a historical novel or other project, research is vital to developing the story and bringing credibility to your work. As the author of dozens of historical novels set in eras ranging from ancient Israel, Mesopotamia, the Georgian era, the Regency era, the Victorian era, the early 1900s, World War II, the early Cold War era, and the 1980s (yes, that’s considered historical now), I’ve learned a few tips and tricks to help me tackle each project as it comes along.

Search for Sources

I search on Amazon or other new/used book sites and decide if there are books that I’d like to own so I can have them constantly at my fingertips. If possible, I like to get the paperback version to annotate, the ebook version to do a quick search for a particular key element, and sometimes the audiobook to immerse my brain in the era. I own all three versions of some research books. You can also search Google Books and find older digital books that are absolutely free. YouTube has recently become a key source for me with the plethora of documentaries and shorter historical pieces that are available.

Determine Which Sources to Use

Since you can’t read every book written about a subject (unless there are only a few), you might have to be selective. On average, I read five-ten books about a historical subject in preparation to write a book. Some sources are a gold mine. Other sources might just be more of a quick reference to verify the uniforms worn by a particular army during a specific war. Online articles (including Wikipedia) can be great quick go-tos. You can check at the bottom of the articles as well for further sources as needed.

Research Key Elements

Don’t try to be the expert, but research enough to flesh out your story and bring authenticity. You probably don’t have ten years to research everything you can about Italy in the seventeenth century, but you can zero in on several key elements, situations, and cultural points in order to create a vibrant story that makes the reader feel as if they’re looking into the era through a camera lens.

What are these key elements? Start with the five senses.

Touch—what do things feel like? Are your characters sitting on stone benches? Bamboo chairs? Scratchy woolen blankets?

Sight—what is your character seeing? A bombed city? A river meandering through hills covered in small wooden huts? Tropical trees? Sand and rocks?

Hearing—what sounds are in the setting? The puttering of a small vehicle? The clattering of horses’ hooves on cobblestone?

Smell—does your character live on a farm? By the ocean with the scent of sea breeze as a constant companion? Is it spring with blossoming fruit trees?

Taste—what kinds of food surround your character? Do they spend their days in preparation? Is food a main part of their day? What plants and crops are native to the country you’re writing about?

More elements include:

Major historical events during your story’s timeline. You can’t ignore a major historical event (or weather event, for that matter) if your story covers that day/week/month/year. If for some reason, you do decide to ignore or brush over a major event, document the reason why in your chapter notes or an author note as a disclaimer.

Government/politics. Just as our modern lives are framed by the laws of our land, so are historical characters’ lives. What types of laws were in place? How were criminals dealt with? Were there discrepancies between the sexes or racial groups?

Religion. Even if your character isn’t religious, others around them will be. Religious beliefs can also be a major character motivator, so make sure you aren’t skipping over it in a main character or sub character.

Setting. A historical setting becomes a character of its own. By writing about the past, you are researching old information instead of brainstorming new ideas and inventing new things, like you would for sci-fi or fantasy. The setting can affect characters’ choices and motivations. A story set in the middle of a Minnesota winter has a completely different feel than one set in sunny San Diego.

Dialogue. This can be debated both ways, but generally keeping your dialogue free of modern cliches is very important. Most readers don’t want to read formal, stilted, cumbersome dialect, so find a handful of words that will keep your reader immersed in the historical era. Depending on your time frame, instead of “kitchen,” you might say “cooking room,” or instead of “bedroom,” you might use the more historical-sounding “bedchamber.”

Start Writing

You don’t need wait to write until you have done your research. Doing both at the same time is often necessary. I’ll typically start with research—reading sources and taking notes—and when I feel like I can effectively write the first few chapters of the book, I’ll begin writing, knowing there might be some stopping points along the way to deep dive into more sources. I try not to write too far ahead of my research, though, or I run the risk of writing an entire scene that has to be greatly revised.

Everyone’s method will vary, but hopefully something from my journey will be useful to you.

Heather B. Moore

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than ninety publications, primarily historical and #herstory fiction about the humanity and heroism of the everyday person. She attended Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. Despite failing her high school AP English exam, Heather persevered and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in something other than English. Heather dives into the hearts and souls of her characters, meshing her love of research with her love of storytelling. You can learn more about her on her website.

Creating Hymns from Scriptures

March 17, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Michael D. Young

Some of the greatest hymns are closely linked to passages of scripture. For example, the song “Press Forward, Saints” in the current hymnbook is based directly on a passage from 2 Nephi 31:20. In this case, the author took the message and even some of the exact wording from the scripture and created a hymn that has been sung in sacrament meeting and general conference. In fact, it was specifically written because there were not enough hymns based on passages from the Book of Mormon.

Adapting a passage of scripture, however, presents its own unique challenges. There is a delicate balancing act between maintaining the message and themes of the original scripture while still creating a text that conforms to the conventions of rhyme and meter. Every adaptation is going to look a little different, but there are several guidelines that could help you craft your gospel masterpiece.

Looking for Themes

Before you start writing, take the time to read the scripture carefully, pray, and ponder the meaning of the passage. Listen to the promptings of the Spirit and see what parts of the passage stand out the most. With this guidance, look for key phrases or words that could serve as the basis for the song’s lyrics or chorus. These phrases will help tie the song to the scripture and make it more memorable. Often, an entire song idea can grow from a single important word or phrase. For example, if you read Amos 3:7, you could take the phrase “His servants, the prophets” and write a text based on that phrase.

Using Exact Wording vs. Paraphrasing

You will want to consider how much of the scripture you want to use word-for-word and how much you want to paraphrase. Both of these methods can be successful.

Consider Handel’s timeless work Messiah. The majority of this oratorio adapts the scriptures exactly. For example, Handel builds an entire chorus on this well-known scripture: “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (See John 1:29). He uses all of the words exactly. Then again, many composers have created songs based on the 23rd Psalm, where they paraphrase the words but keep all of the ideas intact. A good example of this is called “Brother James’s Air.” Listen to it here.

Thinking about Perspective

If you decide to paraphrase, consider the point of view. Are you writing from a first-person perspective? This puts you in the shoes of the speaker, whether it is a prophet or another scriptural character. Some texts are written from the perspective of the Savior. This can result in personal, insightful texts, but you also need to be careful to write these respectfully. You can also write from your own perspective or as a third-person observer. Sometimes it makes sense to try your texts from different perspectives to see which you like best.

Using Repetition for Emphasis

Repetition is a powerful tool in songwriting and can be used to reinforce the key theme of the passage. Consider repeating certain phrases or words throughout the song to help drive home the message. One good example of this is the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Even the title repeats the main theme. The hymn uses the refrain “holy, holy, holy” when talking about God throughout the hymn, which ties the whole text together. Listen to this hymn here.

Considering the Audience

When writing the song, consider the intended audience. Will the song be used in a worship setting or for personal reflection? This will help guide the tone and style of the song. Is it something you see being presented in sacrament meeting, or would it fit better in a fireside or on a youth album? When in doubt, read the text to others and ask them if it is appropriate for the intended setting.

You also want to make sure the language is at the level of your audience. Sometimes scriptural language can be confusing because it uses words that are not common today. When adapting the scriptures for a younger audience, ensure that you use clear, simple language that children will understand.

Using Attributions

Whenever you paraphrase a scripture or quote from it directly, you should attribute it on your sheet music. Most of the time, it is enough to say “based on” or “inspired by” and then give the scripture reference. Looking up the reference can help the listener understand the text better and gain a deeper understanding of the original passage.

Bringing Listeners Nearer to God

President Spencer W. Kimball once said, “Some of the greatest sermons that have ever been preached were preached by the singing of a song.” (Hymns, ix.) When adapting the scriptures into songs, you are accessing a powerful delivery system that can help the doctrines of Christ reach deep into people’s hearts. Well-crafted songs have the power to inspire and change lives, and there is no better foundation for these songs than the scriptures.

Michael D. Young

Though Michael grew up traveling the world with his military father, he now lives in Utah with his wife, Jen, and their three children. He played for several years with the handbell choir Bells on Temple Square and is now a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. He is the author of the novels in The Canticle Kingdom Series, The Last Archangel Series, the Chess Quest Series, and the Penultimate Dawn Cycle (The Hunger), as well as several non-fiction works, including An Advent Carols Countdown, The Song of the Righteous and As Saints We Sing. Visit his website to learn more.

Channeling Your Inner Voice

February 17, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Okay, I’ll admit it: I love NBC’s The Voice. It might be because of the amazing talent that presents itself on stage each week. It might be because of Adam Levine. Either way, if it’s on, I find myself dropping everything and listening. I can’t sing for the life of me, but I can imagine what those contestants must be feeling as they get on stage, hoping that one of the judges will pick their voice.

As a writer, each time you send out a query, it is your own personal The Voice audition. Readers, agents, and publishers all want the same thing—a book they connect to and can’t put down. Most often, that means a book with voice. You’ve read it on agent page after agent page: “I’m looking for a fresh, unique voice.” “I love a totally original, hilarious voice.” “I want to represent stories that have an emphasis on voice-driven narratives.” “I love strong voices.” All those quotes are from actual agents who are currently seeking clients. The bottom line? It’s all about VOICE!

What Is Voice?

Let’s look at four distinctions that can help you figure out what voice is, how to find it, and how to mold it for the purposes of your book.

Style: To be clear, style and voice are not the same thing, although they often influence each other. Style, as the dictionary puts it, is a “distinctive manner of expression.” It relates more to your words, the syntax you choose and reject, the way you compose your sentences, and the order in which you string the sentences together. Style (and, consequently, voice) can be short and to the point or long and flowing, flowery or blunt, conversational or formal. The audience to which you are writing helps determine the style. A gunslinging Western will likely have a much different style than a YA vampire romance.

Voice: Voice, on the other hand, is the unique point of view through which you see the world. There are many ways to qualify that sentence—and debate it. Is it your quirky personality inadvertently coming through? Or is it a deliberate lens you apply to a particular story? For example, you, through your narrator, might frame everything from a skeptical or cynical point of view. Or you might see everything through a lens of hopefulness, a viewpoint that will come out in the narration—expressed, of course, in the style (the words and word relationships you choose). There may be a combination of whimsy or humor or stoicism or pragmaticism or a million other permutations that flavor your personal paradigm and the lens your narrator uses. To avoid a semantics debate and focus on what’s useful, know that either view of voice (the deliberate lens or the inadvertent personality leak) will get you where you want—just focus on those unique points of view that create a colorful narrative.

Character voice vs. author voice: Since voice springs from deep within the author, it will influence, often at a subconscious level, the characters’ voices. That being said, it is important to note that an author’s voice and a character’s voice can be different. Your character does not need to talk like you do. Well-drawn characters will have their own personalities, as well as their own unique worldviews, but your point of view on life will influence how that unique character expresses his or her unique point of view (yes, dizzying)! For instance, no two authors will give the same voice to a thirties-something, dark-haired female accountant who loves sushi.

The angle: Another way to look at the lens or point of view is to call it an angle. This is easiest to grasp in terms of nonfiction. In nonfiction, the fresh angle or lens through which you look at your material is often more overt than in fiction. If you are writing about the health of the body, for example, are you looking at it with a humorous, entertaining, thought-provoking lens, or with a more scientific approach? Or are you focusing on the facts and the applicable changes one could make to his or her health? Your agenda—your purpose for writing—will largely affect your approach to the material and your choice of style. This combination of style and approach/angle can make for “a new voice.”

A good fiction example is The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. She takes a much-covered topic in fiction—slavery—but examines it through the eyes of early female abolitionists who were also early feminists. The exploration of the connection between abolitionism and feminism (and slavery as it applies to the body and mind) is a fresh angle, and the character POV lens through which the story is told is also unique. Even more exciting, Sue Monk Kidd has a distinctive author voice that permeates all her books, even though the voice of each character is highly differentiated from all others she’s written (I call it her “quiet-power-poetic-wisdom” voice, and it is recognizable through her writing style but also her world views that emerge from each book). Her books would be great to study if you’re trying to understand the ins and outs of voice. Watch for patterns in her authorial “voice” (across her fiction and nonfiction) and then note how she uses fresh angles to create a compelling and original voice for each character and book.

How Do You Find Your Voice?

Embrace What Makes You Extraordinary.
Part of finding your voice entails learning to appreciate your individuality. “We are all, each and every one, unique in the Universe. And that uniqueness makes us valuable” (James A. Owen, Drawing Out the Dragons). James has it right. The more you come to understand that, the closer you get to understanding your voice and how to use it most effectively. There are many talented authors out there, and sometimes, as you read an amazing book or story, you may feel that spark of longing to create something just as moving for someone else. Too often, we think the only way to do that is to sound like the author who inspired us. But as much as an author speaks to your heart and mind and soul, remember: the world already has that voice. What it doesn’t have yet is your voice. Get to know yourself—pay closer attention to what engages your curiosity, intellect, passions, and so on. Have others tell you what interesting, quirky, endearing, and annoying qualities they notice in you. Write down snippets of thought you have about the world around you.

Discover Your World.
Your voice is shaped by what you know and what you experience, so get out and learn. I don’t mean that you need to move to Fiji or climb K2 (unless you want to, of course). But visit the world around you, from museums and plays to natural wonders and sports events. Take a class. Try an activity totally outside your comfort zone. If you typically spend the weekend tailgating, attend the opera—and vice versa. If you get the chance, live in another state or country, even for a short while. Volunteer. Travel. Serve. Study. Work. Play. In short, live. Exploring—and challenging—your views and experiences will expand your voice and allow you to tune in to others’ views vicariously, enabling you to write characters with their own unique voices.

Read.
Read history, travel, psychology, mythology, economics, business, biography—read anything and everything. Reading not only expands your world but your knowledge about the world. Learn to look at things differently, and then experiment with showing that in your writing. Find authors you love and study them. What do you admire about their voices? Are you drawn to humor? Maybe there is a natural comedian in you just waiting to get out. Do you love the probing, expansive qualities of deep nonfiction? If you love it, it is probably because there is some of it inside of you.

Write.
Author Sarah Beard (Porcelain Keys) said, “I think I found my voice about halfway through my second round of revisions on my first novel.” I’ve also heard it said that you have to write four or five novels before you find your voice. And then there are people who just have a natural voice right out of the gate. No matter what camp you fall into, you will never find your voice unless you’re writing. If you’re struggling to find it in your story—or simply to recognize it—try some writing prompts. There are dozens of books and sites out there that will give you ideas for pushing your creativity from its comfort zone. This is the space where insights are most often born. (Do them with a friend and compare how your voices—your unique points of view—differ.)

Finding your voice might be one of the hardest things you have to do as a writer, but don’t make it harder than it needs to be. The most effective way to kill your voice might be by trying to make it something it isn’t. Be yourself. It’s your voice; set it free!

Do This Now

Read what you’ve written and ask, “Does that sound like me?” If there are places where the answer is no, then fix them. Next, pay attention to how you talk. Are there certain things you say that are just you? I can’t hear the words “I know, right?” without thinking of my oldest daughter. If you need to, record yourself. If you still can’t hear your own unique vocabulary, ask others what they hear in your voice.

Do a free write. One of the best ways to find your voice is by not holding it back. Just let yourself write and see what comes out. Don’t try to correct yourself. Don’t think; just write. A lot of times, your first try just may be your best work.

Love your story and your subject matter. Chances are, you can tell the authors you gravitate toward really like (or care about) what they’re writing. There is a certain enthusiasm in their writing, and it reflects in every word. This doesn’t mean you have to write only about butterflies and rainbows. Maybe you get a thrill out of scaring your audience. Maybe you love the workings of the human mind. Maybe you’re a history nut. Even hard, scary, painful things in life need to be explored with conviction and passion. Write about what you love, or what you care deeply about, and your inner truth, joy, and purpose—your true voice—will manifest itself.

(Written by Sabine Berlin with Heidi Brockbank and Angela Eschler. Reposted with permission from Eschler Editing.)

LDSPMA Member Spotlight: Jessica Francis

January 24, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I create weekly videos for families to use as a tool to help spark learning and discussion during family scripture study time. Children have the amazing capability to learn the principles of the gospel at young ages. If we can simplify the gospel into terms the children can understand and help them apply those principles into their everyday lives they begin building testimonies of their own.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

Through much prayer and study, the Lord has been impressing on my mind the usefulness of my talent to simply doctrine and principles in ways that children can understand and apply. I have felt impressed to start making and sharing puppet show videos that focus on one principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ each week, and they align with the Come Follow Me program so that families can use them to facilitate teaching their children the gospel at home.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I love hearing how children are using my videos to learn the gospel.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

It takes time to build up an audience.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

The on-going inspiration through the Holy Ghost prodding me onward and upward.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

Right now I am doing every part of video production and I am looking for others to help. Trying to be Actor, Editor, Director, Composer, Musician, Playwright, etc. is too much for one person. Anyone who has some talent, time to dedicate, and love of sharing the gospel is welcome to join me in this adventure!

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

Many children are learning how to apply the scriptures into their lives. I know my children have benefited from this endeavor.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.

https://www.youtube.com/c/WithJoyandSong

Faith and Fear are Two Sides of the Same Coin: 3 Steps to Creating in Faith

August 12, 2021 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Lauri Mackey

Both faith and fear are a belief in something unseen and yet to be experienced; why do we sometimes give fear more power than our faith?

While there are several analogies we can use to prove this point, let’s focus on sharing our creative talents with others as members of LDSPMA—in whatever form that may take. For me, it is a love of the microphone in inspiring others with my words and a love of stringing words together into a poem, a blog, a book, my journal, or simply penning a letter to a friend.

For you, that may also include creating music, editing someone else’s words in the form of a book or lyrics, or acting in front of the camera or catching the scene as the cameraman.

There is a certain amount of faith and fear that can be in constant battle with each other.

Whatever your chosen form of media from publishing to podcasting, I believe there is a certain amount of faith and fear that can be in constant battle with each other. Faith is the moving force to propel us forward with our work and fear keeps us frozen in place or worse, moving backward.

Let’s examine both for a minute, shall we? Where do faith and fear come from?

Fear

In 2 Timothy 1:7 it reads “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Let’s be clear that we are not talking about a “fear of God” which is actually not to be afraid of our loving Heavenly Father, but is akin to “awe, worship, and reverence” of God as outlined in the Bible Dictionary. I therefore suggest that fear is most definitely not of God, but of the adversary to stop us in our tracks of not sharing our talents and gifts with others for fear of rejection, shame, guilt, or simply making a mistake.

Faith

But faith, faith is beautiful! Geeking out a bit more in the Bible Dictionary, let me share a few passages found under the definition of faith.

Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true.
Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith.
Faith is an action word.
Faith is a principle of power.
Faith is a gift.
Faith must be nurtured and sought after.
Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God.

Just reading about faith makes me want to grab my pom-poms and cheer for you to rise up and be the best you can be in whatever your chosen field, but even I have that fear that can cause me to find a million excuses to not work on my book or blog today…the laundry needs to be done, I have errands to run, the dog ate my homework…

How then can we choose faith over fear on sometimes a daily if not hourly basis?

I’d like to suggest three powerful antidotes to your fear:

First, motivation is not step one.

Second, leveling up your support.

Third, cultivate a green thumb.

First: Motivation is Not Step One

If you are waiting for motivation to hit you between the eyes, you are putting your life and your work on hold unnecessarily. Motivation is a powerful tool, but you will never keep it going if you don’t take the first step.

The best example I can use is that of attending an awe-inspiring, motivating, rah-rah conference. It could have been an amazing podcast you listened to or a Time Out for Women event, or the latest LDSPMA conference. You go, you get inspired, you meet people in your field and chat with them, you take copious amounts of notes, and then rush home to do the work only to be waylaid yet again. What happened? You were completely fired up and then fizzled out after day one or week one. It’s because motivation is step two.

Step one is action. Motivation is step two. But there is a third step you absolutely must take in order for this to work. The third step is momentum.

You absolutely must take step one which then motivates you. You then create a cycle of action, motivation, action, motivation, action, motivation, which in turn creates momentum.

Have you ever tried to move a large object uphill? You need a running start, maybe an extra person or two or three, and then momentum is created to get your large object up the hill. Without it you stay at the bottom of the hill simply staring at your large object and the large hill and never try.

So who are those extra couple of people that helped you get the large object up the hill to create the momentum you needed? That brings us to our next item of support.

Second: Leveling Up Your Support

Jeffrey R Holland said it best: “Faith-filled life is not a stress-free life.”

I believe that we are always going to have some sort of stress in our life. One of my favorite sayings lately is that “I don’t love drama, but it loves me.” I’m over here minding my own business when KAPLOWEE!! A friend is in distress, relatives are bickering, a sister I minister to has gotten offended once again and wants to tell you all the reasons she will never come to another church activity ever again…you get the idea.

I understand that we can also create our own stress, but the point is that even if you’ve done everything you can to eliminate stress in your life, things happen. It’s life! It wasn’t meant to be smooth and if your life has been a cakewalk I truly want to visit with you and learn your secret as soon as possible.

Stress comes in so many forms—physical stress, emotional stress, work stress, school stress, family stress, relationship stress, and yes, even church stress. Stress is something that in main stream media has become the enemy. It is wrapped up in a big ol’ ball of yuckiness that attacks at any given moment. Sometimes it sneaks up on you ever so slowly and sometimes it just smacks you in the face…right between the eyes. Let’s break down stress a little further.

My motto has been “to clean a mess you have to make a mess.”

Have you ever cleaned out a closet, a drawer, or your file cabinet? You have to make a mess to clean a mess. It gets worse before it gets better, but downsize and get rid of you must. Admittedly, I’m an organizational freakazoid. Whenever I start feeling overwhelmed and completely stressed out, my first line of defense is to take inventory, evaluate what I can possibly let go, and then manage my feeling of being overwhelmed.…I clean out a closet.

Whatever is stressing you out, step back, take an inventory and see what you can let go. This is the first step in letting unnecessary stress go. Then step two would be to up-level your support to not only match your stress, but hopefully surpass it. Stress is ok. You heard me correctly. Stress is ok, but it absolutely must be tempered with support. If your scales are not balanced between your state of being overwhelmed and your support, you are stressed.

Sometimes the stress we are working with can be handled on our own through prayer, scripture study, talking it out with a friend or relative. But sometimes you need more than that. Anytime I’m feeling overwhelmed and I can’t seem to shake it I inevitably reach for one of two things—my therapist’s phone number, or someone specific to help me in whatever is the stressful problem. If it’s an emotional problem, yes, it’s the therapist, but if it’s a spiritual problem it may be my bishop. If it’s a problem with my book and I’ve hit a wall, I call my author friends.

Stress may be our constant companion at times, but I believe with the right type and level of support, faith will win over fear every time. Grab those one or two or three people to help you push that large object up that even larger hill.

Third: Cultivating a Green Thumb

Faith starts as a seed…but just like a seed it takes time and cultivation to grow into something worthwhile. What does that mean for us in practical terms? Practice!

Abraham Lincoln once said that “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” Discipline is all about practicing. It’s about choosing again, again, and again to work toward what you want most instead of what you want right now.

What does [faith] mean for us in practical terms? Practice!

Think about this with exercise. From the professional football player or ballerina to the mom wanting to gain strength back so that she can keep up with her toddler, discipline is needed to take the time and required effort to exercise to achieve your goal.

Think about this with a musical instrument. When I interviewed Jenny Oaks Baker for my podcast, the thing that struck me most was the time commitment her parents had taught her growing up in playing the violin. She has lovingly passed on that trait to her children who now tour with her. Discipline is all about practicing.

Admittedly, I was born with more of a black thumb than a green one. I’ve killed more plants than I can count—so sad. But I kept at it. I learned how to choose plants that were more hardy and could survive my black thumb issues. I employed people who knew how to take care of plants and asked for help. I’m happy to report that while I may have not gotten all the way to having a green thumb, it’s definitely more brown than black.

Faith is the same. Perhaps you were born with a green thumb and I am so happy for you! But if you tend to lean more towards the black or brown thumb persuasion, there is hope! Don’t ever give up! Practice can and will support you in your journey towards more and more faith.

Decide now to do what President Nelson in the April 2020 general conference challenged us to do when he said, “The Lord loves effort.” Discipline takes effort, and sometimes that effort includes a lot of hard work, but with our Heavenly Father, the Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost by our sides, we can try a little harder.

Faith and fear are two sides of the same coin: both are a belief in something unseen and yet to be experienced.

Your gifts and talents in your chosen field are needed. My hope is that you can find some motivation in these words and plan right now to take that action step that will create your own motivation, and then momentum in giving faith all of the glory and power it deserves and kicking fear to the curb.

Lauri Mackey, Positivity Crusader, is the proprietor of Lauri’s Lemonade Stand, a Positivity Podcast for Women and authoress of Positivity Happens, Creating Happiness and Finding Hope through The Art of Holiatry. Lauri is currently working on her next book and holding firesides throughout the Western United States with the goal of sharing hope, light, and love with others. Lauri’s unique background of struggle through experience has her shouting from the rooftops that if she can come through it, anyone can!

Links to Lauri’s work:

Facebook @LaurisLemonadeStand

Positivity Happens Book

LLS Podcast on Apple Podcasts

LLS Podcast on Spotify

Lauri’s Lemonade Stand Website/Blog