LDSPMA

How to Bring the Spirit to a Sacrament Meeting Musical Number

October 4, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Ryan Crossette started playing the piano at age five on a beat-up piano in the backwoods of Missouri. Now he composes hymn arrangements by ear, and he wants to help people make connections with music. One way to make that connection is through sharing music with others. Ryan’s opportunities range from posting on his Instagram, to recording albums, to playing musical numbers in sacrament meetings. Playing in church can be daunting. Ryan shared these tips to help first-timers bring the Spirit to their sacrament meeting musical numbers.

Tip 1: Know the Hymns Well

One tip Ryan shared was to know the hymns well. He said, “If you haven’t practiced hymns, you won’t be writing hymn arrangements anytime soon.” Similarly, you won’t likely be sharing hymn-based musical numbers in sacrament meetings either.

Hymn arrangements come easily to Ryan because he knows them well and has internalized them. He understands how he wants the chords and melodies of each arrangement to sound. He’ll even replicate drums and rhythms in his arrangements. As he practices, he asks questions such as: How would I want the congregation to sing it? How do I feel? What do I feel? These same questions are on his mind as he plays musical numbers in sacrament meeting.

Tip 2: Prepare with the Spirit

A second tip Ryan shared is to have experiences with the Spirit. To bring the Spirit to a musical number so others may feel it, you must first bring it to your practice sessions.

For Ryan, environment is key. He practices in a spiritual rather than a functional environment. One of the first things he does when practicing is to look for inspiration. It could be something about the hymn that moves him or something he connects with emotionally. These often come in church, general conference, solos, hymns, or testimonies. He reflects on what inspired him and tries to incorporate that (be it the words, melody, or a combination) into how he arranges hymns.

Tip 3: Pray Beforehand

Not only does Ryan know that music can touch people, but he also knows that he needs help to do so, and he prays for this help before taking the stand. He feels that hymns are sacred, similar to the scriptures. He recommends looking at them in a selfless way, saying it is important to “do it for someone else. Otherwise, the Spirit won’t be there.” He understands that in the end, it isn’t about him—it’s about helping someone to feel the Spirit that day. Sometimes the hymn turns out completely different than what he prepared, but he’s comfortable with that because it means people were touched.

Tip 4: Have Courage and Take Your Shot

As I interviewed Ryan for this article, he referenced two well-known movies. The first was We Bought a Zoo. In the movie, Benjamin tells his son Dylan, “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage.” Ryan said when it comes down to it, you need just enough courage to get yourself seated at the piano in front of the congregation. As humans, we often make up excuses—we aren’t as good as someone else, we don’t have the time to practice, etc. But he says, “Do your thing, go be you, and you’ll get better at being you.”

The second movie was Tooth Fairy. In a conversation between two characters, Derek says to Randy, “You’re not gonna find out if you quit. You can’t score if you don’t take the shot.” Ryan said it’s best to get out of the mindset that someone is better than you.

Tip 5: Bear Your Testimony

Musical numbers can be as impressionable for the listeners as it is for the musicians. Ryan’s testimony, which is compiled of moments when hymns have touched him, helps him bring the Spirit to the meeting as he bears it through song.

Ryan says it’s important for him to bear testimony through music so he can be forgiven of his sins. He shared Doctrine & Covenants 62:3: “Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.”

At times, Ryan feels God saying to him, “Just go bear your testimony, and I’ll take care of the rest.” And sometimes, the testimony comes out just right.

Let God’s Love Motivate You

Ryan said that he often feels inadequate and flawed, but when he plays and shares his testimony, he feels renewed and baptized—like he has a clean slate. He feels the Spirit and feels God appreciates him for sharing his talent. Playing and internalizing music brings him closer to the truth of the gospel and the importance of the gospel message than anything else.

You can find Ryan’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

Hailey Ashcraft

Hailey Ashcraft was raised in Idaho and currently lives there. She’s visited many states, but Idaho is her favorite. Hailey volunteers for LDSPMA as the senior editor on the articles team. She loves to read, write, and edit. When she’s not writing, she can be found hiking, baking, cooking, playing piano, hammocking, petting a kitty cat, country dancing, or hanging with friends. Her favorite color is blue, and she loves chocolate.

How “Save the Cat” Can Save Your Story – Part Four

September 20, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

So, your hero has accepted the call, and the adventure is officially underway. Welcome to Act 2: the wild and crazy rollercoaster of your story! Now the real fun—or maybe the real trouble—begins. Let’s dive in!

Beat 7: B-Story

Every hero needs a sidekick, mentor, or love interest to help them navigate their new world. This supporting character might bring a different perspective to the narrative, provide comic relief, or even become an antagonist. The B-story character adds depth to your main character and creates opportunities for conflict and growth. They also provide an excellent character foil, reflecting qualities or abilities the hero needs to embrace to complete their developmental arc.

For example, Ron and Hermione are Harry’s sidekicks (Harry Potter), Peeta is Katniss’s love interest (The Hunger Games), and Bumble Bee is Seth’s mentor (Transformers).

Sometimes, the main character meets the B-story character earlier in the story, but they either aren’t close to each other, dislike one another, or aren’t active in each other’s worlds.

Beat 8: Fun and Games

Here’s where the rubber meets the road—your character grows, learns the ropes, and faces challenges. Think of Fun and Games as a series of adventures, obstacles, and triumphs where your character develops new skills and learns the rules of their upside-down world.

This setup to the midpoint is a long beat—25% of your novel. The clock stops temporarily, and the stakes take a back seat. Your main character’s problems don’t disappear, but they aren’t urgent.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss practices her weapon skills and performs for the crowd as the “Girl on Fire.” The Games haven’t started, but she tries to gain favor with the audience in hopes that they’ll send gifts to help her survive.

In Harry Potter, Harry and his friends explore the world of Hogwarts with all its funny, odd, and sometimes questionable magical features. They also attend classes where they learn to brew potions and cast spells to help them survive later in the book.

See how it works?

Beat 9: The Midpoint

The midpoint is the halfway point of your novel that sets the tone for the events to follow. This single-scene beat is the moment when your character realizes that circumstances aren’t as they seem, the stakes are raised, and things get real. Think of it as the climax of Act 2 that leads into the final push toward the climax of your story.

A literal clock or bomb is often used in this beat to trigger the reader’s sense of urgency.

Act 2 is where your story truly takes shape. It’s a playground for character development, plot twists, and world-building. Understanding these key elements will help you create a compelling story that keeps your readers hooked.

Quit thinking of the middle of your novel as the messy section because challenges and surprises make for pure awesomeness! With these plot-mapping tips, you’ll be equipped to craft a compelling and well-paced middle in no time!

Next, we’ll tackle the second half of Act 2, where everything is darkest before the dawn!

Ali Cross

Ali Cross is a USA Today bestselling author, motivational speaker, and story development coach who loves to help writers level up both professionally and personally. A happiness enthusiast and believer in hope and magic, Ali’s a sucker for underdogs, redemption stories, and happily-ever-afters. She explores the concept of joy and where it can be found in her YouTube show and podcast, Write4Joy. She lives in Utah with her hacker husband where they collaborate on stories, artificial intelligence, and their plan for virtual world domination.
Find Ali at her website or @thealicross online.

Val Bagley: Precious Things of Every Kind

August 23, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Shortly after moving from our Utah home and settling near the Idaho/Wyoming border, I entered the Star Valley Temple with my husband and was greeted by a humble-looking man in a white suit, who scanned my recommend and welcomed me to the House of the Lord. I glanced at his tag and recognized his name right away.

“Val Bagley?” I said. “The artist?”

He gave me a small smile, said yes, and indicated which way I should go to find the changing room. The message was loving and clear—we were there to serve the Lord, not to chat about our outside lives or careers. Later, when my son served as a missionary in the temple, Brother Bagley was his shift leader, and continued to set a positive example of service and dedication to the task at hand. I did, however, have the chance to talk to him about his career on another day.

In 1978, the New Era magazine featured a cartoon drawn by LDS artist Val Chadwick Bagley. It was the first of more than a thousand cartoons he would draw for both the New Era and the Friend over the next 46 years, beginning an unexpected career.

“Pretty much most of my life, I’ve known what I wanted to do for a living,” he said on the occasion of his fortieth year in the industry. “I just didn’t know it would be drawing for the Church.”

His very first piece of art to be recognized in a Church magazine was actually published in the Friend when he was seven years old, but he threw his copy of the magazine away because he felt he could do better.

While serving as a missionary, he was assigned to be the mission public relations director, and he used his talents to fulfill this task. He drew pictures of visiting general authorities and illustrated the mission newsletter, and it was during this time that his first “official” drawing was accepted by the New Era, and he burst onto the scene.

Whether or not you’re familiar with his name, his unique art style sets him apart and makes him immediately recognizable. His characters have a youthful look—wide eyes, rounded angles, and stylized hands and feet. Those characters point out some of the gentle humor to be found in our church—always appropriate to the moment, never mocking, but recognizing that we do have funny moments as a people and celebrating that humor through art.

“My cartoons may be gospel-related, but they don’t have anything really to do with the gospel itself,” he shared. “For the most part, my cartoons are about people living the gospel, not the actual teachings themselves. I already know the New Era would never print a cartoon that made light of sacred things, which I wouldn’t draw anyway.”

Although starting as a magazine cartoonist, Val has since published several children’s picture books on a wide variety of topics, and also card games for LDS families. He does all this from a studio set in the peaked-roof attic of his house in Wyoming, where I was privileged to visit about a year ago with my family. The walls and the ceiling are covered with pieces of his original art, both published and some in various draft stages. His drawing table faces a window that looks to the east toward the mountains; not only a source of light for his work, but inspiration for his art. His home is just as bright and cheerful as his cartoons, decorated in a vintage fifties’-era style that’s both whimsical and inviting, exactly the sort of home you’d imagine an artist to have.

He has achieved success in his chosen field now, but after returning from his mission, he struggled to know if art—particularly cartooning—was the path he should pursue. He attempted college, but they weren’t teaching the things he wanted to learn, and his instructors encouraged him to give up and turn his attention to “serious art.” One day, while reading the Book of Mormon in the temple waiting room, he opened to Helaman 12:2:

Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art . . .

The word “art” stood out to him, and he recognized that yes, there was a place for him and his unique talent. He had been drawing labels for cheese, but with this newfound conviction about his purpose, he approached Covenant Communications with the illustrations for a coloring book, which was published in 1992, and he continues to publish with them to this day.

I asked Brother Bagley what advice he would offer to artists hoping to break into the field. He laughed and said that he’s still trying to make it big himself and could use a little advice as well, but he offered the following tips:

Practice, practice, practice. “Although I’ve always loved to draw cartoons, it took years and years of practice,” he said. “I would copy other cartoons that I liked and admired (Snoopy, mostly) until I developed my own drawing style.”
Draw consistently. “I kept four cartoon journals on my mission (one for every six months), and that is when I really refined my drawing style.”
Discover your intention. “I’ve never been a ‘doodler.’ I draw with purpose. My cartoons usually are telling a story or mean something. I don’t just draw to draw.”
Keep going despite rejection. “I’ve illustrated/written over 100 books which have sold over 1,000,000 copies, but I still get rejected 75% of the time.”

My biggest takeaway from my time spent with Brother Bagley is the importance of seeking the Lord’s partnership whenever we undertake a piece of art meant to glorify Him or teach others about Him. Val Bagley is a humble man who speaks often of prayer as part of his creation process, and truly, when we do things in the way the Lord would have us do them, we can’t help but inspire those around us.

Tristi Pinkston

Tristi Pinkston is the mother of four, the wife of one, the author of one hundred and seventy-five, and the editor of oodles. She serves as the chairman of the board for the Bear Lake Arts Council and participates enthusiastically (if not with utmost skill) in their theatrical productions. She is currently the editor-in-chief for the resource library here on the LDSPMA website. You can learn more about her on her website.

Top “Quali-tee”: Launching a T-Shirt Design and Printing Business

July 26, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Alexa and Eric Allred are the dynamic duo behind the hip and successful Gem Rose Design Company. As a stay-at-home mother, Alexa found herself with spare time during her children’s preschool hours. She decided to use this opportunity to learn how to make personalized T-shirts for her young family. Meanwhile, her husband, Eric, began refining his art and design skills—a passion he’d developed in college but temporarily stowed away to focus on fatherhood and a demanding career in marketing. With Alexa’s eye for detail and Eric’s artistic skills, they now run a well-oiled machine. However, their journey has not been without challenges. Through years of trial and error, they learned valuable lessons they now share with creators looking to start a T-shirt design business of their own.

Hone Your Digital Design Skills

Eric transitioned from traditional markers and paper to digital graphics using the Procreate app on an iPad, teaching himself to use the program through online tutorials and YouTubevideos. Procreate uses natural media simulation, like painting with a standard paintbrush, to create pixel-based art. This step-by-step approach helped him make a smooth transition to digital design.

For higher-resolution designs, Eric made the switch to vector-based graphics. Vector images can be blown up without losing quality, making them ideal for signage, logos, and T-shirt design. Vector-based art involves manipulating points and curves instead of freehand sketching. He began using a limited vector software called Vectornator (now Linearity), then moved to Adobe Illustrator. To help make the switch from traditional brushstrokes to vector shapes and lines, Eric challenged himself to copy standard designs and logos to create graphics that remain sharp on any scale.

Understand which files to use when saving your designs. PNG files are raster files made up of pixels. They maintain high resolution while supporting transparent backgrounds, but enlarging them can stretch and blur the image. JPEG files are also pixel-based. They are often used for images on websites and digital platforms but lack the transparency feature crucial for T-shirt printing. The image will usually print on a white square background. Lastly, SVG files are preferable for T-shirt designs, as their vector-based nature means they can be enlarged without the blocky appearance of pixelated images.

Choose a Method to Transfer Your Image

Vinyl: Alexa began by using a Silhouette electronic vinyl cutter to create simple designs. However, cutting and weeding (removing extra material from negative spaces) was time-consuming and impractical when fulfilling large orders.

Heat Press: heat press transfers use a thin, paint-like medium printed onto transfer paper. The flexible material melds onto the shirt upon application via heat and pressure. However, this method requires bulk orders with a minimum quantity of shirts featuring the same design to keep costs manageable.

Sublimation: sublimation printing offers an option that doesn’t require a minimum print run. The technique involves transferring ink onto a film that remains wet until pressed onto the shirt, resulting in a vibrant and durable design. This process is limited to 100% polyester fabric, and the T-shirt must be white or light-colored.

DTF: Direct-to-film printing allows for more fabric and color options. Ink is printed onto a film material coated with powder and baked, creating a protected layer pressed onto the shirt. Many different designs can be printed on a single gang sheet, a long roll of film priced based on the square inch. Alexa has found this method to be ideal.

Devise a Marketing Plan

Alexa first began selling T-shirts at craft fairs, where she prepared thirty designs, including seasonal/holiday themes and year-round options. She brought her heat press, along with a selection of blank shirts of various sizes. Attendees could browse the designs, choose their favorite, and select a shirt color from the available options. She would then press the design onto the shirt. While a good portion of the shirts remained unsold, selling at craft fairs helped her gain visibility in the community. Handing out business cards and engaging with attendees allowed her to spread the word about the business.

Additionally, personal connections played a significant role in their marketing efforts. Through word of mouth, particularly from friends, family, and acquaintances, they attracted a steady stream of custom orders. Many of these orders came from people they knew through various aspects of life, such as sports teams, dance studios, or educators. Eventually, their customer base expanded beyond personal connections.

They now advertise their designs on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. They use a “drop” marketing technique, offering specific designs for a limited time. For instance, during their “Easter drop,” they provided various Easter/spring-themed designs. To order, customers left a comment under the picture of their preferred shirt and design combination. Customers who purchase a T-shirt during a drop must place their order within the week. This method allows the company to place one big supply order and finish all the T-shirts by a specific date.

Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Eric and Alexa work closely with clients to customize designs. This process often involves adjusting colors, sizes, or other elements to match the customer’s vision. For instance, team events frequently require custom logos or artwork to represent their theme. They collaborate with the customer to gather details about their requirements, such as preferred colors, imagery, or quotes, and incorporate the elements into the design. Then they share the design with the customer for feedback, making revisions until they are satisfied. Customers can also choose a premade digital design from online sellers. They most often purchase from Etsy, but several other platforms offer artwork in PNG or SVG files.

Always communicate with the customer if there are delays or other issues with their order. Explain the situation without making excuses and present solutions to fix problems quickly. Your customers will appreciate your honesty and professionalism. Be approachable, flexible, and consistent in your services. Establishing trust with customers will encourage repeat orders and boost business prospects.

Look for Opportunities to Use Your Talents to Bless Others

Following the tragic loss of a young boy in their town, Eric and Alexa offered their services to design a few shirts for a fundraiser to raise money for the boy’s family. They initially expected to produce around 200 shirts but ended up creating over 800 and raising over $13,000. The experience reminded them that designing T-shirts is more than a hobby or business venture—it has the power to make a meaningful impact on the community.

Help others on their journeys. While it may seem counterintuitive to share hard-earned knowledge, they are happy to help when people seek advice and believe there’s room for everyone to be successful.

Eric and Alexa find joy in working together and bonding over their projects. They love knowing their designs have made a difference in people’s lives, take pride in seeing them in the wild, and aim to inspire others who want to cultivate their creative gifts.

Kami Pehrson

Kami Pehrson lives with her husband and five teenage children in Stansbury Park, Utah. She recently finished her master’s degree in English and creative writing and has written three novels—but is still trying to figure out what to do with them. She loves editing, reading, and playing word games on her phone. She also enjoys listening to audiobooks while half-heartedly doing Pilates in the living room.

A Conversation with Adassa

July 12, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

From the introduction to Adassa’s podcast interview with LDSPMA: Adassa exudes a zest for life. She’s fiery and confident and speaks with a passion that makes you want to eat whatever salsa she’s eating. Above all her fame, she knows what’s important and how to stay in an eternal lane. A proud descendant of Latin ancestors who sacrificed dreams and pleasures, Adassa is a talented musician of world-class renown who is the voice of Delores in Disney’s “Encanto.” She is wildly popular for her rendition of “We Don’t Talk about Bruno.” Her creative journey is inspiring and eventful.

Connie Sokol, the host of the “Called to Create” podcast, hosted Adassa in March 2023. Much of their conversation focused on how Adassa has kept her family at the center of her life while being called to create. Here are three ways Adassa has prioritized her family while continuing to create music for the world to enjoy.

Remember Family Stories and Sacrifices

Aspiring to be part of the music industry isn’t new to Adassa—both her mother and grandmother loved to sing and had dreams of being singers. Adassa herself dreamed of being a singer since she was little. Neither her mother nor her grandmother were fully able to live out their dreams—they instead went into the medical field.

Adassa shared her family’s story when she auditioned for “Encanto” at Disney. Her parents had both made many sacrifices to be able to come to the United States. As a result, Adassa had many opportunities that she wouldn’t have had without them. She says, “If this is all they (the producers) hear of me, they’re gonna hear my father’s name… I don’t know when I will have the opportunity for their names to be remembered in the minds of these creatives.”

Keep Family the Top Priority

Since being signed to her first record deal at eighteen years old, Adassa has traveled the world. Her career has given her opportunities to sing with Luis Fonsi, Missy Elliott, and Pitbull, among many others. She sang at Madison Square Gardens and in the American Airlines Arena.

Connie asked Adassa, “How did you keep your head? How did you keep grounded?”

Adassa said, “Well, family to me is number one and has always been my first love… the first thing is to keep them together.”

She went on to say that she wanted to be the best at the beginning of her career, so she had to study the market, follow trends, and be competitive. As a result, she became famous. She found herself pushing the line until she couldn’t go further. She was grateful for the opportunities she’d had in her music. And then she said, “I know what I believe and I know my principles, and I am unwilling to compromise my principles to go to another level.” She was comfortable, so she decided to retire. And then she was home, making bread and teaching her kids.

Connie later asked her, “You (and your husband) both are working in the same industry, and you’re both parenting, and then there’s gotta be time for you guys. How do you navigate the shifting of gears together?”

Adassa said, “I would say it becomes a list of priority. And for us, because our kids are first priority, we have tried to have a live-in [working style]… We kind of do it in the way that works for us.” Adassa and her husband Gabe, who is a music producer, take turns being the stay-at-home parent while they each travel, go on tour, and take advantage of the opportunities that come their way.

Don’t Be Afraid to Turn Down Money for Moments

Adassa’s family principles are very important to her. She has learned to say, “Thank you, but no” when an opportunity doesn’t line up with what she ultimately wants in life. She asks herself, “Does this align with my priorities and my principles?”

Adassa recommends that other creators imagine every step, every yes, and every no to achieve a dream. She said, “Like a chess game, you gotta see the end result before you move a piece.” Otherwise, creators could feel resentment toward their family members for unrealized dreams and expectations.

She has turned down seven- and eight-figure opportunities because they don’t align with her principles. She said, “Sometimes you have to say no to money so you can say yes to moments—and moments you can never get back.”

Adassa went on to say that moments are priceless. She looks for opportunities to take her family of seven children with her whenever she can. They come to see her perform and go on tours with her. “No amount of millions of dollars could ever pay for that moment that I’m gonna miss.”

This article is based on the Called to Create podcast featured during Season 3, Episode 5. You can listen to the full podcast here.

A Conversation with J. Scott Savage

June 19, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Tech executive J. Scott Savage had always dreamed of becoming an author; however, it wasn’t until the collapse of a $100-million deal to sell his internet company that he turned to writing to relieve stress. He explains, “I would write a few chapters, and my sister, DeAnne, would read it and go, ‘Hey, this is great. You’re going to write more.'” Encouraged by his sister’s positive feedback, he sent his high-tech thriller to Covenant Communications, a small Utah publisher. Six months later, they offered to publish his book. Looking back at his first novel, J. Scott says, “There are a lot of things that I would have done differently with that story now… But at the time, because there were no aspirations of getting it published, I didn’t know enough to know what I was doing wrong.” Despite facing numerous rejections after his first acceptance, he continued working toward his dream of writing books. He says the obstacles are all part of the process, and making mistakes helped him learn what he knows now.

Initially, he thought, “Okay, that’s it. I’m an author. I’m going to quit the high-tech world. I’m going to go buy a cabin by the lake, and then I saw my first royalties, and I was like, oh no, I guess I won’t do that.” If he had depended on the income from being a writer during the first two decades of his writing career, he would have likely given up. Instead, he realized that creators must engage in creative endeavors out of love for their art rather than financial gain. “You never want to tell someone, hey, you can’t make a living at this, because you can make a living at any creative endeavor. But you’ve got to start doing it because you love it because most creative people are not making enough money to live off it. And oftentimes, it’s combining it with something else or a different approach.”

Later, J. Scott transitioned into writing middle-grade fantasy books. He recalls, “So, I started writing adult books, didn’t think I could write kids’ books, but I eventually discovered that [writing middle-grade books] was… my calling, and my very first middle-grade book came out literally within months of… another recession.” He used the severance pay from his tech job to embark on a school tour to promote his debut middle-grade book. His efforts to promote the book weren’t successful in the way he had hoped, but he loved inspiring children to read and write. He recalls, “Looking back, though, what felt like a failure was where I really learned to do what I do now.”

J. Scott highlights the importance of treating young readers respectfully instead of talking down to them. When he visits schools, he shares stories from his own childhood that kids can relate to, like growing up with ADHD, wearing an eye patch, and going to speech therapy. He says, “As a writer myself, I think it’s valuable to know that someone who has published numerous books believes that others can do the same. My message to aspiring writers is to find their unique voice, make an impact, and celebrate their differences.”

In a world filled with countless distractions for children, J. Scott aims to provide opportunities for kids to learn to express themselves through writing. “Sharing stories can help us understand each other’s perspectives and appreciate our differences.” His two goals for nurturing empathy in young writers are to show them that reading and writing are fun and safe. “I tell them there is no wrong answer. I’ve had some somewhat questionable things that we come up with, whether a butt monster or a farting unicorn or whatever, but the thing is that once they know that there’s no wrong answer, that it’s not a right and wrong test, it changes things.”

Teachers verify that his teaching technique works, citing instances where children previously hesitant to write were inspired to craft engaging narratives, such as a story about a farting chipmunk. In the past, the teachers would have rejected this idea for being inappropriate, but because of his advice, “literally, by the end of the day, [the students] had put together a five-page story.”

By fostering a love for books in school-age children, J. Scott has been able to instill within them a desire to read that lasts throughout their lives. He is often approached by young adults who say, “I know you don’t remember, but when I was in fifth or sixth grade, you came to my school. I hadn’t read anything, but after your assembly, I wanted to read that, and I finished that book, and I told my mom I wanted to read more. I just wanted to come and thank you… it’s because of you coming and visiting my school that I love reading now and that I’ve continued to read.”

J. Scott’s life lessons and personal triumphs echo through the pages of his books. His narratives, replete with compelling characters navigating challenges, inspire readers embarking on their personal journeys. According to him, reading about characters in challenging situations triggers the release of specific chemicals in the brain. When young readers immerse themselves in books, the same chemical reactions occur. This phenomenon has a transformative power. Readers see their favorite characters triumph over adversity and think, “I can do that too!”

The positive messages J. Scott gets from readers and teachers help keep him motivated when the business of writing becomes discouraging. He points out that the goal isn’t necessarily to write the next bestseller, but to sell enough books to keep writing more. Despite facing times when he doubts himself and money is tight, he finds strength in moments when people tell him that his stories or classes made a difference in their lives. He shares a story about a friend who wrote a book that didn’t sell well. He assured her that it wasn’t her fault—it’s just how the publishing world works sometimes.

J. Scott encourages new authors to involve loved ones in their writing journey, seek local mentors and organizations, and use the internet to connect with like-minded individuals. He emphasizes that the gift of writing is a calling from God to impact lives positively. “Whether you’re writing your first book or your twentieth book or whether you’re selling a lot of books or not, whether you’re touring or whatever—I feel like you’ve been given that talent as a calling, and magnifying your calling doesn’t guarantee you’re going to make a lot of money or be famous, but it does guarantee that you’re taking those talents and you’re doing something with them.”

This article is based on the Called to Create podcast featured during Season 3, Episode 8. You can listen to the full podcast here.

Powering through Your First Draft

May 31, 2024 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

Congratulations. You’ve decided to write a book!

Whether you’ve plotted out the storyline or you’re writing it by the seat of your pants, you’re going to spend a lot of time in front of your computer typing. By the time you’ve finished, you’re probably going to hate your book. In fact, that will happen long before you finish.

Most people who begin writing a book will never finish it. They have a wonderful plot, dynamic characters, and a fantastic world, but the time-consuming effort to get their ideas onto paper will become so overwhelming that they just quit.

As a published author—both indie and traditional—I can completely relate to that feeling. The longest it has taken me to finish the first draft of a novel is 15 months. The shortest is four months.

I’ve learned quite a bit about how to write effectively and efficiently so I can power through and get the first draft of my manuscript completed.

I’d like to share four tips with you on how you can reach your goal of writing a book.

Set a Daily Goal

One of the best ways to power through your first draft is to set a daily writing goal for a minimum number of words you want to write.

The most difficult part of writing, for me, is starting on a daily basis. I tend to sit down at my laptop, but then I check Facebook, look at the news, see if the YouTube channels I follow have any new videos… You get the idea.

But I’ve found that if I can start writing and get 300 words, then I’m in a good rhythm by that point and can keep going to get quite a lot more. There are some days when I’ve been able to get over 3,000 words in one session!

Having a minimum daily goal will get you closer each day to finishing your rough draft.

Find a Group

The most effective way I have found to meet that daily goal is to find a “sprinting” group. These can be found in Facebook groups, on Discord, and other virtual social media platforms. If you are a member of LDSPMA, you can see if other members are already sprinting.

Here’s how sprinting works: At an agreed-upon time, writers get together virtually (or in person, for some groups). I personally prefer Facebook Messenger group chats, but some groups will use Discord or Zoom.

One person sets a timer for a set amount of time (usually 10 to 15 minutes). Everyone begins and writes for the entire time. The person timing lets everyone know when the buzzer has gone off, and everyone shares their word count for that time.

After a five-minute break, the timer is set again. You can sprint for just one round, or you can do four or five rounds! It all depends on how you and your group choose to do it.

I like sprinting because not only does it force me to write for a certain amount of time, but I am held accountable for what I do during that time. Even if you don’t want to sprint, having a group of writers to belong to will keep you accountable.

Don’t Self-Edit While Drafting

Sometimes your sprinting word count can be low if you are self-editing as you write. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes people make as they try to write a book is to edit themselves as they go along.

Don’t do that!

Of course, if you have a typo, you can take a moment to fix it, but don’t get caught in the trap of rewriting entire scenes that you don’t like.

Just. Keep. Writing.

Whether you’re sprinting, trying to finish a chapter on your own, or writing new scenes, just keep going! Hold on to that scene; don’t try to fix it or make it perfect right now.

That’s what editing is for! You’ll never finish your first draft if you get stuck on one scene or one chapter, trying to make it “just right.”

Use ChatGPT or Another AI

Sometimes as you’re writing, you’ll hit writer’s block. That happens to me quite regularly, actually. When that happens, I turn to ChatGPT. Now, I want to be clear: I do not use AI to write my books for me. At all. But I will use it as a way to get me past my writer’s block by triggering my imagination.

For example, if I need to write a letter from a character to her aunt, and I have no idea what kinds of “fluffy” things to fill it with so I don’t information-dump, then I will ask ChatGPT to write a letter.

Now, these snippets are not going in my book. Honestly, they’re usually terrible, but even if they were any good, they wouldn’t be in my voice or style of writing. Instead, I use them as a springboard. There might be one line or a topic that will catapult me into an ocean of ideas. Something as simple as “While at the inn on our journey, we met the most intriguing man…” will open up a host of ideas for the letter my character is writing to her aunt.

I know that ChatGPT (and other AI programs) are a bit of a hot topic right now, which is why I only use it as a way to get past my writer’s block. It’s not much different than asking your writing group or texting your mom and asking, “What kinds of things could this character write to her aunt in a letter?” and getting ideas from them.

If you feel uncomfortable with that idea, find a group of people (friends, other writers, family) you can ask these questions. It will serve the same purpose of getting your creative juices flowing.

You Can Get Your First Draft Done!

These four tips are how I am able to write several novels in a year.

Most people get stuck on their first draft because they want to make it “perfect” or “just right.”

Don’t let that be you—just write! Before you know it, you’ll have your first draft completed. Then you can begin to fine-tune it and turn it into what you want it to be.

You can power through and get your first draft done, which means you’ve written a book! It’s not edited yet, but as soon as you write “the end,” you’ve written a book.

And it’s an amazing feeling.

Tiffany Thomas

Tiffany Thomas is a chocoholic former math teacher with Crohn’s Disease and homeschooling mom of four kids. She is a published author of indie regency romances, as well as Lamb Books (early scripture readers boxed sets) through Cedar Fort. Tiffany and her husband, Phillip (who is an engineer) also work together on the blog Saving Talents, which (among other things) provides free Come Follow Me daily devotionals and FHE outlines for kids. They enjoy spending time with their family, geeking out over sci-fi together, and saving money.

Getting Started in Music Production

May 17, 2024 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

I am often asked how to get started with music production. Many of these people already have the recording equipment and a basic idea of how to record and mix, but they don’t all know how to create a song from scratch.

Blank Canvas Syndrome: BCS

As a songwriter or producer, having a “blank canvas” in front of you can be a total creativity-killer. If you have BCS, the answer is as simple as knowing where to start. And to learn to produce music, where to start is where someone else finished. In other words, we’re going to “reverse engineer” a song. Reverse engineering trains your ear to hear the detail in every sound that makes up the song, and until you hear those details in other songs, you won’t know how to create the sounds you hear in your head.

Pick a Song

First, select a song that you know you have the ability to recreate. I don’t play guitar, so I’m obviously not going to choose a guitar-heavy song. Virtual instruments are pretty amazing, however. If you are still learning your software and aren’t quite sure what instruments you have, that’s okay. This is how you will learn what you have and don’t have.

Don’t forget the vocals. If you are a singer, make sure to pick a song you can sing. If not, find a singer and pick a song they know. Give yourself the best chance of being able to replicate the song in every detail.

Now that you’ve chosen your song, import it into your DAW. Set the tempo, create markers at all of the verses, pre-choruses, choruses, interludes, notable moments (drops), bridges, etc.

Sounds:

Drums

Start with the kick pattern throughout the entire song. I usually use a kick sample rather than programming a midi note and then tweaking it. I have samples that already sound pretty close to the way I want the kick to sound, especially for modern music. I find the absolute closest sound to it that I can, knowing that I might still need to play with EQ/Comp before it’s right. Then I go through the same process with the snare hats, cymbal crashes and swells, and other percussion and sound effects.

What if you missed something? No biggie. You may notice later on when you are programming keyboards or synthesizers that there was this little triangle blip you didn’t notice before. Go ahead and add it as soon as you hear it. Get it in there. What if it takes 2 hours and you still haven’t gotten the kick drum to sound right? Move on. Get it as close as you can and take note about what you couldn’t get right. Then when you listen back and you can tell that your version sounds different than the original, you’ll remember what obstacles you encountered and hear what a difference those “little” differences make in the final product. This is part of the “learning to listen” process.

*Trick: Use your eyes when copying drum patterns. You can often see in the audio file of the original where drum hits are because there’s a big spike!

Bass

One of the best discoveries I made when I started programming/producing music was that the bass is the coolest instrument of all! You can replicate it, which will eventually help you figure out what your bass should do in a song you are producing from scratch. There will be some nuances that you will never be able to recreate using a virtual bass, even though you can get close. Most virtual instruments have amazing sounds including slides, string squeaks, string hits, etc. The point is that you are learning what a bass player does, what the tone of the bass is and how that sound adds to the character of the song. If you do play the bass, focus on getting the tone and the feel to match the song you are recreating.

Other Instruments

Begin programming all of the “inner” instruments. If you can’t tell what all instruments are there, just start with the most obvious one first. You’ll probably experience something I call the “zooming in” phenomena. The closer you listen, the more you hear. As you listen carefully, you’ll notice more sounds. And then more. It’s okay if you now hear a synth sound that you didn’t hear five days ago or even five minutes ago. Keep “zooming in” until you think you’ve gotten everything.

Since matching synthesizer sounds exactly can be hard, program the notes first then flip through synthesizer presets and find the closest one. Sound design is going deeper than what you’ll want to worry about at this stage, so don’t get hung up on matching the sound exactly for now. Just get as close as you can. This will help you to become familiar with your synths, which is imperative. Once you know what your synth presets sound like, you can work toward learning how to shape and design them to your desired sound.

Guitar tone is king, and nailing the tone just right can be an elusive moving target. There are literally thousands of combinations of settings when you consider every guitar knob, pickup switch, mic placement, amp knob, pedal possibility, effects processing . . . it’s mind-numbing. Needless to say, you could spend years just figuring out how to match guitar tone to your favorite songs. Just like the synths, get it as close as you can and then move on. You’ll get better and better every time you tackle this reverse-engineering exercise.

Trick: Make note of places in the song where there are breakdowns, soft choruses, intros, and outros. Oftentimes, these are the sections where you can better hear patterns or sounds that may be going on throughout the song but aren’t as easy to hear in other sections of the song.

Vocals

Begin with the lead vocal. Make sure the recording is clean and “uncolored” with room acoustics or outboard hardware that may add specific coloring to the track. You can add processing later. Once you have your lead vocal track, you get to listen to the processing of the vocal and try to match the processing on your copy song.

Now, work on the backing vocals. Zoom in closer and closer and notice every harmony, double, and stack. If you are not a singer, this might be difficult for you to hear at first. Work with your singer to pick out all of the parts and get them recorded. Don’t overcomplicate it! The harmony notes will most likely fit the underlying chords going on, so make sure to follow the chords and you should be in good shape.

For all elements now in your song, make sure you have addressed panning, EQ, compression, reverbs and delays, and other fun spatial processing. As with everything in music production, you will get better the more you do this.

You’ll notice that you started from the bottom and worked your way up. This is what I’ve found works the best for me. See if it works for you!

Becky Willard

Becky Willard’s music career spans nearly three decades working in nearly every corner of the music industry. Her passion is in finding and working with the most determined artists who are ready to take control of their artistic career.

She’s coached, mentored, and developed a number of artists who’ve been featured on The Voice, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The X-Factor, and more. You can learn about her here.