Craft Skills

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.

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.

Pitching to Agents

April 19, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

As a pitch and query editor at Eschler Editing, I know that in-person pitching can inspire fear in the most stoic of individuals. If pitching to an agent or editor gives you the heebie-jeebies, take comfort that you’re not alone, and then take a deep breath and get ready to shake it off. Because if you prepare, you don’t need to fear!

Up first, writing the pitch. Well in advance of the actual event, you should know the guidelines for your pitch—the duration of the session, the length of the pitch, and so on. Those are the parameters within which you’ll work.

In this article, we’re going to talk about writing and preparing a pitch that you’d deliver in person to an agent or editor in a 10-minute pitch session. Elevator pitches, one-line pitches, Twitter pitches, and other types of pitches can follow this same formula. See below for hints on tweaking for those formats.

So, Let’s Build Your Pitch!

Step One. Write down the following:

Title
Genre
Setting (where)
Protagonist (who)
Main Conflict (what)

Books are about someone. And they have stakes. You want to include both in your pitch.

Try to:

Evoke some emotion
Make your character stand out
Tell more about your genre without really saying it
Use as few words as possible

Step Two. Write down one vivid detail that makes any of the above elements in Step One different from everything else out there.

This is about making your story different. Think “Who, What, Where, and Why Should I Care?” It’s this last part that you’re focusing on here. Why should an agent care about your setting, protagonist, or main conflict? What makes them different?

Agents/editors read a lot of slush. They hear a lot of pitches at conferences. Why is yours special? That’s what you’re aiming to say here.

Step Three. Answer three questions:

What is the barrier between the main character (MC) and what he or she wants?
Who is the villain? What is the BIGGEST thing the villain is keeping from the MC that prevents the MC from overcoming the conflict?
Does the MC have any special abilities (doesn’t have to be paranormal) that MUST be mentioned?

Answering these questions helps identify the uniqueness of your character and the inherent stakes in your plot. Both are essential to a pitch, no matter its length.

Step Four. Write down three “big” words—evocative words—that relate to your story.

You’re only going to use one of these, and you’re going to put it in the last sentence of your pitch. It’s essentially your curve ball—the thing that makes an agent/editor say, “I need to read your full, stat.”

Step Five. Set a timer for 5 minutes and write:

A one-paragraph pitch for your novel using the information you’ve collected in steps 1–4. In the last sentence, use one of your three “big” words to finish the pitch. This is a cliffhanger pitch. You’re not giving a synopsis of the book. You’re dangling a carrot, enticing the agent or editor to ask for more.

It’s important to note here that the pitch should be about 5 sentences, or about 125 words.

Putting It into Practice—the Example

We’re going to write a pitch based on the movie How to Train Your Dragon, following the steps above.

One sentence from steps one and two: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (title) takes place on the island of Berk, where fifteen-year-old Hiccup (who) lives with his tribe of bloodthirsty Vikings—but he can’t bear to deliver the fatal blow to a dragon (something interesting/unique/vivid—and to make it even better, it’s the conflict).

Three sentences that convey the conflict and stakes from the three questions you answered in step three: Hiccup wants to impress his dad (the “wall”)—the tribe’s chief (more conflict)—with his dragon-slaying talents, so he enrolls in dragon training (bigger “wall”). Every morning he wields a mace and shield while sneaking off in the afternoons to play with the Night Fury he’s befriended. Eventually his weapons are replaced with games as he learns that dragons aren’t the monsters he’s been brought up to believe (minefield of conflict).

A final sentence from step four that has your “big word” and cliffhanger curve ball: Using his quirky sense of loyalty, Hiccup has one shot to prove himself and set a new course for the future of the entire tribe.

That’s it. Something you can easily memorize and recite in a couple of minutes. Make it snappy. Push yourself to write some awesome sentences. And stop at a point that makes the agent or editor have to know more.

Now’s the time to edit your pitch for length if you’re preparing an elevator pitch, a one-line pitch, or a Twitter pitch. See if you can take out the three middle sentences, leaving just your first and last. You might need to do some tweaking, combining, or rearranging. But at least you’ll have a base from which to work. Remember, all pitches should convey a unique MC who has a unique conflict with high stakes.

Step Six. Practice.

Practice in front of the mirror. In the car on the way to work. With a friend at critique group. Over the phone to your mom. Practice. Practice. Practice. You’re going to practice the pitch so much that you’ll have it memorized—which is the goal.

Whew! You’ve written and practiced your pitch.

Next, you’ll prepare for the actual session.

Preparing for the Live Session—a Few Tips

Level the playing field. An agent or editor doesn’t hold the key to your entire future happiness or your self-esteem. You weren’t hoping to marry everybody you ever had a date with, and finding the right agent is just the same. You’re both just looking for a good fit. Remember, the agent or editor is just a person. You’re a person. The agent/editor likes watching reruns of Seinfeld. So do you! Shake off the rejection anxiety.
Play to win. Research the agent. Know what the agent is looking for, what the agent has sold, and so on. You’ve written, memorized, and practiced your pitch. You’ve got this.
Act like the star player. Basically, this is a “fake it till you make it” statement. I’m telling you to pretend. Nervous? Pretend you’re not. Act confident. Act happy and friendly. Smile. Ask them how they are. If they’re enjoying the conference. Act calm, cool, and collected. Act like you’re exactly who they want writing books for them—because you are!
Leave time at the end for the agent or editor to talk. Realistically, introducing yourself, settling into the pitch, and pitching should take 3-4 minutes. In a 10-minute session, that leaves plenty of time for you and the agent/editor to talk more about your work.

While a request for the full manuscript is nice, it shouldn’t be your only goal. If you can get an agent or editor to give you feedback about your pitch—which is really feedback about your book—that’s a win.

Now, go write your pitch!

Elana Johnson

USA Today Bestselling Author, Top 10 Kindle Unlimited All-Star Author, and #1 Bestselling Author on Nook and Apple Books, Elana Johnson writes clean and wholesome contemporary romance, usually set on the beach or within the vicinity of the beach. Unfortunately, she lives in a landlocked state and must travel to the beach to get her fix, which her husband gladly accompanies her to do a few times each year.

She also writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance as Liz Isaacson and sweet romantic women’s fiction as Jessie Newton, and all of her books are part of the Feel-Good Fiction Books brand.

This article appears courtesy of Eschler Editing.

Making Connections at a Photoshoot

March 21, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Early on in my photography business journey, my subjects usually gave me stiff, unnatural-looking smiles. I had to reflect: what was I doing wrong? I knew telling them to smile or asking them to say “cookie” wasn’t the answer. There had to be a better way.

I read articles, watched videos, and learned how other photographers got natural smiles that made the clients love their photos.

Making connections and staying positive at the session were key. Keeping the photoshoot light and happy would, in turn, make the photos, and the subjects in them, light and happy. Putting down your subject or making them feel awkward would be the opposite of what to do to get the natural smiles that everyone is hoping for.

Individual Photos

Taking the extra step—which is usually just a quick text or two—of asking my client about my subject’s interests makes a huge difference. It’s like going into a photoshoot with 20/20 vision instead of going in blind.

So when I get to the shoot and ask 12-year-old Billy about his crush, Sally, he’ll wonder how I know that information, cringe at the question, but smile anyway because he’s thinking about her now. That natural smile now makes Mom happy. It replaces the awkward “there’s-a-camera-in-my-face” feeling.

Maybe Dad has a certain hobby. Asking him about it and letting him talk for a moment can really break the ice and make him more comfortable.

Maybe 16-year-old Janie is self-conscious about the way she looks in photos. A quick “Wow! You look beautiful!” as you’re sighting through the viewfinder and taking her photos can really bring out that real, natural smile that everyone, even Janie, is looking for. Doing this at the beginning of the session can also build her confidence for the rest of the shoot.

A session with an uncooperative 4-year-old who would look so cute if he could just put his hands in his pockets, rather than his mouth, could sound something like this: “Okay, but I don’t think John has pockets.” To which he replies, “Yes, I do!” And then he promptly sinks them in his pockets all on his own. When his hands come back out, try a quick, “I’m not sure your pockets are deep enough to hold your hands in there.” He’ll put them right back in to prove to you that they are.

Group Photos

After posing everyone, I’ll ask the whole group to do a couple of quick, amusing tasks and then look at me.

For example, I will say, while taking photos, “Okay, everyone, look at the person who is the best at video games.”

click click

“Now look at Mom.”

click click click

“Now look at the youngest.”

click click click

“Now look at me.”

Now they’ll all be looking at the camera and click, click, click, I’ve got my photo. Sometimes I have clients who are so serious about getting the task done that they won’t smile while they’re looking at me. I’ll say, “What’s wrong? Is there a monkey on my head?” Then the smiles and laughter ensue.

Knock-knock jokes are pretty universal. You tell one, then they tell one. Natural smiles usually happen at these moments too.

Get creative and try different things. Keep conversations open. Be interested in what they like and whatever they want to talk about. Staying positive and keeping the shoot light and happy is ideal for a satisfactory session.

Katie Gee

Katie Gee is a portrait and commercial photographer based in Utah County. High school seniors and families are her primary clientele. Her love of photography sparked as she started taking pictures of her five kids. Anything that has to do with nature is high on her priority list, so natural light outdoor sessions are her preference. Any hikeable mountain where there’s a view at the top isn’t off limits either.

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

February 23, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Previous Parts
How “Save the Cat” Can Save Your Story – Part One
How “Save the Cat” Can Save Your Story—Part Two

In my last article, we talked about Save the Cat’s “Transformation Machine.” In this article, we’ll learn about the next three plot beats that draw on your hero’s want while planting subtext about their emotional wound and true need. If you know your hero’s background, you can infuse the story with that rich resonance we want to create with our readers. Studies have shown that most readers will read about 25% of a story before giving up, so these next beats are all the more important. Resonance is the key to hooking your reader and keeping their interest.

The first three beats—Opening Image, Theme, and Set-up—established our world, the main characters, and the hero’s essential problem. Now it’s time for the plot to come crashing into the hero’s life in a very big way.

Beat 4: Catalyst

The Catalyst is a single-beat scene that hits around the 10% mark of your story. Think of this event like a bomb going off in your hero’s life—it’s unexpected (to them, though the reader may anticipate it), upsets everything, and can’t be ignored. If you can honestly say that the hero could ignore the Catalyst—you know, if he weren’t in the book you’re writing—then chances are good it’s not a sufficiently disruptive event. While the hero will spend the following few chapters debating what to do in response to the Catalyst, the truth is they have no choice but to act.

Pro Tip #1: Imagine your hero going about their day—same-old, same-old—when a bomb smashes their house to bits, leaving them alive, but suddenly living a very different life. That’s the kind of impact your Catalyst should have.

Beat 5: Debate

When writers feel like something is “off” with their manuscript, I always review the Catalyst and Debate. Getting these two beats wrong will mess with the book’s flow. In these cases, I find the Catalyst is almost never life-changing enough, and the Debate is never (I mean, never) long (or deep) enough.

The Debate should be 10% of your book!

If you’re writing a 100,000-word long book, the Debate alone will cost you 10,000 words. That’s a lot of words! My chapters tend to be 2,000 words long, so I’d need to write five chapters of Debate. That’s 10% of your story spent on boring stuff.

Or is it?

The Debate is only boring if you write it that way.

Imagine that Beat 4’s bomb lands on your hero’s house and everything goes up in flames. It’s a total loss.

Beat 5 asks, “What now?”

If (as is common for many writers when they first come to me) your answer is, “Then she moves in with her boyfriend, and it’s awesome, and they live happily ever after!” then, well, you have a problem. That’s not interesting, and it’s not real life.

The Debate beat allows you to lean into what you know about your hero and the internal journey you want to take them on.

In real life, if a bomb randomly blew up someone’s house, the victim wouldn’t stop talking about the event. They’d have a hard time working, sleeping, eating, or doing anything. Their mind would be on a constant loop of “A bomb just destroyed my house!”

First, they’d freak out a bit. (Understatement.) Then they’d call the fire department, police, and a friend—because where are they gonna sleep? And what will they wear/do/think? Everything they owned was just destroyed. (More freaking out.)

They’d talk to the police and insurance people. And talk to them again. The place where they spent their first night might not be where they want to stay long term, so they’ll talk to more people and make more arrangements.

They must pick through what’s left of their life, which will be so hard. Lean into that pain.

This is an opportunity to make a change. Maybe they work from home, so really, do they want to rebuild on the same lot? Or do they want to follow their lifelong dream of living and working in Belize? Do they even want to build another house? Maybe they want to move downtown into a trendy condo. The options are endless, challenging, and ultimately, revealing. They might even find themselves thankful for that bomb because the misfortune will allow them to fix everything that’s wrong with their life.

That hope, that belief that they’re in control and know what they’re doing is exactly where you want your hero to be as they Break into Two (Beat 6).

Pro Tip #2: If your Catalyst doesn’t yield this kind of life-altering dilemma, it’s not big enough or radical enough.

Pro Tip #3: Make a list of everything that needs to happen because of the Catalyst, then build your Debate. You’ll discover plenty of material to fill that 10% of your book, and it will inform Act 2 in powerful ways.

Pro Tip #4: If you’re writing a “Call to Adventure” story, the Debate can be a preparation beat—but should be no less demanding of your hero.

Beat 6: Break into Two

The Break into Two beat is a single scene showing your hero choosing to move into Act 2. The event should be physical and occur entirely of their own volition.

This shift from the set-up phase isn’t Harry Potter going to Hogwarts. It’s Harry running head-first into a brick column, believing it’s a magical gateway to wizarding school.

It’s not Katniss volunteering to be Tribute. It’s Katniss boarding the train from District 12 and stepping off into the completely different world of the Capitol.

A bold decision or action provides the perfect lead-in to Act 2—otherwise known as the Upside-Down World. But you’ll have to wait for the next installment to learn how to solve that whole “messy middle” business.

Here’s a hint: With Save the Cat, there’s no such thing as a “messy middle.”

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.

Getting Started with Cosplay

February 9, 2024 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

I’m a major nerd and have been my whole life. Watching shows like the animated X–Men series in the nineties and collecting Pokémon cards in my youth formed my true self and strengthened my enthusiasm for all things nerdy. I first experienced what it was like to be fully immersed in geek culture at the Salt Lake Comic Convention (FanX) in 2013. I loved the smell of the boxes of comic books waiting to be perused, watching vendors sell beautiful prints of my favorite characters, and discovering random collectible items I didn’t need but had to have. I was thrilled to meet the celebrities I grew up watching in my beloved movies and shows. I loved the panels where fellow nerds analyzed different films and TV shows and theorized about future plotlines. I also enjoyed listening to creators share the behind-the-scenes process of how my favorite movies came to be. Three days of that, and I was in heaven.

And then there was the cosplay aspect. I wasn’t too well-versed in what cosplay was or its purpose, but seeing all the people dressed up as their favorite characters showed me that cosplay is pretty much whatever you want it to be.

I decided to dress up the following year. I brought out my old Princess Jasmine and Pocahontas costumes from Halloween to wear for the first two days. I created my Pocahontas necklace using clay. For the third day, I made a poor attempt at painting a Wolverine shirt. I used puffy paint instead of fabric paint, causing the shirt to be stiff. Cosplaying that year showcased my love for my fandoms and allowed me to express myself in ways I wouldn’t get to do on a day-to-day basis. I had been bitten by the cosplay bug.

From then on, my cosplay skills evolved. There are many skills I have yet to master, but the journey has taught me patience and an even greater appreciation for what goes on in costume and prop work for television and movies.

If you’re new to the world of cosplay and don’t know where to begin, here are some steps to help you get started.

Consider the Logistics

When I have my heart set on a character I want to cosplay, I think of the logistics of making it happen. I consider whether a costume will be feasible based on time, finances, skill set, and managing my responsibilities as a wife and mom. A few costume plans have fallen through the cracks in past years. I plan to go back to some of those ideas, and some I’ll let go. I also decide what materials will be needed to create all the pieces and how much they’ll cost. Then I consider when the convention will take place and calculate how far in advance I should start working on my cosplay.

Decide How You Will Assemble Your Costume

Buying a costume or most of the pieces from places like Amazon or Halloween stores is totally okay. Cosplay is made up of whatever components you feel work best for your budget and time. Is the wig available to buy online? Buy it! Often some pieces aren’t available to buy, so that’s when I dive into the process of making them.

Design Your Build

When I first decide I want to go all-in on a build, I draw the character and list all the components that will go into it from head to toe. I find as many reference pictures of the character as I can. I even look at photos of the figurine because a lot of times they’ll show the textures and a design I might want to incorporate into my costume. YouTube is my best friend for tutorials on how to create certain pieces. Looking at the costume plan can be very overwhelming. I recommend just starting with a small element, such as a piece of armor, or things you can buy online.

Put It All Together

To create my Death Metal Wonder Woman arm bracer, I first looked at the reference photo of the bracer I wanted to recreate. Then I patterned it by wrapping my arm in plastic wrap and then duct tape. I drew the design on the duct tape and cut myself out of the wrap. Utilize friends and family for help because you don’t want to hurt yourself! Then I cut out the duct tape wrap into separate design pieces, traced those onto cardstock, and cut those pieces out. I traced those pieces onto foam sheets and cut them out. I made a few adjustments and taped the foam pieces onto my arm to see if I liked the shape and look. Then I glued the pieces together to form the bracer to my arm using a heat gun. I then covered the whole segment in a thermoplastic material called Worbla, which is moldable when hot and sturdy when cooled. This material really helps to make the piece durable, especially when bumping into people at the convention. I added some details to bring out the design, then primed, sanded, painted, and shaded it. A lot easier said than done, but well worth it in the end!

Be Patient and Take Breaks

There have been many times when I was in tears or felt so stressed and frustrated when something wasn’t going my way. The best thing to do is to take a step back and either work on something else or just not work on the cosplay at all for a little bit. Starting on the costume well in advance will allow you the luxury of taking a rest. After giving myself a little break, I’m ready to try again and can look at the problem with fresh eyes.

Be True to Yourself

Cosplay has become a way of self-expression for me. It may seem weird to others, but when I learned not to care about what people thought of me and my fun hobbies, I started living my life and becoming my true self. I’ve also had opportunities to dress as characters for little girls’ princess parties or for charities. I feel truly delighted watching little kids’ faces light up when they see their favorite characters. I hope to teach my kids not to hide who they are as I did most of my life and to really embrace their passions!

Alyssa Caldwell

Alyssa Caldwell is originally from Charles Town, West Virginia, and now lives in Stansbury Park, Utah. She’s been a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loves crafting, dressing up, reading, sleeping, snacks, and all things Disney. She met her husband, Brett, at BYU-Idaho. They have three children.