LDSPMA

Empowering Latter-day Saints to spread light and truth by connecting them at the intersection of faith, creativity, and professional skill

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Why and How to Recognize AI Writing

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Can you really spot AI writing? Here are the subtle clues to look for.

One of the biggest topics being debated in the writing world is how to approach or handle AI in writing. On one hand, AI can be an incredibly helpful tool for authors. It can help brainstorm, organize research, spark ideas, explore alternative verbiage, help you remember how to use a certain phrase—all things that most people agree can boost the writing process in a great way. 

On the other hand, there are many fears about AI writing becoming a replacement for real writing—whether that means writers relying on AI or AI replacing humans altogether. 

The key is to use AI responsibly and not let it replace your own voice. Readers can tell when AI has been used too freely, even if they don’t immediately recognize what’s off. When people copy and paste whole paragraphs of AI-generated content, that’s when inaccuracies, fabricated sources, awkward phrasing, or overly formal styles are noticeable. 

Why Should Writers Learn to Recognize AI Writing?

Why is it important for writers and readers to recognize AI writing? Here are a few reasons:

To Stop Misinformation

AI can and has spread inaccurate facts and information in the publishing industry.

Imagine following a top summer reading list published by multiple newspapers only to realize that 10 of the 15 books were just made up by AI and, worst of all, were attributed to real authors. That actually happened in May 2025 in newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Notably, the fake reading list was published just two months after the Chicago Sun-Times had announced that 20% of its staff had accepted buyouts as the paper dealt “with fiscal hardship.” Naturally, subscribers were outraged, and the situation sparked debates online about publishing standards and credibility in a time when AI is being used more and more.

Now imagine browsing books on Amazon, finding an intriguing one with numerous positive reviews, only to realize the reviews seem to be written by AI. And maybe the book itself is AI-generated. That is all too common now.

AI-written “companion” books (summaries, workbooks, and guides of legitimate books) are also becoming a widespread problem on Amazon. These low-quality books are designed to piggyback on the success of new, human-written books by using nearly identical titles and the original author’s own name. By the time these books are caught and taken down, damage has already been done in the form of stolen sales, ruined reputations, and confused readers.

Recognizing AI writing helps writers judge the trustworthiness of certain sources and ensure the accuracy of references. This is especially important for authors of nonfiction books.

Generative AI chatbots are designed to be very agreeable, and their responses to prompts sound very authoritative and convincing, even when they are completely wrong. Many writers—or, unfortunately, their readers—are finding that AI boldly cites sources that don’t exist, attributes fake quotes to characters, or proclaims wrong details as truth. Authors, reporters, and lawyers who have relied on AI to assist them in writing have taken public hits to their reputations for publishing incorrect information. Learning to spot AI writing can help authors choose credible and real sources. 

To Protect the Revision Process

Some authors have paid for beta reading services only to discover later that the “feedback” was produced entirely by AI. The so-called beta readers confidently referenced sentences and ideas that didn’t exist anywhere in the manuscript, leaving the authors with wasted time and money, not to mention reduced confidence in the revision process.

Being aware of AI writing could help authors—especially those self-publishing—put safeguards in place to find beta readers who won’t use AI and to spot AI-generated feedback.

Some ways authors can carefully vet beta readers include reading detailed client reviews instead of relying on five-star ratings, utilizing reputable author circles for recommendations, and exchanging a small sample at first. Authors can also request examples of the reviewer’s work, use AI content detectors (imperfect as they currently are) as a preliminary screening tool, and request to pay for services after the feedback is received. For more on this topic, see 7 Ways Writers Can Prevent Beta Readers From Submitting AI-Generated Feedback.

Occasionally checking out publishing forums, such as r/selfpublish, is a great way to stay informed on recent trends and pitfalls in the publishing industry.

To Preserve Creative Writing

From deciding to engage with a lengthy post on Reddit to picking a book, readers want to read content that is original, nuanced, relatable, and real. Aka, the kind of content that comes from lived experience.

Almost every piece of published creative writing comes with an unspoken agreement between writer and reader: that it is written by another person. We care that care has been put into the media we consume and become invested in.

AI can suggest ideas, but it struggles to form cohesive storylines or maintain consistent character and plot threads. Writers who can see these shortcomings can better appreciate the skill they bring to their own work.

How Can Writers Recognize AI Writing?

When it comes to AI writing, there are no hard and fast methods to determine if a piece of text is, in fact, AI. AI-detection software is getting better, but so is AI. The only indisputable way to tell if someone is using AI models, like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, in their writing is if they forget to cut out their prompt.

But the more AI-generated content is used in online discourse, social media, emails, and even creative works, the better we are getting at identifying it. This is because people are wired to recognize faulty patterns, inconsistent tones, and unnatural expressions. That’s why the concept of the uncanny valley—when something looks or sounds almost human, but feels slightly off—is a thing we pick up on fast.

You can also identify multiple clues found in AI writing patterns that indicate the writing likely wasn’t written by a human. If you see a few of these clues in what you’re reading, be wary of the source.

First Clue: A Dramatic Change

The best clue might ultimately be familiarity. If a person’s writing style shifts dramatically within the same piece of content, or if they use more complex vocabulary or grammatical phrases than usual, it stands out. A sudden shift in tone, style, verbiage, etc., is something to take note of.

Second Clue: Frequent Em Dashes

A common attribute of AI-generated writing is its frequent use of em dashes. It is no surprise that AI favors em dashes, since AI models are trained on real human writing. And writers love em dashes!

Em dashes are some of the most versatile punctuation—they can function like a colon, semicolon, parentheses, or even comma. Those of us who love to write probably use em dashes on an hourly basis; however, the general public does not—especially on social media.

Because em dashes are easily identifiable, a piece of informal content like social media posts or articles that are filled with them may be an early indicator that AI was used, because humans likely wouldn’t use em dashes in these contexts as much.

Third Clue: Overly Formal and Structured

Remember the structured paragraph essay format you were taught in school? Introduction (broad overview and thesis statement), body paragraphs (supporting details and transition phrases), and conclusion (restatement of introduction). That structure was designed to teach students how to organize their thoughts clearly and is still used in professional reports, proposals, and academic-adjacent writing. But in everyday situations, few people write this way. AI, on the other hand, often does.

AI tends to default to professional or academic language. It favors grammatically perfect sentences with predictable connectors like “furthermore,” “in addition,” or “it’s not x but y.” While these phrases aren’t wrong, their overuse can make the writing feel stiff, robotic, and overly polished. The issue is when this formula shows up in places where writing is usually more flexible, like emails, social media, casual articles, or creative writing. The rigid structure of the formula throws the casual tone off.

In short, if the writing feels like it came out of a textbook or a standardized test—especially in places where a looser or more conversational tone would make sense—it might be AI.

Fourth Clue: Surface-Level Substance

AI-generated writing tends to lack substance. This is partly because AI is trained to predict what sounds plausible or typical, not what’s nuanced or new. As a result, its writing often resembles marketing copy: agreeable and inoffensive. But unlike marketing copy, which is typically concise and snappy, AI-generated writing tends to be verbose and overly relies on metaphors to explain simple concepts. You’ll notice familiar buzzwords, vague clichés, and an overall upbeat tone that avoids conflict or complexity.

In sum, it’s writing that wants to please everyone.

Fifth Clue: No Mistakes/Too Perfect

We’ve all encountered the red or blue lines that show up under our misspelled words or incorrectly formatted phrases. And what are the programs that mark our mistakes powered by? AI. So it makes sense that AI-generated writing rarely contains typos, misspellings, or incorrect grammar.

But flawless grammar and punctuation just isn’t part of the writing process, especially in early drafts. And flawless content is often not the goal in the first place. People bend grammar to sound more natural or to make a point or to simply be creative. We start messy and then revise. We leave a sentence fragment for emphasis. AI can’t make those intentional deviations effectively.

So, when you encounter flawless and overly professional or stiff text on places like social media, that may be an indication of AI.

Authors can use AI to support their work, but they must do so responsibly—for their readers and themselves.

These are all helpful clues—but that’s all they are. Even when several signs point toward AI, there’s still plenty of room for doubt. Writers who use em dashes and ensure their writing is error-free shouldn’t feel afraid that their work will be confused with AI. Unless you have hard evidence, it’s best to assume the writing came from a human.

Make AI a tool, not a replacement. At the end of the day, readers love, value, cherish, connect with, and pay for books written by humans.

This article was written by Amy Guan and was republished with permission from Ever Editing.

A headshot of Amy Guan

Amy Guan

Co-Owner and Managing Partner, Ever Editing

I edit because I love it. I love plotting outlines, treading through unfamiliar topics, and discovering misplaced modifiers. Editing is an adventure, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I love playing video games (open world only), eating whatever my husband grabs from the clearance section at Asian Mart, and being taken on walks by my two big dogs. I have a BA in English and a minor in editing.

    Working Through Creative Block

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    Over the last few years, I’ve experienced a creative block in an unexpected place: my life.

    Can you get a creative block in life?

    Writer’s block is something I’m all too familiar with. Either I’d spend hours staring at a blank page, or I’d type and delete paragraphs in an attempt to figure out where the story was supposed to go, despite having a detailed outline. Other times, I’d already finished entire drafts of the same story and nothing had changed up to that point, so I really knew where it was supposed to go. Despite believing my story should be working, I couldn’t get it to budge.

    Fun fact about me: I’m extremely stubborn. When I think a problem has a reason and a solution, I will figure them out. I don’t just want to trudge through the situation and get past it. I want to understand why it’s happening, and I want the experience to be smoother the next time around, thanks to what I’ve learned.

    That said, I didn’t conquer my writer’s block until I figured out how to break through the creative block as it applies to life.

    There are times in life when I feel stuck. Maybe I have goals and a plan, but everything suddenly feels wrong anyway. I feel paralyzed and unable to move forward with anything. I struggle to decide what steps to take next, whether it’s about a job, school, parenting, or my writing career. Nothing makes sense, and I can’t understand why.

    Over the last couple of years, I have taken this uncertainty to God. With His help, I’ve worked through why I was experiencing this form of creative block, and since then, I’ve found that the process that got me through it helps me with other creative blocks as well. I’ll walk you through my process here.

    1. I examine what I believe to be true.

    The first thing I do is identify misconceptions about where I am. In list form, I write statements that highlight my beliefs about reality. Seeing the list in front of me helps me think through the process and feel out what’s not quite right.

    Here’s an example of a list I might make when trying to figure out what’s holding me back from moving forward in life:

    • I’m going to try to traditionally publish my novel.
    • I’m going to attend a family ward instead of a young single adult ward.
    • I’m going to wake up early to write and work out before work every day.
    • I’m going to drive my sister to work and pick her up every day, even though it may interfere with my work schedule.
    • I need to look for a new job.

    As I go over the list, I pay close attention to how I feel emotionally and spiritually. When I land on a statement that needs reconsideration, it feels as if I have struck a nerve. Whether it’s anxiety or a spiritual sense that something is wrong, it’s clear to me which “truth” is not fully true.

    2. I write why I believe this statement is true.

    Usually, the problem is not that the statement is fully false. Say the troublesome statement is, “I need to look for a new job.” Maybe I don’t actually “need” to do that. The problem might lie in my approach to that belief. To discover what the deeper issue is, I start listing out other mindsets and beliefs related to that statement, such as:

    • I need a new job in the next month.
    • I want a job in retail or event management.
    • I have to make at least $18/hour and get benefits.
    • I don’t want to work on Sundays.
    • I’m looking on Indeed.

    There’s often more than one perspective I need to reevaluate, so I don’t stop listing them until I feel I’ve spiritually considered everything that’s relevant.

    3. I consider alternatives to those statements.

    Each statement that feels significant gets its own bulleted list. As I brainstorm changes I could make to those mindsets or goals, eventually one or more options will feel right. Maybe it’s that I don’t need to rush to find a job. Or maybe I need to consider a career change. Maybe I’m undervaluing my time. Maybe I need to explore other platforms or reach out to my network. I consider multiple possibilities for each statement, and they often require more than one change.

    By the end of this process, I usually start to feel excited again. Things are beginning to make sense, even if the necessary changes aren’t what I’d hoped for. Since learning to apply this process to my creative block in life, I’ve also successfully used it to overcome writer’s block and other challenges. Once I begin implementing these changes, everything starts to flow in new ways.

    Creativity is one of the most divine traits we can access, and so I recognize obstacles as evidence of dissonance between my human limitations and an omniscient, all-powerful Father in Heaven. Being stuck doesn’t mean I’m failing. It only means I have more to learn and new ways to collaborate with the Divine. This process has provided me with so much clarity in moments of frustration. I would love to hear from you if you try it and find that it helps you achieve your own breakthroughs, no matter what types of blocks you encounter!

    A headshot of Mariah K. Porter.

    Mariah K. Porter

    Mariah K. Porter is a member of the LDSPMA and the author of Tomorrow I Will Make a List: Managing the Depressive Habit of Procrastination. In addition to her nonfiction, she has also written That Prince Guy, This Glass Heart, and These Extraordinary Thorns, which are fairy tale retellings. You can learn more about her here.

      To Creative Middle-Aged Sisters in the Working World

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      Middle-aged sisters, I see you.

      You spent your young adult years getting an education and your adult years raising a family. If you’re like me, you’re not the least bit sorry you did, but maybe now you’re not feeling prepared for the next stage of adulting. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting the work you did before wasn’t serious. It was.

      When children go to college, parents’ health is failing, and you have no idea how to re-enter a career that kept evolving after you left, you’re likely facing some new challenges. If your experience is anything like mine, you’re realizing the world wasn’t custom-made for you. It might’ve been a square-peg-in-a-round-hole situation in your twenties, but it’s another planet now.

      I can’t tell you how to solve it all—that will depend on your goals. But I want you to recognize the skills you’ve picked up along the way. Here are some suggestions that helped me.

      1. Say a Prayer, Study It Out, and Decide What Success Means to You

      I re-entered the working world part-time while my kids were in school. I was blessed with a great boss and a good office culture. Years later, I moved into more responsibility and received more hours.

      A few years after landing the highest-profile job of my life, I walked away. There were many reasons for that, but the two biggest were my desire to help my parents and to salvage my sanity. It was not easy trying to balance the needs of three generations. The decision to leave came after prayer and studying not just scriptures, but family budgets. The prayers brought me peace. The budget told me change was possible.

      I had the benefit of a supportive partner. I am so grateful for that. My experience raising a family on one income told me we could do it. When the children were small, I developed serious cooking and gardening skills. I didn’t know if we would have a lot of vacations and restaurant meals in our future, but we could still eat pasta in red sauce made from homegrown, vine-ripened tomatoes. We could enjoy the company of friends and ride our bikes through a lovely countryside.


      2. Stop Using Other People’s Yardsticks to Measure Your Progress

      I ended up starting my own business, leveraging contacts I already had. Soon, we were not feeling the pinch of a lost income anymore. I bought a new computer, spruced up the home office, paid my taxes, and took some trips. I was a solo entrepreneur for three years, and each year was more profitable than the one before.

      I remember being in a room with other volunteer judges at my daughter’s high school debate tournament. A couple of them talked about their own businesses. I knew they might scoff at my little solo enterprise. They were making a lot more money than I was. Then I asked myself if I was happy. The answer was a definite “yes!” My work was serving my life goals, not the other way around. I was giving my parents some badly needed support. I still had the flexibility to judge a debate tournament and support my daughter’s school. I was having the kind of day I used to dream of.

      Since then, my children have left the nest. My parents have passed on. Eventually, my biggest client (and former employer) wanted me to do some things that required a login—and a hire. I work for them now.

      I still love what I do, and I’m still not rich. I just feel like I am . . . most days.

      3. The Creative Life Might Need Some Boundaries Too

      I wrote a book, but I was disappointed by its sales, especially when I calculated the return on the hourly investment. (One of the consequences of running my own business: I started calculating the value of my time.) I had friends who were able to make the author life work, but the rewards were unpredictable.

      My first hurdle was getting over the feelings of failure. I couldn’t do everything I wanted with what I made as a novelist. My creative side contributed to my profession in public relations and marketing, and I wrote fiction in my off-hours. I comforted myself knowing that writing was a significant part of my work, and I was still being paid to do it.

      Even so, I denied myself some things with a creative goal in mind. In my head, a dream vacation, an arts-focused experience, and a pedicure at that mysterious downtown salon were all reserved for the day I signed a book contract.

      I realized I was holding my life hostage to things outside my control. I got the pedicure, started making vacation plans, and discovered that my love of writing still lived on. It is its own reward!

      4. Give Yourself Some Credit—Mom Skills Are Real

      Here is what I’d like to say to all the moms wondering where they fit in the working world: You’ve learned some valuable things. You just need to help the working world recognize them.

      If you’ve persuaded your children to help in the garden, you know how to delegate and motivate a team. If you’ve operated on one income, you know how to budget. If you raised more than one child, you know the dangers of favoritism and the beauty of recognizing and developing individual talent. If you’ve ever tried to sort out the mystery of how the figurine on the mantlepiece broke, you know some lie-detection skills. If you’ve dedicated yourself to the mom thing for decades, you’ve definitely built up a work ethic.

      So give yourself some credit. Give yourself a hug. Decide how you’ll measure success. Study your possibilities. Say a prayer.

      And if it’s what you want to do, get yourself out there.

      Headshot of JoLynne Lyon

      JoLynne J. Lyon

      JoLynne J. Lyon is a storyteller for hire who specializes in finding the art in everyday life, making complex subjects understandable to the average person, helping others identify authentic stories that resonate with a target audience, and providing professional words and photos across print, web, radio and social media. Read more of her work on her blog, Mountain Lyon Notes.



            


        The Blessings of Involuntary Self-Employment

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        I’ve been self-employed for over a year, mostly doing side gigs and odd jobs. At first, it was out of necessity. I found myself out of a job and had a hard time finding a new one. For months, I went back and forth between loving and resenting self-employment. The pay is low and inconsistent, there are no benefits, the schedule is chaotic, my career path seems uncertain, and I could go on. Every so often, I’d send out a mad flurry of resumes to every job I thought I could possibly be qualified for. I haven’t gotten any responses yet.

        It’s become clear that something specific is in the works for me. In the meantime, all I need to do is wait, prepare, and learn to love this phase of life, which has blessed me with opportunities to preserve and foster my spiritual and creative sides.

        Here are some lessons that have blessed me throughout my self-employment journey creatively and spiritually.

        It’s a Trial of Faith

        When I first became self-employed, my life was fear-based. I worked long hours and pushed myself too hard to pay my bills. Sometimes, that effort still wasn’t sufficient. I often had to take time off as I panicked and broke down over feeling stuck, as if nothing I did was enough. I couldn’t take breaks. As I saw it, if I had the opportunity to make money, I had no excuse not to be working. The nature of my work meant there was always opportunity. Not a waking minute passed when I wasn’t stressed about not doing enough.

        I’d been struggling to be active in church for years, and I was afraid to talk to Heavenly Father. Through a series of miracles big and small, I started to open back up to Him, and in turn, He helped me build my faith. I could take real breaks that didn’t involve stressing over the money I wasn’t making. Learning to leave my worries in God’s hands helped all aspects of my health, not just the spiritual.

        It’s Not About the Money

        It took me over a year to learn which goals and mindsets wouldn’t overwhelm me. I don’t always hit my goals, but it’s not because they are bad.

        I’ve been striving to live with spiritual conviction by utilizing my spiritual gifts, following promptings, and knowing at all times that I am exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to be doing. This conviction leaves no room for regret or fear of failure. Living by faith has blessed my life tremendously.

        I often find myself on spiritual side quests as I follow my promptings. These endeavors take time away from the hours I would have worked, but I have never regretted following the Spirit. My faith has grown, I’ve seen blessings in my life and the lives I’ve touched, and somehow, I am always able to pay my bills.

        God Is in the Details

        Heavenly Father regularly uses my side gigs and odd jobs to teach me lessons and remind me He is present. Once while working for DoorDash, I was prompted to accept all food delivery orders that came through, even if I’d lose time or money by fulfilling them. As He instructed me to take on this challenge, He reminded me that I would serve others by offering my time—one of the few resources I had to give. He told me, “If all you ever shared only came from the excess you neither wanted nor needed, then where is your glory?” I am constantly overwhelmed by His wisdom, love, and all He teaches me.

        As I have taken the time to develop my relationship with God and do what He asks of me, I’ve been reminded that I am building myself and my future into something greater than I now comprehend. Though I’ve often felt like I’m failing or falling behind because I don’t have a career or substantial income, I have received many promised blessings. I see that the changes within myself are preparing me for a successful future.

        Reconnecting with my Inner Artist

        I’ve always wanted to be a full-time author. I don’t think that goal is next on my agenda, but writing has always been important to me. It turns out that it’s important to Heavenly Father, too. Some of the blessings included in this self-employed lifestyle are the opportunities to listen to music and belt out songs or to brainstorm plot and character development on the job. I often have plenty of physical and intellectual energy left to be creative when I’m done working for the day.

        For the most part, I’d put my writing on hold for years. Working a full-time job was very taxing for me, and before that, I’d been a full-time mom. However, in redeveloping my relationship with Heavenly Father this year, He began instructing me to write. He’s even helped me as I choose projects, themes, and plots. Now that I am dedicating my time to a novel, I feel spiritually guided as I write.

        There have been days and weeks when I was too busy, too overwhelmed, or even too focused on my spirituality to take the time to write. However, living with conviction means knowing there are times when Heavenly Father doesn’t want me to be doing anything else. It’s getting easier to schedule writing time without Him reminding me to make it happen. I can prioritize my novel because I no longer feel pressured to make money from writing. I realize that writing is a valuable use of my time.

        Here are some steps to help you apply these lessons:

        • Include God in the decision-making and build your faith by allowing Him to guide you through what you cannot control.
        • Experiment to learn what you can control and apply gospel truths to shift how you perceive and accomplish your goals.
        • Look for God’s hand in your life. He is everywhere. No part of your life is untouched by His influence, and you can find beauty and purpose in the struggles and pain. He wants you to learn, feel His love, and experience joy.
        • Know what you want and communicate your aspirations with Heavenly Father. Be willing to listen to what He says in response. If your desires are righteous, you may find He has already been working to get you where you want to be.
        • Learn the difference between what you want (e.g., a specific amount of money to pay bills) and what you need (e.g., peace), especially regarding something you feel spiritually called to do. We don’t always get exactly what we ask for, and we align our will with Heavenly Father’s by learning that difference.

        I can’t begin to describe everything I have learned this year thanks to the opportunity to rekindle my relationship with God while self-employed. I now know He loves me more than I can comprehend. What matters to me matters to Him, and I don’t need to worry as I put my faith in Him. The ends will be met, and the means don’t matter as much as my development along the way.

        A headshot of Mariah Newton.

        Mariah K. Porter

        Mariah K. Porter is a member of the LDSPMA and the author of Tomorrow I Will Make a List: Managing the Depressive Habit of Procrastination. In addition to her nonfiction, she has also written That Prince Guy, This Glass Heart, and These Extraordinary Thorns, which are fairy tale retellings. You can learn more about her here.


              

          Unlocking Creativity Amid Trauma: Finding Inspiration on Your Hardest Days

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          Five years ago, clinical psychologist, speaker, and bestselling author Dr. Christina Hibbert—Christi to her friends—filled her schedule with speaking engagements, therapy sessions, group coaching, and writing her fourth book. Her dedication to helping others “overcome, become, and flourish” arose from a deeply personal place, but her world flipped upside down when a mammogram revealed aggressive breast cancer. Though she’d faced loss, trauma, and mental health challenges throughout her life, Christi now faced cancer treatment—a double mastectomy, reconstruction, chemotherapy, and the many complications, additional surgeries, and eventual chronic illnesses that came as a result. “Just as it seemed I would finally take off in my family life and career, it felt like, instead, I crashed.”

          While it can seem impossible to be inspired, inventive, or to produce creative work while experiencing trauma, Dr. Hibbert has gleaned valuable insights from her ongoing journey. She reminds us in her bestselling book This Is How We Grow, “when life throws you in the mud, [you can choose to] plant yourself and grow.”

          Dr. Christina Hibbert

          Accept That Life Doesn’t Always Turn Out the Way You’d Hoped

          Though her mother had been a breast cancer survivor, somehow Christi never thought it would happen to her. But after her mammogram led to an ultrasound, followed by a biopsy, she says, “I knew I was going be diagnosed with cancer before I even had the biopsy. It wasn’t the answer I wanted, but it was my answer to my fervent prayer. I immediately felt God’s reply: ‘I’m sorry, but this is going to happen; but I am with you, and you have been prepared.'” Still, she believed she would beat cancer within three to six months and return to her busy yet rich life as a wife and mom of six, pursuing a career she felt was part of her divine purpose.

          Dr. Hibbert soon realized that there was no returning to the past. “I say now that there is only BC—Before Cancer—and AD—After Diagnosis. Everything has changed.” She experienced countless complications that led to fifteen total surgeries, her last being just seven months ago. “It’s been five years straight of diagnosis after diagnosis, treatment after treatment, nonstop. Though I’ve been working on healing all along, I have learned it’s near impossible to heal the trauma while you’re still being traumatized.” She continues, “I am finally in a place where I can learn and accept my new limitations and rebuild my body, mind, relationships, and life.”

          Mental health challenges that come with trauma can make it difficult to feel inspiration. Still, Christi advises, “Whenever we can, we should try to let it all go, fall apart, and be in the mess because that is the fertile ground where we can most learn and grow. We get the big life lessons and the nuggets of wisdom that we can share in whatever creative form we want. That’s what adds beauty to us—and the world—and heals all.”

          FEEL the Emotions and Do the Work to Heal

          “To me, FEEL means: ‘Freely Experience Emotions with Love,'” she teaches. “We must allow ourselves to experience our emotions fully, in our body and mind and heart, and love ourselves through.” Processing these feelings is crucial for healing and can provide a foundation for creative expression. Christi explains, “I never wanted to be a ‘breast cancer warrior’ or to be inspiring or strong. It’s not what I set out to do in my life. But I believe that I am a warrior because [it’s] about showing up, no matter what comes your way. If you’re showing up for yourself, it’s not just to go through whatever is physically or mentally happening, but also to feel all the emotions, deal with all the thoughts, and untangle the pile of trauma and grief.” She advises: “Go to therapy and do the work. These things are so hard, and nobody wants to do them. It’s just like having surgery; nobody wants to do that either, but it can help.”

          Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

          Focus on your own journey because everyone’s experiences and creative processes are unique. Christi shares, “It’s been really hard for me, seeing so many of my colleagues and friends going above and beyond in their home, family, and career lives—having their writing published, traveling, and things like that. I feel like I’m stuck, and I haven’t ‘done anything.’ But I have survived and worked hard. I’m still dealing with trauma and grief and the mixed feelings of cancer and death anniversaries, but I am slowly, day-by-day, healing.” Remember, your recovery, healing, and growth progress is just as valuable—if not more so—as any external achievement.

          Be Completely Honest and Authentic

          Facing your struggles head-on might be difficult, but it’s essential for growth. Having shared her entire breast cancer and chronic illness journey on her blog and social media, she says, “If there’s anything I’ve done especially well these past five years, it’s being completely open, authentic, honest, and just real. I let people see the real me: ‘This is me sad, this is me happy, and this is me in pain.’ I think that’s why so many people have connected with me and my story because everybody relates.” As she states, “To me, true strength is allowing ourselves to be vulnerable enough to be wherever we are, no matter how over- or underwhelming it may seem.” Vulnerably admitting and processing what you’re going through can enrich your creativity, inspire others, and foster healing and growth.

          Make Your Trauma Your Material

          Transforming your trauma into creative material can be a powerful way to process and express your experiences, making your creative work more personal and impactful. In This Is How We Grow, she writes about her two sisters’ tragic deaths, inheriting her two nephews and going from three to six kids practically overnight, postpartum depression, and other traumas she’s experienced. She says, “I have times where I tell myself, ‘This is my time to be in it—to just be knee-deep in the muck, putting one foot in front of the other.’ Later, I can plant myself in the mud and try to grow. When we’re stuck creatively because we’re having a hard time, if we are willing and brave enough to explore our trauma, whatever we’re going to share, create, or give to the world comes in our hardest times. The message you have for the world is in the mess.”

          Use Creative Self-Expression as a Means of Healing

          Christi advises: “Journal about your experiences. Even if you don’t like writing, recording your thoughts, feelings, and even dreams can be extremely beneficial for sorting through the trauma.” She also recommends talking about it. “Whether in therapy, with a trusted friend or family member, or even sharing publicly as I’ve done, speaking and sharing our stories is healing.” Christi also uses music as an important part of her recovery. “I’m working on a few songs about my experiences, and as I share them, even with my family, music is extremely powerful in healing me on all levels.” Amid her cancer and chronic illness treatments, she also started a podcast called Like a Watered Garden centered on the Church’s “Come Follow Me” program. She says, “I never would have thought I would make a podcast while I was still struggling to not feel sick. It made no sense at the time, but it’s strengthened my faith and testimony. It’s a different kind of creativity I could do with my spiritual side, even when my physical and mental/emotional sides were overwhelmed.”

          Get Creative with Your Creativity

          When we engage in creative activities of any type—familiar or new—we help ourselves cope, understand, and make sense of all we’ve endured. Experiment with various mediums to discover what best helps you express yourself and heal. Christi says, “I would hand letter words, write poetry, or draw about how I felt, and it brought me peace. There are so many ways we can engage our creativity, even when we don’t feel like creating or we’re unable to create in the ways we used to. Pressure, on top of trauma, makes it hard for us to perform.” Exploring new creative outlets with “a beginner’s mind,” as Christi puts it, can allow you to fully appreciate the activity and state of flow instead of viewing it as a chore.

          Dr. Hibbert’s personal experience with trauma has taught her valuable lessons about using creativity as a healing tool. While it can be frustrating to find inspiration in times of stress, Christi urges: “accept your experiences, be honest and authentic, use creativity to express yourself, experiment with different mediums, and avoid putting pressure on yourself. Following these steps can channel your toughest experiences into inspiration and creative expression that can not only heal you but so many others, too.”

          Headshot of Kami Pehrson.

          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.

            Healthy Habits for Creatives

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            I was once asked to write a Book of Mormon pageant for girls’ camp with less than a week’s notice. That gave me roughly three days to study and two days to write. Picture me, hunkered down at my early 90s-era computer, giving my all for the kingdom. Pressure writing brings out the best in me, but I couldn’t have accomplished this feat without power-eating an entire school of Swedish Fish and slugging down a six-pack of diet Pepsi.

            Fish is healthy, they say, but by the time I pushed print, I had more red dye swimming in me than was used on the set of Psycho. But there was no time for nutritional prudence—the sugar and caffeine provided the temporary scaffolding my word construction stood upon! If only they loaded Swedish Fish with a few omegas, lecithin, and a little protein.

            I admit to repeating this process on more than one deadline. However, I have learned a lot about “crutch foods,” why we lean on them, and which nutrients are helpful during these magnificent bursts of creative genius.

            Now I shall confess that I am a nutritional consultant and an author, which is some type of oxymoron—no healthy person would write books. To be serious, though, I know why people load up on junk, and I also know a better way. Writing presents a lot of physical inactivity while mentally running marathons and pumping literary iron. Buff brain ripples are a poor substitute for saggy abs. Instead of leaning on sugar and caffeine for mental acuity, try any of these healthier ideas.    

            Sugar vs. Protein

            If you are craving sugar, feed yourself protein. Protein will sustain your creative sprints much better. Easy food sources include cheeses of all sorts, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, jerky, and protein shakes. Nuts and seeds are an excellent choice if you are a “muncher.” Protein will support you with the energy you require without nudging you one step closer to diabetes.    

            Vitamins and Herbs

            B vitamins stoke the nervous system with fuel. They are found in unrefined, unenriched grains, which disqualifies almost everything in a store-bought bag or box. Snack foods that are high in B vitamins include avocados, banana chips, dried plums, unsweetened coconut flakes, oat clusters, baked sweet potato fries, broccoli, kale chips, fresh garden peas—the list of wholesome choices goes on! If veggie snacking is your thing, try dipping veggies in hummus or guacamole. Peanut butter is also a fantastic source of B vitamins, as are most nuts.

            Foods rich in C vitamins are excellent for focus and re-energizing. Not only do they taste great, but they also provide important natural sugars and increase immune function. C vitamin-rich foods also clean the digestive tract. Fruits concentrated with natural blue and red pigments, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries, also aid in liver and gallbladder function by thinning bile, a process that prevents high blood fats and diabetes.

            In addition to choosing healthier foods, I recommend herbs and supplements such as ashwagandha and ginseng, vitamin B12, inositol, choline, and omega-3. Each of these things promotes better circulation, increased energy production, and sharp cognitive function. Don’t miss these synergistic essentials.    

            Essential Oils

            Essential oils are currently all the rage, and I do find them helpful. Whenever I’ve stared at the screen too long and I feel a headache coming on, I like dabbing peppermint on my forehead, and sometimes on my upper lip if I’m feeling drowsy because of eye fatigue. You can also dab a bit on the stinging muscles across your neck and shoulders. I like diffusing citrus oils, like lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit because citrus oils are energizing. Lime is my personal favorite, so I dab it on my wrists and neck pulse points.

            High-frequency oils include frankincense, cedar, pine, and rose. These are beneficial in writing spiritual or inspirational topics and would have been a perfect companion for me to use while cranking out that pageant so long ago. High-frequency oils elevate thought and fine-tune focus.

            Frankincense is perhaps the most beneficial oil of all. The Wise Men gifted it to Baby Jesus for a reason. Frankincense is a tremendous anti-inflammatory agent, so it’s good for a sore back, twinging sciatic pain, a stiff neck, wrist pain, and hand pain. Imagine dabbing a little oil on sore knuckles or thumb joints and having it simultaneously fix the big knot at the top of your neck! Yes, oils can be so very beneficial to your head and brain, and it only takes fifteen seconds for quality oils to absorb through your skin. Sometimes the gentlest medicine packs the biggest punch.

            Breathing Exercises

            A great deal of a writer’s time is spent revising and editing. Here is a breathing exercise that is helpful to the lymphatic system. I call it the Exercise of Three. It doesn’t even require that much concentration to edit words and breathe at the same time, so most folks are good to start this exercise right away. First, inhale to the count of three seconds. Then, hold that breath for the count of six seconds, and finally exhale to the count of nine seconds.

            Our lymphatic systems are like sump pumps in the body. Sump pumps need to be primed, and my Exercise of Three acts as the primer. I recommend doing the exercise in sets of three at least three times per day. The lymphatic system must rid the body of unwanted sludge. Give it a fighting chance.

            Water

            Speaking of sludge, don’t forget to drink water! How much is enough? Take your body weight in pounds, mentally cut that number in half, and that’s how many ounces of water a person should drink in a day. Occasionally I have clients who whine about the fact that they hate water. They ask if they can drink Gatorade or Crystal Light instead. My question to them is always the same: “Would you scrub your tub with Gatorade?” It doesn’t matter what beverage is the favorite or the preferred. The human body still needs water, and all the more desperately if caffeinated or sugary beverages are consumed regularly.

            Take Breaks

            Stand up every twenty minutes and march in place for one minute, or march out to the kitchen for a drink of water and a nutrient-rich snack. Move your arms and legs to get blood pumping and good oxygen circulating everywhere. Before resuming your professional writer’s stance, stretch. Stretching is so beneficial to health in many ways.

            Become self-aware! These baby steps of healthier habits actually create a giant leap of progress, and that makes a brighter, more inspired writer. Just as sentences, paragraphs, and chapters are written one word, one sentence, and one paragraph at a time, your best self is created one healthy choice at a time.

            A headshot of June Marie Saxton.

            June Marie Saxton

            June Marie Saxton is a nutritional consultant and owner of Bear Necessities of Montpelier, a nutritional clinic and bookstore in Montpelier, Idaho. She enjoys all aspects of health and positive living. She and her husband, Mike, also own Saxton Ranch, celebrating the continuing legacy of rural living, the lifeblood of the west.

            Her time is best spent in support of her family and their many activities. In her not-so-spare time, she enjoys writing. Her titles include Dancing with the Moon, Beckon, Into the Second Springtime, Pirate Moon, Emerald Fire, Ball Baby, Veil of Azure Sequins, Mach 16, Diamonds of the Quarter, Improper Son, Tolliver, Haley at the Hop, Perfectly Pepper, The Doctor of Devonshire, Rose of Ravenswood, Saylor, and Roxy. You can learn more about her at her website.

              Tomorrow I Will Write a Book

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              I’m forming a club for people who feel like frauds when they call themselves writers. Prospective members are those who write on occasion, but don’t write often, haven’t finished anything in a while, and although they want to publish something, are working at such a slow pace that it looks like it’s never going to happen. This club would also be open to those interested in painting, drawing, sculpting, animating, etc. I know I’m not alone. Care to join me?

              Wait. I don’t want to be a part of this club. I want to write, but I’ve been saying that for so long. Am I supposed to give in and accept that I will never reach my goals?

              No. I refuse to give up, and you shouldn’t give up either. I’ve been trying to stop procrastinating for years. In this article, I will detail the steps I’ve taken to become a more productive writer.

              Step 1. Realize When You Are Making Hollow Excuses

              I don’t know about you, but my excuse for not writing was always, “I don’t have time.” My justification never changed because I never had time.

              Well, I had time to watch over seven seasons of The Walking Dead with my fiancé this year, and I don’t even like that show. Plus, I wrote and published three books while I was a pregnant stay-at-home mom with a toddler and later a newborn. I realized if I could be productive at that busy stage of my life, my excuse of “not having enough time” was really a way to rationalize my procrastination.

              How do we turn these bad habits around? We need to face reality and admit when we are choosing to procrastinate.

              Step 2. Confront Imposter Syndrome

              Maybe you tell yourself you’re not a “real” author because you’re self-published, you don’t have a critique group, or you stopped marketing the books you already have out. Or you’re not a “real” writer because you don’t write every day, go to writing conferences, or fraternize with other writers.

              Here’s a beautiful fact—having a desire to write makes you a writer.

              However, being a writer does not only mean you are someone who writes. To be a writer, you have to assume so many other roles. You must be a researcher, an observer, a comedian, a romanticist, an adventurer, and a storyteller. You read books, watch movies and shows, and listen to songs. You absorb other people’s stories in the media and the world and learn from them. Writing? Ha. That’s the easiest part of the process, where you get to sit and create stories on your own. Everything else you do as a writer, you are doing constantly. To be a writer is to see the world differently.

              And isn’t that part of why we write? To make sense of our observations?

              You don’t have to write a specific number of words a day or even write on a regular basis. Being a writer means you have the potential to change people’s lives with your words, even if you haven’t written them yet. Practice mindfulness. Talk to people. As you go through your day, notice the things you observe and what makes your perspective on the world unique. So, stop feeling like you aren’t a writer, an artist, or anything else. Accept that you already are.

              Step 3. Create Goals

              What exactly do you want out of your artistic career?

              There are so many subjects in different genres that I enjoy and want to write about. I have more story ideas than I may ever be able to write. I decided that if I was going to dedicate so much time to writing, I should make the most of that time and choose the path that would have the most positive impact on my career.

              Narrow down what you want to accomplish with your writing. Will you write books? Screenplays? Hire an illustrator and do web comics? Do you want your writing endeavors to be lucrative, or would you rather write for enjoyment?

              It’s easy to get caught up in thinking in terms of our materialistic world, but I find this mindset can severely limit my point of view and the options I’m willing to consider.

              Step 4. Pray for Help

              Pray about what to write. Pray for opportunities to write. Pray for alignment in your life, heart, and soul. Pray about what needs to change for you to be able to make your work a part of your life. Pray about how to use your gifts. Carefully consider what is going on and what needs to happen for you to be able to spend more time doing what you love.

              When we’re struggling with what path to take and everything we choose feels wrong, it’s important to remember to seek God’s counsel, and to give Him room to answer us. He knows how we can best use our talents to bless the lives of others, and He knows what’s best for us and all our needs, as well. For me, sometimes what feels right isn’t necessarily what I’d choose for myself. For example, when I got the prompting that I needed to publish a book as quickly as possible, the timing didn’t make sense. The book I wrote and published was not one that I would have thought to write at that time.

              I haven’t regretted changing my mind about something that felt wrong, and I’ve always been grateful for doing what feels right. I know I want to follow God’s path for me. As long as I feel like I have that going for me, I’m usually happy with where I am and what I’ve accomplished. And I know this path includes writing.

              Step 5. Take Responsibility for Time Management

              My last leg of this journey has come down to establishing priorities and being responsible with my time. I’ve had to get to know myself better to learn what practices help me feel the most accomplished.

              Discover what times of the day you’re most productive and get better at forming habits and routines. Self-discipline is not easy. I’d rather be editing my work than writing. But I’m telling you, navigating through this part is going to make all the hard work worth it.

              Step 6: Do the Hard Things

              Learn to accept and enjoy every leg of the journey. Learn to be true to yourself and validate yourself by celebrating your successes. Change takes time. Self-improvement requires healing. Sometimes other things need to take priority for a while, and that’s okay. That doesn’t make my desire to create any less valuable. Everyone loves the process of baking bread, but it takes time for wheat to grow. When you make your art a priority in every sense, you will find yourself able to stop procrastinating and become more productive.

              A headshot of Mariah Porter.

              Mariah K. Porter

              Mariah K. Porter is a member of the LDSPMA and the author of Tomorrow I Will Make a List: Managing the Depressive Habit of Procrastination. In addition to her nonfiction, she has also written That Prince Guy, This Glass Heart, and These Extraordinary Thorns, which are fairy tale retellings. You can learn more about her here.

                Passion and Persistence: Nurturing Creativity through Contemplation, Focus, and Endurance

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                The process of creating art, expression, and interpretation is often nurtured by passion and persistence. The Prophet Joseph Smith once observed that “when you feel pure intelligence flowing unto you it may give you sudden strokes of ideas . . .” While much of the inspiration I’ve developed and refined through the years has come incrementally, there are also occurrences when I experience “sudden strokes of ideas” in my mind and heart. This phenomenon of contemplative creativity stems from what many would describe as “the whisperings of the Spirit.”

                One of my distant ancestors, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, once commented, “I love you for the part of me that you bring out.” True mastery demands patience, perseverance, and passion that transcend setbacks, strictures, and refinements. Unlike many of our friends in the sciences, artists are often frustrated by defining or articulating their trade. So often, the processes of designing, developing, and creating are known to them only, and further attempts to outline and replicate their work are stymied again and again. Little wonder that a frustrated Ammon in the Book of Mormon haltingly noted that he could not give expression to “the smallest part which I feel” (Alma 26:16).

                Seeking Improvement

                It comes as no surprise to many artists that their work goes unheralded, and the adulation of accomplishment is silently celebrated in the innermost recesses. Most artists enjoy their craft independently from critics, sophists, and naysayers. While many are their own greatest fan, they are simultaneously their own sharpest critics. The educator William Lyon Phelps once noted, “…I love to teach. I love to teach as a painter loves to paint, as a musician loves to play, as a singer loves to sing, as a strong man rejoices to run a race. Teaching is an art so great and so difficult to master that a man or woman can spend a long life at it, without realizing much more than his limitations and mistakes, and his distance from the ideal. But the main aim of my happy days has been to become a good teacher, just as every architect wishes to be a good architect, and every professional poet strives toward perfection.”

                Meditation

                While the best artists appreciate steady hands, God works best with quiet minds. Ancient prophets like Nephi, Enos, and others often referenced their consistent practice of meditation practice. The phrase “search, ponder, and pray” so often gives short shrift to the “ponder” portion of receiving revelation. Many artists confess that their ideas came in the silence of the night. Drawing from an intrapersonal intelligence often takes time to silence, train, and focus the mind within contemplative practices. If God would use our hands to further His work, He should expect that His children would “be still” drawn out to Him in prayer, ponderings, and meditative methods.

                Those who achieve greatness are no strangers to hard work. Stretching and toil soften soil that sprouts seeds of progress. A law both in nature and self-mastery is that force and inertia move objects, tasks, and souls forward. While these processes are not easily clustered into rote checklists, it is only fair to burgeoning and eager pupils that they are given protocols and strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in the conception, development, and design within creative frameworks.

                To those who are asking the essential question, “What lack I yet?” consider the following twofold principles that often provide fruitful and satisfying yields for those engaged in the creative process.

                Using Contemplative Practices

                Dr. Arthur Zajonc, who is a renowned authority on contemplative practices, suggests prayer as part of this meditative process. He said, “The prayer may be recited silently or aloud, but in all cases with full attention to the words and thoughts spoken. As with the tempo of poetry, we slowly and patiently live into the words and thoughts of the prayer as completely as possible” (When Knowing Becomes Love: Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry, 2009, p. 59). Turning our thoughts, our desires, and our souls upward in conscientious prayer and meditation fosters fertile soil for seeds of growth and development. Begin each session within the creative process by asking the Lord to use your hands to create and further His work.

                Many artists begin their creative process by asking for guidance and discipline from sacred and/or spiritual sources. Zajonc further observed, “In all traditions of meditation, moral preparation is preliminary to everything else” (p. 62). There are heavenly tutorials awaiting those who are willing to climb to the top of “mountains” to hear them (1 Nephi 18:3). Not all who want to hear the still small voice are willing to experience the perspiration that so often precedes inspiration. This brings us to the second principle—toil.  

                Toil and Endurance

                Henry David Thoreau famously observed that “the cost of a thing is the amount of . . . life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run” (Walden, Economics, p. 280).

                Elder Henry B. Eyring further explained, “The good works that really matter require the help of heaven. And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough. The Lord doesn’t put us through this test just to give us a grade; he does it because the process will change us” (Waiting Upon the Lord, September 30, 1990). While the creative process is in many ways its own reward, it also proves capricious when trifled with. Creators find that impatience and hastiness are promptly punished as more than one artist has added a final stroke when stamina stemmed and fatigue frustrated what was once a promising piece.

                Working “past the point of fatigue” should not suggest that we “run faster than we have strength” (Mosiah 4:27). Rather, this should be understood as a demonstration of due diligence and endurance. Demonstrate to yourself and others that your work of art was indeed work.

                I hope promising artists will continue to find expression and instrumentation sufficient to explore and explain their views, their hopes, and their vision. Often, that inner still small voice is quelled by the battering of self-perceived doubts and deficiencies. However, like all things eternal and all things beautiful, art keeps finding footings strong enough to allay apprehensions and endure past mote and mire to fashion tabernacles, temples, and towers reaching ever upward. Never let the barking and bugling of adversaries deteriorate the quiet encouragement of those who give expression to the stirrings of the soul. Keep creating, my dear friends. Eternity is heralding your craft, guiding your hands, and lifting your vision.

                A headshot of Joseph Browning.

                Joseph A. Browning

                Dr. Joseph A. Browning lives in LaBelle, Idaho, and works as a seminary and institute teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Shanna, have six children. Brother Browning received his PhD in Instructional Design in 2016. His current assignment as a seminary teacher is to coordinate special education methods, protocols, and pedagogies within seminaries and institutes for the Idaho East Region. He loves the outdoors, going on dates with his wife, and spending time with his family.